June 27, 1863, The New York Herald
Mr. F.G. Chapman’s Letters.
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Md., June 19, 1863.
With the promised return of the rebels to the Shenandoah valley and the line of the Upper Potomac, all outlying forces were ordered to concentrate upon certain points, with a view to making a final stand, if hard pressed, at the fortified positions of Maryland Heights, opposite Harper’s Ferry, Va. How this was accomplished by troops on the eastern side of the valley the retreat of General Milroy’s forces from Winchester will explain. Upon the western side the forces gathered at Martinsburg. On the afternoon of Saturday, the 13th inst., the One Hundred and Sixth New York Volunteers, Colonel Edward C. James commanding, broke up their camp at North Mountain, nine miles west of Martinsburg, and fell back to the latter place, having shipped all government stores at North Mountain safely to Harper’s Ferry. Colonel B. F. Smith, of the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Ohio Volunteers, commanded the post of Martinsburg. On Sunday morning the two regiments already mentioned, with the Sixth Virginia battery, Captain Maulsby, and two companies of cavalry, comprised the entire force.
PICKETS.
About half-past ten in the morning our pickets on the Winchester road were sharply set upon by rebel cavalry, but held their posts without loss. The forces were immediately drawn up in position on the farm of Hon. C. J. Faulkner, between the Charlestown and Winchester pikes. The enemy pressed our line of skirmishers vigorously, and a sharp fire was kept up until our artillery opened, when they fell back and ceased to fire. In this attack a rebel cavalry captain was captured and a few of his men shot.
DEMAND FOR SURRENDER.
Matters now remained quiet until about three P. M. Meanwhile our forces moved to a new position on the high hill on the east side of the town, and overlooking all its approaches. From this point the enemy could be seen in considerable force moving across the fields between the Winchester and Charlestown pike at a distance of some two miles. About this time a flag of truce arrived from Brigadier General Jenkins, commanding the rebel forces, demanding the surrender of the town within an hour, threatening to shell the place in case his demand was refused, and requesting that the inhabitants might be notified. The summons to surrender was respectfully declined, and the inhabitants were notified of the threat of the rebel commander. They at once commenced a grand hegira over the fields towards Maryland. We still waited for the expected bombardment, occasionally shelling the enemy at long range wherever they appeared.
Meanwhile orders were received to fall back immediately upon Harper’s Ferry, informing us of the defeat of General Milroy and of the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. Arrangements were at once made to accomplish this dangerous movement successfully. The column of retreat was arranged, offices sent to draw in the pickets, and what still remained of the government stores was fired.
FIRING HEARD.
The sun had just set, the pickets were coming in, and the head of the column of retreat, composed of the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Ohio regiment, was in motion, when a sharp, rattling fire on the Winchester road arrested attention. The rebel cavalry came down the road on full charge, yelling like wildcats. Our retiring pickets were driven before them; but they were gallantly met by our cavalry, and, with the aid of a few well directed shells, repulsed with considerable loss. Just at this moment, the enemy commenced the bombardment. Three batteries opened at once from different positions, showering upon our troops grape, canister, shells and railroad iron with fearful rapidity. The air was howling with the sound of flying shot and the explosion of shells. Captain Maulsby replied most gallantly, but was unable to silence so heavy a fire, while the horses attached to the guns became unmanageable, greatly impeding his movements. The One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Ohio regiment, already in motion before the fire opened, had left the field and moved out on the Shepherdstown road. The One Hundred and Sixth New York was immediately drawn up, and marched steadily down the hill out of range, with colors flying and every man in his place. Although the shot flew in every direction above, beside and around them, not a man was injured who stood in the ranks. One had his knapsack knocked from his back, and many met with hairbreadth escapes. The quartermaster’s horse was shot from under him. This is the first time this regiment has been under fire.
GENERAL TYLER.
By direction of Brigadier General Tyler, who had been present all day and who now assumed command, the One Hundred and Sixth New York moved on the Shepherdstown road after the preceding regiment. The right section of the battery was brought off with the regiment, with the loss of one gun only, without limber or caisson, which overturned in coming down the steep hill. Unfortunately the remainder of the battery, through mistake, took the Williamsport road, and, although brought safely from Martinsburg, is reported to have been overtaken and captured near Williamsport and its captain wounded. The cavalry became divided, the larger portion going towards Williamsport.
