MARYLAND HEIGHTS, a bold, wooded elevation in Maryland, rising 1,000 feet above the Potomac opposite Harper's Ferry (q.v.), W. Va. In these heights, Elk Ridge, lying west of South Mountain, from which it is separated by the narrow Pleasant Valley, terminates. The heights are almost inaccessible, capable of strong defense, and completely command Harper's Ferry, which lies below it in the angle formed by the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. When Harper's Ferry was seized by the Virginia forces in April 1861; Col. T. J. ("Stonewall() Jackson promptly occupied Maryland Heights, and they con tinued in Confederate possession until June of that year, when Gen. J. E. Johnston with drew from the line of the Potomac and fell back to Winchester. The heights were then occupied by Union troops, and 5 Sept. 1862, when Lee crossed into Maryland, they were held by Col. T. H. Ford with about 2,000 men and some heavy siege and field artillery. When Lee, at Frederick, Md., found that Harper's Ferry and the heights were still held by the Union troops he sent three columns to surround and capture the garrison of more than 12,000 men. Jackson moved from Fred erick on the morning of 10 September, crossed South Mountain and the Potomac, and, driv ing everything before him, bivouacked on the 13th near Bolivar Heights. Walker crossed the Potomac south of Harper's Ferry and seized Loudoun Heights. McLaws, with 10 brigades, marched from Frederick late on the 10th, camped that night near Brownsville Gap, crossed the gap next day, and on the 12th crossed Pleasant Valley, ascended Maryland Heights, with Kershaw's and Barksdale's brigades, at Solomon's Gap, five miles north of Harper's Ferry, drove in some skirmishers and, marching southward on the crest of the mountain, was checked near nightfall by Ford's men behind a barricade of logs. In the morn ing of the 13th he renewed his attack, which was stoutly resisted by Ford's men, who mean while had been reinforced by troops from Harper's Ferry. The Union troops were finally
driven from the heights into Harper's Ferry, abandoning four guns, and at 4.30 P.M. McLaws was in complete possession, and put guns in position commanding Harper's Ferry, whose garrison surrendered on the 15th. The Union loss on Maryland Heights was about 150 killed and wounded; the Confederate loss was 35 killed and 178 wounded. After Lee had been driven across the Potomac the heights were occupied 20 September by troops of the 12th corps. The position was strongly fortified, and when, 15 June 1863, Milroy was defeated and driven from Winchester, General French moved his garrison from Harper's Ferry to the heights. Under General Meade's order French abandoned the position and distributed his troops at Frederick and on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. When Lee was defeated at Gettysburg the heights were re occupied, 7 July, by the Union forces, and con tinued in their possession until the close of the war. On 2 July 1864 General Early reached Winchester on his way to menace Washington; General Sigel, who was commanding the Union forces in and around Martinsburg, abandoned his position on the night of the 3d, crossed the Potomac at Shepherdstown, and on the night of the 5th established himself on Maryland Heights, with six regiments of infantry, 2,500 dismounted cavalry, two batteries of heavy artillery and 26 field-guns, while General Stahel was at Weverton and in Pleasant Valley, with 1,200 to 1,500 cavalry and four Early followed Sigel across the river at p herdstown Ford, drove Stahel back and con fined Sigel within. his works; a heavy can nonade was kept up all night of the 6th, and there was sharp fighting next day; but, making no impression, and unable to maneuver Sigel out of his position, Early drew off and crossed the South Mountain toward Frederick.