, 1862-09-25

4 Strange story About H2FpeKss Ferry.
The Philadelphia Faess to-day publishes the
following letter, giving some curious state.
ments concerning the surrender Of Harpers
Ferry:
FREDERICK, Nd, Sep. 19, 1864.
In my communication dated at Middle
town, September IL, you Will reoollect that
stated II you should hear OF the surrender o:
Harpefe Ferry be not astonished; l will f11F-
nish you with key to The tecrst1 These
need Now for the clue: On the morning Of
the 11t1l, while taxing breakfast, in company
with some rebel officers, got into an argu-
ment With one Of them-a Mq}r Yost-in
r.1stion to the ability Of the rebels TO capture
crcid not capture it, II properly defended;
upon which the major asked me how m4nF
troops supposed Rer- defending it, au-
eWtTvd net less than 10 600, who, ii they were
rot sheer pol roans, could defend 1t sga:nss
tie whole retcl arny.
lie insisted that there we're nOt SO may
and a6 etoutly maintained thAt there were.
adding that WAS ts.ere mj self but top- dAys'
slIce. At this ptint his vanity, perhaps,
oFe'cane hts prudence, for, being determined
to maintain the position he had assumed, hc
said, 1T is but two days since LETT 1t:.''
Being astonished ut this revelation, and vii
ling to hear more, moderated, when he went
On ard said that he was In company With
General Miles two days before {whicA must
have been On Monday or Tue=dIy), that be
had, IL company with that officer, walked all
through the camp and had seea the force, and
he did nut believe there were 1nore than 5 900
Hc t6cn began 10 repeat some conversation
between bin and Gen. Miles. and Stated that
a1flx6 said he did not kuoT what the d. he
was kept there for; that he was Of no uss
md if attacked that he would surrender. the
major then ca1clessly added tint miles Was
tiist-rs'e fellow, but that If he had bottle Of
/ whisky brside lin, everything might, for all
he cast d, 60 to the d."
1 had already heard something Of the Point
Of Rocks in relation to Gen. Miles having
given orders to destroy the stores At that
:, place. and trtke the two guns, which a:toa-
| isbed every one, as there seemed to be no uc-
casion for my euch desperate measures. I
/ WIS prcsect md aided in the removal uf the
tws. pieces OF artillery and the comtalssarg
| 6:c1cs TWO Gays alter, and there was lot IN
| enemy rearer than six miles. Many hints
we've thrown out at the time rs to the cause
| OF tnca extraordinary urders, which generally
resulted II t con lusioa tha. Miles WAS not
T 10 be trusted. Accordingly, after having heard
I what Ead already been Related, concluded 1t
to bt my duty to transmit what kue1 to
| sul1e o; c ~lr" had sufficient power to remove
| or k.1rtrrde him, al1 1uafly concluded that
! the It. Thing TO be done Was to write to his
exce]en.y = She President, acquaintiug him WITH
I What tt ard.
accnldipsly wrote letter, addressed te
the president Of the United States, bu: aftel
having written it, had no meaus Of trans
uniting IT. I crared few Of the crjze1s 0
M;GdIetoxn, vlon knew t. be Union m:n
to rldr with The. letrs r u the n.xt town, il
any df:ection, cared not what. which had
mail communication with Washington. Ba
all 10 no PURPOSE; they xere either afraid d
aIa:Eu'ie-
vas corpclled, there ore, to abandon tn
design. aud let thir:s take .cir COURSE; ans
the country is but TOO painfully aware wsa
that has been. Major Test. learned, was
resldt It Of Leesourg, Virginia He wore nj
decorations on Ills gray tuit indicative o
rank, but was addressed Us major by the otle
officers, and seemed TO be i man Of much cun
bideration among them. As som- of you
renders may proosbiy know him, will give
short description. lie is short, stout, bus no
obese; lis uair and eyes both black; his fta
tules well formed and rather handsome; an'
| there was that about the nassireness OF bi
head snd lis frontal DEVELOPMENT, added t,
hts clear, Penetrating eye, which always lie
SPEAKS intelligence. q.
The Press accompanies this letter With tn
following editorial statement;
We had . little hesitation in printing th
shove letter, although it came from one otou
most reliable special CORES pondelts. We d.
rot desire to say a word In relation to t5
dead; our correspondents account is circ1lul
etantial, however, and it Il no Injustice 10 Col
Niles memory to know all that may BE- sal
sgainst him, in order that his conduct may b
! tNplaiut or defended.