[
519]
Chapter 22: the War on the Potomac and in Western Virginia.
- Insurgents at Harper's Ferry, 519.
-- Union troops advancing on Harper's Ferry, 520.
-- evacuation of Harper's Ferry
-- Generals Scott and Patterson, 521.
-- Patterson crosses into Virginia
-- he withdraws, 522.
-- dangers.
Hanging over the Capital
-- a gunpowder plot considered
-- Patterson's plan, 523.
-- battle at Falling Waters, 524.
-- Union troops at Martinsburg
-- the insurgents near Washington, 525.
-- a skirmish at Vienna, 526.
-- insurgents at Matthias Point, 527.
-- skirmish at Matthias Point
-- death of Captain Ward
-- torpedo, 528.
-- events in the vicinity of Cumberland, 529.
-- Exploits of Indiana troops, 530.
-- McClellan in Western Virginia
-- expedition against the insurgents, 531.
-- battle of rich mountain
-- flight and pursuit of the insurgents, 533.
-- battle at Carrick's Ford, 534.
-- General McClellan's dispatches, 535.
-- Union triumph in Western Virginia, 536.
-- events in the Kanawha Valley, 537.
The fulfillment of the prediction, that “Poor old
Virginia will have to bear the brunt of battle,”
1 had now commenced.
The clash of arms had been heard and felt within her borders.
The expectations of her conspirators concerning the seizure of the
National Capital had been disappointed; and thousands of armed men were marching from all parts of the Free-labor States, to contend for nationality upon her soil with herself and her allies whom she had invited to her aid.
Since the 19th of April, the important post of
Harper's Ferry, on the
Upper Potomac, had been occupied by a body of insurgents,
2 composed chiefly of
Virginia and Kentucky riflemen.
A regiment of the latter, under
Colonel Blanton Duncan, took position on
Maryland Hights, opposite the
Ferry, where they constructed a stockade and established a fortified camp.
Early in June,
the number of troops at and near the confluence of the
Potomac and
Shenandoah Rivers was full twelve thousand, composed of infantry, artillery, and cavalry.
On the 23d of May,
Joseph E. Johnston took the command of the insurgent forces at
Harper's Ferry and in the Shenandoah Valley.
He was a veteran soldier and meritorious officer, having the rank of captain of
Topographical Engineers under the flag of his country, which he had lately abandoned.
He now bore the commission of brigadier in the service of the conspirators, and was charged with the duty of holding
Harper's Ferry (which was the
