USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Waynesboro > Waynesboro : the history of a settlement in the county formerly called Cumberland, but later Franklin, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in its beginnings, to its centennial period, and to the close of the present century > Part 17
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The main body of Early's men, being upon the march with instructions to keep in communication with the army corps to which it belonged, did not remain long in Waynesboro, but marched by way of Quincy and Funks- June 24th. town to Greenwood, where it went into camp, leaving a rear guard at Waynesboro, which encamped in the neigh- borhood for a day or two longer.
From his camp at Greenwood. Early rode across to the point on the Harrisburg turnpike, north of Chambers- burg, where his corps commander, General Ewell, now had his headquarters, for the purpose of receiving instruc- tions as to his future movements. There he received orders which resulted in the expedition to York and Wrightsville, with its chapter of exciting incidents cul-
Depredations com- mitted.
Within the enemy's lines.
Note 55.
Northward bound.
Early's further movements on the advanee.
June 25th.
Visit to York and Wrightsville.
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WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER X.
June 26th.
minating in the destruction of the bridge over the Susque- hanna at the place last named. Early's division made its way from York through Gettysburg in two detachments. by two different routes ; the one going through East Ber- lin, and the other by the way of Hanover, from which point the Northern Central railway was reached and so successfully damaged as to effectually cut off all railroad connection by that route with Baltimore.
The Bridge de- stroyed. June 28th.
It is believed that Early's orders were to seize the Wrightsville and Columbia bridge, and not to destroy it, but it was burned by the Federal troops to prevent its falling into his possession.
Back to Gettys- burg. June 30th.
Recalled from this expedition by the orders for concen- tration at Gettysburg, Early's division left York for a re- turn to that locality by way of East Berlin, and shortly joined other divisions of this corps, all soon to be engaged in a great battle.
A vain boast.
When passing Waynesboro on the march to Gettys- burg, it is said that individual members of Early's com- mand loudly boasted of their purpose in coming north. claiming that they intended to go to Philadelphia and Washington and to come back and tell the people of Waynesboro all about it. Be that as it may, Early's forces returned by the way of Waynesboro, but, alas! for them, it was a different story they told on their return.
The call to arms in Pennsylvania.
While the forces of Lee were concentrating on Gettys- burg, and the Army of the Potomac, under Meade, by rapid approaches, was closing in to give him battle. the alarm bells were ringing all over Pennsylvania, sum- moning, under the proclamation of the President, her citi- zens, yet available, to the defense of their State, and a Macedonian call had been sent forth to her sister States, east and north.
Department of the Susquehanna.
When the fact that the North was to be invaded by the Southern army became patent, the first steps taken toward
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IN WAR TIMES.
her defense were the formation of two military depart- CHAPTER X. ments entirely independent of the Army of the Potomac. The one was known as the Department of the Mononga- hela, Major General W. H. T. Brookes commanding, with headquarters at Pittsburg : the other, the Department of June 9th. the Susquehanna, Major General Darius N. Couch commanding, with headquarters at Harrisburg.
The creation of these new de- partments, called into existence by an emergency, with the pow- ers of the commanders ill-defined, with the scope of operations in- determinate, naturally resulted in adding additional complications Maj Gen. DARIUS N. COUCH. to a situation already somewhat involved in difficulties ; Complications. difficulties arising from the natural friction between a theoretical military policy in vogue at the national capital and a practical policy of operations in the field.
When General Couch assumed command of the Depart- ment of the Susquehanna, Governor Curtin issued a June 12th. proclamation, announcing the fact, proclaiming the dan- ger which threatened, and calling for troops to protect the border. General Couch also at the same time issued a General Order of the Department, in substantially the same terms as the proclamation of the Governor.
Volunteering under this call was alarmingly slow. The apparent want of alacrity in responding was by no means due to a lack of patriotism on part of the people, but was largely to be attributed to the uncertain conditions under which the call was made. A call for three years' enlistments had been pending for some time before the first emergency call was made, and there seems to have been a disagreement between the authorities at Washing- ton and at Harrisburg as to the postponement of this call to aid the instant recruiting of men for a shorter term.
Cf. Records of Union and Confederate Armies, Ser. I, Vol. XXVII, Part III.
Governor's procla- mation.
Volunteering slow.
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WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER X.
