June 20, 1863, The New York Herald
DETAILS OF THE REBEL MOVEMENTS.
Our Harrisburg Correspondence.
HARRISBURG, Pa., June 19, 1863.
APPEARANCE OF THE INTERIOR.
We just returned from a hurried visit to the interior, and am glad to inform you that I found the citizens residing in the counties bordering on the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad fully awake to the importance of this raid. Every village and town through which I passed that has a citizen capable of bearing arms has insisted that they shall face the music in this late invasion. The copperheads do not like this; but you will be agreeably surprised when I inform you that but few of this organization are to be found among the yeomanry. When I say few, I refer more particularly to that class of which Charles Ingersoll, George M. Wharton and Peter McCall are supposed to be the leaders. The people in the interior have no sympathy for those gentlemen, except as it concerns certain rights. They are for the suppression of the rebellion, and desire that it should be accomplished by measures both speedy and effective. They want peace; but they declare they have no desire to secure it by any other means than what is honorable. They express themselves warmly, but are nevertheless sincere. I found them both courteous and communicative, and very deep was their chagrin at leaning of the success attendant upon the rebel raid. The feeling in regard to
NEW YORK AND THE EAST is very warmly and unanimously expressed. Many citizens with whom I conversed say that their debt of gratitude must be wiped out with something more substantial than mere thanks. If Congress was in session, and the great canal project to unite the East and West was before it, I have not a doubt but their representatives would be instructed with great unanimity to support it. These straws may be taken as significant of the popular love of country in the community over the more restricted bias of State sovereignty. Wherever I have been I have heard nought but praise, so far as it concerned the action of the East in this very important and momentous struggle.
WHERE ARE THE REBS AND WHAT IS THEIR OBJECT?
It is currently reported that the rebels are at Mount Union, in Huntingdon county, which is in close proximity to the Pennsylvania Central road; but there is nothing reliable from there, and I hardly think, without their design is Pittsburg and Wheeling, that it would pay them to tarry in that region. As you know, they might tap the Pennsylvania road here. But what of that? The damage would be hardly sufficient to reward them for their trouble. The country north and northwest is mostly a wilderness, and is known as the Wild Cat region, abounding with tall pine and good lumbermen. There is very little pasturage for their horses, but little or no subsistence for either man or beast, and the probabilities are that they would, in venturing into this section, receive a welcome far from hospitable. Fears are felt, though, for Pittsburg and the country surrounding that and Wheeling. The valleys intersecting the Baltimore and Ohio and the Pennsylvania Central railroads teem with much to tempt the covetous. But then there is very little harvest as yet, and the damage would be light in comparison with what it would be a month hence. Let us hope, though, that when the harvest is ripe the laborer will feel no fear from the incursions of the enemy.
THE NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA REGIMENTS have arrived. The people here seem slow in manifesting their gratitude to the noble rescuers; but it is none the less hearty for that. Several influential citizens have informed me that it is their wish to make the soldiers rushing to their aid from abroad some public acknowledgment of their gratitude. Philadelphia regiments are now arriving. The quick alacrity with which the New York militia sprang to arms has taught them their duty, and recruiting appears quite brisk. I should also state that William B. Mann, District Attorney of that city was one of the first to raise a company. He was offered the command of a regiment, but preferred a good active company.
A large body of the students at Gettysburg College are here, so also are delegations of boys from various schools. These little fellows consider their hardships capital jokes, and just now are immensely patriotic. The old report about the rebels massing at Gettysburg is again revived.
GENERAL MILROY arrived here yesterday, and it is thought that his services will be brought into requisition in giving the rebs a taste of Union gunpowder. The troops must soon act upon the offensive, as many of their recruits enlisted with this proviso. They want short, warm, quick work, and then retire.
CITIZENS RETURNING – REBEL INTELLIGENCE
The large body of citizens who made such a hasty exist a few days since are returning. They are coming in expressing great disappointment at not finding the place in ruins and in finding that nobody has been hurt. It is probable they will remain so long as there is no immediate danger.
We had despatches yesterday that the rebels were at Chambersburg and Greencastle; but I think, while it is highly probable that they are at the latter place, they are not encamped at Chambersburg. They move with caution, and their avoidance of turnpike and public highway, as I advised you, is a piece of exceeding caution on their part. The fact that there is so little display in this raid leads calm, serious, thinking military men to think they mean work, and that of a serious character.
The Twenty-third New York State Militia arrived this morning, and are drawn up, as I am writing, in front of the United States Hotel. Their creditable and soldiery appearance is being made the subject of flattering encomiums on the part of the populace.
GOVERNOR CURTIN – THE NOMINATIONS.
This excellent and worthy officer is still hard at work at the Capitol building. He assures the representatives of the press, that while he wants them to have every facility in the securing of news, he also requests that they do not write or publish anything of a contraband nature. He leaves it to their own judgment entirely, and I presume his wishes will be respected by the entire corps present.
The democratic nominations excite very little attention. The candidates are both unexceptionable gentlemen; but the people have more important business to occupy their thoughts at present. The candidate for Governor – Judge George M. Woodward – is a resident of Philadelphia. He formerly resided in Luzerne.
HARRISBURG, Pa. June 19, 1863.
Up to noon today there is no intelligence of moment received from the Cumberland valley, or, indeed any other quarter. At least none has been furnished to the public. There seems to be considerable confusion among the authorities here; for the militia forces have not yet been organized, nor is the response of the people to the Governor’s proclamation for troops anything like what was expected. Not over five thousand Pennsylvanians have arrived here, if even that number assembled to defend the capital. These came on, in most cases, without uniforms or organization of any kind, and in many cases without even arms. This was hard enough; but then came the causes of discontent which raw soldiers always have too abundantly, and between these and the want of energy of action displayed by the authorities numbers of these militia returned home in disgust. These are the undisguised facts. There seems to be a total want of confidence among the people in the authorities, and the truth on this point had better be told than withheld.
Many of the Pennsylvanians feel mortified that their State has done so poorly in contrast with the Empire State on this occasion; and the arrival of the New York regiments here is an additional bond of union between New York and Pennsylvania.
So many of the militia of this State, and others who were not militia, were surrendering themselves to General Bacchus, that the Mayor issued an order closing all barrooms after the hour of five P.M. It took effect yesterday and had the power of checking this mischief very considerably.
After the Eighth and Seventy-first regiments arrived they were sent to Camp Cameron. Last night, however, they were marched across the Susquehanna, where they are encamped in the fortifications. The Twenty-third Brooklyn regiment, also arrived here today. The appearance of these regiments was the universal subject of favorable and complimentary comment. They were loudly cheered as they arrived and marched through the city. This morning I paid a visit to the fortifications within which these regiments are encamped. They had some complaints to make. Among them is that during the twenty-four hours they were coming here they received no refreshment whatever. Another, since their arrival they had received no ammunition. They all looked well, and were as jolly and mirthsome as New York militia men always contrive to be. They were busy pitching their tents when I left them. The ground on which they are is the healthiest in this vicinity. The only forces I can see here from Philadelphia are one hundred of the city police, and these are good enough as far as they go.
The fortifications are nearly completed. They consist of a ditch and intrenchment about a mile in length, so constructed that guns may easily be concentrated on any part of it, so as to sweep all the approaches to it. Abatis have been formed where practicable. The intrenchment is semicircular, running along the slopes and summit of a hill or bluff, with each termination of the work resting on the river bank. It is substantial, and would undoubtedly give its defenders a great advantage over the enemy. It commands the railroads and roads leading south, the bridges and the district surrounding it.