History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf
were in the saddle, and repaired to a position a short distance below town, and within reach of reinforcements, to await events. The alarm, however, proved causeless, and within a few hours they returned and quiet was again restored.
''About four o'clock on Monday afternoon, however, affairs assumed a more serious aspect. A number of rebel cavalry dashed suddenly into the east end of town, and succeeded in capturing three of the Delaware boys, who were having their horses shod at a blacksmith-shop. Information being at once taken to their camp, they immediately started in pursuit, supposing the Confederate force to be merely a small raid: in this they were mistaken, as it proved to be the brigades of Fitzhugh Lee and Stuart. They met the advance at the junction of the Washington road, and actually held them in check for a few moments, fighting most desperately, being armed as they were with only revolvers and sabers: but observing the overpowering numbers which menaced -them, they retired. Their loss was two privates killed and some five or six wounded, and, as far as we can learn, some thirty captured. The rebel loss was two lieutenants killed and some eight wounded. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon this mere handful of men for their bravery in this attack. Lieutenant Bowman, the provost-marshal, with twelve of his men were soon after captured, only two making their escape.
" The Confederates immediately afterwards occupied the town. In some cases Confederate scrip was offered in payment, and in others no equivalent whatever was made. Several citizens were arrested, some of whom were paroled, while others were taken with them. A large number of horses were taken off with them, and the merchants suffered heavily. Some few private residences were searched by them, but with these exceptions private property was not molested.
''Their force was variously estimated at from five to eight thousand, the greater portion of which made no halt, but pushed steadily forward. By seven o'clock on Tuesday morning the rear-guard passed out of the west end of town, and simultaneously Gen. Gregg with a brigade of Federal cavalry entered at the east end. Advance-guards were thrown out by the Federals, and some twenty stragglers of the Confederates captured, among whom was the clerk of Gen. Lee. The cavalry followed close upon the heels of the Confederates in the direction of Littlestown, and had hardly cleared the town when the advance of Gen. Sedgwick's Sixth Army Corps entered the town, and continued passing through until a late hour in the evening. The number composing the corps was quite large and appeared very formidable. The Confederates mostly were jaded and fatigued, while the Federal troops exhibited the very best of spirits. The citizens without exception tendered to them the kindest hospitalities, for which all appeared greatly thankful, many of them offering payment for the most trifling articles.
"On Wednesday the citizens enjoyed a rather quiet day, but few incidents transpiring to remind them of the close proximity ', to the two contending armies, until the afternoon, when heavy . cannonading was heard in the direction of Gettysburg, where a most sanguinary contest was raging. On Thursday the wagon-trains from the different army corps began to arrive under heavy escorts, and to encamp in the fields in and around town, and it was soon ascertained that this place was to be a grand center for supplies, as the government had taken possession of the railroad for the emergency, and trains were running day and night. During the balance of the week the streets presented a continual mass of moving wagons, horses, and train-guards, with all the paraphernalia requisite for a large army passing and repassing. Headquarters of the different departments were established, and for the time all business was suspended. Little of moment was heard during this time from the contending armies in front, save by the large numbers of rebel prisoners arriving, and a considerable number of sick and wounded which arrived during Friday. Hospitals were hastily and temporarily established at the Union church, and the large school-house near it, and also on the Catholic chapel grounds, where the patients received all the time and care the citizens could bestow. Quite a number were sent to Baltimore on Sunday evening, I where they received more prompt and necessary attention.
" Orders were received from headquarters on Saturday evening, July 4th, for a removal from here to Gettysburg, and a movement was at once commenced, the trains leaving in an almost unbroken line. Subsequently orders for a portion of the troops and trains to remove to Middletown and Frederick were received, and during Sunday night and Monday morning many moved in that direction, rather indicating an attempt of the rebels to retreat towards the Potomac. On Tuesday afternoon Lieut.-Col. Butler, provost-marshal, with his guard left for the front, and with the exception of a small number of sick and wounded and a few stragglers, the town, after a week's occupation, once more assumed its usual quiet serenity. The streets were rendered almost impassable by the recent rains and extraordinary travel."
All the operations of the Confederate cavalry were under the direction of Stuart, who had crossed the Potomac from Loudon County, Va., into Montgomery County, Md., pushed through Rockville, crossing; the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Marriottsville, and passed up through Carroll by Westminster to Carlisle, in Pennsylvania. His flanking and scouting parties extended over a wide stretch of country on each side of his line of march, and spread terror and confusion by the impression this produced of the presence of overpowering forces.
Gens. Hill and Longstreet on the 29th moved towards Gettysburg from Chambersburg, and Ewell was directed to march from Carlisle to the same place. These marches were conducted slowly, the position of Gen. Meade being unknown, and Gen. Lee, in the absence of any information from Stuart, his cavalry leader, did not know that the Federal army was so near him. The concentration of Lee's army was so admirably ordered that Ewell from Carlisle, Early from York, and Hill from Chambersburg all reached Gettysburg within a few hours of each other on July 1st.
Although the change of command in the Army of the Potomac was made on the march, and almost in the very face of the enemy, it caused no hindrance to the onward movement, no loss of confidence on the part of the army. The appointment of Gen. Meade was received with unusual satisfaction, and under his leadership the veteran troops hurried forward to meet the Confederate forces. The Federal army was put in motion on the 29th of June, and on the night of the 30th, after two days' marching. Gen. Meade arrived at Taneytown; the First Corps was at Marsh Run, near Gettysburg, the Second at Uniontown, the Third at Bridgeport, the Fifth at Union Mills, the Sixth at Manchester, the Eleventh at Emmittsburg, supporting the First at Marsh Run, and the Twelfth at Littlestown. The cavalry was kept well to the front and on both flanks, and the night of the 30th found Gamble's and Devin's brigades of Buford's division at Gettysburg, Gregg's division at Manchester, and Kilpatrick's division at Hanover.
Gettysburg, the capital of Adams County, Pa., at which the two armies were soon to meet in the most desperate and best-fought battle of the war, lies on the northern slope of a gentle eminence known as Cemetery Hill. On the west of the town, one mile distant, is another eminence called Oak, or Seminary Ridge. This ridge slopes to the west into a little open valley of plowed fields and meadows, interspersed with clumps of timber. Beyond this valley is another ridge, thickly wooded, along the western base of which flows Willoughby Run. The distance between these two ridges is one-half mile. Southeast from Cemetery Hill, between the Baltimore turnpike and Rock Creek, is Gulp's Hill, and beyond the creek in that direction is Wolf's Hill, a rugged wooded eminence. Between these two hills, extending from the Baltimore pike to Rock Creek, is Spangler's meadow, partially wooded. Spangler's spring lies near the eastern debouch of this swale. Two miles southwest of Cemetery Hill is a knob of considerable elevation, called Round Top, and adjoining it on the north, with only a narrow valley intervening, is a rocky hill of less altitude called Little Round Top. This extends in diminished altitude to Zeigler's grove, on Cemetery Ridge, the general name for the entire eminence lying between Little Round Top and Cemetery Hill proper. North of the town the country is a rolling plain. Beginning on the right at Gulp's Hill, as one faces the north, and bending around Cemetery Hill and following the ridge south to Round Top is a distance of four miles. The whole ridge is shaped somewhat like a fish-hook, the barb being Gulp's Hill, and the shank ending in the rocky peak of Round Top. In the town a number of roads converge, making it easy of access from every direction. Here on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of July was fought the great battle of Gettysburg, in which the Confederacy virtually received its death-blow.
In this, as in all the great contests of the war, the sons of Maryland, under either flag, bore a distinguished part. The Second Maryland Confederate Infantry,