In addition to this, no provision was made by the general government for the pay of the emergency men. A way to remove this last-named difficulty however, was shown to Secretary Stanton by Colonel Thomas A. Scott. of Pennsylvania, who offered to make arrangements with the financial institutions of the State to raise money for the pay of troops until Congress met.
June 14th.
President's procla- mation.
June 15th.
A realization of the situation at length forced itself upon the general government. President Lincoln issued a proclamation, calling for one hundred thousand men, for six months' service, from the States of Maryland. West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio. The Gov- ernors of each of these States supplemented the call of the President with proclamations couched in the most patriotic and insistent terms.
Continued difficul- ties. June 17th.
It was soon apparent that, even under the call of the President, volunteers responded tardily. General Couch was early convinced that he could not enlist troops under the President's call for six months' enlistments, and he so informed Secretary Stanton, who forthwith authorized him to muster men in whatever way he could.
Colored troops.
Trouble arose also about accepting the colored troops which had been offered from Philadelphia. General Couch at first refused to muster them, but was subse- quently ordered by Secretary Stanton to do so.
The militia army gathers.
Notwithstanding adverse circumstances, a fair army of militia men. within a few days, rendezvoused at Harris- burg. and. under General Couch, began military service in the Cumberland Valley, operating as far southward as Chambersburg and Greencastle, and to the Maryland line.
Two divisions or- ganized.
The troops in the Department of the Susquehanna were organized into two divisions, under the general command of General Couch, whose authority extended from Al- toona, along the Juniata and Susquehanna rivers, to Cono- wongo bridge above Havre-de-Grace, with the valley west
For State Defence IN THE Susquehanna Department! MAJ. GEN. COUCH.
Ist. Pa. Cavalry, J. C. HESS, Col. Comd'g.
A splendid opportunity is now offered to all persons wishing to avoid the Conscription which will be positively enforced about the First week in July ; this being the only Cavalry Regiment now forming for State Defence.
Delay not a day, but walk up and enroll your name in this fine Regiment, and serve under officers of experience. And don't be called a Conscript.
EQUIPMENTS AND PAY the same as Volunteers in the Regular Service. APPLY AT
Capt. HENRY REYNOLDS, RECRUITING OFFICER.
A WAR-TIME POSTER.
(15)
236
WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER X.
of the Susquehanna to operate in, and the capital city east of that river to defend.
June 12th.
"General Couch issued the first order as the commander of his department at Chambersburg, but immediately took up his headquarters at Harrisburg, and the portion of his command operating in the valley was withdrawn, before the approach of the Confederates, to the defense at Harrisburg.
Protecting the Capital City.
June 13th.
Immediately upon taking up his headquarters at Har- risburg, General Couch communicated with the War De- partment at Washington, asking authority to employ men to build entrenchments on the opposite side of the river. This authority granted. the work of construction at once commenced. under Major James Brady, of the Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Artillery: Captain R. I. Dodge, of the Eighth Infantry, U. S. A., and Mr. John A. Wilson, assist- ant engineer of the Pennsylvania railroad company, with several other gentlemen, members of the same company's corps of engineers. Later, Captain J. B. Wheeler, of the Engineer Corps, U. S. A., by special order of the War Department, was sent from West Point to Harrisburg. and was there assigned by General Couch to duty as chief engineer of the Department of the Susquehanna. He was entrusted with the entire supervision and completion of the defensive works before the city.
June 20th.
Report of the Chief Engineer.
August 31st. Note 56.
In his report to the chief engineer of the United States Army, sent from Chambersburg after the retreat of Lee's army. Captain Wheeler gives a detailed account of his ser- viees, and submits a draft, or sketch, showing the position of the field works on the west side of the Susquehanna opposite Harrisburg, which, by order of General Couch, had been named, and are now known as "Fort Washing- ton." To a portion of these fortifications the name of "Fort Henry Clay" has also attached.
Character of Couch's troops.
Some idea of the character of the troops in the Depart- ment of the Susquehanna at this time may be had from
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IN WAR TIMES.
the estimate placed upon them by their commanding gen- CHAPTER X. eral, who, in a message to the Secretary of War, sums up the situation thus :
"You will readily understand what forces I have when a few regiments, with a sprinkling of nine months' men in them, are the veterans. The New York troops look well, but are without much confidence in themselves; my little artillery is all raw, my cavalry the same.
