University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XL.

The force sent to foil Hunter's design on Lynchburg had
frightened him off and driven him to retreat through West Virginia.
A despatch from General Lee to General Early at Lynchburg,
dated June 18, informed him of Grant's movement on
Petersburg, and advised him "strike as quick as you can, and
if circumstances authorize, carry out the original plan." So
soon, therefore, as Hunter made off, Early turned his face towards
Staunton preparatory to a rapid march into Maryland.
The most direct route lay through Lexington. Great was the
pleasure of that lately outraged community on receiving their
deliverers, and Mrs. Pendleton had the great happiness of having
her son with her for a few days. In after-years she frequently
recurred to the unalloyed pleasure and perfect confidence of intercourse
in this, which proved to be his last visit home. Writing
of it at the time to her husband and daughter, she says,—

"Sunday, June 20, 1864.

"Sandie, who came in poorly Friday in advance of Early's
army, leaves us this afternoon for Staunton, and thinks he may
be able to get a letter to you. Yesterday I was comforted by

---

361

the batch of notes you had written Sue and Kate up to the 17th.
Your letter written this day fortnight also reached me yesterday.
I thank God for the peace you feel, and trust it may be His holy
will to keep you from all evil of body and soul.

"Sandie has had dysentery, but is quite relieved, he says, by
the vegetable diet and buttermilk. Mr. Norton returned Thursday,
and we were all so glad to have him back. He will have
no service this afternoon, which we rejoice at, for it is so hot; it
will be much more agreeable to stay with Sandie quietly than to
be in a fuss about not going to church and not staying with him.

"General Early's army all passed through yesterday. Friday
night Mann Page, Lewis Burwell, Dr. Coleman, and Henry
Douglass stayed here, and yesterday morning they, Colonel Pitzer,
of General Breckenridge's staff, General Gordon, and S. Wilmer,
breakfasted here, and eat raspberries, of which we had our first
dish.

"Before breakfast we went down to see the Stonewall Division
pass. As I went in the hotel door Mr. Johnson introduced me
to a distinguished-looking man standing just inside,—'General
Breckenridge.' I took his offered hand and hoped he had not
breakfasted that I might have the honor of his doing so with
me. He had breakfasted, and I invited him to come and get
some raspberries. He said he would do so between ten and
eleven. All the morning passed, and about two the most polished-looking
man I have seen came with General Breckenridge's
regrets that he could not be here. He was Major Stoddart
Johnston, Sandie says.

"Just before dinner yesterday Nelson and R. Jones came in,
then Sandie's chum, Colonel Allen, then Colonel Nelson and
Wilmer. These all dined with me on cold ham, lettuce, and
rice. How I did wish for you! But as you are doing your duty
I am content. I felt when the Yankees were here that not only
you but every minister in the Confederacy ought to be fighting."

To Mrs. Lee she wrote at the same time,—

"Sandie will put this scrap in his letter. I write to thank you
and Kate for your kindness in sending me your papa's letters,—
the first direct intelligence from him for more than three weeks.

---

362

Moving rapidly down the Shenandoah Valley, Early's army
crossed the Potomac at Shepherdstown, drove Sigel into the intrenchments
on Maryland Heights, and then hurried forward
towards Washington. At Monocacy Bridge, near Frederick,
Maryland, General Lew Wallace with ten thousand men opposed
the crossing of the Confederates. A sharp conflict ensued, in
which Wallace was routed with heavy loss, and the victorious
army hastened its march on the Federal capital.

The alarm and consternation produced in the North by this
invasion of Maryland and demonstration on their capital was
very great. The Southern army was magnified to thirty thousand
or forty thousand men, and fears were entertained of the
capture of both Washington and Baltimore. To defend these
cities, the Sixth Corps from Petersburg and part of the Nineteenth
from the far south were hurried to Washington. Finding
the fortifications there too strong to be attacked by his small
force,—never more than twelve thousand,—Early fell back and
recrossed the Potomac in safety.

"This campaign is remarkable for having accomplished more
in proportion to the force employed, and for having given less
public satisfaction, than any other campaign of the war. . . . By
glancing at the operations of Early, it will be seen that in less
than two months he had marched more than four hundred miles,
and with a force not exceeding twelve thousand men had not
only defeated but entirely dispersed two Federal armies of an
aggregate strength of more than double his own, had invaded
Maryland, and by his bold and rapid movement upon Washington
had created an important diversion in favor of General
Lee in the defence of Richmond, and had re-entered Virginia
with a loss of less than three thousand."[1]

---

363

Writing to his father of this movement, Sandie Pendleton
said,—

"Of our general route through Maryland you already know,
but to account for our failure to enter Washington it is only
necessary to call to mind the fearful heat of the 11th of July.
The dust was insufferable, and men dropped out of ranks by
hundreds from sheer exhaustion, so that when we reached Frank
Blair's, in front of the works, about three o'clock on that Monday,
there was not a tithe of our men in fit condition for work.
The fortifications of Washington are tremendous,—every hollow
and gully swept by artillery fire from three-inch rifles and Napoleons,
thirty-pounder and one-hundred-pounder Parrotts, as the
distance varied. And besides the militia there were ten thousand
veteran reserves there, while the Monday's trains from Baltimore
brought the Nineteenth and Sixth Corps. Our force
amounted to about nine thousand infantry and two thousand
cavalry,—Bradley Johnson being off north of Baltimore,—so,
after lying all day in front of Washington, it was undoubtedly
prudent to withdraw, and I think it showed good management
to come off so well."