The troops were put rapidly in motion for Harper’s Ferry, by way of Shepherdstown. They reached the Potomac at midnight, fording the river at Shepherdstown, waist deep. Thence they pushed down the towpath of the canal, reaching Harper’s Ferry early in the morning. Strange to say, no pursuit was made, the enemy pushing on the Williamsport road entirely. Their mistake may be due to our previously announced intention of going upon that road.
It is said by stragglers who remained near the scene that shortly after our forces left the rebels charged our position with their usual amount of yelling, but, much to their chagrin, found that the birds had flown. With the exception of the battery, they got nothing at Martinsburg which can prove of value to them. Had not a retreat been previously ordered, it is probable that a longer resistance could have been made; but with so few to resist so many, the result could hardly have been else than disastrous. As it is, we have reason to congratulate ourselves upon an escape which now seems a miracle.
HEADQUARTERS, MARYLAND HEIGHTS,
OPPOSITE HARPER’S FERRY, June 20, 1863.
Affairs in this vicinity have been remarkably quiet for a few days past, except that our army has been […..] base” for the better.
GENERAL TYLER IN COMMAND.
When General Tyler came into command, after the battle of Winchester and Martinsburg uncovered us to the advancing enemy, it became apparent that Harper’s Ferry would be the place next attacked, and it was well known that the force here would be entirely too small to divide up so as to defend the place at all points successfully; so, making the best of the necessity, and knowing that the natural defences of the heights would be equal to at least twenty thousand men, General Tyler concluded to move. Our transit was made on Tuesday and Wednesday last.
There is absolutely nothing that I can write you of our movements which would not now be […..],” but if we have a fight here I shall have […..] which now has to stay unused and unread in my note book. I would like to tell you of the changes of our division and brigade officers; but I cannot do so without exposing our numerical strength in a measure, how we are fixed to receive the compliments of Jeff. Davis’ friends, and how our boys feel; but I cannot now.
STORM.
Last night we were visited by such a storm as only once in a while the storm king vouchsafes to us. Rain, hail, wind, thunder and lightning, came down as though the clerk of the weather thought he would never have another chance at getting up a first class tornado. It rained from six o’clock in the evening until daylight as if all the vials of heaven were opened and the corks thrown away. Many of our troops, being without tents or blankets, had to make the best of it, and console themselves by cursing these who compelled them to abandon those comforts when they skedaddled from Winchester.
THE TRAINS.
Speaking of Winchester and the route thereof, I may say that we received information that the trains of Colonel Jones’ brigade, from Martinsburg, and Colonel McReynolds’ brigade, from Berryville, have got safely through to Harrisburg; but there is no truth whatever in the story that the trains of General Milroy, which were in Winchester, were saved; for I have the assurance of several quartermasters that not a thing was rescued from the clutches of the rebels; and the losses in property are said to be even larger than I gave them in my former letters. Some few of the troops who straggled in the grand hegira have come in, and we hear of others who have arrived in Cumberland and Hancock, and a few in Pennsylvania, but not enough to make General Milroy’s forces good by three thousand. We all hope that those who are missing may be found to be prisoners of war; but our losses in killed and wounded are fearful indeed.
THE REBELS.
Our scouts for the past two days have been bringing in reports of large bodies of rebels crossing into Maryland near Sharpsburg and Antietam, and last night they were reported by deserters to be twenty-five thousand in number under Gen. Ewell. Large camps of them can be seen ten miles north of us from our observatory on the top of the mountain. I hardly think their object is to attack this post, however, but rather to cover the retreat of the Pennsylvania raiders. We hear of no other large force in this vicinity.
An alarm was occasioned last night about ten o’clock which had the effect of getting our men under arms. It seems that some of our cavalry who had been out on a scout came in through Solomon’s Gap, where they were fired upon by an affrighted picket, who immediately ran in towards the main picket force and reported large bodies of rebel cavalry coming in upon them. These in turn fired their pieces, and those next, and next, and next, until a series of reports sounded, which gave the appearance of a general attack on all sides. The long roll was sounded, and off we went, pellmell, into line of battle, where we remained until daylight waiting for the expected attack. But morning came without bringing any graybacks with it, when our pickets were reposted and all went on smoothly again.
All is quiet now, and, I think, will remain so.