"I now have two New York regiments, eight hundred men, at Carlisle : one Pennsylvania regiment near Gettys- burg to harass the enemy, and, if possible, to hold the mountain there. Milroy is at Bedford and vicinity, with, perhaps, twenty-eight hundred of his old force and one thousand Pennsylvania militia. He there serves as a threat to any advance in this direction from Chambers- burg, besides holding the country.
"I speak of the quality and condition of my troops in order that you may not wonder why I do not boldly face them against the rebels in the Cumberland Valley."
Speaking again, later, on the subject, General Couch June 29th. says :
"The fortifications opposite here (Harrisburg) are as strong as we can make them. My whole organized force is sixteen thousand; five thousand organized troops will whip them all to pieces in an open field."
Such was the condition of the troops in the department when Brigadier General W. F. Smith, who some time before had been ordered to report to General Couch, was assigned to the command of all troops on the south or west side of the Susquehanna river, in the vicinity of Harrisburg.
The steady approach of the Confederate army into Penn- Brigadier General W. F. SMITH sylvania warned Governor Curtin that every consideration of the safety of the State capital demanded that he should
Couch to Stanton, June 22nd.
General Smith commands First Division.
June 25th.
Additional Troops called for.
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WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER X.
June 26th.
call for and secure additional troops. To this end a formal proclamation, calling for sixty thousand ninety days' men, was issued. For the men who responded there were no uniforms, and General Halleck was disinclined to furnish them, but after Governor Curtin and General Cameron had appealed to President Lincoln, Secretary Stanton ordered the uniforms to be shipped.
In touch with Meade.
As the Army of the Potomac had by this time drawn near enough to make the troops at Harrisburg available in any plan of battle which might be adopted, General Couch received orders from Washington to co-operate with Gen- eral Meade, and to be subject to him.
June 28th.
The State Capital threatened. June 28th, 2.30 P. M.
The situation at Harrisburg was now critical. It was the hour when Jenkins' cavalry and the advance of Rodes' divison of Ewell's Confederate army corps had made their closest visit to the capital of Pennsylvania. General Couch was constrained, by the imminence of the danger. to notify the Secretary of War that by night the enemy would take possession up to his defenses on the river. "Their advance," says his message of this hour, "has open- ed artillery fire four miles from my defenses."
The President asks for news.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the following message of anxious inquiry was wired to the threatened city on the Susquehanna :
"War Department, Washington, D. C. Major General D. N. Couch :
What news now? What are the enemy firing at four miles from your works?
A. Lincoln."
As this day grew to a close, every step possible to meet an attack was taken by the civil and military authorities in Harrisburg. The defenses were manned as best they could be, and every preparation made at the west end of the bridges to destroy them at a moment's notice, while the railroad bridges, some miles north of the city, were
239
IN WAR TIMES.
strongly guarded to prevent a crossing, and a flank or CHAPTER X. rear movement of the enemy from that direction.
The military situation was well understood at Harris- burg, and there was, at least, one cool-headed and intelli- gent man there, who could, and did, certify it to the war department as follows :
"We have reliable and undoubted information from three distinct sources that General Lee now has nearly, P. M. if not quite, one hundred thousand men between Cham- bersburg, on the upper side of the South Mountain, and Gettysburg, on the east side of the mountain, and the Susquehanna river.
"His columns at present extend from Shippensburg to near Harrisburg, and from Gettysburg to near Columbia. They have over two hundred and fifty pieces of artillery by an actual count. Within the next forty-eight hours Lee will cross the Susquehanna river, unless General Meade strikes his columns to-morrow, and compels him to concentrate his forces for a general battle.
"Let me impress upon you the absolute necessity of action by Meade to-morrow, even if attended with great risk, because if Lee gets his army across the Susque- hanna, and puts our armies on the defensive of that line, you will readily apprehend the disastrous results that must follow to the country.
Simon Cameron."
When the lines of battle were drawn at Gettysburg, and the Confederate forces were withdrawn from their position near Harrisburg, the troops there under Couch became an available force, and were at once ordered by General Halleck to operate as an integral part of Meade's army upon the left flank and rear of the opposing forces of General Lee.
