Upon receiving this information Gen. Kenly pushed forward, and when the column reached the mouth of Pleasant Valley, he detached Lieut.-Col. Wilson, with the First Maryland, instructing him to ascend the heights by way of the eastern slope, and to carry and hold them.
Gen. Kenly then moved with two companies of the Fourth Maryland, followed by the remainder of the Fourth and Eighth Regiments, by the road leading along the canal.
As the advance-guard neared the bridge they found the road obstructed, and the enemy at the same time opened upon them a sharp fire. The advance immediately dashed forward in gallant style, turned the point of the precipice which abuts on the road, and, taking cover, by their rapid firing soon materially lessened that of their opponents.
The balance of the command was then brought up the road and placed in position on the western slopes of the mountain. A section of Miner's battery was also placed in position on the points of the heights overlooking Harper's Ferry, and a few well-directed shots soon dispersed a body of Confederate cavalry which made its appearance on Bolivar Heights.
About this time a detachment of troops, with several pieces of light artillery, mounted on an iron-plated car, under command of Lieut. John R. Meigs, U.S.A., which had been sent up from Baltimore by Maj.-Gen. Schenck, arrived, and assisted in silencing the Confederate sharpshooters, who were annoying the Federal column from the Virginia side of the river.
The heights gained, a picket-line was at once established, extending from the river to Solomon's Gap, and before dark several squads of the enemy's cavalry came down the road from Sharpsburg and the Shepherdstown ferry; but after remaining a short time, and being apparently surprised at finding the position occupied by Federal troops, they withdrew.
The great importance of this movement may be more fully appreciated on reading the following acknowledgment from Gen. French:
" Headquarters Third Army Corps,
"Jan. 22, 1864.
"Brig.-Gest. John R. Kenly,
" Commanding Third Division First Army Corps:
" General, — My sudden and unexpected transfer to the command of the Third Army Corps prevented me from making the recognition of the important services of yourself and the Maryland Brigade, under your command, to which you and it are eminently entitled.
" The fact that Maryland Heights had been reoccupied after a forced march, surprising the enemy and compelling him to abandon the bridgehead and the heights, is a part of the history of the Gettysburg campaign of which you and your troops may be justly proud.
" I am, general,
" Very truly yours,
" Wm. H. French, Maj.-Gen. Vols."
When Gen. Kenly started from Frederick the Seventh Regiment was on picket, and did not accompany the brigade. As soon as the Seventh was relieved by its namesake, the Seventh New York Militia, it marched back and rejoined the brigade on Maryland Heights. At an early hour on the 10th of July the brigade left the heights in the care of the Ninth and Tenth Maryland Regiments, which had arrived from Baltimore, and moved out through Pleasant Valley, passing Locust Grove and Rohrersville, to a point near Boonsboro', where it arrived at nine p.m. The march was directly towards the sound of cannon, which was heard early in the day. It was necessarily a forced march, and the day becoming excessively hot, there was much straggling from sheer exhaustion. Men dragged themselves along until they dropped down in their tracks.
Next day the brigade was assigned to the First Corps, and became the Third Brigade of its Third Division. Gen. John Newton commanded the corps, Gen. Kenly the division, and Col. Dushane, of the First Regiment, the brigade.
On the following day (July 12th), about noon, the corps moved from Beaver Creek, through Funkstown, which Lee's army had evacuated in the morning, and took position fronting the enemy's line, formed on the south of the town, and extending from Falling Waters, on the Potomac, along the Salisbury Ridge to the Conococheague, six miles west of Hagerstown.
All this day the rain poured, and the fields were heavy with the tenacious clay of this limestone country, so that the order, " Close up, men; close up your files," was constantly in the mouth of every officer from colonel to file-closers.
Suddenly the sharp crack of rifles and whistle of bullets indicated the immediate presence of the foe. The men of the Maryland Brigade closed up with a spring and formed in line. Skirmishers were advanced across the fields towards the Sharpsburg and Hagerstown pike, held by the enemy, and a lively fire was kept up until after dark. Just about dark the brigade skirmish line went forward with a rush and cleared the enemy out of Stover's barn, from which their fire had been somewhat annoying.
Skirmishing was renewed with daylight of the 13th, and for some time became quite brisk. About five o'clock Private Scoffin, of Company I, Seventh Maryland, was sent to the rear in a blanket, shot through the thigh. The skirmish-line was gradually pushed forward until within easy point-blank range of the enemy's main works. The firing of musketry was scattering but incessant until midday, when the enemy opened with artillery and fired several rounds of spherical case-shot. They put four shot into Stover's barn, but hit nobody. All day there was skirmishing and some cannonading along the whole line, but no severe fighting, although the two armies were in close proximity to each other.
During the night it was evident to the pickets on certain portions of the line that Lee was withdrawing his army. One of the first to discover this movement was a member of the First Maryland, who, about midnight, stealthily approached the enemy's rifle-pits and found them deserted. He at once reported the fact to the officer in charge of the brigade picket-line, Maj. Faehtz, of the Eighth Regiment, who promptly communicated the intelligence to the division commander, and by him was directed to push forward his line as far as he could go. This was done forthwith, and the line advanced without opposition to within one mile of Williamsport, capturing twenty-nine Confederate stragglers on the way.
The main body of the Confederate army was already over the Potomac, having effected a successful escape under cover of the night; but their rear-guard was overtaken by Kilpatrick's cavalry at Falling Waters and severely punished. Meade's entire army was then put in motion towards the river. The First Corps, following the Sixth, marched through the two strong lines of earthworks just abandoned by the enemy, the men of the Maryland Brigade noticing the fresh graves of a number of the Confederates who fell in their front during the two days' skirmish. They also soon found themselves traveling over the same ground that was familiar as the scene of their operations in September, 1862, and at night bivouacked near Williamsport. For the First Regiment this was the fifth time it had encamped in that vicinity.
The next morning the march was resumed, and, passing through Smoketown, Keedysville, and Rohrersville, the First Corps bivouacked for the night at the foot of South Mountain, near Crampton's Gap. From Crampton's Gap another day's march brought the corps to a resting-place between Petersville and Knoxville, the Maryland Brigade bivouacking on Hilleary's farm. Here it remained, refitting and reclothing generally, until the 18th, when the corps crossed the Potomac at Berlin, and marched through Lovettsville and bivouacked just outside of Waterford, a neat and loyal little Quaker village. From Waterford the next march was to Hamilton, where the Maryland Brigade slept in Janney's woods. Marching thence on the 20th, via Middleburg, White Plains, Warrenton, Warrenton Junction, and Bealton Station, the brigade finally reached Rappahannock Station on the 1st of August, and crossing the river threw up intrenchments. Here the Gettysburg campaign ended.
While these military operations were in progress intense excitement prevailed in Maryland. Upon the invasion of the State, the people of the western counties were greatly alarmed. In Frederick, Hagerstown, Boonsboro',