ARMY OPERATIONS. 



131 



of the enemy was between three and four hun- 

 The force of the enemy at hand caused 

 him to halt in his advance. 



The entire force of the enemy in this inva- 

 sion was not far from 20,000 men. It included 

 two infantry corps under Gens. Breckinridgo 

 and Rhode?, a division of cavalry under Gen. 

 Ransom, and three batteries of artillery. Tho 

 whole was under the command of Maj.-Gen. 

 Jubal Early. Leaving a considerable force to 

 guard his rear, about fifteen thousand crossed 

 the Potomac. His loss was about fifteen hun- 

 dred. A large amount of property was de- 

 stroyed, five thousand horses driven off, one of 

 the greatest panics was excited, and several 

 thousand rnea were withdrawn from Gen. 

 Grant's army. 



Gen. Crook, after returning toward Harper's 

 Ferry joined Gen. Averill, and on July 23d 

 there was considerable skirmishing at Kerns- 

 town, four miles beyond Winchester, and the 

 Federal cavalry were driven back on the main 

 body. On the next day the enemy pressed his 

 advantage, and the cavalry were driven back 

 in great rout through "Winchester toward 

 Bunker Hill. The breaking of his cavalry 

 forced Gen. Crook to retreat. His command 

 consisted of the cavalry under Gens. Averill 

 and Duffie, and two divisions of infantry,- about 

 ten thousand men. The enemy being in 

 greater strength outflanked him, and compelled 

 a retreat from point to point. After the first 

 struggle Gen. Early halted his main force about 

 five miles north of "Winchester, but his cavalry 

 kept up a hot pursuit to Martinsburg. The 

 loss of Gen. Crook from all sources was about 

 twelve hundred, among whom was Col. Mul- 

 ligan, killed. On the next day a sharp artil- 

 lery engagement took place at Martinsburg, 

 but Gen. Crook, having gained time to get off 

 most of his trains, again fell back, and on the 

 succeeding day crossed the Potomac into Mary- 

 land, without molestation by the enemy. 

 Their loss in these affairs was considerable. 

 None, however, were taken prisoners. 



The enemy now held the west bank of the 

 Potomac from "Williamsport to Shepardstown. 

 In Maryland and southern Pennsylvania the 

 scenes in anticipation of the previous invasion 

 were renewed the panic the frightful stories, 

 fugitives, and the roads blocked with every spe- 

 cies of property, which its owners were endea- 

 voring to remove to a place of safety. The 

 Federal troops rallied again, and on the 27th it 

 was found that the enemy was not opposite 

 "Williamspoint. On the next day, Gen. Kelly 

 crossed and reoccupied Martinsburg, which the 

 enemy had already evacuated. On the next 

 day, the 29th of July, a force of the enemy 

 crossed the Potomac, and advanced on Charu- 

 bersburg, in Pennsylvania. On the next day, 

 Saturday, they dispersed some troops at Car- 

 lisle barracks, and a force of two or three hun- 

 dred mounted men entered Chambersburg and 

 set it on fire. A part of the inhabitants, with 

 their valuable property, had gone off on the 



previous day. The enemy demanded a ransom 

 of |500,000, which not being paid, about two- 

 thirds of the town, or two hundred and fifty 

 houses, were burned. The inhabitants who re- 

 mained made no opposition. 



During the forenoon the enemy withdrew. 

 Immediately afterwards Gen. Averill entered 

 the town, and without stopping to extinguish 

 the flames set out in pursuit. On Thursday 

 evening previous he had retreated from Hagers- 

 town toward Carlisle. During Friday he was 

 driven back to Greencastle by the force of the 

 enemy which on that day crossed the Poto- 

 mac, and a part of his train lost. At night the 

 enemy turned toward Chambersburg, and Gen. 

 Averill on the next morning began to follow 

 after them through St. Thomas, Loudon, and 

 McConnellsburg. The force from Chambers- 

 bnrg having reached their reserves, were over- 

 taken by Gen. Averill toward evening, eight 

 miles beyond McConnellsburg. Skirmishing 

 took place until dark. On the next day Gen. 

 AverUl followed to Hancock, where the enemy 

 checked the pursuit by felling trees and burn- 

 ing bridges behind him. 



On Saturday, Col. Mosby, a partisan ranger, 

 with about fifty men crossed the Potomac at 

 Cheat ferry, pushed up the towpath to Adams- 

 town, captured the picket there, consisting of 

 thirty or forty cavalry, cut the telegraph wire, 

 robbed a few stores, and quickly retired. This 

 affair created great alarm at Frederick, Mono- 

 cacy, and Poolesville. It stopped the railroad 

 trains in the neighborhood, and gave rise to a 

 report that Gen. Early was invading Pennsyl- 

 vania with forty thousand men. 



The band of Col. Mosby on its return en- 

 countered a superior force at Conrad's ferry, 

 with which a slight skirmish occurred. The 

 panic, however, increased. Gen. Couch tele- 

 graphed to the authorities at Pittsbnrg that 

 ' it is believed Breckinridge is marching west.' 1 

 All business was immediately suspended, and 

 on Sunday a public meeting was held to pre- 

 pare for defence. On Monday, August 1st, Gen. 

 Curtis called the State Legislature to assemble 

 on the 9th to take prompt measures in so great 

 a crisis. At the same time Gen. Couch exam- 

 ined the defences on the Ohio and Mononga- 

 hela Rivers. The 6th corps started for the scene 

 of action on hearing of the defeat of Gen. 

 Crook. Leaving Georgetown on July 26th, it 

 bivouacked at Rockville at night. On the next 

 day it marched to Hyattstown and reached the 

 Monocacy on Thursday, and passing through 

 Frederick encamped at Jefferson. On Friday 

 evening it reached Halltown, three miles from 

 Harper's Ferry. The force at that point, on 

 Saturday, the day that Chambersburg was 

 burned, consisted of the 6th corps, a part of 

 the 19th, and the infantry of Gen. Hunter, un- 

 der Gen. Crook. On that day orders came to 

 move in pursuit of Gen. Early's army, which was 

 reported to be ravaging Pennsylvania. The 

 whole force, with an immense wagon-train, 

 marched hard during that day and the next, 