Before following further the fortunes of the troops from the Department of the Susquehanna upon their march along the base of the South Mountain, and their junction with Meade's army at Waynesboro, it will be
Cameron to Stan- ton, June 29th, 8.40
Ordered to the front.
July 1st.
The Confederates return to Waynes- boro.
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WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER X.
necessary to advert briefly to certain incidents of the re- treat of the Confederate army from Gettysburg, and their relation to the town of Waynesboro.
The orders of the commanding general of the defeated Southern army for the retreat from Gettysburg contemp- lated the withdrawal of the Army of Northern Virginia by the shorter route through Hagerstown and Williamsport, a distance of about forty miles. This plan made Waynes- boro a prominent point on the line of Lee's retreat.
July 5th.
According to the orders, Hill's (third) corps was moved at dark; Longstreet's (first) corps to follow with prisoners : Ewell's (second) corps to be the rear guard the first day, and Hill's (third) corps the next. Ewell's corps, to which belonged Early's division reached Fair- field at four o'clock in the afternoon, Gordon's brigade of Early's division being the rear guard. They camped that night about a mile and a half west of Fairfield: the next day they still guarded the rear, and that night en- camped near Waynesboro, which place they entered and passed about ten o'clock the next morning, reaching Hagerstown about noon. They were closely followed by Hill's corps, behind which came the Federal cavalry from the mountain in close pursuit, which particular operation of the Federal forces will be described more fully later.
Another exploit of Capt. Boyd.
July 7th, 1.30 P. M.
The following message from Captain W. H. Boyd, of the First New York Cavalry, shows that this intrepid officer was not idle at a distance while the Confederates were passing Waynesboro:
"Just arrived here (Chambersburg) from Waynesboro. Have forty-four prisoners. Have captured, since I left Harrisburg, seven wagons, twenty-nine mules, fifty-two horses and one hundred and sixty-five prisoners. I was in the line of the wagon train near Waynesboro this morning."
The fortunes of Early's Division.
As Early's division was more intimately connected with Waynesboro than any other portion of the Southern
July 4th. Route and order of retreat.
July 6th. July 7th.
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IN WAR TIMES.
army, a more detailed account of its fortunes with pro- CHAPTER X. priety can be given here.
This division, when it visited Waynesboro on the way to Gettysburg, was accompanied by the Seventeenth Vir- ginia Cavalry, under command of Colonel W. H. French. The division proper consisted of four brigades, com- manded respectively by Brigadier General Harry T. Hayes, of Louisiana, with the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Louisiana regiments : Brigadier General J. B. Gordon, of Georgia, with the Thirteenth, Twenty-sixth, Thirty-first. Thirty-eighth and Sixtieth Georgia regi- ments ; Brigadier General R. F. Hoke (wounded and ab- sent). Colonel Isaac E. Avery, of North Carolina, com- manding, with the Sixth, Twenty-first, Fifty-fourth, Fifty- seventh and First North Carolina regiments: Brigadier General W. Smith, of Virginia, with the Thirteenth, Thirty-first, Forty-ninth, Fifty-second and Fifty-eighth Virginia regiments. General Early had also the follow- ing artillery force, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H. P. Jones : Charlottesville, Virginia, artillery, Captain James M. D. Cunningham ; Courtney, Virginia, artillery, Captain W. A. Turner ; Louisiana Guard, artillery, Cap- tain C. A. Green; Staunton, Virginia, artillery, Captain A. W. Garber.
It will be, perhaps, the most striking commentary on the conduct of this body of men in the, to them, disas- trous battle of Gettysburg, to show how many of their number did not visit Waynesboro again on the home- ward march, but remained behind, wounded or missing.
Of Hayes' Louisiana boys, there were twenty-two killed and one hundred and seventy-two wounded; of Gordon's Georgia boys, there were sixty-five killed and two hundred and fifty-eight wounded; Hoke's North Carolina brigade escaped without any loss reported, but of Smith's Virginians, there were fourteen killed and ninety-two wounded.
The troops he had with him.
The loss at Get- tysburg.
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The total loss of Early's command was twenty-one officers and one hundred and thirty-three men killed, sixty officers and seven hundred and forty men wounded, and fourteen officers and two hundred and thirteen men missing, the whole aggregating eleven hundred and eighty-one.
Operations on the rear of Lee's Army.
