FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC: Successful Cavalry Reconnoissance Across the River; The Roads to Charlestown and Shepherdstown Clear (9/28/1862)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 9/28/1862

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Enemy in Considerable Force on the West Bank of the Opequan Creek.

WASHINGTON, Saturday, Sept. 27.

The following dispatches are from special army correspondents of the TIMES:

SHARPSBURGH, Friday, Sept. 20. via FREDERICK,

Saturday, Sept. 27.

Yesterday, Col. FARNSWORTH's Brigade of cavalry' made a reconnoissance upon the road to Charlestown, and another portion proceeded some distance on the road to Martinsburgh. A squadron crossed the river at Mercerville, and went to Hardscrabbletown. The enemy's videttes were discovered in Shepherdstown, but withdrew as our forces advanced. The road from Shepherdstown to Harper's Ferry was reconnoitered, and found to be open.

Over thirty rebels, including Lieut.-Col. LEE, of the Thirty-third Virginia Regiment, and a Lieutenant of cavalry, were taken prisoners, about a mile and a half back of Sheperdstown. Lieut.-Col. LEE had been in the town visiting his family, and was attired in his best uniform. He was considerably chagrined at being captured. All the prisoners excepting the Lieutenant-Colonel and Lieutenant were released on parole. It was ascertained that our artillery did good execution last Saturday. A number of dead rebels were discovered unburied. A large quantity of small arms were picked up and brought into camp.

The enemy appears to be in considerable force on the western bank of Opequan Creek.

FREDERICK, Md., Saturday, Sept. 27.

Army affairs are without material change on the Potomac.

A train of one hundred and forty-two ambulances arrived in town this evening, containing about eight hundred wounded from the Hospitals at Sharpsburgh and the immediate vicinity. They came in charge of Dr. GREEN, of the Regular Army, and Assistant Surgeon GRIMES, of Duryee's Zouaves. Mrs. BANTZ and her lady assistants of the Relief Association, administered wine and refreshments to the occupants of each ambulance,

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4096371/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

From the Army of the Potomac: Successful Cavalry Reconnoissance Across the River – 2
Col. Hamilton in New-Orleans – 2-3
The War in the Southwest: An Expedition Down the Arkansas River – 3
Important from Washington: Serenade to Gen. Wadsworth, Candidate for the Governorship of New-York – 3-4
Editorial: The President’s Proclamation – 4
The Situation in Virginia – 4-5
Editorial: Wigfall and His Ancestors – 5
Kentucky – 5
The Proclamation in the Border States – 5
The Ownership of the World – 5

[MMusson]

Why do you waste your time posting inaccurate reporting on a war that ended 150+ years ago?

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Why do you care?

[jeffersondem]

I know the blue-clad soldiers thought they were doing the right thing in fighting to spread the blue-state culture.

Reading today's headlines, I'm not so sure.

[cowboyusa]

Again, the South voted overweingly for Wilson, and for the traitor socalist fdr overwemingly 4 times.

[BroJoeK]

"The Ownership of the World – 5"

Our FRiend Diogeneslamp sometimes assures us the world is owned by nefarious but usually unnamed "northeastern power brokers."

Here, for once, we see clarified, it's NOT Fernando Wood who owns the World, but rather it's chief editor, one Manton Marble.

[Hiddigeigei]

My grandfather was a young teenager during the Civil War living a few miles up the Potomac not far from Shepherdstown. He wrote an essay describing his family and personal experiences. He said the area was repeatedly occupied by one side than the other. One time a Union camp was force to withdraw in a hurry and left a lot of equipment, tents and stuff. Later a Union major came to the house and asked my great grandfather if he knew anything about the equipment. Granddad was summoned and asked about it. Granddad said he had it in the barn, and was told to give it back. So he led the major with a squad soldiers with a wagon to the barn. Grandad also said if he was out on the farm near the river and head a report, he would run and get behind a tree because teenage boys would shoot at each other across the river.

