turns
bold and wary, slipped away between Wright and Hunter, marched
through Snicker's Gap, and put the Shenandoah between him and his
enemies. Caution had been enjoined on the pursuit, and the 17th
was spend in closing up and reconnoitring. On the 18th the combined
forces of Wright and Hunter marched through Snicker's Gap, and in
the afternoon Crook, who, having brought up his own division, found
himself in command of Hunter's troops, sent Thoburn across the
Shenandoah below Snicker's Ferry to seize and hold the ferry for
the passage of the army; but when Thoburn had gained the north bank
Early fell upon him with three divisions and drove him back across
the river with heavy loss. Instead of risking anything more in
the attempt to force the crossing in the face of Early's whole
force in position, Wright was mediating a turning movement by way
of Keyes's Gap, but Duffie, after riding hard through Ashby's Gap
and crossing the Shenandoah at Berry's Ferry, likewise came to
grief on the north bank, and so the day of the 19th of July was
lost.

Meanwhile Hunter, having seen nearly all the rest of his army arrive
at Harper's Ferry, sent a brigade and a half under Hayes to march
straight up the Shenandoah to Snicker's Ferry, while Averell with
a mixed force of cavalry and infantry was sweeping down from
Martinsburg on Winchester. Thus menaced in front, flank, and rear,
Early, on the night of the 19th of July, retreated on Strasburg.

The next morning Wright crossed the Shenandoah, meaning to move
toward Winchester, but when he learned where Early had gone he
recrossed the river in the evening, marched by night to Leesburg,
and encamped on Goose Creek, presently crossing to the south bank.
On the morning of the 22d Wright marched on Washington, the Sixth
Corps leading, followed by the Nineteenth. On the afternoon of
the 23d Emory crossed the chain bridge and went into bivouac on
the high ground overlooking the Potomac near Battery Vermont. So
ended the "Snicker's Gap war."

During this expedition Kenly's brigade of the Eighth Corps served
with the Nineteenth.

As soon as Early's withdrawal from Maryland had quieted all
apprehensions for the safety of Washington, the orders that had
met the advance of the Nineteenth Corps at Hampton Roads were
recalled, and, reverting to his original intention, Grant sent the
detachments of the corps as they arrived up the James River to
Bermuda Hundred to join the right wing of his