e Great Rebellion. Accordingly, whosoever
took any part in it may hope to share its immortality of glory.

But, says one, the militia were not engaged in the battle. True;
neither was the reserve of eleven thousand men, under General French,
at Frederick and elsewhere. Yet who would withhold from these veterans
the honor of having been participators in the great struggle? They had
their part to play--not so direct, nor conspicuous, nor important a
part as they played whose valor won the day, yet important withal.
Enough for the militia, they offered their lives for the Fatherland,
and stood instant, waiting only for orders to hurry into the front of
battle.

To the militia force, mainly of the cities of New York and Brooklyn,
was from the first entrusted the defence of the valley of the
Susquehanna. The Army of the Potomac could afford no protection to
Harrisburg and the rich agricultural regions lying around it. For
General Hooker, notwithstanding his vigilance and activity, had not
prevented the advance corps of the enemy, under General Ewell, from
penetrating to the very banks of the Susquehanna. Whether or not he
cared to prevent it, is not here considered. A little later, to be
sure, Lee became evidently alarmed on account of his extended line and
made haste to contract it. But during the few days of panic that
intervened between the first appearance of the enemy along the
Susquehanna and their hasty departure therefrom, nothing stood between
them and Harrisburg save the militia, whom General Halleck in his
Official Report reviewing the military operations of the year 1863, saw
fit to allude to as follows:--

"Lee's army was supposed to be advancing against Harrisburg, which
was garrisoned by State militia, upon which little or no reliance
could be placed."

York had fallen; and, notwithstanding the Mayor of that city--be his
name forever buried in oblivion--went out to meet the enemy hoping
doubtless to secure his favor by craven submission, a heavy ransom had
been exacted for its exemption from pillage. A rebel detachment had
fallen upon and put to flight the force guarding the bridge over the
Susquehanna at Columbia, and thus compelled the burning of that fine
structure; while Ewell with the main body of his corps was moving
cautiously up toward Harrisburg. Finally, when within five miles of
Bridgeport Heights, having driven in the force of skirmishers
who--militia, be it observed--had for sever