Early's Maryland Campaign
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Early's Maryland Campaign |
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When General Hunter's Union army began it's retreat after the Battle of Lynchburg, it had been pursued by troops under Confederate General Early who had arrived from the Richmond-Petersburg front on the eve of the battle. Early's pursuit had been intended to cut off and destroy the Union army, or at least to drive it beyond where it could continue to threaten the Virginia heartland. Hunter had responded by taking the path over the mountains to the Kanawha, effectively removing his army from the war for a period of weeks, and leaving the Shenandoah Valley, the invasion route to the North, undefended.
Early's forces consequently advanced unopposed down the valley, reaching Winchester on July 2 and crossing the Potomac into Union territory on July 5. There they began to advance down the Potomac in the direction of Washington, DC. The advance was delayed by a Union force assembled at Monocacy Junction on July 9, but resumed again on July 10 and reached the fortifications around Washington on the July 11. Meanwhile, increasingly concerned Federal authorities had summoned reinforcements; the 6th Corps was sent from Petersburg and the 19th Corps, which was en route to Petersburg from New Orleans, was diverted to Washington instead. These troops also began arriving in Washington on July 11, and were marched to the fortifications.
The confrontation between these two forces was centered at Fort Stevens, an earthwork guarding the Seventh Street Road along which the Confederate army advanced south from Silver Spring, and now a park a few blocks from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (see maps). Not knowing the strength of the Union defenders, Early hesitated to attack on July 11. Continuing Union reinforcements made an attack impossible by July 12. After holding their position throughout the day under increasing Union pressure, in full view of spectators including President Lincoln, the Confederate forces withdrew during the night.
July 12 also found General Hunter's army reassembled at Martinsburg, too late to prevent Early's raid on the capitol, but available to participate in the chase now that Early was again on the march. Accordingly, the army marched out of Martinsburg about 3 PM on July 13 and camped at Duffields Depot, about six miles short of Harper's Ferry. On July 14, they crossed the Potomac at Harper's Ferry and continued about five miles down the river to Weverton. On July 15, they continued a few miles downstream, then waded across the Potomac in waste-deep water and continued south through Lovettsville to a point near Hillsboro.
Meanwhile, Early had crossed the Potomac on July 14 and camped near Leesburg. Marching out on July 15 towards Snickers Gap and the Shenandoah Valley, his entire army passed in front of Hunter's at Purcellville, but owing to a lack of communication between Hunter and the 6th and 19th Corps, who were conducting a leisurely pursuit of Early, the Confederates were allowed to pass unmolested. On July 16, Hunter's army marched on Waterford, where there were reports of a Rebel supply train, but arrived just after the supply train had left. They then followed the Confederates to Snickers Gap, also arriving after the Rebels had slipped through. They then backtracked to the vicinity of Purcellville, where they spent July 17 resting.
On July 18, three Union brigades, with I. N.'s 1st Brigade in the lead, were ordered to ford the Shenandoah near Parker Island on a reconnaissance mission. The crossing was conducted under fire, and once on the west bank the force was pushed back and pinned down behind a stone wall at the river's edge by superior numbers of the enemy. The force managed to hold out until night and retreated back across the river. In this action, known as the Battle of Cool Spring, Col. Washburn, commander of the 116th Ohio, was severely wounded in the head, a bullet entering an eye and passing out near his ear. With Col. Washburn incapacitated, Col. Thomas Wildes assumed command of the 116th. (Col. Washburn miraculously survived this wound, and later returned to visit the regiment, but was unable to resume command.) The regiment lost four killed and 10 wounded; one of the dead and one of the wounded from Company B. Altogether, the Union forces lost over 400 killed and wounded.
Although I. N. reported that he was 'favored in not being hurt in any way' in the Battle of Cool Spring, the battle did have a major impact on his future career. The new regimental commander, Col. Wildes, was entitled to an orderly, and I. N. was selected for the position. Neither Col. Wildes nor I. N. comment in writing as to why he was chosen. I. N. merely wrote on July 19, the day after Cool Spring, that 'today I was detailed as orderly for Colonel Wildes' and added that he 'hated to leave the Co'.
The following day, July 20, the entire force crossed the Shenandoah and camped in what had been the Rebel position on the day of the battle, the Rebels having moved on. While the army remained in this camp on July 21, I. N. foraged for 'cooking apples', presumably for the officers' mess. The next morning, July 22, they moved out on the Winchester Pike, passing through Berryville and camping just south of Winchester that evening. I.N. reported that on this march he put his gun in the wagon and marched in front of the regiment, presumably part of his new role as the colonel's orderly.
With Early's raiding force driven back from Washington to the Shenandoah Valley and Hunter's army back in position to discourage another raid on the North, the 6th and 19th Corps were recalled to the Petersburg front. Naturally, Early responded to this reduction on the forces opposing him by reversing course and renewing his assault on the North. On July 23, the 116th Ohio was included in a reconnaisance force that was sent a few miles south to Kernstown. They found little evidence of the enemy and returned to their camp that night. By July 24, the Rebels had concentrated a sizable force in the Kernstown area and in the Second Battle of Kernstown drove the Union forces north through Winchester to Bunker Hill. The following day, July 25, the retreat continued through Martinsburg to a point across the river from Williamsport, Maryland.
On July 26 the troops crossed the river and marched to Boonsboro, Maryland, where they stopped at about sundown for supper. After a few hours rest, then continued on to Sharpsburg, arriving about midnight, 'very tired and sleepy' in I. N.'s words. On July 27, the march continued to Sandy Hook, across the Potomac River from Harpers Ferry. On July 28, in his briefest diary entry, I. N. reported that he 'slept quite late'.
With Early again on the attack, the 6th and 19th Corps were returned to the Shenandoah Valley, arriving on July 30. The reinforced army immediately marched north to the vicinity of Middletown, then on to Wolfsville, where they arrived on July 31. Apparently this forced march was intended to head off Early, who was again north of the Potomac (on July 30 his cavalry torched Chambersburg, Pennsylvania), and threatening Washington . Because of the extreme heat, shortages of rations and generally poor condition of the troops, this march was exceptionally difficult. Col. Wildes reported that over 100 men in the army actually died of sunstroke. I. N. reported that he 'came very near giving out' and did 'straggle some'. On August 1, they only marched a few more miles, and I. N. was able to supplement his rations (and presumably the Colonel's and the Major's) with some nice blackberrys.
I. N. did not record a diary entry for over a week following August 1, during which time the army drifted to Monocacy Junction, Maryland, blocking the approaches to Washington but leaving Pennsylvania and Western Maryland undefended. During this same week, General Grant persuaded the Union high command to reorganize the military forces in the district under the field leadership of General Philip Sheridan. Sheridan took command on August 6, ending General Hunter's tenure and initiating a new phase of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley, and a new chapter in I. N.'s Civil War diary.
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