, 1861-05-14
Tha Facts About tho Burning OF
AafPer's Ferry, 1fsonnl-The Dls.
truef1on Z on1piete.
Icor1espondence Of tho Philadelphia Inquirer.1i

k~ol1eepouuenGa o1 t04 t11AAflpd1& N4u1ftt.l
|: ,.:::: j. -; :: - CAR11s1.E, May 7.
/: Upon a visit to the barracks to-day, was
mpchp1eased to meet with Lieutenant Roger
Jones. The brave officer, a faw weeks since
after finding that 1t would be impossible to
save the buildings at Harper's Ferry from be-
ing captured by 6ecessienists, set fire to them,
and, while they were burning, escaped with
his party to the mountains. had most
agreeable interview with him; and he freely
accorded to me all the information desired,
and kindly furnished me- with many particu,
lars that have never been made public; nor,
indeed, were they included in his official re.
port Of the transaction. On Monday morning
he was surprised by the receipt Of two letters,
written By simeon Cameron himself, and
Worded as follows: 1
WAn Darisrnrar. April q, 1851.
NJ DEAR aM:-t Iaks pleasure in spprisipk
~, teat t. consideration 4 our sery eiaai md
commission to be fasued to yon as Assistant
snoE CAMERON, srey Of War.
LIEUT.. RoeEn JONES',
Late Commanding ut Harper's Ferry.
MT DEAR SlR:-l an dir cted by the President
through you to he ot1cefs and men 1nae1 1: your a
command ut Harper's Ferry Armory. The appfoba-
tion Ct the Government Of 3our and their judi
he Il the aoTern9ent M for shs 9a sae. ae 1nS
am, sir, very re pectfuny,
9. :" smoK GAnKaoa. srry Of War.
The following are the facts elected during
our conversation this informing:
Shortly after nine o'clock in the morning
Of the 18th Of April, I received q telegram from
Gen. Scott, to the effect that three trains Of
Virginia troops had passed over the Go1dona
;yllie railroad. :to The Manassas Gap junction,
and he s4ppoaed they were deat1ned to Hart
:per'a FeEfy, and putting me on my guard
just about this time, this people Of the Ferry
were thrown into q state Of, Wild excitement
" the announcement of Col Barbour, their
delegate to the State Convention, who had Just
returned from Richmond, or some other par
ties, that the State had aeceded, aud TINT the
Governor had ordered mp forces to seixe the
axmof5, arms and other property Of the Fed.
efaI Government, and that they would ar1ive
In course Of the dsy. An examination of
railroad map showed me the route the troops
Would haXs to take, and lad me to beAeyethat
TIE forces could not arrive until after night.
fall This information. / communicated 10
Captain Kirgsbury,, Of the Ordnance Depart
fore to aet Is Civil Superintendent, until !
successor to Col Barbour could be appointed,
Co1 barbour having neaigned. In eonju1nctlon
WITH GePt: Kingshary Z called on the work
since, .ehortly after tha Brown ratd, organized
into companies for the defence Of the Govern,
ment property, to eurou themselves. Mary
expressed raadfness to do 80, but "a the dsy
atsanced aaw could obtain no material n.
siftaneeffom them, and that Ii the dafanea
Ro9Id :hayo to rely. zlmost entirely On my
sna4 command At that time; reduced to forty
nine men, who had bean selected from! !Cax .is:e
BARRACKS three months before, en the loyalty
OF some cna or two OF whom L could not de-
pend. Under thess circumstances + saw the
Inns had come for decisive measures, 30 the
aseH1aeuon a1a of e1s bF19ees over tie canal that
saPphed the water powet 70 the works was at
ones ordered md the powder III the nazasine
6reught into :the' 4rmorY, aQd shortly after a
EuaT1 OF eighteen men was detailed for thetTo
ARSENAL: buildings which eontatusd the a4tus
T about 70 jooo, 1txof them e&I7Y5tnx their bed
sseke s1 isa 9Th straw eaea sssk
inaddition had ss71etzsl III isseska IL shaving,
carried into these buildtngs, nd ,nada pse 81
. quantity Of hituu1fnous eoaI and Hnita .f,fna
lumber to aid and faeillte the flames wien lie
mateh should be applied: These preparations
Kere made IN the imnmsdiate = presence Of hun
dTeds OF len, ahd strange to lay, without e1s
citing suspicion. : Arrangements Nese also
n&ae for starting the fire ID the workahopa 1t
moments warning. At srudoWn. guards
of workmen OF the Afmu1y yete thrown 4 mile
Or mile aud hxlf on the tafnpike and rail-
roed leading 10 ChAllsstown, but. I did pot
93ve confidence in then, md the result ahoWea
preparation, I quietly waited coming eyent
which Was celtafn Wonfd take place diriug
the night, a.1d about 10 O'Clock the ad7auced
On the turnpike to Chaiiea}on, sent In 4 cauri-
:er 70 report thst The. troops Hhlch at sundown
MsIeA! aa!hoEn, emalltoHD, small village
,a4Fa1ctnE With .thalt' Numbers Increased to
going home. > This intelligence. fan minutes
iate5 Eaa confirmed beyond al question: II in