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〃In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley; as it is expected you will have
to go first or last; it is desirable that nothing should be left to
invite the enemy to return。 Take all provisions; forage; and stock
wanted for the use of your command。 Such as cannot be consumed;
destroy。 It is not desirable that the buildings should be destroyed…
…they should; rather; be protected; but the people should be informed
that so long as an army can subsist among them recurrences of these
raids must be expected; and we are determined to stop them at all
hazards。
〃Bear in mind; the object is to drive the enemy south; and to do this
you want to keep him always in sight。 Be guided in your course by
the course he takes。
〃Make your own arrangements for supplies of all kinds; giving regular
vouchers for such as may be taken from loyal citizens in the country
through which you march。
〃Very respectfully;
〃U。 S。 GRANT; Lieut。…General。〃
〃Major…General D。 HUNTER;
〃Commanding Department of West Virginia。〃
When I had read the letter addressed to Hunter; General Grant said I
would be expected to report directly to him; as Hunter had asked that
day to be wholly relieved; not from any chagrin at my assignment to
the control of the active forces of his command; but because he
thought that his fitness for the position he was filling was
distrusted by General Halleck; and he had no wish to cause
embarrassment by remaining where he could but remove me one degree
from the headquarters of the army。 The next day Hunter's unselfish
request was complied with; and an order was issued by the President;
consolidating the Middle Department; the Department of Washington;
the Department of the Susquehanna; and the Department of West
Virginia。
Under this order these four geographical districts constituted the
Middle Military Division; and I was temporarily assigned to command
it。 Hunter's men had been bivouacking for some days past in the
vicinity of Monocacy Junction and Frederick; but before General
Grant's instructions were written out; Hunter had conformed to them
by directing the concentration at Halltown; about four miles in front
of Harper's Ferry; of all his force available for field service。
Therefore the different bodies of troops; with the exception of
Averell's cavalry; which had followed McCausland toward Moorefield
after the burning of Chambersburg; were all in motion toward Halltown
on August 6。
Affairs at Monocacy kept me but an hour or two; and these disposed
of; I continued on to Harper's Ferry by the special train which had
brought me from Washington; that point being intended as my
headquarters while making preparations to advance。 The enemy was
occupying Martinsburg; Williamsport; and Shepherdstown at the time;
sending occasional raiding parties into Maryland as far as
Hagerstown。 The concentration of my troops at Halltown being an
indication to Early that we intended to renew the offensive; however;
he immediately began counter preparations by drawing in all his
detached columns from the north side of the Potomac; abandoning a
contemplated raid into Maryland; which his success against Crook at
Kernstown had prompted him to project; and otherwise disposing
himself for defense。
At Harper's Ferry I made my headquarters in the second story of a
small and very dilapidated hotel; and as soon as settled sent for
Lieutenant John R。 Meigs; the chief engineer officer of the command;
to study with him the maps of my geographical division。 It always
came rather easy to me to learn the geography of a new section; and
its important topographical features as well; therefore I found that;
with the aid of Meigs; who was most intelligent in his profession;
the region in which I was to operate would soon be well fixed in my
mind。 Meigs was familiar with every important road and stream; and
with all points worthy of note west of the Blue Ridge; and was
particularly well equipped with knowledge regarding the Shenandoah
Valley; even down to the farmhouses。 He imparted with great
readiness what he knew of this; clearly pointing out its
configuration and indicating the strongest points for Confederate
defense; at the same time illustrating scientifically and forcibly
the peculiar disadvantages under which the Union army had hitherto
labored。
The section that received my closest attention has its northern limit
along the Potomac between McCoy's ferry at the eastern base of the
North Mountain; and Harper's Ferry at the western base of the Blue
Ridge。 The southern limit is south of Staunton; on the divide which
separates the waters flowing into the Potomac from those that run to
the James。 The western boundary is the eastern slope of the
Alleghany Mountains; the eastern; the Blue Ridge; these two distinct
mountain ranges trending about southwest inclose a stretch of quite
open; undulating country varying in width from the northern to the
southern extremity; and dotted at frequent intervals with patches of
heavy woods: At Martinsburg the valley is about sixty miles broad;
and on an east and west line drawn through Winchester about forty…
five; while at Strasburg it narrows down to about twenty…five。 Just
southeast of Strasburg; which is nearly midway between the eastern
and western walls of the valley; rises an abrupt range of mountains
called Massanutten; consisting of several ridges which extend
southward between the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River
until; losing their identity; they merge into lower but broken ground
between New Market and Harrisonburg。 The Massanutten ranges; with
their spurs and hills; divide the Shenandoah Valley into two valleys;
the one next the Blue Ridge being called the Luray; while that next
the North Mountain retains the name of Shenandoah。
A broad macadamized road; leading south from Williamsport; Maryland;
to Lexington; Virginia; was built at an early day to connect the
interior of the latter State with the Chesapeake and Ohio canal; and
along this road are situated the principal towns and villages of the
Shenandoah Valley; with lateral lines of communication extending to
the mountain ranges on the east and west。 The roads running toward
the Blue Ridge are nearly all macadamized; and the principal ones
lead to the railroad system of eastern Virginia through Snicker's;
Ashby's Manassas; Chester; Thornton's Swift Run; Brown's and Rock…
fish gaps; tending to an ultimate centre at Richmond。 These gaps are
low and easy; offering little obstruction to the march of an army
coming from eastern Virginia; and thus the Union troops operating
west of the Blue Ridge were always subjected to the perils of a flank
attack; for the Confederates could readily be brought by rail to
Gordonsville and Charlottesville; from which points they could move
with such celerity through the Blue Ridge that; on more than one
occasion; the Shenandoah Valley had been the theatre of Con