Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-21
IMPORTANT AND INTERVENING FROM
HARPER'S FERRY.
ial telegraphic dispatch TO The Star


Secession Troops RetHru there yesterday
morning They Burn the Shsnandoah
Bridgs-ThrOtc a Locomotive into the Po-
tOmac-Fiffy UHton Men Escape there by
swimming the Potomac They seize tvelre
tcho cannot Srim-Ihey Buru all the re-
manning Rife Works, and carry off s25, 900
tcorth Of RiRs stocks left hers-The Posi-
ton of JOhnSon's force.
FREDERICK, Md, Thursday. June 20, 6P.M-
Editor star: have just returned from carrying
out your directions to see for myself and report
the actual state Of things at Harper's Ferry
Yesterday "wednesday afternoon, at O'Clock,
crossed over to Harpers Ferry, and found every
thing pretty much the secession troops had left
1t. Such a scene of utter desolation and destruc-
ton never before met my eyes. l returned back
to sandy Hook zone mile below Harper's Ferry,
on the Maryland side Of the Potomac,) to rest for
the night. After an early breakfast returned to
the Maryland end Of the late Harper's Ferry
bridg re over the Potomac, and assembled the noun
tain heights there, to look at the condition of the
works on that side that the enemy had abandoned.
At @ a. m. discovered a picket or advance
mounted guard Of about dozen men, vending
their way into Harper's Ferry, down the Charles
town road. After making a circle through the
town, they returned out upon the Charlestown
road; and in an hour afterwards l saw a force of
about 300 foot and 80 horse enter the town by the
same road. On their appearance on the outskirts
Of the town, there was a general stamped Of thu
citizens that had remained there or ventured to
return there after Its late evacuation by General
Johnson's army. They mostly rushed into the
river and made for the Maryland shore, by wading
and SWIMMING. Some put of In small boats
The secession troops hurried to the watef's edge
after them, and fred at the poor defenceless crea
loro ~ n
pieces Not one Of them (about fly In number)
however, was either killed or wounded
The disunion troops Immediately afterwards
recommended the work Of destruction. ] saw
them set fire to the fine bridge over the Shenan-
doah-a costly uncovered structure, built about
two years ago. They completely destroyed It,
though it was all on Virginia soil. They next
went to the Potomac baltimore and Ohio all
road) bridge and threw into the river a fine and
very large locomotive that had been left because
too large TO be carried off upon the w inchester
hallroad) when Johnson's army retreated on the
only span Of tue bridge work that was not burned
on the morning Of the evacuation--it being an
iron span, 1t will be recollected. They accom-
plished that work Of MISUNDERSTANDING the
locomotive into the river-by the use Of crowbars
&c. They next arrested Mr.. f.. H. Chambers,
| surrounding his house and ordering him to sur
| render, which he refused to do. An order was
| then given to shoot him; and then he surrendered
| and was taken of on horseback, without even
permitting him to get his hat. They next went to
| the residence Of Nat Allison, and arrested him
pretty much in the same way, and afterwards Mr.
John Chairman, Armstead Roderick, Adam Rule
man, and Mr. Abram Herr who owns and carries
on the great Touring mills there. All these gen.
tlemen are highly respectable citizens and strong
oE1onls,s In all, they arrested and hurried of
about twelve. They next went to the Halls rife
works and removed the gunstocks that had been
left there undestroyed they were worth about
s20,OOO, and 1t was understood they Were prepar-
Ing TO send them to Richmond via the Winches-
ter Railroad. i remained watching item, from
TIE mountain, until ole p. IN, up to which time
'ney Were engaged In securing the gunstocks and
mad nred one Of the Tife shops before left nv
position to hurry to this point to telegraph the
Star this account Of their return to Harper's
Ferry.
From some OF the citizens who escaped their
clutches by swimming the Potomac, | learned
that they avowed that they had orders 10 burn
every house In the town on which a Union flag
was found hOisted and also to burn the bridge,
and all the remaining rife and arms works
army Is understood at Harper's Ferry to We zone
Ia oinerent directions: portion remaining at
bunkers Hill, Is miles from Harpers Ferry and
miles from Charlestown some going further
oown towards Manassas some stretching along
between Chailestown, Winchester, and in the d..
recuon OF Martinsburg another portion was said
to have gone to Romney