Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-01
To ALEx. HILL,
FROM HARPER's FERRY.
fIUM uAANI I31s - # 111RIsI'
HARPEa's FERRY, April 20, 1861.

HARpEas FERRY, April 20, 1861.
To the Editor Of The Wing;
This place, by nature the Key Of the Valley OF Vr
gins is now held by as fine military force as was eve
gathered on such short notice any held. The ma
,eria Is good TO man, being the flower oil the yolun
&c torce of the valley large number of compa
.. s-. present who came ready equ pyei auo dull a
u0 us the rpirit to Ike the t.ld, - they d ~
the fist tap of the drum. The force, although col
lected at random moreover 10 be remarkably wei
proporuoned into infantry artillery, rifles, and cavalry
They are posted skuy and udicousy so as TO be aoie
70 hold the place against fouriold their number.
The force is mostly from Augusta aud Rockingham
Shenandoah and Frederick. Two of its Generals and
many of the other commissioned officers have seen Ser
vice in Mexico, aud command the confidence OF the
men, The Captains and junior officers were chosen by
The companies on their individual knowledge OF each.
Emulation in drill aud in discipline is having q fne
effect The men are good specimens Of humanity rear
I'd as they were in the bracng air OF their native val
lev Such force must be efficient The general COM
mand j. as follows
Major General-Kenton Harper, Of Augusta.
Brisadier General-Jas II. Carson, OF Frederick
Brigadier General-Gibert S. Meem, OF Shenandoah.
Brigadier General-Wm. A. Hartman, of Augusta.
General Stah-viZ:
Col Bolivar Christian, Adjutant Genl of Division.
Col Geo A Peeifed, Inspector GenI of Division.
Maj John A. Hartman, Qlartermaster General oil d.
vision.
9 g. . : R " gl T:pos'.ia Aid, do Camp.
Mel VIM. II. Tams.
There are quite number of "niggers" in service also
who are frequently stepping about the encampmeDt
fully armed and sometimes uniformed. They are, OF
course body servants Faithfully following their masters
to the field. white man approached two OF them the
other day, and commenced conversation by ask
iny them 'why, as they were so near free State,
thew did not escape to freedom; the words were 10
sooner uttered than the negroes simultaneously seized
Rod off N fka rruarr m
perferred the charge of 'abotionsm" against him. He
was Immediately put in duraDce, under the negroes.
On Thursday last the encampInent was alive with the
rumor that large force was approaching IRON ONO and
Indiana Scouts put cut 10 scour the surrounding
country the Artillery manned their pieces, and every
Arrangement was complete TO welcome them TO hospa
bic graves About one o'clock at night some videttes
came gslloping in, reporting that large force
WIS approaching 10y the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
aud were landing from the cars some four miles from the
ferry. The "loug roll was beat and every man was
soon found ready and hopeful for fight. The alarm
was founded on the appearance Of an unusually long
train of freight cars followed By the passenger train
On examination it turned out however, as was not alto
gether unexpected, that Gen. Harvey, OF The u s. A.,
was on the cars on his way TO Washington As he IS
decidedly the most formidable Of the U. States Generals
now in commission, it deemed well enough to s.lo"
him TO report in Richmond rather than Washington.
H was accordingly couteously detained mere IN
Ill morniuc when with guard Of honor and comfortable
travelling carriage ne sent up tue beautiful Valley
Of Virgins on bis way 70 Richmond. He will doubt
less be permitted thence TO proceed to Washington.
Most of thevauable machinery has been detached and
sent off TO the Valley, as also large numbers OF
guns Many wo:kmen here have been Kept by General
Harper busiiy engaged in putting together finished
parts of guns aud very many have been turned out III
this way and all the troops here have been supplied
with the very best style OF complete.
We seldom see a Virginia paper here; in all the
two weeks Of our stay, only a struggling Wing or En-
quirer, and 10 Dispatch has appeared. The Editors
ought 90 remember their friends.
Your friend JEFFERSON.