THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES I have been in Civil War Reenactments were we have charged the enemy shoulder to shoulder in Battalion Line of Battle of 4 to 5 five companies consisting of about 125 to 150 men. In small battle scenarios we usually “take a hit”, fall and play dead when we want to. In …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES Walker’s Division had been listening to the fire from the north with the knowledge that the battle would ultimately get to them. At about 9:00 AM a staff officer galloped up to Walker’s Command Post and ordered the division to go north at the double quick. D. R Jones’ Division was now …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES All of the division completed the crossing and marched toward Sharpsburg. At the western edge of the town the division halted and men went to sleep by the roadside. An incessant cannonade was heard from the 3rd‘sposition north and east of the town. The 3rd along with the division was roused from …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES It is hard to explain the desperation of infantrymen in Civil War Battles when they know they can’t hold against the enemy due to overwhelming numbers. The likelihood of being killed or taken prisoner can cause a rout to ensue. Some units will just turn and run. Others due to their leadership …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES After daybreak on Sunday the 14th of September fighting could be heard on South Mountain as the Union Forces forced their way toward Turner’s and Fox’s Gaps and took Crampton’s Gap. The smoke from this fighting was visible from Walker’s position on Loudoun Heights. During the 14th the rest of the division …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES How would you like to have marched from Richmond, VA to Frederick, MD to Harper’s Ferry to Loudoun Heights in Virginia, crossed the Potomac River twice, banged on a concrete aqueduct to no avail, and participated in siege of Harper’s Ferry all within 19 days? Then guess what? Once Harpers Ferry was surrendered, you …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES The division stayed in bivouac on September 11th and took up the march on the morning of the 12th. Colonel E. V. White,a Loudoun County native and commander of the 35th Virginia Battalion. had been sent, according to the orders in Special Order 191, by Gen. Jeb Stuart to guide Walker’s Division …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES Years ago, back in the late 1990’s, I tried to get up on Loudoun Heights. I tried going up the west side of the ridge and the east side of the ridge. I tried ever road I could find to get me where I wanted to go. I finally gave up went I took …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES Special Order 191 was the Army of Northern Virginia’s plan for the Maryland Campaign. It fell into the hands of General McClellan and gave him the full outline of what Lee planned to do. To paraphrase Special Order 191,its 10 parts were as follows: I No soldier was to go into Frederick, …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES Nancy and I have traveled all over the area north of Leesburg, VA trying to take pictures of the fords utilized during the Civil War for army crossings. Cheek’s Ford, also called Chick’s Ford, was where Walker’s Division crossed the Potomac River on September 7, 1862. I had traveled to this area, …