July 6, 1864. |
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| Weber's Headquarters, Harper's Ferry.3 |
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Harry Gilmor,1 both bitter Maryland rebels, who now, as the chosen guides and assistants of the chief of the invaders, brought war with all its horrors to the doors of their neighbors and friends.
Early pushed on to Hagerstown,
where he levied a contribution on the inhabitants of $20,000, and then swept over the country toward the Pennsylvania line, plundering friend and foe alike of horses, cattle, provisions and money.2
Vague rumors had reached General Wallace, at Baltimore, concerning the perils of Sigel.
Then came positive information of the passage of the Potomac by the Confederates, and their raiding within the borders of General Couch's Department; and finally, on the 5th of July, he was informed that their movements indicated an intention to march upon Baltimore or Washington in heavy column.
Finding his Department thus threatened, Wallace took measures for checking the invaders at the Monocacy River, with the few available troops under his command.4 General E. B. Tyler, was then at the railway bridge over the Monocacy, with about one thousand men, and thither Wallace hastened, to ascertain, in person, the true state of affairs in that direction.5 Wild rumors were afloat, but no reliable information concerning the number or the whereabouts of the invaders could be obtained.
He prepared for any emergency, and chose a commanding position on the east side of the Monocacy
1 This young man was a member of a respectable Maryland family. le entered the Confederate service as one of Turner Ashby's cavalry in the Shenandoah Valley, in the summer of 1861, and the field of his operations, as follower and leader, was chiefly in that and the mountain region around. After the war he, with an obtuseness of moral perceptions hardly to be conceived, published a confession of his crimes against his country, in a book with the title of Four Years in the Saddle. His excessive egotism is the most prominent feature of the book, and continually inspires the reader with just doubts concerning the truthfulness of his narratives of exploits of which he says he was the hero. In the raid into Maryland which we are now considering, this man was one of the chief instruments in distressing the inhabitants of his native State. He appears to have taken special delight, according to contemporary writers, in plundering and devastating expeditions; and, according to his own confession (see page 210), he was chosen by General McCausland as the proper person for burning the city of Chambersburg, in Pennsylvania. For a full account of the conduct of this man and his followers, at Chambersburg, see the narrative of the burning of that place, by the Reverend B. S. Schenck, D. D., who was an eye-witness.
2 This invasion produced great alarm, and caused the Government to issue an urgent call upon Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts, for troops to meet it. The President called for 12,000 from Pennsylvania, and 5,000 each from New York and Massachusetts.
3 this spacious building, on the corner of Shenandoah and high streets, in the village of Harper's Ferry, and belonging to the Government, was used as Headquarters by all of the commanding officers there, of both parties, during the war.
4 General Wallace assumed command of the Middle Department, consisting of Delaware and a portion of Maryland, on the 22d of March, 1864. That Department was then seemingly remote from danger, external and internal, and the entire number of available troops in it, and composed chiefly of Home Guards and One Hundred days men, did not much exceed 2,500. These were chiefly employed in garrisoning the forts and prisons in Maryland, and in co-operating with the troops in the Department of Washington, under General Augur, in guarding the fords of the Potomac as far up as Point of Rocks.
5 General Wallace left the direction of the affairs of the Department, at Headquarters, with Lieutenant-colonel Samuel B. Lawrence, Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief-of-Staff. Fortunately, Wallace had assisted the Union League of Baltimore to organize for military service, and they reported promptly for duty. To General W. W. Morris was assigned the command of the garrison of Baltimore, and General H. H. Lockwood, then in that city awaiting orders, was invited to take command of the civil forces. These two officers performed efficient service at that crisis.
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