"General Banks's headquarters near Edward's Ferry, Md." —Leslie, 1896

Headquarters of Banks

"General Banks's headquarters near Edward's Ferry, Md." —Leslie, 1896

"Edward's Ferry, Md., below Harrison's Island, on the Potomac River, the place of the passage of General Banks's division, October 22nd, 1861."— Frank Leslie, 1896

Edward's Ferry

"Edward's Ferry, Md., below Harrison's Island, on the Potomac River, the place of the passage of General…

"Successful retreat of the Federal troops from the Virginia shore across a canal-boat bridge at Edward's Ferry, on the night of October 23rd, 1861. Of the 1,900 Federals who crossed the river in the morning but a sad remnant reached the island and opposite shore on that awful night. Upward of 500 were taken prisoners; more than 100 were drowned; nearly the same number were killed on the field or shot in the retreat, and upward of 200 were wounded. We shrink from detailing all the incidents of horror which marked this most disastrous action and retreat. It was a fearful blunder from beginning to end. Our illustration represents the successful retreat to the Maryland shore on the night of Wednesday, October 23rd, by moonlight, during a high, cold windstorm." —Leslie, 1896

Edward's Ferry

"Successful retreat of the Federal troops from the Virginia shore across a canal-boat bridge at Edward's…

"Engagement between the Federal troops and the Confederates on the Virginia side of the Potomac, opposite Edward's Ferry, October 22nd, 1861- battery of Parrott Guns on the Maryland shore. Early in the evening the news of the death of Colonel Baker, and of the presence of an overwhelming Confederate force on the opposite bank, reached Edward's Ferry, and at once orders were given for bringing back to the Maryland shore the troops which had been passed in the scows, etc., during the day. This was effected by the same means, occupying until midnight. At this time word was received at Edward's Ferry that General Banks was approaching with his column to support the movement of the day, and immediately the same troops, which had crossed and recrossed, were again sent across the river in the same scows. Give hundred feet of fortifications were thrown up to support the lodgment, with only a slight brush with a detachment of Confederates, in which General Lander was wounded. During the night, Tuesday, October 22nd, the full epressing news of Baker's disaster became known, and the whistle of the Leesburg railway, bringing up Confederate re-enforcements from Manassas, sounded constantly in the ears of the Federals. On Tuesday morning, however, General McClellan had arrived at Edward's Ferry, and both with reference to further advance or a retreat, as circumstances might justify or require, ordered a bridge of boats to be thrown across the river. He, however, received such intelligence on Wednesday of the number and designs of the Confederates, that he resolved to withdraw the Federal forces from the Virginia side, which was effected silently and safely on the same night. Our engraving illustrates the position of the Federal troops on the Virginia shore, on Tuesday, during the attack in which General Lander was wounded." — Frank Leslie, 1896

Battle at Potomac

"Engagement between the Federal troops and the Confederates on the Virginia side of the Potomac, opposite…