Daily national Republican., 1862-11-12

Colonel Miles stated that the ammunition for
the batteries was exhausted, and he had about
made up his mind to surrender. That was
agreed to by all present, and General White was
sent by Colonel Miles to arrange terms. The
white flag was raised by order of Colonel Miles,
hut the enemy did not cease fire for some half
or three quarters of an hour amer. Colonel
Miles was mortally wounded afer the white
flag was raised. The surrender was agreed
upon about 8 a. m. on Monday, the 18th of
September.
| The following was the testimony respectively
of the officers commanding batteries At the
time of the surrender Captain Won Schlen had
some ammunition-could not tell what amount,
| but mostly shrapnel had lost about one hun
drcd rounds on Saturday, the 18th, by the ex-
| plosion of a timber, caused by one of the
encmy's shells. Captain Rigby had expended,
during the siege Of Harper's Ferry, about six
hundred rounds, with the exception of canister;
| had nothing but canister left. Captain Potts
| had expended about one thousand rounds, with
the exception of canister; had only canister left.
Captain Graham had but two guns of his bat
| terry under his immediate command on the
morning of the surrender; had probably one
hundred rounds of all kinds, but no long time
fuses. Captain Phillips had expended all his
ammunition, except some forty rounds Of can
| lister and some long-range shell too large for
his guns. Captain MeGrath's battery had been
spiked and left on Maryland Heights on satur-
day.
| 1t appears that during the siege, and shortly
previous, Col. Miles paroled several Confede-
rate prisoners, permitting them to pass through
| our lines. During the week previous TO the
evacuation of Maryland Heights, Lieutenant
Rouse Of the Twelfth Virginia cavalry, who
had been engaged in raid npon train from
| Harper's Ferry TO Winchester a short time be
| fore, was captured and brought into Harper's
Ferry. He escaped while on the way to the hos
| pital to have his wounds dressed, hut was reta-
/ Ean Ha ad hut npd In
mand of some rebel cavalry on the morning of
| the surrender.
! The attention of Gen. A. P. Hill was called
| to the fact that Lieut. Rouse was paroled pris-
oner, but no attention was paid to 1t. Lieut..
Rouse himself, on being spoken to about 1t,
laughed at the idea of observing his parole. On
Saturday, the day of the attack upon and evac-
uation of Maryland Heights, Col. Miles directed
that sixteen Confederate prisoners he permitted to
pas through our lines to rejoin the rebel army
| at Winchester. Other cases are testified to, but
! those are the most important.
BRIG. GEN. JULIUS WHITE AND COILS. D'uTAssY
AND TRIMBLE.
| OF the subordinate officers referred TO In this
case, the commission finds, with the exception
of Col. Thos. II. Ford, nothing in their conduct
| that calls for censure. Gen. Julius White mer-
its its appreciation. He appears from the evi-
dence to have acted with decided capahillty and
| courage.
| IN inns COnnectlOn tne commission call alien
! tion to the disgraceful behavior Of the One Hun
dred and twenty-sixth New York regiment of
infantry, and recommends that Major Baird
should, for his bad conduct, as shown by this
| evidence, be dismissed the service. Some of the
officers after the wounding of the gallant colo
mel, such us Lieutenant Barras, and others, not
! known to the Commission, behaved with gal
lantry, and should be commended.
COLONEL THOMAS FORD.
In lao ~ FOL al, ri, 1, t.
| proper conduct In abandoning the Maryland
Heights, the Commission, after q careful hear
ing of the evidence produced by the Government
and that relied on by the defence, and due
consideration Of the arguments offered by coun-
sci. find:
That on the fifth of September Colonel Ford
was placed in command of Maryland Heights
/ by Colonel Miles. That Colonel Ford, finding
the position unprepared by Notifications, earn
estly urged Colonel Miles to furnish him means
by which the Heights could be made tenable
for the small force under his command should a
heavy one be brought against him. That
these reasonable demands were, for some
cause unknown TO the Commission, not re-
spondcd TO by the officer in command of
Harper's Ferry. That subsequently,, when
the enemy appeared in heavy force, Col. Ford
| frequently and earnestly called upon Colonel
Miles for more troops, representing that
he could not hold the Heights unless reinforced.
That these demands were feebly or not at all
complied with. That as late as the morning of
the 18Th, Colonel Ford sent two written de-
mands to Colonel Miles for reinforcements,
and saying that with the troops then under his
command he could not hold the Heights. and
unless relieved or otherwise ordered, he would
have to abandon them. That as late as II
O'Clock A. NJ. of the l3th a few hours previous
! to the abandonment of this position. Colonel |
Miles said to Colonel Ford that he (COl. Ford) ,
could not have another man, and must do the ,
4 1..aaf 4
| he must spike the guns, throw them down the |
hill, and withdraw TO Harper's Ferry in good
order.
The court Is then satisfied that Colonel Ford /
was given a discretionary power to abandon ,
the Heights, as his better judgment might die |
tate; and 1t believes from the evidence, circum-
stantial and direct, that the result did not to /
any great extent surprise, nor in any way dis
please the officer in command at Harper's
Ferry.
But this conclusion, so much relied upon by !
tho defence, forces the Commission to a CON
slderation Of the fact-did Colonel Ford, under ,
the discretionary power thus vested In him,
make proper defence of the Heights and hold |
them, as he should have done, until driven off
by the enemyl
The evidence shows conclusiyely that the
force upon the Heights was not well managed;
that the point most pressed was weakly defend
ed as to numbers, and, after the woundlng of
the colonel Ofthe One-hundred-a and d-twenty sixth
New York infantry, 1t was left without COM
petent officer in command-Col. Ford himself
not appearing or designating any one who might |
have restored order and encouraged the men;
that the abandonment of the Heights was pre-
mature is clearly proved. Our forces were not
driven from the hill as full time was given to
spike the gnns and throw the heavier ones down |
the cliff, and retreat In good order to Harper's |
Ferry. The next day force returning TO the |
Heights found them unoccupied, and brought |
away unmOlested four abandoned guns and a |
quantity of ammunition.
In SO grave a case this, with such disgrace |
iul consequences, the court cannot permit an |
officer TO shield himself behind the fact that he |
did as well as he could, If In so doing he exhlb- |
its a lack Of military capacity. 1t is clear to |
the Commission that Col. Ford should not have
been placed in command on Maryland Heights;
that he conducted the defence without ability, |
and abandoned his position without sufficient |
cause, and has shown throughout such lack |
of military capacity as to disqualfy him, In the |
opinion of the Commission, for command in |
the service.
col. ID. S. MILES.
The Commission has approached a consider |
alton of this officers conduct in connection .
with the surrender of Harper's Ferry with en-
treme reluctance. An officer who cannot APP