Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/521

Rh old division and Gordon's division), marched to Sharpsburg and encamped on the famous battlefield. McCausland advanced his cavalry to Shepherdstown, while Ramseur and Rodes spent the day at Harper's Ferry. On the 6th, Gordon continued his march down the Potomac to near Maryland heights, threatening the Federals holding that formidable position; while Ramseur and Rodes marched to the vicinity of Sharpsburg, leaving one brigade on guard at Harper's Ferry. The cavalry advance marched to Boonsboro, at the foot of the South mountain, while McCausland brought his force to the Antietam in front of Sharpsburg.

On the 7th, Gordon drove in the enemy's outposts at Fort Duncan and Maryland heights, and supported by Wharton (Breckinridge's division), he engaged the enemy to within 600 yards of these frowning and commanding fortifications. Rodes, threatening the rear of these same intrenched Federal forces, advanced to near Rohrersville, while Ramseur marched to near Sharpsburg. Lewis' brigade of Ramseur's division remained on Bolivar heights until late in the afternoon, when it rejoined him at Sharpsburg by the usual route. McCausland marched to Hagerstown, and there had an engagement with some United States regular cavalry, which he forced to retreat. The remainder of the cavalry marched across the mountains to the vicinity of Frederick City, where it had a slight engagement with the enemy's outposts.

On the 8th, Ramseur marched, by way of Boonsboro and Middletown, to the summit of the Catoctin mountain, where he found Early's cavalry advance in position, and where he encamped. Gordon and Wharton marched from Rohrersville, by way of Fox's gap and Middletown, to the foot of the Catoctin mountain; while Rodes, from Rohrersville, crossed the South mountain by Crampton's gap and encamped near Jefferson, also at the foot of the Catoctin mountain, but a few miles south from the camp of the other divisions, and in position to meet any demonstration from the enemy's force left on Maryland heights. McCausland marched all night, passed the Boonsboro gap at daylight and went on to Frederick City, where he skirmished with the enemy, and then encamped in front of the infantry at Middletown.

The battle of the Monocacy, a short and bloody battle, was fought on the 9th of July. Ramseur, at an early