June 29, 1863, The New York Herald
The progress of the rebels in their advance upon Harrisburg and their raid into the interior of Pennsylvania has been somewhat slow. The news of this morning and a glance at our map, published elsewhere, will, however, satisfy any person that they contemplate striking a blow in that vicinity that will require time to recover from. They have guarded well their flanks at every step, and have secured several valuable strategic points, important to them if the contemplate further invasion in that quarter, or merely the capture of Harrisburg and the cutting off communication with Baltimore and Washington from the West and North by that route.
The Cumberland valley, through which the rebels have been working their way towards Harrisburg, is one of the richest valleys in the world, and under a high state of cultivation. The surface of the country is level, and there is no point between Chambersburg and Harrisburg where our forces could make a stand without the danger of having one or both of their flanks turned by the enemy. The Blue Ridge Mountains lie along the northwestern border of the valley; but there are numerous gaps and roads over that range, making it very convenient for a cavalry force to dodge around undiscovered into the rear of our troops. The result is that our small forces in advance have been compelled to gradually fall back to prevent capture by a flank movement. The rebels are undoubtedly taking advantage of this circumstance, and are taking in a large stock of supplies from the storehouses of the farmers in the valley. But that they contemplate more than merely a foraging expedition is evident from the fact that they have driven our pickets in and that a battle is being fought at Harrisburg.
Sterrett’s Gap is on the western slope of the Blue Mountain range and near the Duncannon Iron Works. The mountains in that vicinity come down almost perpendicular to the banks of the river. A passage for the Central Railroad had to be cut through even to find room for that road to pass along on the banks of the river. If the rebels succeed in driving our pickets and force from that quarter they will then hold a point that will almost isolate the eastern from the western portion of the State. If they find themselves unable to hold it, a few hours spent in shelling and blasting will place obstructions upon the Pennsylvania Railroad that it will take weeks to remove. It is through this pass of the mountains that all communication between the eastern section of the State and the Juniata valley, as well as that portion of the State west of the Alleghanies, is kept up. Now that the rebels hold the communication through the Cumberland valley with Bedford and the west over the old State road there is no other route open, except a long circuitous one through the upper valley of the Susquehanna near Williamsport. If the rebels have driven in our pickets near Duncannon they have shown a knowledge of the country and a disposition to make the most of their raid in the way of damaging railroad communication. The rebel forces at Sterrett’s Gap are also in easy striking distance of the aqueduct near the junction of the Juniata and Susquehanna canal, and also, but a few miles from two important railroad bridges across the Susquehanna.
The rebel forces at Gettysburg appear, on the other hand, to have followed the railroad down to Hanover, and thence to its junction with the Northern Central Railroad, a few miles below York, which place our later telegrams state they have captured. This completely cuts off communication between Harrisburg and Baltimore and Washington, except by the way of Philadelphia and Havre de Grace. In fact, that is the only railroad communication now left between Washington and the North. It is yet uncertain whether the rebel forces at Hanover Junction intend to move from York and across to Columbia and strike the Pennsylvania Railroad near Lancaster, or to follow the Northern Central Railroad down from the Junction towards Baltimore. It is already stated that the bridge at Columbia is in flames.
The bluffs on the opposite side of the river at Harrisburg furnish an excellent place for rifle pits and intrenchments for the defence of the city from that direction; but should the enemy contemplate a raid into the Lebanon valley and the northern part of the State, and the fords of the Susquehanna above and below Harrisburg be low enough for their passage, the city would be flanked. We imagine, however, that all of these fords are by this time well guarded by our troops, and we trust that sufficient force has been sent to Sterrett’s Gap and Duncannon to prevent the rebels obtaining possession of these points long enough to damage the railroads to any extent. With the fords and that point secured a small force on the opposite side of the river can prevent the capture of Harrisburg, and thus stay the progress of the invaders until a sufficient force is gathered to drive them from the State or destroy them. It will be thus seen that matters in the Susquehanna are not as happy as some people would have us believe. If, however, the administration have given Gen. Smith, who is now in command of the fortifications at Harrisburg, sufficient authority to act, we have full confidence that the rebels will not be able to continue their raid on this side of the river anywhere in that vicinity.