M.A. Kleen

Confederate forces met little resistance as they fanned out across southern Pennsylvania raiding towns, sending escaped slaves south, and paying for supplies in worthless Confederate currency. Advanced units of Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell’s Second Corps neared the Susquehanna River by June 28th. To defend Harrisburg, Union Maj. Gen. Darius Couch built two small earthen forts, named “Fort Couch” and “Fort Washington,” just west of the Susquehanna River. Construction began on June 20 and upon completion, it was manned by an assortment of militia and Federal troops withdrawn from the nearby Carlisle Barracks. Darius Couch had commanded the Army of the Potomac’s II Corps, but asked to be reassigned due to disagreements with its commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker. Gen. Robert. E. Lee soon issued the fateful order for his army to concentrate at Gettysburg, roughly 35 miles southwest of the most advanced Confederate position. Ewell left Brig. Gen. Albert Jenkins with a brigade of cavalry near Mechanicsburg just west of Harrisburg to cover his withdrawal. In the afternoon of June 30, 1863, Darius Couch sent Brig. Gen. John Ewen and his New York militia to reconnoiter the Confederate positions. This touched off a five hour-long skirmish between Ewen’s militia and Jenkins’ brigade that left 11 New Yorkers wounded. Sixteen Confederates were killed and 25 wounded before they withdrew to rejoin the rest of Ewell’s corps.