Fortunately, the enemy were not strong
enough to hazard everything upon one daring stroke. General Lee was
as prudent, or as timid, after his victories over General Pope, as,
according to some authorities, Hannibal was after winning "the field
of blood" at Cannae. What he did, however, was sufficient to show
how serious was the danger that threatened us. If he could not take
Washington, which stood for Rome, he might take Baltimore, which should
be Capua. He entered Maryland, and his movements struck dismay into
Pennsylvania. Harrisburg was marked for seizure, and the archives of the
second State of the Union were sent to New York; and Philadelphia was
considered so unsafe as to cause men to remove articles of value thence
to her ancient rival's protection. That the enemy meant to invade the
North cannot well be doubted; but the resistance they encountered,
leading to their defeat at South Mountain and Antietam, forced them to
retreat. Had they won at Antietam, not only would Washington have been
cut off from land-communication with the North, but Pennsylvania would
have been invaded, and the Southrons would have fattened on the produce
of her rich fields.
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