The Portland daily press., 1862-10-01

HARpER's FERRY. Sent. 20.

ED. PRESs :-Dedr SIR when L wrote
you last, / little thought that letter was to
be the hyphen connecting me with the outside
world for three mortal weeks. But so ii proved.
The next day our empty hospital quarters
were turned into barracks and occupied by
some three hundred scared, weak-backed cow
ardly sneaks, who became suddenly afflicted
with crick-in-the-back, pain-in-the-stomach,
weakness in the knees, &c.,-contracted in an
ticipation of a visit from Stonewall Jackson
1t was laughable, however, to see now rapid
ly they recovered the day aterward, when it
was discovered that the said "Stonewall' was
paying his special attention to Frederick,-a
city some twenty-five miles below us. This
news gave us all breathing time, and for near
ly two weeks we looked for reinforcements
daily-only hoping meanwhile that our doubt
full commander would be superseded. 1t
proved, however, that We hoped against hope.
The surrender which occurred Monday, A.
M, Sept. Is, at 7 1-2 o'clock precisely-had
been foregone conclusion for two weeks.
But anticipate. l had, as you know, got
ready to leave this post, and hoped for
glimpse of dear old Portland, before another
Sabbath sun.
Thursday the 4th, the Railroad bridge at
Monocracy, was blown up;-of course jour
-neying was out of The question. Our hospital
being re-occnpied, L transferred three hundred
sheets and pillow-cases, two hundred shirts,
fifty bed sacks fifty quilts seventy-five pillows,
one hundred handkerchiefs, two cases of band
ages, eighteen quart jars of currant jelly, &c,
&c, to the Steward of the regiment, occupy
ing the quarters, and removed my personal eff
fects TO the house formerly occupied by Quar-
termaster Dodge and family, just opposite the
hospital.
:, Day by day for two weeks, we waited for a
turn in the tide. On Saturday the 18th, a tre-
mendous firing commenced on Maryland
Heights, about 9oelock, lasting some three
hours. The musketry then ceased on both
sides, and our gunners had the field to them
selves. They continued to fire at intervals un-
til T. NJ, not proroking, howeUer, single
shot in reply; yet, to the indignant surprise
of every one, at that hour, the stars and stripes
were pulled down, our cannon spiked, our men
retreating, and the key to our defence COM
pletely abandoned. After that hour, during
Saturday, not rebel appeared in sight, nor at
any time during the seige did rebel appear
again.on the heights. Col. Ford of the 32d
Ohio, has the honor of ordering the abandon
ment of the post, and the lockers on devoutly
pray it may be the last time he will have the
opportunity to disgrace himself in a public ca
pacity.
q Our loss Saturday was ten killed, and about
sixty wounded. OF the killed two perished by
the bursting of a shell that was being rammed
home, so that our great loss-as reported,
was not enough to warrant surrender so long
as we still had eleven thousand effective men.
Sunday morning, Sept IA, the cannonading
on our part was resumed but elected no reply
until l-2 P. NJ, when, to the astonshment of
all, the enemy opened on us from two batteries
from Loudon Heights.
During some two hours the fall of shot and
shell on both sides was incessant. At this
time, think may conclude myself as having
been in great personal danger; no less than
four shells and a slug falling within ten feet of
me. For about two hours "they peppered u.s."
As fast as shell fell IL picked it up, and intend
to carry home my own four or five proofs of
narrow escape in time Of peril. Some of our
hospital tents were riddled by shell, but fortu-
nately not one exploded, and consequently no
body was hurt. When we heard them whiz-
zing, we lodged, and so escaped. Seriously,
however, had one or either of my proportion
rof shell exploded, my epitaph would have been
written long ere this. After the first fire, one
feels quite composed. The boys laughed to
see me go and pick up my shells; the slug,
piece of iron six inches long, being so hot
could not hold it. l held on to my trophies
however, and would have volunteered gather
ing the entire crop, had | supposed our gun
ners would have re-mailed them to Loudon
Heights. Sunday passed, and Monday dawned.
Our killed and wounded of Sunday were-O!
Monday A. NJ, at daylight, the enemy open
ed from four points, and our batteries returned
the fire. Not shot took effect, and not
man was wounded, when Col. Miles,-the gal
liant t?)-as the Clipper has it, hoisted hand
kerchiefs upon pole as signal of surrender.
Perhdps-that signal was not soon enough
observed-and, perhaps it was. Anyway, the
enemy gave us one more shell, and the Colo
ners leg being in the way, as consequence
he was fatally wounded.
The rage the Indignation, the surprise. the
modification of eleven thousand men. and one
&c .Ixf