A three days scout over Elk Ridge Mountain.
On Tuesday morning, twenty-second instant, Lieutenant Martindale, accompanied by Lieutenant New and eight men of company H, First New-York cavalry, made a reconnaissance of the enemy's position and progress from the crossing at Sheppard's Ford. The numerous camps that had the previous evening studded the hill-sides from Sharpsburgh back to the Ford, had now disappeared, and nothing was visible under the glass but a few solitary pickets and some four companies of cavalry, but on the road passing through Keedysville toward Boonsboro several horsemen were seen taking their onward course through the rich fair fields of “my Maryland.” Lieutenant Martindale conceived the idea of spoiling their sport, and sent down five or six from his little squad, who, descending on the unfortunate graybacks with that impetuosity which has ever characterized the men of the First New-York cavalry, returned each with a prisoner. Amongst the number was the son of Colonel Miller, of Sharpsburgh, belonging to the Twelfth Virginia cavalry, and a notorious scoundrel called Hill, who has acted as a guide to the invader since they set their feet on our soil. Four more were taken during the same evening, and of this number one was courier to General Lee, who had been returning to him with a message, from Ewell. On Wednesday morning we resumed our old position on Red Hill, which is one of the highest of the [83] Elk Ridge, overlooking Sharpsburgh and the pleasant village of Keedysville, situated on the Sharpsburgh and Boonsboro pike. Lieutenant Martindale, having learned from citizens the plunder of several stores in Keedysville by the straggling parties of the enemy, resolved to put a stop to it by the capture of some of their number. Accordingly, as soon as he observed them entering the village, he descended with a few of his men on whom he knew, from past experience, he could rely, and invariably returned with captives. We thus took four of the Seventh Virginia cavalry, horses, arms, and equipments, including an officer, who seemed grieved as the prospect of a rich harvest of plunder was suddenly taken from his view. Soon after, four of our men descended, and directed their attention to a party, consisting of five or six. who, by their uniforms, looked like officers. This party was General Wright and staff, belonging to A. P. Hill's corps. They wheeled round, however, and our boys gave chase, and succeeded in capturing Lieutenant Wright, (the General's son and aid,) wounding one of the horses, and probably some more of the party. The General, having a fast horse, escaped with the loss of his hat, which is preserved as a memento of the chase after a live general. Five or six more were captured afterward. Yesterday morning, about seven o'clock A. M., we were again on the lookout. Now we see more crossing the ford — looks at first like a brigade, but lengthens evidently into a division, and about noon was certainly a corps, supposed, from the report of prisoners, to be Longstreet's. It stretched — artillery, cavalry, infantry, and wagon-train — over a line of four miles, and as the last of their train disappears beyond the Dunkers church, where fell the gallant Mansfield, and where Hooker showed his bold front to the enemy last fall, another column appeared, coming from the river. Our captures to-day amounted to some twenty rebels and two sutler's wagons. We took infantrymen belonging to Eighth Florida, Sixteenth Mississippi, Third and Sixteenth Virginia. Thus you see, Messrs. Editors, we are getting along pretty well. I forward you these particulars as an eye-witness and participator in the honor of most of the captures. The line of the enemy's march for the last two days has been in the direction of Hagerstown. The previous days they had passed through Boonsboro and some toward Frederick, but since the main body has been moving on to Hagerstown — where next, heaven knows! unless we meet and repel the invader from our soil. This is no time for fireside talk on the probabilities of this grand raid. Now is no time for delay. Let us meet them when and where they be found, and teach them once for all the lesson that Maryland and Pennsylvania have no sympathies with their ruthless invaders. Yours, as ever,C. C.
