Signal officer pierce receiving a message from General McClellan at the elk mountain station after the battle of Antietam
Elk Mountain is in the
South Mountain Range of the
Blue Ridge; its summit here shown commanded a view of almost the entire
Antietam battlefield during September 17th, 1862, the bloodiest single day of the
Civil War. The Elk Mountain Signal Station was operated after the battle by
Lieutenants Pierce and
Jerome.
As the photograph above was taken, the former officer was receiving a dispatch from
General McClellan, presumably requesting further information in regard to some reported movement of
General Lee.
The Union loss in this terrific battle was twelve thousand five hundred, and the
Confederate loss over ten thousand.
The correspondent of a Richmond paper, describing his part as an eye-witness of the engagement, wrote on the succeeding day: ‘Their signal stations on the
Blue Ridge commanded a view of every movement.
We could not make a maneuver in front or rear that was not instantly revealed by keen lookouts; and as soon as the intelligence could be communicated to their batteries below, shot and shell were launched against the moving columns.
It was this information, conveyed by the little flags upon the mountain-top, that no doubt enabled the enemy to concentrate his force against our weakest points and counteract the effect of whatever similar movements may have been attempted by us.’
Captain Joseph Gloskoski, who had received commendation for bravery at
Gaines' Mill, sent many important messages to
Burnside as a result of the telescopic reconnoitering of
Lieutenants N. H. Camp and
C. Herzog.
It was the message received from this station, ‘Look well to your left,’ which enabled
Burnside to guard his left against
A. P. Hill's advance from
Harper's Ferry.
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Signal officer pierce receiving a message from General McClellan at the elk mountain station after the battle of Antietam |
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