Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1862-11-14
The Harper's Ferry Loss.
The greatest Disgrace Of the Wat

The greatest Disgrace Of the Wat
The surrender Of HarPer's Ferry in
September involved the loss Of li,oV1
Union Soldiers, equal TO our gain- at
Fort Donelson,) aud also Of vast amounts
4 the y,rv arms AMI ammunition With
which the Rebels helped sl,y our men at
Anria,am MoEe than that-l' gave the
Rebels the bss, open gate way from the
trap in which they had got themselves By
their invasion If Maryland. In every
respect. than, it was the worst, most con-
,enp,itle, and ms; IuiuoEs disaster, to
us. Of the whole War. The Goyernmsn'
90 regarded it, and accordingly appointed
a Commission of eminent military men, OF
both psrties,'o investigate the whole Aif.lr
This Cour; Of Inquiry was composed as
follows:
Nj. Gen. D. Hunter, Us. a. Of Vols
Pre-iieut.
Nj. Gen. Geo. Cadwal,aier, [. 5. \.
Of Vg.s.
BIZ, Gen. c c. Augur, U.S.A. of Vols
Mir Don Pial', \ i. Il. Of o.s.
CAPT. I. Bal, \. D. c. Of Vols.
Coi. JOS. Ha.;, Juige-Alvocate Gen.
These gentlemen met, patiently and
fearlessIy probel the whole gFiesoas
wound, and have jas. made a lengthy
report.
The material fact. aye as follows: Col.
Mile. was in command at HarPer's FerTg
Gen. White was present from Sept Il
till the surrender, bu; did not assume
command. Col Ford took command Of
Maryland Hish;s Sept. ). Gen, M'Ciel-
land lef, Washington for Rockville Sept.
/, most Of his forces having preceded him.
The enemy attacked Narylani II ghts
on the m0rnlug Of Sept. b. The l26th
New York dosing their C0!oneD broke
and ], aud the treastw0Ek on the hill
was lost. Col Miles was on Mary
Heights that evening toT some hours con-
sul;lng with Col. Ford. He left between
IL and Il O'Clock, without directly order
ing Col. Ford to evaeuate the HIshts, bu.
with instructions to spike his guns if COM
pcllad to abali1n. Ab7at2 > o'clock, Col.
Ford abaui)ned the Higats. The enemy
did no; occupy them, and the next day
Col. D'U.assJ seat over four companies,
who brought away four guns aud wagon
load Of ammunition.
After the evscuatiou Of Maryland
Heights, Col Niles sen; word to Gen.
N'Cle!.au, then at Frederick City, that
unless reenfJrcei, be could not held out
Is hours. Geu. NC.e.!4n thereupon dis
patched ! messenger to Gen. Frauh.lu,
wh5 was engaged with tie enemy al
Cramp;ou's Gap, wholly unable to give
the needed assistance, or to give 1t IN
time. Gen. Mcclellan appears to have
made Do other efJrt TO relieve the be-
lea-acel stronghold,
The enemy attacked Harper's Ferry
Itself % the morning Of the 10th, and at
5, \. " tue surrender WAS agreed on,
C5l. Niles Icpc-ssut.ug TO the brigade
commau3cTs whom lie consulted that has
ammunition was nearly exhausted, and
they concGrIing il decision to surrender,
The Commission acqait Gen. White,
Col D'Utassy, aud Col. Trimole OF ali
blame for the surrender, and praise the
capacity and courage Of tde former. They
find that Col. Ford was given, By Col,
Miles, Discretionary power TO a6and'n
Maryland HIghts, but that the exercise
Of ta!s discretion was premature; that he
conducted the de:euca with no ability, aud
that his exhibition Of lack Of capacity was
such as to disQ1a!'ty him for command.
Col. Miles Is convicted If lneapac.iy aud
criminal neglec: especially, IN negiec'ing
to tJrtify and hold Maryland Hights, the
key Of tue position, aud the eFidence
stated iu the report concerning his com
muui.ations with the Rebels is such a' to
raise strong suspicious Of treachery also.
Gen. Wool Is eravely eensured for
keeping SO incapable an officer as Col
Miles IL command
Concerning Gen. Mcclellan the evidence
aiiaced il the report, and the opinion ex-
pressed by the Commission, are most d.
rect and damaging The General-ln-
Chief te..ifes that Gen. MClellan, after
receiving orders to drive the enemy from
MARYLAND, marched on an average of only
SIX mile. day in pursuit, and that, 10
bis opinion, he both could and should
have relieved and protected HarFeF's Fer
~; and in this opinion the Commission
fully concur.
There will be no complaint, against this
report, of vhi,ewashing It's array o.
facts, aud is Logical conclusions upon
them, are impregnabe. The country Will
gratefully recognized the courage and inst
severity with which the Commission, while
awarding due censure to inferior ofi'e's,
has declared that the shame Of the sur
render of Harpsr's Ferry rest chiefly on
Gen. Mcclellan. For, if be had moved
With decent sriftnsss, be would have
raised the siege, or would have taken the
enemy iu detail, With the Potomac dlvid-
ing his forces.
In comp.iauce with the judgment Of the
Military Commission on the Harper
Ferry surrender, Col Thomas II. Ford o.;
the send Ohio, and Major VIM. II. Bard
=, ro-L vi b.ca hepu fOrmA.-