Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-11-14
THE SURRENDER OF HARPER's
FERRY.
REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING
COMNITT1E.


Hunter, U. S. A. of Volunteers, President; Major
Gen. G. caiwAlder, U. S.A., of Volunteers; Brig.
Gen. @. o. Augur, U. S. A. of Volunteers; Msjlr
Don Pistt, A. A. G. of Volunteers; Capt. F. Ball,
A. D. c. Of Volunteers; Col. G. Holt, Judge
Advocate General, called by the Government to
investigate the conduct of certain officers connect
ed with, and the circumstances attending the
abandonment of Maryland Heights and the sur.
render of Harper's Ferry, have the honor to re-
port the following
On the 3rd Of September, Gen White entered
Harper's Ferry with his force from Wincbsster-
The next day, be ordered to MArtinsuurg. to
take command of the forces there. On the 18th Of
September, he again returned 10 Harper's Ferry,
where he remained until the SURRENDER, without
assuming the command.
% the 18th of Septem er, Gen. Mcclellan, the
most OF his forces having preceded him, left Wash
ington under orders issued some days previously,
to drive the enemy from Maryland. That night,
be established his headquarters At Rockville from
which place, on the llth If september. be tele-
grapbsd to 6eu. Halleek to have Col. Miles order
ed TO join him at oLee.
On the 5th Of September Col. Thoms. II tort
32d Ohio, took command Of the fore on Maryland
Heights. Forces were placed at -olonuu- Gap
and at Sandy Hook Those AZ sandy Hook, un.er
Col Maulsu1. retired o. Col Micss order 10 tue
Eastern slope of Msryl4ni Hegat-, two OF three
Jays previous to their evacuation by c | Ford
o. the lth OF September. the force at Sulou Ou's
Gap were driven IN by the enemy. Col. Ford
called upon Col. Miles FOR reiuioroements. The
10th Ntw York au1 the sch New York (Gari
balII GusrG) were sen him on Friday, the 18th Of
September, and on the m rning Of the 18th, he
was fur,her reinforced b. the ll5th New York
and portion OF Maryland rec iment under Lieut.
CJl. DCvney.
CT Ford made reQuisition for axes and tpadts
to euAoie hun TO construct lie exc the bel hts
but obtained none. With ten axes, belonging to
sJn- Mary land troops Dsias ali that coalI be Oh
taintd, q slik hit bIerst WORK u trees we're con-
stsuct,d the 2th, near the crest Of ihe heights
and n s.Ashirg Of iimber male ior short distance
IL front Of tie bTelst w TX
Tne forces under Co. Ford were .t,tionei a. W.
rious points On Msry ian lei sht-. the priucipsl
flIee being the crest OF the ball near she breist
soIk AID Iook out. SfiTmi-hius coum-uesd On
Friasy, the 2th, on e crest Cf the nil.
Early Oh the mOruIng " tie lStl, sd elelu
made an attack the CT, 81 Of tie nil aud after
time, the troops retired IL some confusion
g. the breast work, whore they wrrs Tsiie1.
Alb ut o'clock. syojnd stack was made, which
the truu,s behind the bceA-t work fesistei for a
sbo,t tine, until Col. sheriff. OF tie % To Nes
Y.rk was ~ouLdv1 and cAfriIed @. f d. wael
tue entire 1851 heg 1, Gs s.,.ess-- t..
uiy, 81 but two compauie- " j HeSut states
brU ueu IN u Ter Tuui4slUN. Men aud must
u thv ufcers So hrd together, ttJri beng made
to rzily TIE o, gimeut, yIcept by CT Ford. Lieut.
Barras acting aojutant, aud some Il GERS OF other
regiments diIec,ed by Col. Miles, then On he
heights.
Soou alter, the remaining forces at the breas'-
sor. iell back, uLder a supposed orier froa Msj
Hewitt, NhO himself says that be ave such
rider; usrely cent instructions - be captain. Il
ais c1n regiment that, If they were Compelled TO
rvtIre, Do 20 in good order. urIers were gwen
by Col. Ford tor the trops To return 70 tAeIr pi-
sltion. Ttry advanced SINE distance up the
he ght., but did not ttgain the br,sst~ork.
1hsi evening Col Mile Wa on Mary land leg to
for some hour, Consulting with Col. Ford He
lett between II anu IL clock, without directly
ordering Col. Ford % ev.edate tae be- ghts but
instructing him, in case be compelled u 10 So
TO spike bis guns, and throw the heavy siege gus
down the mountain.
About o'clock, perhaps little later, by the
order Of Col Ford, the heights we're abandoned,
tue guns being spiked according to instructions.
On sunday Col. D'Utt-sy sent over to the Mary
land heights tour Companies uIder Msj. WOOD, !
who brought IF without opposition, four brass
I2pounder-, OF " ica were imperfectly spiked
and a wagon-loid Of ammunition.
