, 1862-09-26
More about the KKarper.s Ferry Dis
grace.
Correspondence Of the N. T. Times.1 !

AAASAehetsss oept- @t, 4o02. '
I was last evening. at the jones House, in
this city, and heard from q gentleman just
returned from the battle field, the folio wing
as:ourd ding facts. He says that he WAS given
by quartermaster OF rhu United Stases, re-
Gently stationed at Harper Ferry, personal
friend Of his Own since hoyAood, aad 3 mau Of
the highest respeetability) the folio wiog ae.
the transaction. Capt. McGrath-on terms Of
great intimacy with this quarterma as:er-was
in charge Of the forces at Maryland Hights,
under Col Ford'(of Ohio, l understood,)
and Gen. Miles. On Saturday the eue-
@sich captan ses Mcalta aea out Ese
regiments Of infantry and scattered them.
The day following, when no enemy was In
sight, and nobody had the Femotest appre-
htnsion that 50 strongly fortified p1ace could
be taken BY the enemy, in any force whatever,
Col. Ford commanded Capt. McGrath to spike
them down the embankmentI Capt. Mctirath,
astonished at such IN order, demonstrated.
The order wns repeated agaiu and again, and
as often protested against by McGrsth. AT
Last Col. Ford angTily reminded McG rath thst
bis sho ss and as insisted ta
have such an order In writing" said McGsatt,
unable longer to resist Ford at one wrote ont
| the order. The Runs we're spiked and rolled
down the hill, aud our brave, Indignant and
| 6isgraced men marched down the bill to
Harper's Ferry.
| Here the quartermaster saw his friend Nc
Grath, and on inquiring the cause Of so iucx-
plicable an action, the latter tairly burst into
tears. ttGod only Knows" he said, shut here
Is my order" and he presented Fo.d's man
date The enemy slowly took possession Of
the place, snd for one whole day-Suud,y,
belieye-nt ither side held 1t. Verf early on
Monday morning the rebels commenced to
tlre down upon the buildings. The quarter
mater was away only two hours, and at his
return the whole Of Harper's Ferry and its
surrounding stronRholds had bean disgrace
fully handed over to the enemy
Such is the substance 0. the informati IN given
me. Th.re may be lrning errors in minor de-
tails-for WAS unable to take my iaformaat's
words down in writing, and quote from ulem.
ory-but the pIth and meaning Of the matter
ycu can depend upon. My Informant is q
gentleman OF high legal standing In the State
Of Penney lvania, q gentleman known and re-
sgectcd by er5oody. b. enjoined nc
silence upon me; on the contrary, assured
me that what he said was the theme of com
mon conversation in the army, and among al
Who know the circumstances at Harpcr's
FerrY-a fact have since tuily pro =ed By CON
veFtiug Nth our wounded soldiers fresh from
the seat Of war.
Gen. Miles is dead, but Col. Ford still lives
II Cspt. McGrath can bring proofs Of hia
innocence, will the country nos require tht
same Of Col Ford Il this damnable case
toe, to be thrust aside as unworthy of inyes:i
CATION? and are We to have traitor aftsr trafto
put into poai,ions OF trust and po ser mcr.l,
to more tHxctua1ly stab at the very vitals o
our country In its mcst confid!ng moments
Let those beware whom It may couc=rn
The people and the army Of these Uni:et
States can submit to 1t no longer.