Civil War Diary of Charles H. Lynch

June 24th. Orders received from General Hooker to evacuate the Maryland Heights. All supplies and munitions that could be moved loaded on canal boats and taken to Washington by way of the Ohio & Chesapeake Canal. Great quantity of stores was left, salt beef, pork, beans, rice, coffee, and sugar. Some of it was gathered up by people from Harper’s Ferry. A guard was sent with the boats but most of the troops were ordered to join the Army of the Potomac on its march up through Maryland to meet the Confederates who seem to be pushing on up into Pennsylvania. Our detachment was sent on guard with the canal boats. We left on the last two boats. There were about thirty in all. The rebels, under the cavalry leader J. E. B. Stuart, captured the first fifteen boats. After helping themselves to the supplies the boats were burned up. We passed the boats that had been destroyed. It took us two days and one night to complete the trip, a distance of sixty miles. Left the boats at Georgetown, then marched through the town to Tenallytown, going into camp. At the time our brigade consisted of the 12th West Virginia, the 5th Maryland, and our detachment. These regiments having been with us at Winchester and had lost many members.