Gen. bite, On his return Harpers Ferry on
the ! ? Of September, suggested 10 Col Miles |
the propriety Il contracting his lines on Bolivar
Heights, as to make better defence, but Col. |
Miles adhered TO his original line Of defence stat
ing that be determined 10 make his -t4nd on !
Bolivar Heights. Gen. White also urged the i'm |
portance Of holding Maryland heights eve n snouli
it require the taking the entire force over there
from llarper's Ferry. Col. Miles. under his orders
to bold harpers Ferry to the last extremity, while
admitting the importance Of Maryland heights |
seemed to regard them as applying 70 the IN OF
Hsrper's Ferry, and held that to leave Harpsr's |
Ferry, even TO 90 on 10 Maryland heights would |
be disobey ing his Instructions.
Cen. Mcclellan est blished his headquarters At !
l. .s.. ~.
TENDER. Ga the night OF the 3 b, aftr the eya,-
uatoa Of Maryland heights, col NJ les directed /
Capt (now Maj Russell. # the Maryland sval /
", 10 take win him lev m-u ana euteavor 20 |
get thr ugh the enemy's lines AID reach some oi /
our frces-G-n. McCi,ll.n il pos.i.Ie-and to /
report the condition Of Harper's Ferry, that it
could DO; hold OFT more than IS hours, unless |
reinforced, and to urge The SEEDING OF reiuforce- /
ment- Capt. Russell reached Gen. McClellans |
headquarters al 3 A. NJ, on Sunday the l4th Of /
September, and reported a. directed by Col. Miles
Immediately upon his arrival zen. MeCls Ian sent
of a N ssrr ger, Capt Russell understood TO |
Gen Franklin.
Alto A NJ Capt. Russell left for GEE Frank
Inns C. nmaEd, with communication to Gen
Fraukiin iruln zen. Nee ellsn. lie reached Gen
franklin rboot o'clock that Afternoon, aud found
b N engsged With the emmy at Champion GAP !
Tie enemy were driven iron the gsl, aud the
next morning, the 18th, zen Franklin passed
through the gsp. advancing about nile IN la
lug the ~ my ur-va up IN iine 4 b4,tle 10 t.s
front, drew - IVA forces up in line ot battle.
lie thus 81 ua'ed he csnua nad,ns II the -
reetou Of HsrpeT's tefrs, which haa bctu head
very distinctly ali the aoraing -HarrelsF ,ry be-
ing about uii'rs distau-- suddenly ceased vince.
upon Ten. franklin sent word 20 ten Nc le!l4n
o. the pr, babe s1Tr- Scr g t..r-.'s Err ..
Col. MIie,. and did MOI dten 1t nvo,ssa4y 10 pro-
coed further in tbs aifvctou.
The battle Of south Mountain was fought on
sunday, the l4th.
On the same day. sun ay, during the afternoon
The eLeny at Hsiper's Ferry attacked the xIrene
left OF The line Bolivar height tut after some
line we're repulsed by the troops und.r Command
Of Gen. White.
sunday night the cavalry 8; Harpers Ferry
made their escape under Col Davis OF the l2th |
ILLINOIS cavalry, BY permission of Col. Miles snd
reached dreen Castle, Pa, the next morning, cap
turing an ammunition train belonging to 1en
Long treet, consisting Of some So OF 90 wagons
Several Of the infantry ficeTs desired permis-
sion 10 cut their way out, At the same time the .
,zvalry made the escape, but Col. Miles refused
ip0n the ground that lie h4d never been ordered :
10 hold HaIpeI's ferrS to the last extremity q,
On the morning of the 18th, the enemy opened
heir batteries ON several pOints-seVen to nine
Is estimated y different MISUNDERSTANDING tn,ir
ittsck principally upon our batteries On the left
Il Bolivar Heights. 1hs stack commenced at
lay bleak. About o'clock Col. allies repre-
ented to Gen. White that it would be necessary
- eufIehucE. =
Gen. " hite suggested that the brigade com.
osnders be called together, which was done Col.
lilies stated that the ammunition for the batteries
Ias exhausted, and he had about made up his =
lind to surrender. That was agreed to by ,II =
resent, and Gen. White sent by COL Milo. =
o arrange terms. The white flag vas raised by !.
rcer OF Col Miles, but the enemy did not cease .
re for some half or three quarters Of an hour =
tier. Col. Mics was MORALLY wounded after the =
hite nag was raised The surrender was agreed n
pom about eight a. ". on Monday, the 18th of =
eptember
The following the testimony respectively Of \.
ie officers commanding bateriesi AT the time Of =.
le surrender Capt. Van Sehlen had some ammu- r,
ltion, could not tell what amount, bat mostly '.
lrApnel; bad lost about one hundred rounds on n
Aturdsy, the 18Th, By toe explosion Of Timber ~
FUSED by the enemJ's shells. Capt. Rig9y had -
tpendei, during The tieye e Harper's Ferry. .
nut SIX hundred rounds, with tie exception 81 ~
mister; bad nothing but canister left. Captain a
Dtts had expended about one thousand rounds.
TN the exception of canister; had oily canister