GDG- July 13, 1863

[George F]

Major General Henry Heth in command of a Division
(and A P Hill's rear guard for the Falling Waters
crossing of the Potomac River) wrote of July 13,
1863 in his report:

"On the evening of July 13, I received orders to
withdraw my command at dark from the
intrenchments near Hagerstown, and move in the
direction of Falling Waters, at which point we
were to cross the river on a pontoon bridge,
already constructed. The artillery attached to my
command received its orders through its immediate
commander, and moved off a little before dark. I
was directed to leave the skirmishers in my
front, and was informed that they would be
relieved during the night by the cavalry. The
officers in charge of the skirmishers were
directed, as soon as relieved, to take the road
followed by the divisions.
        "The night was entirely dark and the
roads-in a dreadful condition, the entire
distance between our breastworks and Falling
Waters being ankle-deep in mud. The progress of
the command was necessarily very slow and
tedious, halting every few minutes to allow the
wagons and artillery in our front to pass on. The
division was twelve hours accomplishing 7 miles,
once halting for two hours." (ORs)

As noted in K M Brown's book and now Eric W and
JDs new work, the period following July 3, 1863
was full of engagements, drama and many "what
if's".

It is sad to see that more and more of the land
where these post-July 3, 1863 movements and
actions took place is being sold-off.  After
serving farm land since the nineteenth century it
is now being sold for housing developments, strip
malls and other incursions on the important but
less-recognized history that took place there 145
years ago.

George F. Franks, III
Daniel Donnelly House (1830)
Williamsport, Maryland