From Leesburg General Early moved back into the valley,
and at Snicker's Ferry and the old battle-field of Kernstown
was most successful in defeating the forces under Averill and
Crook. In the last of these engagements a number of prisoners
were retaken who had been captured at Winchester on the 20th
in an unfortunate effort made by General Ramseur against the
enemy.

Writing of these movements to his father, Colonel Pendleton
says,—

"Bunker Hill, August 1, 1864.

"We are encamped just where we lay after the battle of Sharpsburg.
It is too terrifically hot for active operations, and both
sides have to keep comparatively quiet. Life must be almost
unbearable where you are, and I expect, though we get no accounts
of it, that there is much sickness. How did the ration
of fresh beef we sent down taste? I wish we had more to send.
. . . We punished the Yankees soundly at Snicker's Ferry, and

---

364

again at Winchester last Sunday, the 26th. We went on down
to Martinsburg and stayed there a couple of days, and then proceeded
to Williamsport and crossed a party of cavalry, which
went to Hagerstown and burned a large quantity of stores. At
the same time (Thursday) we sent two brigades of cavalry,—
two thousand one hundred strong,—under McCausland and
Bradley Johnson, to Chambersburg with orders to return via
Cumberland, bringing out all the cattle, etc., possible. They
were also to collect one hundred thousand dollars in gold or five
hundred thousand dollars in greenbacks to reimburse Alexander
Boteler, Andrew Hunter, and Ed. I. Lee for the burning of their
houses, and in default of the payment their instructions were to
burn the town. The wantonness of burning those three houses
was perfectly diabolical, and I trust we may have the opportunity
to repay Hunter for it. His men hardly suffered enough at
Winchester the other day,—they ran too easily. The rout was
as utter as that of Banks. Our demonstration this time has
brought the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps to Harper's Ferry."

A few days after this General Early again crossed the Potomac
and took a position between Sharpsburg and Hagerstown.
The boldness of this move caused the appointment of General
Sheridan to supersede Hunter in command of the forces opposing
General Early. Sheridan was reinforced from Grant's army and
immediately began active operations. Early recrossed the Potomac
into Virginia and fell back slowly up the valley, followed by
the greatly outnumbering enemy. At Fisher's Hill he offered
battle to Sheridan, but that general, instead of attacking, retired
towards Winchester. General Early pursued and attacked the
retreating column, drove them through Winchester, and captured
several hundred prisoners. Lieutenant-General Anderson about
this time joined Early with Kershaw's division, increasing the
Confederate force to some twelve thousand men. Sheridan's
army at the same date numbered forty thousand, ten thousand
of which were excellent cavalry. During the latter part of August
and first half of September the two armies skirmished and
manœuvred, the Federal object being "to prevent the Southern
army from gaining the rich harvests of the Shenandoah Valley,"[2]

---

365

After the explosion of the mine at Petersburg there was a cessation
of actual assaults. Both armies strengthened their defensive
works, and as General Grant extended his line on either side from
time to time in his effort to surround Petersburg, General Lee
was forced to oppose him with equally prolonged fortifications.
When Anderson was sent to Early's aid a second attempt was
made against Richmond on the north side of the James. At the
same time a movement was made to take possession of the Weldon
Railroad on the left, southeast of Petersburg. On August 6
General Pendleton wrote,—

". . . Here we have nothing new. The opposing armies are
strengthening their works and reducing force for operations elsewhere.
. . . The weather is so very warm and dusty that I really
feel indisposed for any exertion beyond the necessary duties of
my office. These, to be sure, are quite serious every day. First,
a number of administrative papers to be attended to every morning
relative to the working of our whole artillery organization;
then almost every day some part of the line to be visited, guns
to be put in position, works to be examined, etc.; and when anybody,
from the commanding general down, wants information
touching artillery matters, the chief of artillery has to be referred
to. Nothing objectionable in it all. On the contrary, so much
the better. But in extreme heat like this it about uses up one's
available energies."

"Thursday, August 18.

". . . You see by the papers, if you get them, that Grant is
trying another dodge, making a real effort below Chaffin's Bluff.
General Lee has been over there all the week; others of us have to
remain here to secure these lines, and artillery is of the first importance
for the purpose. To-day the enemy made a little move
again on the Weldon Railroad and tore up a small portion.
Hearing the firing, I rode in that direction. It was only a few
regiments, easily met and driven back. Heavy rain did not allow
them to burn the cross-ties. . . . We are living roughly now, but
it keeps us all in good health. Only two meals a day, and they

---

366

such at times as you could not help laughing at: a few scraps of
the fattest bacon, fried, some fried apples, and bread,—corn or
wheat Corn and tomatoes we sometimes get for dinner. Yesterday
and to-day we have had a little of the valley beef. How
do you all fare? Hardly well enough, I fear, to keep your bones
covered"

---

367

This was the engagement at Reams's Station, where A. P. Hill
drove Hancock from his intrenchments at that point, inflicting
heavy loss upon him.

"September 12.

"Matters quiet here now. . . . I had yesterday fine congregations
and most attentive. There seemed to be a good spirit prevailing.
What a privilege it is thus to minister to men in things
pertaining to God! Saturday, George Peterkin and I were

---

368

shielded again by the Almighty arm. Visiting an exposed point
near the enemy's canal across Dutch Gap, we escaped a shell by
perhaps the sixth part of a second. It exploded just behind us
and very close. A moment later for us, or earlier for it, and we
must have been struck. I desire to be daily more grateful and
devoted."