June 15, 1863. |
June 9. |
Lee had about a week's start of Hooker in the race for the Potomac, and when the latter disappeared behind the Stafford hills,
May 13. |
June 17. |
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presence of Ewell in the Shenandoah Valley, he called Howe across the river, and on the day when Milroy was driven from Winchester,
he moved rapidly northward, with his whole force, to Centreville and its vicinity, keeping his cavalry well to his left to watch the passes of the Blue Ridge, while intent, himself, upon covering Washington.
The National authorities, as well as those of Maryland and Pennsylvania, had, meanwhile, become thoroughly aroused by a sense of danger.
The Government had just created
two new military departments in Pennsylvania.1 On the 12th, Governor Curtin, of that State, issued a call for the entire militia of the commonwealth to turn out to defend its soil, but it was feebly responded to; and on the 15th, the President called upon the States nearest the capital for an aggregate of one hundred thousand militia.2 This, too, was tardily and stingily answered, while uniformed and disciplined regiments of the city of New York so promptly marched toward the field of danger that the Secretary of War publicly thanked the Governor of that State for the exhibition of patriotism.
Despondency had produced apathy, and it appeared, for the moment, as if the patriotism of the loyalists was waning, and that the expectation of the Confederates, of a general cry for peace in the Free-labor States, was about to be realized.
Finally, when the Confederates were streaming across the Potomac, the number of troops that responded to the call was about fifty thousand, one-half of whom were Pennsylvanians, and fifteen thousand were New Yorkers.3
the occupants of Fredericksburg Heights marched for Culpepper.
Longstreet, in position there, his ranks swelled by a part of Pickett's division, then moved along the eastern side of the Blue Ridge, and took possession of Ashby's and Snicker's Gaps, for the purpose of seriously menacing, if not actually attempting the capture of Washington, drawing Hooker farther from his supplies, and preventing the Nationals from darting through the Blue Ridge and striking the Confederates in the Valley, into which Hill, covered by Longstreet, speedily followed Ewell, and took position at Winchester.
Hooker, meanwhile, was in the vicinity of Fairfax Court-House, expecting a direct attack from his adversary, and the cavalry of Pleasanton and Stuart had almost daily encounters.
In one of these, near Aldie,
1 The eastern, under General Couch, was called the Department of the Susquehanna, with Headquarters at Harrisburg; and the western, under General Brooks, the Department of the Monongahela, with Headquarters at Pittsburg. The Middle Department was under the command of General Schenck, Headquarters at Baltimore.
2 Maryland was called upon for 10,000 men; Pennsylvania, 50,000; Ohio, 30,000; and West Virginia, 10,000.
3 The Secretary of War and Governor Curtin called upon Governor Parker, of New Jersey, for troops, and he responded by issuing a call on the 16th. On the same day, General Sanford, of New York City, issued an order for the regiments of the First Division of that State to proceed forthwith to Harrisburg, “to assist in repelling” the invasion of Pennsylvania. In addition to these, about 1,800 volunteers from various parts of the State were organized and equipped, and sent to Harrisburg. On the 20th of June, about 50,000 men had Responded to the President's call. New York had furnished 15,000; Pennsylvania, 25,000; New Jersey, 3,000; Delaware, 2,000; Maryland, 5,000. A patriotic appeal of Governor Bradford, of the latter State, fully aroused the loyal people to action.
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