The plans of General Grant did not neglect so essential a feature of his
task. While he was fighting his way toward the Confederate capital, his
instructions contemplated the possession and occupation of the
Shenandoah valley as part of the system which should isolate and
eventually besiege Richmond. But this part of his plan underwent many
fluctuations. He had scarcely reached City Point when he became aware
that General Lee, equally alive to the advantages of the Shenandoah
valley, had dispatched General Early with seventeen thousand men on a
flying expedition up that convenient natural sally-port, which was for
the moment undefended.
Early made such speed that he crossed the Potomac during the first week
of July, made a devastating raid through Maryland and southern
Pennsylvania, threatened Baltimore, and turning sharply to the south,
was, on the eleventh of the month, actually at the outskirts of
Washington city, meditating its assault and capture. Only the opportune
arrival of the Sixth Army Corps under General Wright, on the afternoon
of that day, sent hurriedly by Grant from City Point, saved the Federal
capital from occupation and perhaps destruction by the enemy.
Certain writers have represented the government as panic-stricken during
the two days that this menace lasted; but neither Mr.
Pages:
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509