July 4th.
Note 57.
July 6th.
Federal Troops en- gaged in the at- tack.
Col. McIntosh re- ports. July 6th, 3.45 P. M.
A series of short engagements between Lee's retreat- ing army and the pursuing Army of the Potomac took place in the neighborhood of Waynesboro. Perhaps, the most exciting and most dramatic was Kilpatrick's midnight attack upon the Confederate wagon train near Monterey. Many graphic descriptions of this encounter have been written. It was on this occasion that certain residents of Waynesboro and vicinity fell into the hands of the enemy.
While Ewell's corps was at Waynesboro, Hill's corps was crossing the mountain at Monterey. General Sedg- wick's Sixth corps of the Army of the Potomac, lay east of Monterey in the direction of Emmittsburg. From that point. Sedgwick sent forward to Fairfield the third brigade of the second division of his corps, consisting of the Seventh Maine, Forty-third. Forty-ninth and Seventy- seventh New York, and Sixty-first Pennsylvania regi- ments, under command of Brigadier General Thomas A. Neill. General Neill was also given a battery of rifle cannon, and General Pleasanton, commanding the Cav- alry Corps, sent forward to join him the brigade of cav- alry commanded by Colonel J. B. McIntosh, and con- sisting of the First New Jersey, First and Third Pennsyl- vania, and First Maryland regiments. These officers were ordered to follow the enemy cautiously as he retreated, and to keep the commanding general constantly informed of his movements.
In the afternoon of the same day, Colonel McIntosh sent word to his commanding general that he had fallen
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IN WAR TIMES.
upon and was engaging the enemy's rear guard on the CHAPTER X. Waynesboro turnpike. His message said :
"Have advanced upon the Waynesboro road about two miles from the point where the roads diverge, one going to Fairfield and the other to Waynesboro.
"I engaged the enemy two hours until they moved out a strong infantry force against me. I was in sight of their train. It is moving off in the direction of Waynes- boro. The enemy had formed two lines of infantry, and were busy forming a third when I engaged the rear guard.
"Bulk of Lee's army passed on to the Waynesboro pike from Fairfield. They passed through Fountain Dale and Monterey, moving to Hagerstown."
Upon his arrival at Waynesboro, General Neill, in a message to General Warren, acting chief of staff, gives the following account of his advance to that place :
"I marched my command from Fairfield to Waynes- boro to-day, and just missed capturing the rear guard of Lee's army, which left at ten this morning. The whole rebel army is by this time, at least, as far as Hagers- town. I can not overhaul them to-night, but will push them towards Hagerstown to-morrow. The whole rebel army have taken the pike towards Hagerstown, and, I believe, are making rapidly, and in tolerably good order, towards Wiliamsport."
In pursuance of his orders from Washington upon the withdrawal of the enemy from Gettysburg, General Couch began to advance his troops from Harrisburg along the valley with the ultimate purpose, as advised by General Halleck, of operating upon Lee's left flank, or rear. General W. F. Smith, commanding the first divi- sion, with part of his forces, occupied Carlisle, where he met with a temporary check through the near approach July Ist. of a Confederate cavalry force, under General Fitzhugh Lee, of Stuart's cavalry command, who surrounded the
General Neill in Waynesboro.
The advance of Smith's men.
Checked at Car- lisle.
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WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER X.
place, demanded surrender, and, in default thereof, threw a number of shells into the town, burned the barracks, and then retired.
On to the front.
July 3rd.
Having been joined here next day by the remainder of his then available command, General Smith began his march on the following morning in the direction of Get- tysburg by the way of Mount Holly and Pine Grove, detailing portions of his command to guard and recon- noiter the main cross roads, as necessity demanded, and during the next three days he cautiously made his way along the base of the mountains in the generally indefi- nite direction in which he had been ordered to proceed.
July 4th, 5th and 6th.
Gen. Meade as- sumes command.
July 7th.
Meanwhile, General Meade, by virtue of authority from the war department, assumed formal command of the forces under General Couch, and an order reached General Smith from General Meade to report to him at Gettysburg. Early the next morning, however, this order was countermanded, and General Smith was in- structed to pursue the enemy. Obeying these orders, the same day he marched on to Waynesboro, and there joined General Neill and Colonel McIntosh, whose occu- pation of the place has been already described.
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