586

FORCING FOX’S GAP AND TURNER’S GAP.

at the roadside. With astonishment, I rode to him and asked how he camethere. He said he had been taken prisoner beyond the mountain, but hadbeen paroled the evening before, and was now finding his way back to ns onfoot. “ But where are you going ? ” said he. I answered that Scammon’sbrigade was going to support Pleasonton in a reconnoissance into the gap.Moor made an involuntary start, saying, “ My God ! be careful ”; then, check-ing himself, said, “But I am paroled! ” and turned away.

I galloped to Scammon and told him that I should follow him in close sup-port with Crook’s brigade, and as I went back along the column I spoke toeach regimental commander, warning them to be prepared for anything, big orlittle,— it might be a skirmish, it might be a battle. Hurrying back to thecamp, I ordered Crook to turn out his brigade prepared to march at once. Ithen wrote a dispatch to General Beno, saying I suspected we should find theenemy in force on the mountain-top, and should go forward with both bri-gades instead of sending one. Starting a courier with this, I rode forward tofind Pleasonton, who was about a mile in front of my camp, where the oldSharpsburg road leaves the turnpike. I found that he was convinced that theenemy’s position in the gap was too strong to be carried by a direct attack,and that he had determined to let his horsemen demonstrate on the main road,supporting the batteries, one of which at least (Benjamin’s) was of 20-pounderParrott guns, while Scammon should march by the Sharpsburg road andtry to reach the flank of the force on the summit. Telling him of mysuspicion as to the enemy, I also informed him that I had determined tosupport Scammon with Crook, and if it became necessary to fight with thewhole division I should do so, in which case I should assume the responsibilitymyself as his senior officer. To this he cordially assented.

One of my batteries contained a section of 20-pounder Parrotts, and as thesewere too heavy to take up the rough mountain road, I ordered them to go intoaction beside Benjamin’s battery, near the turnpike, and to remain with ittill further orders. Our artillery at this time was occupying a knoll abouthalf a mile in front of the forks of the road, and was exchanging shotswith a battery of the enemy well up toward the gap. It was about half-past 7 o’clock when Crook’s column filed off on the old Sharpsburg road, Scam-mon having perhaps half an hour’s start. We had fully two miles to go beforewe should reach the place where our attack was made, and, as it was a prettysteep road, the men marched slowly with frequent rests. On our way up wewere overtaken by my courier who had returned from Beno with approvalof my action, and the assurance that the rest of the Ninth Corps would comeforward to my support. [See map, p. 568.]

At about half a mile from the summit, at Pox’s Gap, the enemy had openedupon Scammon with case shot from the edge of the timber above the openfields, and the latter had judiciously turned off upon a country road leadingstill farther to the left and nearly parallel to the ridge above. Here I over-took him, his brigade being formed in line, under cover of the timber, facingopen pasture fields, having a stone-wall along the upper side, with the forestagain beyond this. Crook was brought up close in his rear. The ascent and