October 7, 1862, The New York Herald
OUR SPECIAL ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. Oct. 2, 1862.
ON MARYLAND AND LOUDON HEIGHTS.
President Lincoln having arrived at Harper’s Ferry yesterday afternoon, and reviewed the troops on Bolivar Heights, under General Sumner, and visited the ruins of the bridges and buildings destroyed at Harper’s Ferry, passed the night with General Sumner, at his headquarters on the Heights of Bolivar. This morning he proceeded to review the troops on Loudon and on Maryland Heights, in that vicinity. Immediately after breakfast, the President, on horseback, accompanied by Major General Sumner, Brigadier Generals Hancock, Howard, Meagher and Gorman, with their respective staffs, and the gentlemen who composed the Presidential party, left the headquarters of the corps on Bolivar, and rode down to Harper’s Ferry, on their away to Loudon Heights, across the Shenandoah. Every one in town was out to see the President and party as they passed. Crossing the Shenandoah river on a pontoon bridge, the cavalcade commenced the difficult ascent of Loudon Heights. The road, which was full of stones and rocks, led along and up the side of the mountain parallel with the river for a considerable distance, and then bore off to the left through the dense woods away to the highest summit. Up the horses tugged and toiled, over the stones and rocks. At one point during the ascent one of the regiments of the division which holds the Heights was drawn up in line where the road turned to the left. The soldiers presented arms as the President passed.
When the Presidential party reached the summit the troops were found drawn up in line awaiting his arrival. General Augurs’ old division, now commanded by General Geary, was formed in one long single line of battle on the hill. General Geary, who was wounded some time ago, returned yesterday and took command of the division. He is still compelled to carry his arm in a sling. He received the President just as Mr. Lincoln reached the summit, and immediately conducted him along the division line. The drums were beat and bugles sounded, the ensigns dipped their colors and the troops presented arms. At the same time a light howitzer battery fired the Presidential salute of twenty-one guns. The President and party rode through the smoke, which completely enveloped them for a while, in passing to the further end of the division line. Loud and repeated cheers were given for the President as he rode along the line again on his return. This division formed part of General Banks’ old command. The troops were stationed on a point from which they could view the scene of their long and faithful service. They have been operating for the most part in the Shenandoah valley, except during the time when they joined in the brief campaign about Manassas under Pope, and participated in the battle of Antietam under McClellan.
It was painfully suggestive to see that fine command drawn up in line of battle. The men were in excellent spirits and presented a fine appearance, but the regiments were greatly reduced in numbers. Some of the brigadier generals had been stricken down at the head of their brigades, most of the colonels were either killed or wounded I saw only one or two colonels in the whole command and many of the captains and lieutenants had likewise fallen in battle, while hundreds and thousands of privates originally on the muster rolls were not now to be found in the ranks. They, too, had been stricken down during different engagements with the enemy. A major now commands a brigade, many regiments are in charge of captains, some under lieutenants, while sergeants and corporals command the remnants of companies. And yet the remaining men looked splendid, and were in excellent spirits.
The President was highly pleased to find the soldiers in such a comfortable condition. He said he had not expected to see them looking so well. After he had passed along the line the second time the regiments returned to their tents and the President and party, joined by Generals Geary and Green, began the descent of the mountain. Reaching the foot in safety they recrossed the pontoon bridge to Harper’s Ferry.
Passing through the town again the company attracted as much attention as before. Without delay they proceeded to the pontoon bridge over the Potomac, near the railroad bridge, which the rebels had destroyed. The Presidential party presented a very picturesque appearance while crossing the river on that splendid pontoon bridge. Having safely landed on this side the President led the party up the Maryland Heights. The fog has prevented the signals being seen on the mountain in the morning, and the messenger which was subsequently sent did not reach the headquarters on the heights in time with the orders for the troops to prepare for review, so that the visit of the President took them completely by surprise. As soon as the President appeared, however, the division under General Gordon was hastily formed at different points on the mountain. One of the batteries, planted so as to command Loudon Heights, from which we had just descended, opened a sudden fire, and belched forth the Presidential salute. The reverberations of the heavy guns went rolling beyond the mountain summits. The President rode past the battery, and the men presented sabres. Thence he went to the other points on the heights, where soldiers were stationed, and while he rode in front of the lines, with hat in hand, the troops loudly cheered him as before.
He had inspected the troops, and was on his way down the mountain when he met General Gordon coming up, when an interchange of civilities took place.
