The Maryland Line in the Confederate States Army.Goldsborough, W. W. (William Worthington)
History
The Maryland Line in the Confederate States Army.
Goldsborough, W. W. (William Worthington)
Confederate States of America. Army; Maryland -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
After crossing the Pennsylvania line, the most prejudiced observer could
not help being struck with the perfect discipline that pervaded the
entire army. There was not a single straggler to be seen upon the road,
for under no circumstances was a man suffered to leave the ranks, except
when at a halt, which was ten minutes in every hour, and then he was
limited to one hundred yards from his command. There was no running
about the country pillaging and robbing and burning; no defenceless
women insulted and outraged, as had been the case hundreds of times in
our own country when invaded by the hireling hordes of Yankeedom. Oh,
no, the army of Gen. Lee was composed of different material and was
commanded by a Christian soldier, who held such hellish acts, and the
instigators of them, in abhorrence.
On the morning of the 27th we passed through Chambersburg and took the
turnpike to Carlisle, and on the afternoon of the 28th of June the worn
and wearied division went into camp a short distance to the right of the
road, and about three miles distant from that town. The day had been
excessively warm, and our march a long and tedious one, but stimulated
with the hope of soon having in our possession the capitol of the great
Keystone State, and proud to know we were invading the enemy’s country,
not a complaint was heard nor a straggler to be found.
The order to “break ranks” had been obeyed with alacrity; and as the
dusk of evening came on hundreds of fires could be seen throughout the
woods at which the hungry troops were busily engaged cooking their meat
and boiling their coffee. A night of refreshing sleep followed the
repast, and at reveille every man was promptly at his post, and
prepared, nay impatient, to resume the march to Harrisburg, which town
we cherished the fond hope of reaching that day.
But hour after hour sped by and no order to “pack up” was given. What
could it mean? For days we had taken up the line of march at sunrise.
Twelve o’clock, and no order. One, two, three o’clock, and an aid was
observed to dash up to brigade headquarters, and in a few minutes the
welcome command to “fall in” was heard throughout the vast encampment.
All was bustle and excitement, and many were the speculations indulged
in by both officers and men, as the companies formed, as to the cause of
our delay and our probable destination that day.
“It is my impression,” observed one, “we will go no farther than
Carlisle, where Rhodes is encamped, join him, and make the attack upon
Crouch’s forces about midday to-morrow.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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