452 Their conduct in McClellan ordered to follow Lee. MCCLELLAN FOLLOWS LEE. [SECT. XI. New York and Boston were to be visited with dire punishment for their misdeeds, and submit to a dread alternative-the choice between a ransom and the torch. But in Maryland the Confederate soldiers conducted themselves with marked moderation. So far from molesting any one, they tried to ingratiate themselves with the people. It was true that vast droves of cattle and lines of wagons might be seen crossing the Potomac into Virginia, but it was asserted that every thing had been paid for at the option of the seller, either in Confederate or in national money. As soon as it was ascertained with certainty that Lee had passed into Maryland, orders were given McClellan to follow him with all the troops not needed for the defense of Washington. On the 12th of September McClellan reached Frederick, which had just been evacuated by the Confederates, and in that place obtained a copy of Lee's order of march. From this it appeared that it was his intention to capture the garrison of Harper's Ferry. To this end he had sent 25,000 men under Jackson across the Potomac, thus dividing his army in the very face of McClellan, who had it in his power, on the 14th, to have overwhelmed the di vision of the Confederate General McLaws and relieved Harper's Ferry. Instead of doing this, however, he followed the main body of the Confederates toward the South Mountain, for they lingered in their march to give time for the reduction of Harper's Ferry. His advance overtook their rear just beyond Middletown, eight miles from Frederick, early that morning. The turnpike to Hagerstown goes through Turner's Gap; the road from Jefferson to Rohrersville through Crampton's Gap. The battle of South Mountain was opened by an atThe battle of South tempt of the Confederates, under D. H. Hill, Mountain. to resist the passage over Catoctin Creek. In this they were not successful. They then retired to a stronger position up the mountain toward Turner's Gap. Right and left of the main road are country roads. It was upon these that the action chiefly took place. The Confederates had artillery bearing on all the approaches. At 8 A.M. (September 14th), Cox's division of Reno's Forcing of Tar- corps of Burnside's column moved up the left country road and carried the crest in their front. Re-enforcements were received by the Confederates, and, Cox's position becoming critical, he too was re-enforced. A very severe conflict was maintained all day, General Reno being killed. Cox, however, held the ground at dark. ner's Gap. At 3 P.M., Hooker's corps of Burnside's column moved 454 FORCING OF CRAMPTON'S GAP. [SECT. XI. up the right country road. Meade carried the eminence on one side of that road; Patrick, supported by Doubleday and Phelps, the other. Ricketts's division pressed up the mountain about 5 P.M., arriving at the crest in time to participate in the engagement. Thus Hooker carried the mountain sides on the right of the Gap, and Reno those on the left, notwithstanding the extreme steepness and difficulty. About 4 P.M. Longstreet came up from Hagerstown with re-enforcements for Hill, and, outranking him, took command. It remained now for the national forces to move up the main or central road. Late in the afternoon Burnside ordered Gibbon's brigade to advance along that road upon the Confederate central position. Though stubbornly resisted, it forced its way, pressing the enemy be fore it. After dark it was relieved by one of Sedgwick's brigades. The Confederates, being now outflanked right and left, abandoned their position during the night, leaving also their dead. On the quiet valley-and it is one of the most beautiful valleys in Atlantic America-the morning sun once more shed his welcome beams. Seen from the heights which the national soldiers had won, the Catoctin lay like a silver thread in the meadows. The turnpike was crowded with an advancing line of troops and artillery; the green fields in the distance were dotted with white army wagons. Crampton's Gap, six miles to the south of Turner's Forcing of Cramp- Gap, held by the Confederates under Howton's Gap. ell Cobb, was simultaneously carried by Franklin. He drove them from their position at the base of the mountain, where they were protected by a stone wall, steadily forced them back up the slope, and, after an action of three hours, gained the crest. The Confed CHAP. LVIII.] JACKSON CAPTURES HARPER'S FERRY. 455 erates hastily fled down the mountain on the other side. Object of Lee in these battles. The national loss at Turner's Gap was 328 killed, 1463 wounded and missing. The loss at Crampton's Gap was 115 killed, and 418 wounded and missing. Lee had ventured on this resistance merely to gain time for the completion of his enterprise at Harper's Ferry; and though in the actual engagement the victory was with the national side, the suc cess of the whole operation was with the Confederates. For Jackson appeared at Harper's Ferry on the morn Harper's Ferry cap- ing of the 13th, the post being in charge of tured by Jackson. Colonel Miles, who, though he had been ordered to fortify Maryland Heights, had neglected to do so. Those heights and Loudon Heights were speedily occupied by the Confederates, and Harper's Ferry was at their mercy. Miles had with him at this time about 14,000 men, of whom 2500 were cavalry; the latter cut their way through the enemy's lines on the night of the 14th. On the morning of the 15th Miles surrendered 11,583 men, 73 guns, 13,000 small-arms, 200 wagons, and large quantities of supplies. His object thus accomplished, Jackson did not delay to receive the surrender. He left that to Hill; and, hurrying across the pontoon bridge into Maryland, marched without stopping until he joined Lee in time to assist him at the battle of Antietam, which was fought on the 17th of September. McClellan had pushed forward his right wing and centre in pursuit of the Confederates, and had found them on the 15th, along the western bank of Antietam Creek, a sluggish stream entering the Potomac eight miles above Harper's Ferry. The creek was on their front, the Potomac on their rear, behind them and near the midst of their line the little town. of He hastens to Antietam. Lee's army at Antietam. 456 LEE FALLS BACK TO ANTIETAM. [SECT. XI. Sharpsburg. It is about a mile from the creek. A road leads from it to the Shepherdstown ford of the Potomac. At this moment Lee's army was divided. A part of his force, under Jackson, McLaws, and Walker, was operating at Harper's Ferry. The post surrendered, however, on the morning of that day, and Jackson, as we have seen, with all speed hastened his march to Sharpsburg. It had become clear that the detaching of Maryland from the Union, and the projected invasion of Pennsylvania, were destined to failure. Forced out of the passes of South Mountain, Lee's hope of escaping the consequences of dividing his army rested on one thing only-the dilatoriness of his antagonist. But he remembered the Peninsula, and took courage. to fight. Lee was constrained, not by military, but by political He is constrained reasons, to fight the battle of Antietam. The South would never be satisfied with the barren laurels acquired from Pope; nor was it possible to give up the expedition to the North without a struggle. And yet he did not do well in fighting a merely defensive battle, especially in fighting with a river at his back. On the 16th McClellan's army had for the most part arrived, and the day was spent in preparation for confronting the enemy. Hooker's and Sumner's corps were placed on the right, Porter's in the centre, Burnside's on the left. Position of the national troops. On the Confederate side, Longstreet was on the right, Position of the Con- with his right flank resting on a curve of federate troops. the Antietam; D. H. Hill was on the left; but one of Longstreet's divisions (Hood's) was on the left of that. In a general manner, their line stood north and south; but the last-named division made an angle with the rest, and, facing northward, stood across the Hagerstown Road. Upon the west side of that road, half a |