The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-10-09
(From the alta Of September 1s.)


Our dispatches last night furnish us with n very
clear insight into the movements in Maryland. One
of the first dispatches conveys the intelligence that
Jackson had actually crossed the Potomac at Will
Transport. The reader will bear this fact in mind,
for ii has 4 most important bearing upon the nara
tive which follows. As soon rs Gen. White, in COM
mand of the Federal forces ut Martinsburg, became
aware Of this movement Of Jackson, he at once
marched TO Harper's Ferry.
Leaving the scene of these operations we turn to
Mcclellan. We find that on Sunday last, he came
up with the main body of the rebels, who were
drawn up on the east side of the Blue Ridge, extend
ing from Middletown TO Jefferson. Burnside
commanded on the right-towards Pennsylvania !;
Franklin on the left-towards Harper's Ferry and
Mcclellan, We presume, the centre.
The fight lasted all day and was mainly carried on
by the infantry, as the nature of the ground rendered
artillery useless. The result of the days fighting
was that Mcclellan drove the enemy over the noun
tains and into the valley beyond. Capt. Gibbons,
o says the telegraph, but We think the name
should be Gibson-succeeded in getting his artillery
to the top of the mountain and played vigorously on
the enemy.
Meanwhile severe fighting was going on ut Har-
per's Ferry. II commenced there on Friday night !;
on Saturday the enemy moved on the place in over
whelming numbers, from the Maryland side, and
our troops were forced 10 cross over the river into
Virginia but next day-SuHday-the enemy ap-
peared on LOudon Heights, opposite them, and the
fight commenced on that side. Seeing that it would
be impossible to hold the place, 1900 Of the Cavalry
cut their way through the enemy on Sunday night,
and succeeded in relching Greencastle, Penn, with
out much loss, Next morning, at 3 o'clock, Har-
per's Ferry surrendered, and between five and six
thousand prisoners, including one General Officer,
and n large quantity of stores, fell into the hands of
the enemy. The force which appeared on Loudon
Heights and rendered further resistance futile, we
take TO be Jackson's, who had previously crossed the
Potomac at WilliamspOrt and who seems 10 have the
faculty of moving with a CELEBRITY almost incredible.
Harper's Ferry is a place by no means susceptible
Of a long defense. 1t is nothing bnt a cuI de sac.
1t Is Of no value as a strategic point. The only OBJ
Ject of the attack of the rebels upon it was to open up
the way for the transportation Of their Maryland
plumber by railroad into the heart of Virginia.
But after all, it may turn out, that though Jack
son did move with great speed on this occasion, he
was a day behind time. Hnrper's Ferry surrendered
after the rebels were drove over South Mountain by
Mcclellan. On that day, franklin. who commanded
the right, was dispatched 10 the relief of Harper's
Ferry, for it was not known that it had fallen at that
time and Mcclellan commenced to pursue the enc
my, as the dispatch says, with - destructive vigOr'
along the road TO Harper's Ferry, capturing Howell
Cobb, and as the telegram reads, $1,000 prisoners
"A full offset for the Harper's ferry disaster. II the
rebels are retiring in disorder, franklin, notwith-
standing that Jackson is At Harper's Ferry, may be
able TO deal them n blow in front. II, in the arlor
OF pursuit, however our troops have advanced 10 far,
the enemy may attempt TO double On them and push
for Washington. Sumner and Banks guard, or a
few days ago were guarding, that point. There
need be no alarm, for all that, about Washington.
There cannot be less than o 1000 men stationed
there now Of the new leyies. besides n large force Of
veterans, and the whole are under the immediate
eye Of Gen. Halleck himself.