Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-08-29

h1ttlo. Stonewall Jackson surrounded tho
Union post at IIarper's Ferry sept. ID,
1862 lie had 90, 600 men. The garrison
Of IIarpor's Ferry numbered over 13, 900
troops Of all arms. The position is on a
low neck Of land formed by the junction Of
tho Shenandoah and Potomac rivers and is
surrounded at close range BY series OF
heights ranging from COO to LOCO feet
above the water. Jackson planted his can
non on the heights in readiness to lombard
the works. but delayed opening fire for
some timc.
Tho officers Of the bcsicged garrison, as
+ usual under the circumstances, wpro di-
vidod in opinion as to what had best be
done to save the post, or at least TO get out
Of tho trap with tho men and their small
arms. The commandment, Colonel Dixon
:. Miles, urged on hi, part that fighting
would simply DO waste of life and that
he had no authority to abandon the place,
having been ordered to hold It, What
some Of the gallant officers and men IN
der him thought of the situation and the
duty of the how is told ny one Of the par
Elephants, in tho following spirited nara
tive. The particular, have never before
been made public
"Tho Ninth Vermont regiment, infan-
try, Colonel George j. -tannard command
ing, was onoof the unfortunate commands
that vcro surrendered by Colonel Dixon
:. Miles, ain cid officer Of the United
States army, at Harpcr's Ferry, Va, on
the morning of sept. ID 1862.
The Ninth regiment was mustered into
the United States service July O. 1852, and
in little over two months its members
We're parolcd prisoners Of war The sur
render Of the Union troops at Harper
Ferry has been subject of much comment
since the war. The imbccility Of the post
commander or his lack Of patriotism was
tho cause Of this great disaster to the
Union arms.
"The Union troops were located on
Bolivar heights, n Harper's Ferry and
also across the Potomac on Maryland
heights There w1c no Union troops on
London heights in Virginia. Aftor n
slight resistance our people on Maryland
heights withdrew to Harpcr's Ferry, and
tho Confeclcratcs between the 18th Of Sep
TENDER and the morning Of the 18th occu-
pied both Maryland and Loudon heights
and completely surrounded the Union
troops The Ninth Vermont regiment on
the afternoon Of Sept. II, Sunday, lay on
Bolivar heights under the fire of three bat
ltIIlS. ~ SUutIDN II VI INC Sllllb Jay II
was sent 20 re-cnforce the right of the
Union line, which was formed to the left
Of tho Charleston pike, ana arrived in tiIne
to rcpulsc the advance Of \. p. Hills Con
fodcrato division. They fred some 20
rounds and drove back tho leading Con-
fedcratc brigade Midnight Saturday,
sept. -, Colonel Miles allowed tho Union
cavalry to cut ITS way out of Harper's
Ferry The colonel Of tho Ninth regiment
asked permission to go with the cavalry,
as he and all his men fcE that the ne1t
day would sec "A terrible surrender Of tho
troops left at IIarpor's Ferry. Miles re
fused 10 lot the Ninth regiment go-in
fact, he hardly recognized their command
CT, for on previous occasions Stannard
had had alterations with him in regard
to the situation hCfure the environment of
Harpcrs Ferry by the Confederate forces.
StGnnard had offered to take his regiment
on to LuudoE heights and hold them. Ho
also stated that Maryland heights should
be held at all hazards and that thcro WAS
10 use Of staying in Harpcr's Forty, in
sisting in strongest terms that both of
these places must be hold or disaster would
follow.
'Stannard also asked permission to take
possession of tho picket limo with his own
men and was really to take his chances Of
getting out. Miles became excited ana
used very strong language; swung his sa-