Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-02-10
FULL PAR rICULARs OF THE LATE Az.
FAIR AT HARPER,S FERRY.

Flag Of TtHee-Prompt Retaliation bv ColonsI
GsaTy-Ttco Cor federatss killed, others scoxnd-
I'd, and one prisoner tdken-TscsIre Buildings
BxrHed.
SANDY HOOK, Feb 9Th. Isss.-On Thursdav
night, about o'clock, Major Tyndale's pickets,
stationed on the Maryland side Of the Potomac
opposite Harper's Ferry, and along the village Of
Sandy Hook, were alarmed by a gunshot from
the foot OF Loudoun Heights, just below the srV-
bodehRTs Of the Shenandoah, followed by female
shrieks Of murder and cries Tor help.
Col Geaty, WHIT was at the Majors quarters,
Immediately ordered a corps OF ritemen to con-
centrate opposite the point where the cries ema-
mated, and fire continuously on the level Of the
road at the foot of the mountain and on both sides
OF the house where the cries were heard. The
order was obeyed, and when the morn broke IL
was learned that the house Of the widow Stipes
had been broken Into and ransacked for salt, tea
ana sugar oy gang OF eighteen or twenty men,
supposed TO belong TO Capt. Baylor's guerrillas,
and also that the woman had been Haltreated be-
cause signal shot had been fred by her son.
About seven Yesterday morning, flag of truce
was displayed In landing arch In the railroad
wall, Jusi above the recent Harpers Ferry bridge,
wnere an angular flight OF steps led from the town
side OF the stone embankment, under the railroad
track, to the river. The person waving the hag
and calling for a boat to come over, was the only
one In sight, and he was 'icoored." A boat,
Win me ierrymau. and gentleman named
George Rohr, Ia loyal Virginian, whose property
had been destroyed because Of his Union sentf-
ments, went over TO respond TO the summons of
humanity. AS the boat neared the arch, Rohr
remarked to the ferryman that the man with the
nag OF truce was not negro, but a white man
painted; nevertheless Ii was decided TO land and
see what was wanted
The boat was pushed stern foremost into the
arch-Rohr being seated in the stern Nv thu
dim light twas discovered that the stair way vss
thronged with men, and before the boat could be
started forward a man pronounced by the de-
ceased to be Capt BayloI) fred musket, the bali
taking effect In Rohr's right Thigh nassIn0
through the leg and coming out lust shove the
knee. The wounded man, finding he had been
entrapped, fred his mnsket into the recess, when
second ball struck him In the shoulder and
passing downward, came cut below the right
breast
When II became known on this side that Robr
had been shot, our riiemen poured volley after
ytoliey into the landing arch, and such places as
the enemy might conceal themselves The bat
terry on the Maryland heights opened on the houses
In the rear, and the pickets in Sandy Hook dis
covered squadron Of cavalry and footmen push
Ing up the Shenandoah road, In the direction Of
CharIeStown. \ squadron Of foot soldiers were
also discovered on the Loudoun side of the Shen
andoah, behind the abutment Of the burnt bridge
but beyond the range If our rifles
The buildings which had concealed the party
OF murderers from view, and shielded them from
the rlnemen, had long been the rendezvous day
and night, Of the eneny's scouting parties who
were Thus enabled TO approach unseen and fire
upon our pickets. Their destruction had hereto
fore been contemplated, but desIsted from ont of
consideration of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company, who had considerable Investment
therein. Col. Geary, however, ordered their i'm
mediate destruction by fire, and falling TO ignite
them by shells, Maj. Tyndale detached Lieut.,
GfeenwaI, Of company F, 2sth Pennsylvania
with ten men, to proceed to the other side and set
hte to them, which they speedily accomplished,
hflng cling back several trophies dropped In hasty
retreat by the numbering paTty-among which
capped
The houses fred were the Wager, Gait and
n Hnfn DuNNg
depot, the Winchester railroad depot. Welch,s
store the telegraph office, and the dwelling houses
OF Mrs. Wager, Mrs. DARN, Mrs Ellen Cham
Ders, Geo Chambers and VIM. J. Stevens none
OF which were occupied.
