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[35] back over a pontoon bridge to Maryland Heights, which commanded the country for miles, and from which the steeples of Martinsburg could be seen. Upon the plateau of Maryland Heights we had the naval battery of two 50-pound Armstrong rifled guns and a 100-pound Columbia, worked at first by sailors, and subsequently by the Fifth New York Artillery. The rebels again attacked us in force, but the shells from Maryland Heights broke them up. Prior to this I had been badly injured by falling through a stone culvert. This occurred late at night, when a party of our regiment was out in search of a rebel officer, who we heard was visiting friends seven miles distant. The injury received was a bad cut in the eye-brow. Mrs. George West, wife of Captain West, dressed the wound. She with several officers' wives was with the regiment at Relay House and Harper's Ferry.

Again, late in June, 1862, while superintending the placing of Gardner's Indiana Battery on the crest of Bolivar Heights, a six-pound solid shot from the enemy at Halltown struck the wheel of one of the guns, and glancing, entered the flank of my horse, carrying a part of my coat tails with it. The horse, in falling, carried me under him, dislocating my knee. This laid me up for some time.

While the Tenth Maine was quartered at Harper's Ferry, Captain West's company (D) was provost guard, and Captain West was provost-marshal of Harper's Ferry and vicinity. The enemy was obliged to retire up the valley.

As my wife was very ill at home, and my eye badly injured, I was granted twenty days leave of absence. Before my leave had expired, I learned that the Confederates had again laid siege to Harper's Ferry to cover their raid into Maryland, and I at once returned to the front and reported for duty.

I took part in many skirmishes in and about Halltown, Charleston, Sharpsburg, and on Bolivar Heights, and was favorably mentioned in the report of General Rufus Saxton. The Tenth Maine regiment, with Captain West, First Lieutenant John D. Beardsley, and Sergeant Ed Brackett, went up the valley


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