Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-09-18

TUE LOSS o. HARPERs TIRlY.
HARrERs FERRY RHrossxssxp.


with eight thousand Federal parolsd prieoaefs
from Harper's Eerry- have eenyeFssd with
men and oAiesrs Of every grade and fsa1ing
| of men, ss earnest and oatspolen as that which
pressiled in. the Army of fifginia whenaeosa.i
psHsd, by bad gensrslship, 70 fan back, on tn.
ssssv ~ q 1fssn asysS ~ % propsrsy Ely -seisaa.ds md
attribute TO aSshaf.l saansssnent the hunili-
From the statements OF these men / compile
the following summary OF events at the Perry:
On Friday last party Of ca vairy scouts who
rear of the Maryland Hs1shte, discovered q
party Of Rebel cavalry about three miles from
the Heights. Not being observed by the Rebels
they made q circuit of the country in the expec.
tation of capturing them, and when just about
to dash on their rear they discovered that q
large body of infantry and cavalry were ap.
preaching up the valley, and that nothing but
a prompt backward movement would save
themselves from u fate that they were about TO
infiict on the scouts OF the enemy. ...-.-
On returning to their camp they reported tue
approach OF the enemy in force and active prep
aratiOns were made ~ meet them. Several adj
ditional field pieces were taken to the Heights
and the men were under arms awaiting the ap-
proach of the enemy. During the evening there
was some skirpishing OF outpoets but nothing
of importance occurred until Saturday morn-
ing when the enemy, i'll force, undertook to
take the position ~ storm. The infantry force
on the Heights were not, however, reinforced,
there being but three hundred and fifty men of
the garrison OF over ten thousand men to defend
this important position. They, however, met
the enemy behind their entrenchments and three
times repulsed him with great slaughter, they
afterwards admitting that they lost over seven
hundred men in these three onslaughts. The
whole OF Saturday morning was tn hus employed,
with hut slight comparative loss, and the little
command were in high spirits. They still held
tleir communication with the main body Oh the
Virginia side, and it is said, sent an appica-
ton to Col. Miles tnr reinforcements. The an
sWcr was an order To spike their guns, throw
them down the mountain precipise and evacu-
the position. The order was not obeyed
until il had three times been sent, the last time
in writing, when they retreated in the face OF q
repulsed enemy, and left them in possession of
The Heights which commanded the whole Ferry.
1t is also asserted by officers, well men,
that Gen. White, who was second i'll command,
and most Of the officers OF the STAFF, protested
against the abandoning of those Heights, pro-
neuncing il equivalent to surrender of the post
without fight.
The enemy Immediately advanced, and an
effort was made by Colonel Miles to make the
Heights untenable by the guns from Camp
Hill, but il was an entire failure. They brought
their guns forward, and Were unable to plant
them in sight, but taking position on the slope
they threw their shells over and rained them
down the town. After considerable firing
they got the range, but done very little damage.
The bombardment continued throughout Sat
urday evening ana was renewed ON Sunday
morning. being kept up throughout the day
with considerable vlgor, our guns regularly
replying, though they We're unable to do any
In the meantime another force, under Jack
son, made its appearance on the Loudon
Heights, and also joined in the fight, planting
batteries ont OF sight of our gunners. They
STILL however, were able to do but little injury,
our guns being served SO as TO keep them back
from the brow of the hill, which prevented
them from aiming their guns.
The forces consisted OF the following regi.
ments q. :. =.
Command of Colonel Miles-1l5th New York,
126th New York, 9th New York Cavalry. 18th
Illinois Cavalry, and three regiments of the
MGryland Home Brigade, Colonel Maulsby.
General Whites command, from Martins.
burg-s7th Ohio, sd Ohio, Goth Ohio, 9th Ver-
mont, 39th New York, and one Indiana bat
terry. .A . .'. -.
Two of these regiments, the 18th New York
and the e7th Ohio, were three months men,
whose time had expired some weeks since, but
had remained at the request of the War Depart
ment. The post was under command of Gen-
erai Wool, who, with these troops, considered
it impregnable
CAMP HILL BATTERY. .
The Camp Hill Battery and the entrench-
. ments stretching across from Bolivar We're
strongly supported by the infantry, who had
been for four days and nights lying on their
rendering, and when they saw the white flag
hoistPd without any real fight they were as.
founded. They had q few skirmishes with the
enemy on Bolivar Heights, but in each had
maintained their position, and profess to have
been anxious for the enemy to approach them
at close quarters from that direction, which
Maryland Heights useless.
During sunday night, after the firing had
ceased, Col. Miles announced his intention Of
surrendering next morning by o'elockif
sistance did not arrive, ON the ground that all
his long range ammunition would by that time
be exhausted. The enemy was supposed by the
men to be be6o,e0ostronE, composing the entire eorps
d'aySnse Of Generals jackson and Hill, and they
claimed that number themselves subseQ uently
Hin was on the Maryi..nd Heights and Jackson
on the Loudon Heights. Whetheri IT could have
hold hva
Previously, on Sunday morning, Cob Miles
sent Capt Stone and four picked men on an ex.
Gen. Mcclellan, informing him that his ammu-
milton was nearly out and that he would soon
be compelled TO surrender. These men worked
the elemy's pickets most successfully, reaching
Gen. Mcclellan during Sunday night, when he
Immediately dispatched two divisions to his re-
lief. There divisions were within three hours
march Of the Maryland Heights when they cap.
tured scout from Gen. Hill with q message to
Gen. Lee announcing that he was in possession
Of Harper's Ferry with the entire garrison as
prisoners. -.-
The firing was again resumed by the enemy
with great vigor on Monday morning. and re-
piled to by such guns as could be brought TO
bear upon them. Atsoclock Col. Miles ordered
the flag to be struck and white flag run up,
Which was done, as the men and ofhcers declare,
TO their surprise and modification. '-.
The enemy, from the retired position in which
his guns were stationed either could not or
would not see the flag of surrender, and con-
tnued TO throw shell into the works for nearly
an hour, especially from Mary land Heights,
though Jackson ceased from Loudon Heights.
One Of the enemys shells, about fifteen min
utes after the flag was raised struck Colonel
Miles in the right leg, below the knee, nearly
severing il, and moment after mimic bail
penetrated the thigh OF. the same leg. He was
carried away and the leg hnmediatsly cut OF
above the knee, but he died soon after the ope-
ration was performed. - safr 49, = !
1t appeared that there was a nag hoisted up
near the old Workshops which had not been
lowered, and thus caused the repeated shell,
ing. Colonel Miles was riding along towards
that section of the town with q wh tie flag to be
raised on the pole also when the shell struck
him. - sSss|-sT
General w White, who had retreated to Harper's
Ferry from MartiAsburg, few days previous,
10 avoid being overwhelmed by Jackson, then
took the command, and conducted the surren.
der, which was made TO General Hill. -, g . ;
/, Both officers and men say that they received
nothing but the most courteous treatment from
their captors, who aalUwed the officers to retire
with their side arms and the men with their
pistols. fs1- es-'f -. = - -. =
No sooner was the surrender effected than