The Battle of Gettysburg 4

The Battle of Gettysburg 4

FIRST EFFECTS OF THE INVASION

 

 

Meantime, from before and behind the Confederate columns, two

streams flowed out of the doomed valley: one to the north, an army

of fugitives hurrying their flocks, herds, and household goods out

of the enemy's reach; the other carrying off to Virginia the plunder

of towns and villages.

 

[Sidenote: Harrisburg alarmed.]

 

As the swarm of fugitives made straight for Harrisburg, it was

but natural that the inpouring of such panic-stricken throngs,

all declaring that the enemy was close behind them, should throw

that city into the wildest commotion, which every hour tended to

increase. We will let an eye-witness describe the events of a single

day.

 

"The morning broke upon a populace all astir, who had been called

out of bed by the beat of the alarming drum, the blast of the bugle,

and the clanging of bells. The streets were lively with men, who

were either returning from a night's work on the fortifications or

going over to relieve those who were toiling there. As the sun rose

higher the excitement gathered head. All along the streets were

omnibuses, wagons, and wheelbarrows, taking in trunks and valuables

and rushing them down to the dépôt to be shipped out of rebel

range. The stores, the female seminaries, and almost every private

residence were busy all of the forenoon in swelling the mountain

of freight that lay at the dépôt. Every horse was impressed into

service and every porter groaned beneath his burdens.

 

[Sidenote: People desert the City.]

 

"The scene at the dépôts was indescribable, if not disgraceful. A

sweltering mass of humanity thronged the platforms, all furious to

escape from the doomed city. At the bridge and across the river

the scene was equally exciting. All through the day a steady

stream of people, on foot and in wagons, young and old, black and

white, was pouring across it from the Cumberland Valley, bearing

with them their household goods and live-stock. Endless trains,

laden with flour, grain, and merchandise, hourly emerged from the

valley and thundered across the bridge and through the city. Miles

of retreating baggage-wagons, filled with calves and sheep tied

together, and great, old-fashioned furnace-wagons loaded with tons

of trunks and boxes, defiled in continuous procession down the 'pike

and across the river, raising a dust as far as the eye could see."

 

[Sidenote: Precautions taken.]

 

It may be added that the records of the State and the money in

the bank-vaults were also removed to places of safety, and the

construction of defensive works was begun, as much, perhaps, with

the purpose of allaying the popular excitement as from any hope of

holding the city against Lee, since Harrisburg was in no condition

either to stand a siege or repel an assault at this time.

 

[Sidenote: Militia hurried to Harrisburg.]

 

The wave of invasion made itself felt even as far as Pittsburg

on the one side and Baltimore on the other.[17] Governor Curtin

promptly called on the people of Pennsylvania to arm and repel the

invader. Yet neither the imminence of the danger nor the stirring

appeal of the executive of the State could arouse them at first. In

the emergency the neighboring States were appealed to for help. In

response the militia of those States were soon hastening toward the

threatened points[18] by every available route; yet it was only too

evident that raw soldiers, no matter how zealous or patriotic, would

prove little hinderance to Lee's marching where he would, or long

dispute with his veterans the possession of Harrisburg were it once

seriously attacked.

 

But where was the army of the Potomac all this time--the army whose

special task it was to stand between this invader and his prey? Must

unarmed citizens be called upon to arise and defend their homes when

a hundred thousand veterans were in the field?

 

[Sidenote: Lee mystified.]

 

[Sidenote: His Cavalry absent.]

 

For more than a week Lee had thus been laying waste a most rich and

fertile section of Pennsylvania at his leisure. Practically, indeed,

the whole State was in his grasp. Would Harrisburg or Philadelphia

be the first fruits of his audacity? The prize was indeed tempting,

the way open. The only real impediment was the Army of the Potomac,

and Lee, too, was now anxiously asking himself what had become of

that army.[19] He had foreseen that it must follow him up; that

every effort would be bent to compass his destruction; and it was

a foregone conclusion that he must fight somewhere, if there was

either enterprise or courage left on the Union side. He had even

calculated on drawing the Union army so far away from fortified

places that its defeat would ensure the fall of Baltimore and

Washington. But as regarding its whereabouts at the present moment,

Lee was completely in the dark. In an evil hour he had allowed the

bulk of his cavalry to run off on a wild-goose chase around the

rear of the Federal army, so that now, in his hour of need, though

without his knowing it, the whole Federal army interposed to prevent

its return.[20] It is quite true that up to this time Stuart, who

led this cavalry, had given so many signal proofs of his dexterity

that Lee was perhaps justified in inferring that if he heard nothing

from Stuart, it was because the Union army was still in Virginia.

And in that belief he was acting.

 

[Sidenote: Among Spies.]

 

Moreover, instead of being among a population eager to give him

every scrap of information, Lee was now among one where every man,

woman, and child was a spy on his own movements. In the absence,

then, of definite knowledge touching the Union army, he decided

to march on Harrisburg with his whole force, and issued orders

accordingly.

