Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 25.djvu/166

 162 Southern Historical Society Papers.

upper Rappahannock with which to reinforce Pope. Meanwhile, General Lee, leaving D. H. Hill's division behind to watch the movements of McClellan, marched on the i3th of August with the main body of his army for Gordonsville, north of Richmond. Hill's command followed in the latter part of August, consequently reach- ing Manassas in time only to view the green plains strewn with the blue and gray dead, the living Federals having fled in confusion towards Washington. Such was the situation which marked the result of the three days' fighting known as "Second Manassas."

" Maryland, My Maryland! " With what bounding hearts did our boys climb up the opposite shores of the Potomac, looking confi- dently for the support and encouragement of the Maryland people, but alas, such hopes were doomed to disappointment!

The army rested at Frederick City, Md., from the 6th until the loth of September. The first engagement on Maryland soil was at South Mountain Gap, on the main road from Frederick City to Boonsborough, along which the Federal army was directing its march. Here D. H. Hill's divison, on the I4th, successfully held in check the main body of McClellan's army thus enabling Jackson to march to the Virginia side and capture Harper's Ferry, while Lee was conducting his troops preparatory to the coming struggle at Sharpsburg. In the action at South Mountain, known in Southern history as the battle of Boonsborough, the 23rd Regiment bore a prominent part, and it was in this fight that General Garland, the brigade commander, was killed. It is well to recur to the report of this battle, as furnished by General D. H. Hill to the Century Maga- zine of May, 1886, for facts and observations, we quote:

"In the retirement of Lee's army from Frederick to HagerstovVn and Boonsborough, my division constituted the rear-guard. It con- sisted of five brigades (Wise's brigade being left behind), and after the arrival at Boonsborough, was intrusted with guarding the wagon- trains and packs of artillery belonging to the whole army."

It was to save Lee's trains and artillery that the battle was fought, and not to prevent the advance of McClellan, as was believed in the North from an exaggerated idea about the number of Confederates engaged. General Hill says:

' ' My division was very small and was embarrassed with the wagon- trains and artillery of the whole army, save such as Jackson had taken with him."

It must be remembered that the army now before McClellan had been constantly marching and fighting since the 25th of June. It