[
301]
Zzzsecond invasion and its sequel.
The ‘foot-cavalry’ paused near
Leesburg, July 14th and 15th, and soon ‘march and fight’ is again the watch-word.
Their situation is perilous, for a column, commanded by
General H. G. Wright, consisting of the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, is moving on their rear from
Washington, while
Hunter's army, which had returned from the
Ohio river by railroad, has united with
Sigel at
Harper's Ferry, and this force has moved under
Major-General Crook, down into
Loudoun county.
To slip between them is the problem.
Early solved it. On the 16th of July he moved through Snicker's Gap to the
Valley, crossing the
Shenandoah on the 17th, and taking position on the 18th, near
Berryville, skirmishing successfully, and repelling the advance of
Wright's column at Castleman's Ferry.
On the 20th,
Ramseur had an affair with
Averill's cavalry, which was threatening our trains from Stevenson's Depot, and was badly worsted, losing four pieces of artillery,
General Lewis and
Lilly being wounded, and Colonel Board, of the Fifty-eighth Virginia, being killed.
Grant now wrote
Halleck to send back to him the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, before
Early could get back to
Lee: but
Early was too quick for him.
On the 22d Early posted himself across
Cedar Creek near
Strausburg.
On the 23d news came which proved to be correct, that
Wright's column had returned to
Washington, where transports were ready to convey them to
Grant at
Petersburg and that
Crook and
Averill had united at
Kernstown.
Quick as an eagle swoops upon its prey,
Early leaped upon
Crook, who commanded the Army of West Virginia, consisting of
Hunter's and
Sigel's forces and
Averill's cavalry, and there where
Jackson and
Shields had such rough work, he rolled up
Crook's flanks, drove him from the field,
Colonel Mulligan, a division commander being killed, between two and three hundred prisoners taken, and twelve caissons and seventy-two wagons either burned or captured, and the whole army being driven across the
Potomac to
Maryland Heights and
Harper's Ferry, in the tracks of Bank's frequent evolutions before
Jackson.
This flying and broken army six weeks before had defeated and killed
General Jones, of
Piedmont.
It had now had a second defeat from
Early's hands; and when
Grant heard the news he sent another division of the Nineteenth Corps to
Washington, instead of the troops there continuing their movements to return to him.
[
302]
The 29th finds
Early on the
Potomac and
McCausland at
Chambersburg, where in default of payment of $100,000 levied upon the town, in retaliation for
Hunter's excesses in
Virginia, he, under
Early's orders, put it to the flames.
On the 5th of August Early crossed the
Potomac, taking position near
Sharpsburg, intending to threaten the enemy's country and keep troops from getting to
Grant and to mystify
Hunter as to his movements.