The destruction Of this block now gives our
pickets and battery men a view of the Sbenau-
doah road from Charlestown, and will enable our
men TO protect the village In daylight from any
cmndeStine occupancy by the enemy's forces as
well as give them warm reception IL they
should attempt to advance in force by their IA
vorite and hitherto protected and concealed route
me conn agrauoh was magnificent, the volume
OF smoke ard fame almost cUnceaiing the sur
rounding mountain heights and enveioping the
doomed town. Occasionally concealed shell
or gun would explode in the burning buildings,
and give tenn EOrdry relief to our ca11oneers ana
rifemen by hope that they were the pnns Of an
approaching enemy.
The once pOpulOus town Of Harpers Ferry now
contains but seven families-au good UnIo5ists-
numbering perhaps forty souls sIl told DnrInu
the sbelling these, as has long been custo,narv
nuhg OUT the white flags, and their domicIls were
ee9o,aiHsIy r"sPSOtSd by nnr commanders
w hen your correspondent ascended the Mary
lana Heights in the afternoon, none of The Con
federates Were visible, except a squad of cavaITv
sIe.chea across the road az Smallwood's woods,
penlho bolivar; nor Were more than a dozen cit.
lLehs seen In the three villages Of Harper,s Ferry
Camptown, AID Bolivar for several hours Souads
OF The eneIny's cavalry Were occasionally sesn nm
the ROAD near Charlestown, but their numbers did
hot indicate any important movement
"A q m. 0f he
down the Ch1rlestown road, and dIsmountIn0
entered the Ferry A few moments later one
made his appearance, with flag OF truce. on a
platform car, standing directly over the IsoSira
arch where his associates had Committed rnn,daS;
IN the morning, by the use of an emblem beId
sacred in war, even by the most harbsrous deba.sd
natons OF earth. Immediately 200 cooked En-
fields covered his form, and two ID nonnds,.
loaded with Seribsr'S patent earfyi9es, TraiIros3
SPIKES and iron slu9s,) were trained TO bear unon
'he same spot The men We're almost insane IN
revenge the death OF their late comr8de but were
prevented by gesture from Col Gearv
The bearer of the flag came from CTa,Ies,o,vr
aho was sent to request that the BODY of youn9
carlisle, deceased Maryland volunteer In The
dlsanion ranks, might be sent over for iRIerment
To-day. The Colonel responded that Na,vIsnd
SOIL was no TT resting place for the bodfes ~
traitors and as the flag of truce had been yIoIs-
ted In the morning, that game could not be nlaved
on MIN twice In one day The flag responded
mat the act or the morning was Unauthorized
and would be punished. Col Gearv reSnonded
that the first shot was fred by the officer In Com
mand, and that he had no confidence I'm snv sncb
assertion. I" will give You five minutes !, said
the Colonel, "to get beyond the reach of nv guns
have no more to say" The bearer Of the sao
and his companions, were suddenly on tbs
Charlestown road, and promptly at the expira.
ZION OF the five minutes, one of the 12-pounder,
discharged Its iron messengers in the line OF their
retreat - 'ii
TWAS subsequently ascertainei that the bearer,
OF the flag were BayloT's men, that IL yea, BAYLOR
who fired the first shot at Rohr, AID the hau nsn
'eaS disguised and painted as a negro, to decov
our boat into the trap. '
Some time ago ROhr was driven from Harness
Ferry (where he owned handsome property and
was carrying on hOurshing carriage manufac
turing business) on account OF his fidelity To the
Union. His property was DESTROYED and confsca.
ted, and be, after securing the retreat of his wife
to this side devoted his whole time TO the Cow
eminent in designating the secesslonists from the
Union people who sought to cross into MARYLAND
he was highly esteemed and honored by all our
officers. His widow, who is now destitute. Ia a
Pennsylvania lady, and deserves the considers.
tion Of the Government and Union people,
During the morning two OF the enemy were
killed outright by our shells, and Others were
wounded 's
Durirg the confagration, man, in citizeu,s
dress, was seen walking to and fro between the
abutment ofthe Shenandoah bridge and near the