The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-18
TEE EVACUATION OF HARPER'S FERRY BY
THE REBELS.

A correspondent Of The Baltimore american, who
visited Haypers Ferry Saturday, gives tie following
particulars of the evacuation and appearance Of the
place
The attention Of The visiter e, of c,urse arst At
tracied to the ruins of the noble bridge which lately
sIanned the river, the destruction OF which has bean
compete, win the important exception Of the PIERS
These rear their heads firmly above the waters acpa
renty upinuIed beyond ire upper layer CT granite and
which appears to have beneath the Intense
Of the femes The iron OF "Wirch ester span" OF the
BRIDGE connecting the covered portion Of the etructure
with the town las ALSO been left stardng The poseee-
zion OF the piers will render tne reconstruction of the
bridge Of easy accomplishment, though II is doubtful
whether The new structure will equal beauty grand
eur that which was given up to the names The work
OF rebuilding Will De commenced On Monday, and viii be
vigorously urged to speedy completion.
The p,ers are supposed, by residents of the town,
TO have been purposey spared there not the slight
est indication Of their having been mined their de-
struction Otherwise attempted Upon the remaining
iron span Of the bridge is standing large six wheel en-
gne Of the Baltimore aud Ohio Railroad Company, No.
les, which the Kentuckians attempted 70 sun into the
river, but were prevented from doing 80 BY Colonel
Steuart Of Baltimore, il is said
The railroad company has sustained further serious
loss, in the destruction also Are ana gunpo wder OF
the graceful iron trepseng, over wiich the track was
laid, from the bridge TO the enc Of the gogernment
WORKS. distance Of about half mile. About three
hundred feet Of this work. extending from the bridge to
the water station, near which Mayer Deckam was ehot
and killed by one of John Browns party, was lief.
touched, through fear Of pjurng the Wager House and
other private property near it. The telegraph Office and
the railroad Office were slso spared through similar mo-
tivee.
Ths desire to secure from destruction or injury sll
private property earnestly manifested during the
cnagIation, which commencing with the blowing up Of
the bridge at five O'Clock Thursday morning; ana the
firing Of the government workshops as the upper erd Of
the yard ten O'Clock of the day. ragged for thirty
hours. Several times, when after the workshops within
the army enclosure had been sacoeesively fred the
tames appeared to approach much too number OF
dwellings bordering the doomed property the two te
hand e. gnes which occupied the house rendered memo
been tp.ed-were brought out, and vigorously worked
~ soldiers 10 keep the oevouring element within the
limits assigned IT by military law. The orders OF
nearest the town and the large storehouse
opposite should be spared, thus carried out he
HAD ordered that the office Of the Superintendent stuat
ed just above the Engine House. and noted as the bud-
ing into which John Brown was carried wounded, after
the capture Of his party Ed uld also be spared but
party of Kenuckans said to have set fire to Il and
occasioned its speedy destruction, together with q num-
Der OF letters &C. which were in the Of its rooms
used GO military Post office.
The Rifle works, situated in different section Of the
town than the Armory the splendid quarters OF the
Master Armorer and other officers, near Bolivar, and
magazine in the same village were all left untouched
but extensively rumorei and believed at Harpers
Ferry Saturday, that detachment Of troops would
return that night TO complete the work of destruction
The light and graceful suspension bridge across the
Shenandoah had been entirely covered with Tar and other
combustibles preliminary ls destruction but the
authorities appear to have subsequently changed their
designs, fo- the single match alone required 10 consign
to the flames was not applied.
been terribly grand presenting alternately the appear
ance of vast flaming furnace and anon az the aamee
unduRteo, Ike WhnlWlnd OF tempestu0us fire,
During the closing scenes Of the CONFEDERATION and
when was feared the fire would &c. hey ord control and
destroy the town. Thousands muskets were DIS
charged into the flaming mass for the purpose said
Of scattering the embers and thus essenng the intensity
Of the heat the reports continuing with the ucessant
tong Of the bell in the tower Of the chop lent 70
the proceedings an effect ndeecribaby solemn and
thrilling, and which awoke in the breast Of my informant
an emotion which he could ouly lken TO terror.
Prior to the firing Of the esseng and OF the govern
ment buildings large quantities Of corn rye oats
which had been collected as horse feed were emptied
from cars which they contained into the
river The object being 10 obtain The immediate use Of
the cars the transportation OF important stores
from the town. 1t this destruction which save rise
TO report that large quantities VI provisions were
into the river but bave the authority Of an initial
lgens resident OF the town, whp witnessed the entire
proceeding for gay ing that though provisions Of kinds
sburdsnls hand, portion Of IT,, With the ex
ception or two loads SOUR bread, was DESTROYED
On the contrary lengthy trans Of cars the first 10
leave the tosn Wednesday night, we're entirely ep
propriated to the conveyance Of army stores,
Another gentleman, citizen Of New York who had
betn detained al barert Ferry for two weeks IN conse-
quepoe O. his inability to produce such vouchers u
"sonndneis ~ would ea,it.e h,m exit passport,
Informed me that soDe time ago large quantity Of sugar
In hosshead2, and coffee from the West, consigned 70
Eaitimo'e, Wes seized ia .rebst at the Ferry, with
the intention OF apprcprasng to the use Of the troops
For additional Var Neps see Fifth and Eighth
Pd1eS