Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1859-10-27

We have been permitted the publication {
he following report Of Col. GIssox Il Coz
WISE. II furnishes q succinct acco6. tof
he operations Il the military under Mis-
ommand
HARrras-FERRr. Oct 18th, 1859.
HxSRr A. WsK
Governor Of Virginia.
SIR Your order. per telegraph. dated
Richmond, Va. the 18th inst. calling my
attention to section Is,, Chap. 20 Of. the code,
aud TO the fact that the Arsenal aud Govern
p ''+f. I'7gE'sty Al iisr7 ssffsssy. Ss3css ga.
ss-e'on Of band Of rioters was not received
TIL about l O'Clock, A. NJ. to-day, in con-
consequence Of the telegraph posts round
about here having been cut down by an au-
dacious hand of insurgents and robbers
On the morning &c the l7th. inst. re-
ceiyed information at Charlc-,own that a
band Of aboltionisi- from the north had taxi
en- possession Of the Arsenal and work shops
OF the Government here. that they had killed
several of our citizens. taken Others and held
hem as prisoners. And that they had in
possession a large number of slaves who On
the night Of the 10Th inst, were forcibly
taken from their masters.
Immediately ordered out the Jefferson
Guards. and the citizens Of Charles,own.
which order was promptly responded to--and
by 10 o'clock A. ". were armed and cn route
for this place. We left Charlcstown with
about 100 men, and On reaching Ilailiown
(midway between CharlcStown and Har-
Pcrs-ferry,) learned tina, the insurgents
were IN large numbers aud at once DIP
patched orders to Col. l.. T MoonE, Of Fred
erick County aud TO the Ilsmtrnmck Guards
anu Shepherdstown troupe 20 reinforce us
Immediately. We reached Harpers-Fery
about past II o'clock. A. VI. and took posi-
tion ON Csmp-hill. Immediately dis
patched the jefferson Guards commanded
by Capt. j. W. Rowan and Lieuienants III.
u. DAVENPORT. GALLATER, CAMPBELL and
tiooh, Ia cross the Potomac river.
about mile west Of the Ferry. and march
down ON the Maryland side and take pos-rs
sion Of the Potomac bridge. and com ANY
Of the citizens Of Charlcstown and vicinity
commanded by Capt L. Borrs. and I.icutc-
nant i. LlckLiND TO cross the Winchester
and Potomac Railroad by way Of Jefferson
Hook, Ia take possession Of the Gait House"
IN rear OF the Arsenal and commanding the
the entrance In the Armory ward.
Capt JNo. Avs and II. b. WASHINGTON.
Esd. with hand full Of men were ordered
to take possession Of the houses commanding
the yard Of the Arsenal All those order.
were promptly and successfully executed.
The bridge across the Shenandoah river and
that OF the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad nj
the west end Of the trcstlc work and the streets
leading from the Rife factory were guarded
by small deiach,nents If men.
Between three and four O'Clock 4. NJ the
llamtramck Guards. Shcphcrdstown troupe
and company from Mariinsburg command
Cd by Capt. f.. G.. Alburtis arrived on the
ground. The company from Winchester
commanded by Capt Il. b. WAsmrNGrox
fdid not arrive till late in the evening.
All the insurgents, save those who were
killed and wounded through the day. enter
ed with their prisoners ihto the Guard house
and engine room just inside the gate of the
Armory yard, which was securely locked.
About O'Clock =. NJ the enemy with the
most prominent Of their prisoners conceutra-
ted in the engine room leaving large num-
Der Of others fastened up in the Guard house.
Al this point and after the arrival Of the re-
Inducements from Shcpherdsiown and Mar
tinsburg. Col. X. W. BAYLOR assumed the
command and will furnish you with the de
tails Of what followed.
The a,owed and confessed object ofthe IN
surgents was 10 free the slaves Of the South.
They had at their headquarters. near IIarpcrs-
Ferry 200 sharps rifles. 200 rcvolycrs. 1000
pikc.. and large number II picks and sIo-
wells. and great quantity Of ammunition
and other things used in war All these
were taken aud are in posses sion of the Fc-
derai Government. Very Respectfully
Your obt scrv'i.
JNO. TIiOS. GIBSON.
Colonel 55tb Regiment. Va Ma