New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-27

4
aud eepe, drcuiious aud BY no means safe l. l. the
last pice in the world for intoxicated nan to at.
tempt oeomotion for If he should happen to stumble
ON bis way up these s,mi-precp pices he would roll TO
| tue bottom la state Of promiscnous iolfcation The
! level portion OF the town j. located upon sip Of
land about one huEded rods wide along the base of
mountaia, in the shape Of irregular obtuse Triangle
i e eiDg washed by the Sef ado 4h and the other
| by the Potomac which divides Maryland from yir-
gnia, the two uriiing at this point The latter river
then continues on between high range of mountains.
IL I. on this river that batteries erected both
the Mary land and Nir xnia ede but bar afford
ed such facilities for defense and concealment among
the rocks aud forests of this wild region, that from
the water, one may search in vain to discover the
faintest evidence Of al encanpment. No less than
sixty guns have been distributed at intervals a@oDg
this predpitous margin. cannot believe howe yer thai
they Will ever be brought into play; for enemy,
however strong, would venture march upon Harpers
Ferry by such fiery avenue. All the approaches TO
the place by the roads leading from Pennfy ania ard
from Northern and Western Virginia have likewise
been just efficiently guarded; but artillery not
being 30 gaciousy aided by nature as In tie Immediate
vicinity Of the town. is probable that if ali attempt
is made II will come from that quarter.
kumors have been flying around the camp lately that
Gov Hicks bad notified Gov Leteber Of Virginia. to
wibda his force from the Maryland nights, and that
the latter would aceede to the request. If such Is the
Case We may ss we'll abandon Harper Ferry alto
gether; for if the Federal army once get possession
there they destroy the town In bali sn hour and
receive shot. The width of the Potomac III this
the Advantage Of an immense hight and favorable
range any amount of destruction can be done with
comparatively insignificant force.
The connecting link between Mary land and Virginia
here il a long wooden bridge, over which ruo. the
Baltimore and Ohio Rail This Ia guarded on
both ends by soldiers, and In case OF attack would be
swept by showers Of grape and canister from gnnsnow
in position An iron bridge over tie Shensdoah is IKE.
wise guarded. ard peroOn is perniiedto ero,s and
ascend the mountains without u pass from headqnar-
teri. Even own men seldom venture over; but
that something going on very quietly up there IN Tue
woods we have evidence every morning In the march
| by our doors Of the "SsppeIs and Miners as thoy
| are hunorousy csed-a corps Of hfy sialworth
dsrkies on their way to the mountain, with picks ana
shoves carried Ia m'ftaTt on Their shoulders Ihey
are very "mGm" rs TO their destination or work
When nigger feels lbs responsibility he always ieei'
bis "oats." You may set this down as an inlaihoie
rule.
Twelve miles from IIarpers Ferry, down the Poto-
mac ia still another bridge, and battery where some
five hundred men are detailed to protect the road lead
ING into Virginia This is called the Point OF Rocks.
IL is impossible all the places at which bhte-
ries or men are located, for military movements have
taken place with such secresy that they are not known
outside Of the staff do not know, however, that the
mountains full Of them and oecasonay, when the
bands playing in the afternoon you may see the
rocks hich u' ont from the trees covered with men
listening 10 the music and waving their h9ndberclefs
to COM. des below.
Numbers Of Marylanders-prindpally Baltimoreans
ARE arrivng here every day. Some come on the carr
from the Relay running the Ink OF detection; lew
have the benefit Of private Conveyance while many
walk the entire distance. The majority proceed on to
Richmond where "A battalion Is being formed, prepare
toy TO teing the Virginia army. Most Of these are
members OF the Baltimore city companies, and large
proportion belong 10 the Baltimore City Guard l. Is
said that there are eight hundred now IN Rich
mond. One Of them brongh the nag OF hiS corps with
him, sewed for protection III the lining OF bis coat
Q.ite a number ol contrahand articles have been re-
ceiyed here through various sources, among other
things several barrels Of powder, brought In by
couple of apparently drunken Ishmen, under Stra-
tum Of iron Southern hdy, on her way home
from Philadelphia pas-ed through here last we,k, with
no less than dozen reyolyers slowed away under ber
ciinoline, while any quantity OF devses have been
adopted hy difereot parties for supplying the army In
quantities large and email. with articles required
La former part of my letter have referred 10 the
location of Haaers Ferry upon two sidtt OF a tn
angle. II may be interesting TO you TO have brief re-
ference Of the government buildings and their
present use. Commencing at the depot, lew steps
carry YOU through gate, now guarded by senlnels,
into the government yard The fret building on the
left ia the guardhousethe seene OF the capture iJohn
Brown and lis aasocia,es. The wallsare very scarred
with the marks of rife shots the loopholes nade by
Brown are yet vi-ible and with the exception that the
interior has been whew ed 10 conceal tire siains OF
blood with which the walls were Desrneared, II re-
mains lust a, he left it, II il here where arranged
all the guards about Iiarpers Ferry, and where, too
the rpies ncareerted for ~ any means
pleasant place TO DOM late One OF its Inst occu-
pants from your city was Charles ii. Hsswel civil
engineer.
Leaving the guar dhoute, You pass on 10 the work
shops which are large stone buildings two and half
stories h2h, located either side OF the broad avenue
when runs through the government yard. A ii these,
with one or exceptions have been entirely diyes-
ed of machinery aud men are Ia removing the
balance Its destination, II is stated BY some Ia Saun
ton though by others Richmond IL esignated Us the
500 where it will be again pas In or, ration. AT the
lower end OF the yard large building and half Of
another which have been metey Quilted by lire and
water. This IL portion of The work attempted TO
lie deoiroyed by Lieutenant Jones the evacuation Of
! the place. Nolbng remains but cbsrred walls, bent
and rusty machinery, cracked griudstones ana iron de-
bris Imn ediaely next to the Potomac the track
Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and il is here, by
means Of Improved cranes that unloaded The heavy
guns which have been arriving OF late for the defence
oi the place. On the opposite side OF the yard ut at
the base OF he mountain, runs the canal Ia which we
doubtless owe the preservation of the remaining pro-
/ perty Of the Government
In all The buildings are quartered our troops. Some
OF us reep upon the Cor other upon the workbenches
which ruD around the sides Of the room; but by the
Aid of a few nails aud bits of scanliug, little straw,
and our usual allowance OF blanket, we succeed in
making very comfortable bedchamher. Our cooking
i done in he same large room and having plenty
eat we have little OF which 10 complain conf ieing
that we are upon soldiers fare and al tie commence
nent OF a campaign. AS gards liquor there Is not
drop 10 lie bad in Harpers feryl mean in any OF the
bar there IN no intox
ication here. The oicer and those who afford II,
however, secure occasional bottle OF the ardent,
through their friends in the interior Of Virginia.
walk through these quarters would doubtless amuse
you for it would present lively picture Of soldier
! life. Yon would here one sltepng; there knot
"yirg of, engaged in dscussion the still pleas
anler occupation Of telling stoee while in anoh her
! place would be party writing letters or menciDg
clothes You would hear music from the fiddle, banjo,
and flute; tie szzing Of The fry the song OF
men; the sharp, quick command OF officers drilling
small squads or the laughable comments Of thoe who
practise in The bayonet exercire or Zousve drill To