Raid Chambersburg Raid

1 raid

1.1 october 10, 1862
1.2 october 11, 1862
1.3 october 12, 1862

raid
october 10, 1862

a small detachment of 12th illinois cavalry regiment under captain thomas logan observed stuart s force cross potomac river @ mccoy s ford near old fort frederick, maryland, west of williamsport, maryland, on morning of october 10, 1862 small force no more send information union headquarters scattered out of position advance detail of stuart s men. @ point, stuart 8 miles (13 km) maryland-pennsylvania state line. stuart learned had narrowly missed being intercepted 6 regiments of infantry under command of major general jacob cox when reached national road. detail captured signal station @ fairview heights, maryland while stuart s force moved north, guided maryland native, captain benjamin s. white.

stuart ordered men take horses carry off not pillage personal property or take plunder private use. pennsylvanians, hugh , alexander logan, guided confederate force after crossed pennsylvania. confederates seized shoes , clothing @ mercersburg, pennsylvania , paid confederate scrip. mercersburg doctor said confederates behaved decently. gentlemen s robbers.

by dark, @ around 7:00 p.m., in steady rain, confederates reached chambersburg many horses , fresh food , supplies had picked already. town officials sent alarm governor andrew curtin, passed message on united states secretary of war edwin m. stanton before confederates cut telegraph wires. after stuart demanded , received surrender of town, appointed wade hampton military governor. stuart , staff took time sign register @ franklin hotel. soldiers took many arms , ammunition , military clothing carry local warehouse , destroyed rest.

stuart tried take money town s bank banker had removed funds before stuart s arrival. stuart sent party destroy cumberland valley railroad bridge on conococheague creek, referred conococheague river, men not find way destroy bridge. historian jeffry wert says confederate patrol under captain thomas whitehead sent destroy bridge in pouring rain never reached bridge. relying on false response local citizens told raiders bridge made of iron, turned back. historian edward g. longacre wrote raiders did not reach bridge, mistakenly believed entirely built of wrought iron. in fact, wert states bridge wooden , subsequently destroyed during gettysburg campaign. confederates able capture , parole 280 sick , wounded union soldiers convalescing in town. set ablaze chambersburg railroad depot, loaded trains, machine shops , warehouses military supplies.

after heard of stuart s movement, major general halleck ordered major general mcclellan close roads virginia , sure none of confederates return. mcclellan sent out cavalry , sent infantry guard river crossings, assuring halleck stuart not escape. however, mcclellan had sent of cavalry western maryland because of pleas local commanders against confederate raiders , diversionary movement toward cumberland, maryland confederate detachment lee s army. also, mcclellan s response both slow , erratic, leaving little time or opportunity men catch stuart. stuart evaded or outran of forces mcclellan sent after him or guard river crossings.

october 11, 1862

on morning of october 11, 1862, stuart s men began return movement along different route east way of cashtown, pennsylvania , maryland through emmitsburg, maryland on way virginia. rain previous day left ground wet , 5-mile (8-kilometer) long column raised no dust might detected. rode within 8 miles (13 km) of small town of gettysburg, pennsylvania on way. @ emmitsburg, maryland, pro-confederate crowd welcomed raiders, did not linger moved on toward frederick, maryland. captured union courier 6 miles (9.7 km) south of emmitsburg information disclosed of union cavalry movements, allowing stuart change route again avoid union troops @ frederick, assuring him location not known. confederate troopers had lived in vicinity guided stuart on roads avoid being observed union scouts. stuart s longer return route east , south allowed him avoid troops might waiting return along original, more hilly, route, , enabled him again circle mcclellan s army.

near dark, @ woodsboro, maryland, off main road frederick, troops of 6th pennsylvania cavalry regiment saw confederates, few in number mount attack. confederates had ridden around union army of more 100,000 men still encamped in general region of antietam battlefield.

during night, men continued ride, stuart, 12 men, visited young woman @ urbana, maryland family sympathized confederates , whom had met during antietam campaign. stayed half hour , returned column @ 7:00 a.m. troopers rode night, cutting telegraph wires , obstructing baltimore , ohio railroad went, , literally falling asleep in saddle pressed on.

october 12, 1862

on morning of october 12, 1862, scouts reported stuart union brigadier general george stoneman guarding potomac river fords near poolesville, maryland several thousand men. on 11 miles (18 km) of potomac river mouth of monocacy river edwards ferry, near poolesville, @ least 4 crossings available. stuart followed recommendation of captain white, local area, avoid stoneman s position using white s ford, 3 miles (4.8 km) below mouth of monocacy river near present-day white s ferry , little used rough crossing, cross potomac loudoun county, virginia.

stuart did not come contact stoneman, men, other small guard unit, arrived @ white s ford late confront confederates. force did meet union cavalry commanded brigadier general alfred pleasonton @ mouth of monocacy river near barnesville, maryland. pleasonton deceived blue uniforms confederates wearing after having acquired them during raid. pleasonton ordered men fire when confederates charged short distance away. withdrew men engage in long range rifle fire exchange stuart s sharpshooters , cannon. pleasonton not @ full strength, since had sent many of men toward ford near mouth of monocacy river in mistaken guess stuart headed. here union cavalry encountered union infantry , both paused in order insure other party not confederate force in union uniforms.

meanwhile, confederate brigadier general w.h.f. lee demanded surrender of 200 union infantry blocking way ford because, wrote them, confederates present in overwhelming force. , cannon , rifle fire bluffed , forced union soldiers abandon strong position. union troops did not flee lingered in vicinity awaiting possible reinforcements, turned out busy identifying each other. ford open confederates cross.

pelham s artillery came , kept union forces, including pleasonton s men, while stuart s men crossed potomac 1,200 captured horses, supplies , 30 civilian hostages. close call stuart s rear section had been deployed protect column , needed urged withdraw in order not caught union reinforcements.

the small union force detailed white s ford, lee had crossed maryland in september, proved weak link in mcclellan s dispositions. although union reinforcements arrived after last of stuart s men crossed potomac, pleasonton did not believe useful pursue confederates across river. confederates rode safely leesburg, virginia captured horses, supplies , hostages , without having lost man death or serious injury.