“The battle of South Mountain, which lasted all day Sunday, the
14th of September, 1862, could be plainly heard at the College. As we
were going up to Mass to the old church on the hill and as we were
returning from Mass, we could hear the firing distinctly. Yet,
recreation went on on the terraces and the ordinary routine of college
life was followed, as if nothing unusual was happening. After vespers,
which were held in the church on the hill, at 3 p. m., a few of us,
under the care of Mr. John Crimmens, went down the Frederick pike,
along the mountain side, to a place where a stream crossed the road
well on towards Mechanicstown, and stood listening with awe to the
sharp, ringing volleys of musketry and then the quick, sullen booming
of the cannon, as they came along the reverberating sides of the
mountain. The falling shades compelled us to tear ourselves away, as
the rules required us all to be at home in time for supper. Again and
again we stopped, as one report louder than another followed us, as if
begging us to stay.”
"The battle of Antietam followed immediately after South
Mountain. During two days, the 16th and 17th of September, the battle
raged, and more men were killed than in any previous battle of the
war. The New York papers of the time even asserted that it was as
great as the battle of Waterloo. As studies and classes and recreation
succeeded one another, during those fearful days, little attention was
paid, if even the students were conscious of it, to the battle.”
Rt. Rev. Monsignor James T. Dunn
"A report from Governor Curtin this morning states the rebel
cavalry force camped at Chambersburg last night, and left there at 9
this morning the direction of Gettysburg. Force about 2,000 strong,
consisting of Stuart and Hampton's cavalry. It is thought, by Mr.
McClure, of Chambersburg, that they intend returning by way of
Frederick and Leesburg. You will at once move with your force, and all
of Davis' cavalry, at Hagerstown, by Cavetown and Harmon's Gap, to
Mechanicstown, where the Sixth Cavalry has been ordered to join you.
You will send scouts on the direct road from Hagerstown to
Gettysburg, and also to Emmitsburg and beyond, to ascertain the
movements of the enemy. It might be well to send citizens, if you can
get them to go, and send any information you may get to these
headquarters by telegraph from Hagerstown or Frederick, as may be most
convenient.
You will take the best route to cut off the enemy, depending on
the information you obtain. Pursue them vigorously, and do not spare
your men or horses, if you see an opportunity of overtaking them. They
should not be allowed to escape unharmed."
R. B. Marcy, Chief of Staff
“The success of the expedition was largely due to the excellent
guides General Stuart had provided himself with; and now Logan and
Harbaugh, who had lived in Pennsylvania, acted, but as we approached
Maryland, Capt. B. S. White became the guide; his residence in that
part of Maryland made him thoroughly acquainted with every road in it.
It was very pleasant to get amongst friends once more upon crossing
the line into Maryland, though we could not take their horses.
The first place we came to was the little town of Emmitsburg,
which we reached about sundown, thirty-one miles from Chambersburg,
and still forty-five miles from our crossing place. If we had fallen
from the clouds the people could not have been more astonished than at
seeing us come from the direction we followed, and their
demonstrations of delight at seeing us were unbounded.
An hour before our arrival a detachment of Rush’s Lancers, a
scouting party of a hundred-forty men, sent to look for us, had passed
through the town, and hearing of this, General Stuart had issued
orders to overtake and capture any one attempting to leave the place
while we were in it. Just as the advanced guard entered the street, a
young lady rode out of a yard of a house before us, and seeing, to her
dismay, a body of soldiers, which she took for Federals of course, she
dashed off out of town towards her home some miles in the country.
Our men called upon her to halt, but this only made her whip up
her horse the more, and being reluctant to use their firearms, the
only thing to do was for two of the best mounted to overtake and
capture her. It was an exciting race for a mile and the poor young
lady was, as she told us, scared almost to death, but finding she
could not escape she pulled up and surrendered in great terror. But
when she and her captors appeared leisurely riding back they were in
high good humor, laughing and talking over the adventure.
The young lady returned to the house she had been visiting and
was requested to remain there until we had been gone an hour. Though
only a mile or two from the Pennsylvania state line, the people here
seemed to be intensely Southern in their sympathies and omitted no
opportunity of showing us attention during the short half hour we
passed among them.”
Lieutenant Colonel W.W. Blackford
"Basket after basket of provisions was
passed around. The old battle scarred boys of the battery, with their
farmers’ hats were indeed an object of curiosity to those sweet and
dear ladies. Several boys could not resist the tender smiles of the
fairer sex; I was one of the first victims, so we gave them our straw
hats as souvenirs. I doubt not that some of those hats are still
treasured by some of the ladies in that locality yet.” Private
Henry Matthews, Stuart's Horse Artillery CSA
