Gen. Pope learned from this defeat, that "lines of retreat and bases of operations" were phrases that properly had places in the military vocabulary.
Gen. Lee's opportunity had come to compel all the Union forces to fall back to Washington and Maryland.
After the grand review on the 18th of August, made in compliance with the President's order to all the U. S. troops, the general retreat was commenced. A delay was made on the banks of the Rappahannock. The Seventh took part in the skirmishes along the stream for fifteen miles.
August 27th the retreat was renewed. The route of the regiment was by way of Catlett Station, Bristoe Station, Brentsville, Manassas, Centerville, Alexandria, Arlington Heights, Aqueduct Bridge, Georgetown, Frederick, and South Mountain, to the field of Antietam, where it arrived, September 17, 1862, in time to engage once more in the bloody work of battle. The greater part of this march had been made without the comfort of blankets at night, and the exposures had much diminished the strength of the men.
The Seventh Ohio did not take a very active part in this battle. Sergeant Jones and Corporal Goodsell were severely wounded and left at Sharpsburg. The Corporal died on the 19th.
This defeat of Gen. Lee turned the faces of both armies toward Richmond.
September 29, Gen. Geary's brigade went into camp on the rocky side of Loudon Heights, and, a few days afterwards, moved to Bolivar Heights.
Capt. Shurtleff here returned to the company for the first time after his capture, but, being detailed as Inspector General on Gen. Wilcox's Staff, he did not take command.
Harper's Ferry is situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. The towering bluff on the north side of the Potomac is called Maryland Heights; that on the south side, Loudon Heights; and the one between the rivers is called Bolivar Heights. The physical development of the soldiers was secured by the necessity of carrying their water half a mile up the steep hill of Loudon Heights. On the 11th of October, thirty-one recruits swelled the company to a respectable size. Their names and record appear in the latter part of this work.
Occasional reconnoissances were made from Harper's Ferry up the Valley towards Winchester. On one of these scouts a brisk skirmish took place with the rebel cavalry at Berryville. Company C, under the command of Orderly Andrews, was deployed in advance. The cavalry made a sudden, furious dash upon them. They rallied, formed line, and repulsed the enemy without loss to themselves.