Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 03.djvu/299

Rh Hampton's brigade remained at the gap for the night. Next morning upon my arrival, finding that the enemy had made no demonstration toward Crampton's gap up to that time, and apprehending that he might move directly from Frederick to Harper's Ferry, I deemed it prudent to leave Munford to hold this point until he could be reinforced with infantry, and moved Hampton nearer the Potomac. General McLaws was advised of the situation of affairs, and sent Brigadier-General Howell Cobb with his command to hold Crampton's gap. General Hampton's command was halted at the south end of South mountain, and pickets sent out on the roads toward Point of Rocks and Frederick. I proceeded myself to the headquarters of General McLaws to acquaint him with the situation of affairs, and also to acquaint myself with what was going on. I went with him to the Maryland Heights overlooking Harper's Ferry, which had not yet fallen. I explained to him the location of the roads in that vicinity, familiar to myself from my connection with the John Brown raid, and repeatedly urged the importance of his holding with an infantry picket the road leading from the Ferry by the Kennedy farm toward Sharpsburg; failing to do which the entire cavalry force of the enemy at the Ferry, amounting to about 500, escaped during the night by that very road, and inflicted serious damage on General Longstreet's train, in the course of their flight.

I had ordered Colonel Munford to take command (as the senior officer) at Crampton's gap and hold it against the enemy at all hazards. Colonel Munford gave similar instructions to the officers commanding the two fragments of infantry regiments from Mahone's brigade then present, and posted the infantry behind a stone wall at the eastern base of the mountain. Chew's battery and a section of Navy Howitzers belonging to the Portsmouth battery were placed on the slope of the mountain, and the whole force of cavalry at his command dismounted and disposed on the flanks as sharpshooters. The enemy soon advanced with overpowering numbers to assail the position—his force in sight amounting to a division (Slocum's) of infantry. They were received with a rapid and steady fire from our batteries, but continedcontinued [sic] to advance, preceded by their sharpshooters, and an engagement ensued between these and our infantry and dismounted cavalry. Colonel Parham, commanding Mahone's brigade, soon after arrived with the Sixth and Twelfth Virginia infantry, scarcely numbering in all