 

[Sidenote: Union Army crosses the Potomac.]

 

When there was no longer a shadow of doubt that Lee's whole army was

on the march up the Cumberland Valley, sweeping that valley clean as

it went, the Union army also crossed the Potomac, on the 25th and

26th of June, and at once began moving up east of South Mountain, so

as to discharge the double duty laid upon it all along of keeping

between the enemy and Washington, while at the same time feeling for

him through the gaps of South Mountain as it marched. For this task

the Union general kept his cavalry well in hand, instead of letting

it roam about at will in quest of adventures.

 

[Sidenote: Hooker's Plan.]

 

This order of march threw the left wing out as far as Boonsborough

and Middletown, with Buford's cavalry division watching the passes

by which the enemy would have to defile, should he think of making

an attack from that flank.[21] The rest of the army was halted,

for the moment, around Frederick. The plan of operations, as first

fixed, did not lack in boldness or originality. It was to follow Lee

up the Cumberland Valley with two corps, numbering twenty thousand

men, while the rest of the army should continue its march toward

the enemy on the east side of South Mountain, but within supporting

distance. As this would be doing just what Lee[22] had most reason

to dread, it would seem most in accordance with the rules of war. At

any rate, it initiated a vigorously aggressive campaign.

 

At this critical moment the Union army was, most unexpectedly,

deprived of its head.

 

[Sidenote: Hooker is thwarted.]

 

In its pursuit of Lee this army had been much hampered by divided

counsels, when, if ever united counsels were imperatively called

for, now was the time. Worse still, it had too many commanders,

both civil and military. The President, the Cabinet, the

General-in-Chief (Halleck), and even some others, in addition

to the actual commander, not to speak of the newspapers, had all

taken turns in advising or suggesting what should, or what should

not, be done. United action, sincere and generous co-operation,

as between government and army, were therefore unattainable here.

The government did not trust its general: the general respected

the generalship of the Cabinet most when it was silent. Nobody in

authority seemed willing to grant Hooker what he asked for, let it

be ever so reasonable, or permit him to carry out his own plans

unobstructed, were they ever so promising or brilliant. He could not

get the fifteen or twenty thousand soldiers who were then dawdling

about the camps at Baltimore, Washington, and Alexandria. He was

brusquely snubbed when he asked for leave to break up the post at

Harper's Ferry, when by doing so ten thousand good troops would have

been freed to act against the enemy's line of retreat.

 

Harmony being impossible, Lee seemed likely to triumph through the

dissensions of his enemies.

 

[Sidenote: And leaves the Army.]

 

Mortified at finding himself thus distrusted and overruled, Hooker

threw up the command on the 27th, and on the 28th General Meade

succeeded him. So suddenly was the change brought about, that when

the officer bearing the order awakened Meade out of a sound sleep at

midnight, he thought he was being put in arrest.

 

[Sidenote: Spirit of the Army.]

 

It is asserted by those who had the best means of knowing--indeed,

it is difficult to see how it could be otherwise--that the army had

lost faith in Hooker, and that the men were asking of each other,

"Are we going to have another Chancellorsville?" Be that as it

may, there were few better soldiers in that army than Meade; none,

perhaps, so capable of uniting it at this particular juncture, when

unity was so all-important and yet so lamentably deficient. This

was the third general the army had known within six months, and the

seventh since its formation. It was truly the graveyard of generals;

and each of the disgraced commanders had his following. If, under

these conditions, the Army of the Potomac could still maintain its

efficiency unimpaired, it must have been made of different stuff

from most armies.

 

It was not that the Union soldiers feared to meet Lee's veterans.

Lee might beat the generals, but the soldiers--never! Yet it can

hardly be doubted that repeated defeat had more or less unsettled

their faith in their leaders, if not in themselves; since even the

gods themselves struggle in vain against stupidity.[23]

 

[Sidenote: General Meade.]

 

If the new appointment did not silence all jealousies among the

generals, or infuse great enthusiasm into the rank and file,--and we

are bound to admit that Meade's was not a name to conjure with,--it

is difficult to see how a better selection could have been made, all

things considered. In point of fact, there was no one of commanding

ability to appoint; but every man in the army felt that Meade would

do his best, and that Meade at his best would not fall far behind

the best in the field.

 

Meade could not become the idol of his soldiers, like Lee, because

he was not gifted by nature with that personal magnetism which

attracts men without their knowing why; but he could and did command

unhesitating obedience and respect.

 

[Sidenote: Best-disciplined Army.]

 

In point of discipline, however, the Union army was vastly the

superior of its adversary, and that counts for much; and in spite of

some friction here and there, like a well-oiled machine the army was

now again in motion, with a cool head and steady hand to guide it

on. But as no machine is stronger than its weakest part, it remained to be seen how this one would bear the strain.