On arriving at the bridge again at Harper’s Ferry the President and party remained a while awaiting the arrival of his baggage and the ambulances to convey them to McClellan’s headquarters, eight or ten miles distant. The ambulances soon arrived. General Sumner and the other generals took leave of the President. It was now noon, and, while they returned to their respective headquarters, he proceeded on the Sharpsburg road to McClellan.
ON THE BATTLE FIELD.
After a delightful ride through this picturesque portion of the country, Mr. Lincoln reached Gen. McClellan’s headquarters about three o’clock in the afternoon. Lieutenant Colonel Sweitzer conducted him to the General’s tent upon the hill. The President had arranged with Gen. McClellan to visit the Antietam battle field during the afternoon. The guests partook of a hasty lunch previous to leaving for the field. Gen. McClellan, with several members of his staff and a number of his generals, and attended by an escort of cavalry, dashed on in front, while the President and the gentlemen with him from Washington rode to the battle field in ambulances. They first proceeded to the commanding hill from which McClellan viewed the battle and directed the operations of the Union army during the engagement. From this hill a splendid view is obtained of the whole surrounding country, embracing within its scope the positions occupied by the hostile armies from the right to the left of the opposing lines. Among the officers who composed General McClellan’s brilliant cavalcade, was Colonel Colburn, Colonel Wright, Colonel Sackett, Major Hammerstein, Captain Abert and Captain Arthur McClellan, of his personal staff; General Beaufort, Chief of Cavalry, and Colonel Hunt, Chief of Artillery of the Army of the Potomac; Generals Cox and Sturgis, of Burnside’s corps; Generals Meade and Reynolds, with members of their staffs and other officers. These were followed by the splendid cavalry escort. In the ambulances with the President was Major General McClernand and Colonel Matthew, his chief of artillery; Mr. Garrett, President of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; and Marshal Lamon. The other gentlemen of the party followed immediately behind. General Marcy, Chief of McClellan’s staff, also accompanied the President over the battle field.
On arriving on the hill, which I have mentioned, the company dismounted, and General McClellan pointed out to the President the various positions occupied by the troops on the field, and in a clear, comprehensive and animated style explained the part they performed in the battle. General McClellan detailed the movements of the army from the time the columns were moving up on Monday before the battle. He explained to Mr. Lincoln the orders he issued when he ascended that very hill on Tuesday, under a sharp artillery fire from the enemy, and surveyed the ground orders to fall into position if they found the enemy in force, but not to attack till he said the word and then he gave him a graphic description of the grand battle and our victory on the following Wednesday. The President listened with marked attention, and manifested the greatest interest in everything connected with the victory and the officers who displayed distinguished bravery and valor. Then the party went over the field, and examined different points from the right of the line, where Hooker fought; past the centre, where Sumner was; along to the left, where Burnside’s troops contended so bravely for the bridge over the Antietam.
It was almost evening when the guests arrived on the immediate battle field, and the limited interval between sundown and dark had to be industriously improved so as to have an opportunity to visit the principal points of interest. The President and General McClellan were still upon the ground after the daylight had disappeared and the moon shone out upon the memorable battle field.
A very pretty and picturesque scene occurred at this time. General McClellan, observing some Sisters of Charity, in their curious costume, and a faithful Father of the Roman Catholic church, following to the grave, amid the suggestive moonlight, the remains of a brave Union soldier who had died in one of the hospitals upon the field, from wounds received in the battle, rode up, took off his hat and held a brief conversation with the principal participators in that solemn scene. The kindly offices of these self-sacrificing sisters are dearly cherished by the wounded and dying soldiers. Those who now occupy the hospitals on the battle field are the most severely wounded, who could not be removed. When a gallant fellow dies of the wounds received in battle he is buried by these sisters of Charity on the field.
The battle field was an object of peculiar interest to the President. Hundreds of dead horses, many of which had been burned, were lying on the field. Hundreds of human graves, where the dead of both armies lay buried, were seen at different points on the ground. The field was still strewn with the clothing of the wounded and the dead. In one place there was a monster grave, over which there was this inscription: “Here lies the body of General Anderson and eighty other rebels.” And on another mound we could read by the early moonlight: “Here lie the bodies of sixty rebels. The wages of sin is death.”
The party returned by moonlight to General McClellan headquarters, where arrangements were made for the President to pass the night in camp. As the President arrived the band struck up “Hail to the Chief.” Dinner was served immediately after their return. At the table the President kept the company in the best of humors by his apt remarks and amusing stories. During the evening he was serenaded by the splendid band of the Second cavalry, which was stationed on the hill. It was playing some fine selections when the President retired to his couch in the tent.