The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-06

ASairs at Harper's Fsrry-Loya1y Of Westsrn
Tfr0fufd 6e
MARTIxsBURa, Va. Nav 1861

%VotFf az aoTpeFs FerrB-LoV1Rt V Western
Virginia, dc.
MARrIxsBURa, Va, May /, 1861.
left Washington and arrived here on the
22d OF last month, and since that time ha We
visited Harper's Ferry for two or three days
with the view of ascertaninc what amount oil
damage the Federal troops did to the Armory
before eyacuating II. The buildings with bu.
few exceptions, are rs good as ever they were
at the "Musket Works" The rifle Works
were not disturbed at all, but the arsenal,
with perhaps Is, 900 stand of arms, was en-
tirely cons med, although the lockplates and
hammers of most of the guns can, by proper
mechanical care be made fit for use, and the
barrels, with other limbs of the gun, by the
use Of the forge, can be worked over, and will
make the best material for making gun bar
rels.
Through the assis lance of the late "Bro wn
raid on Harpers Ferry the geographical DO
sition and the typographical defences of that
place were rendered so very plain bv the di fer
ent presses throughout the country that IL
makes 1t useless for me to attempt to describe
them. But will say, that If the Massachu
sets regiment that saw in Washington is a
fair representation of the Lincoln army the
band Of Eirginians sta toned at this plsr. and
so Well fortified they are would defy Ten
times their number in the Gibraltar of Ameri-
ca. All entrances 10 the town must breast the
mouths of an xious and hungry ba tteries al
ways ready and willing TO belch forth their
bowling and destructive con tents in to the
ranks OF the invading foe.
think 1t Is nonsense and idle talk from
what havsseen and heard since hsrs Tor any
one to enter tain such an idea as that West
srn Virginia is not loyal to the State" OF
the troops at Harper's Perry, not one is from
the Eastern part of the State. l have con-
rersed freely with many of the IL anu the
Unanimous voice seems to be, we are Tor our
State, right or wrong" though many were
strong Union men I'll Lincoln compelled
their native state 10 be no longer part Of
that " glorious Union " that was.
The majority OF the citiZens of Harper.
Ferry, ana sorry 10 say, are disloyalists; some
Went So lar as 10 90 20 Washing ton and req uest
the So-cdlled Government there to send more
Federal troops to the former place to protect
tue Arnory from the army of Sscessionists
and also told the said Government that, elf
Virginia did seoede, Harper's Ferry would
not. one OF these very men ShouldeIed his
Snaps Rlfle and called upon the citizens to
come out and resist tue State troops, stating
that le had been assured at Washington that
II they would stand by the Federal troops sta
TONED there, the Lincoln Government would
stand by them. Another one said he had
% twenty good Union men at the Rifle works
to resist the mob State auIhorties) and
said, Giant get twenty mors TO assist Lieut.
Jones" Such were the feelings them and I
am sure they are not much changed now; but
with the exception OF that rotten, contempti-
bic, and which has always been a disgracetul,
hole, this ton of the State will, on the 4th
Thursday in May, prove itself truly loyal to
the "Old common wealth" Rex.