 Complete the following phrase:  Loudoun served initially as an outpost of the Confederate army based out of Winchester. From the garrison at Leesburg, the Confederates conducted raids and recruitment drives into central Maryland, carting away men and supplies, as well as threatening the CO Canal, BO Railroad and Washington. To meet this threat, Federals deployed along the Loudoun-Maryland border, leading to many skirmishes at the strategic river crossings. Later, after that post was abandoned, Loudoun served as point of crossing between the Piedmont and the Shedoah Valley, as well as between Virginia and Maryland. All of the Army of Northern Virginia passed through the county on its way to 