[jeffersondem]

“Again, the South voted overweingly for Wilson, and for the traitor socalist fdr overwemingly 4 times.”

After what the radical Republicans did during reconstruction it is no wonder white southerners - and black southerners later - instinctively voted against Republicans for many years.

[cowboyusa]

Doesn’t matter. They voted for Socalists over and over again.

[cowboyusa]

Meanwhile, the North was voting for Jarding and Cooldidge.

[jeffersondem]

“Meanwhile, the North was voting for Jarding and Cooldidge.” (sic)

I think I know what you meant.

I know you support blue-state culture, then and now. The Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, all fathered by Southerners, guarantees you can hold those wrongheaded notions.

Problems begin when the blue states take up arms to violently overthrow our founding principles.

[cowboyusa]

Your traitorous Confederacy was founded on a foundation to destroy those documents, and those Southern Founders would not have supported it.

[jeffersondem]

“Your traitorous Confederacy was founded on a foundation to destroy those documents . . .”

That is an interesting comment.

I have heard it said, “Lincoln fought to free the slaves.”

Can you give me your assurance that is true?

[cowboyusa]

No, not at first. But the Founders wete trying to hem in slavery. That is why the 1619 project is such crap.

[jeffersondem]

“No, not at first.”

Lincoln said, at first, he would only fight to collect taxes. We all know that from reading his first inaugural address.

But just to be clear, are you saying at some point Lincoln did “fight to free the slaves?”

[cowboyusa]

After September 1862.

[BroJoeK]

jeffersondem: "But just to be clear, are you saying at some point Lincoln did “fight to free the slaves?” "

cowboyusa: "After September 1862."

Slavery was part of the mix from Day One.

1. Every seceding state before Fort Sumter, if they gave reasons for secession, included slavery as a major reason.

   "Reasons for Secession" Documents before Fort Sumter

   Reasons for Secession	S. Carolina	Mississippi	Georgia	Texas	Rbt. Rhett	A. Stephens	AVERAGE OF 6
   Historical context	41%	20%	23%	21%	20%	20%	24%
   Slavery	20%	73%	56%	54%	35%	50%	48%
   States' Rights	37%	3%	4%	15%	15%	10%	14%
   Lincoln's election	2%	4%	4%	4%	5%	0%	3%
   Economic issues**	0	0	15%	0%	25%	20%	10%
   Military protection	0	0	0	6%	0%	0%	1%

   * Alabama listed only slavery in its "whereas" reasons for secession.

   ** Economic issues include tariffs, "fishing smacks" and other alleged favoritism to Northerners in Federal spending.

2. From the war's beginning in 1861, runaway slaves were an issue and were soon labeled "contraband of war" with Pres. Lincoln authorizing they be freed by Union forces, in May 1861.

3. New York Times editorials from the beginning recognized that the Confederacy could only be destroyed by first destroying the institution at its foundation: slavery.
   In August 1862 NY Tribune editor Horace Greely wrote:
   "On the face of this wide earth, Mr. President, there is not one ... intelligent champion of the Union cause who does not feel ... that the rebellion, if crushed tomorrow, would be renewed if slavery were left in full vigor and that every hour of deference to slavery is an hour of added and deepened peril to the Union."[56] "

4. From the beginning Lincoln was reluctant to make slavery the war's major issue due to his concerns over Union slave states like Maryland, Kentucky & Missouri.

5. Congress began acting to free Confederate slaves in August 1861, passing the First Confiscation Act and in July 1862 the Second Confiscation Act.

6. In April 1862 Congress passed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, recommending it to Union Border States.

Bottom line: slavery was a major issue from Day One and emancipation became increasingly important as the war progressed.

[jeffersondem]

“After September 1862.”

Meaning, you suggest, after September 1862 Lincoln and the blue-clad soldiers were “fighting to free the slaves.”

That is an interest comment; but is it true?

Can you cite instances where Union forces were ordered by Lincoln to attack slave owners in - say Delaware - to “free the slaves” during the war?