Dixon S . Miles Dixon Stansbury Miles ( May 4 , 1804 – September 16 , 1862 ) was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican - American War and the Indian Wars . He was mortally wounded as he surrendered his Union garrison in the Battle of Harpers Ferry during the American Civil War . Early life and military service . Miles was born in Maryland . He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1824 and was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 4th U . S . Infantry regiment , but was transferred immediately to the 7th U . S . Infantry , with which he served until 1847 . He served on the western frontier and became adjutant of the 7th U . S . He was promoted to captain on June 8 , 1836 , and fought in the Seminole Wars in Florida from 1839 to 1842 . At the start of the Mexican - American War , he received a brevet promotion to major for his " gallant and distinguished conduct " in the defense of Fort Brown , Texas . He fought in the Battle of Monterrey and the Siege of Veracruz , which he then governed as military commandant for four months . He was appointed a brevet lieutenant colonel for " gallant and meritorious conduct in the several conflicts at Monterrey , Mexico . " Miles spent the years before the Civil War on frontier duty battling Indians . In 1857 he fought against Indians along the Gila River , New Mexico , and against the Navajo in 1858 . In 1859 he was promoted to colonel and commander of the 2nd U . S . Infantry , stationed at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . Civil War . When the Civil War started , Miles was recalled to Washington , D . C . , and briefly commanded a brigade in the division of Maj . Gen . Robert Patterson before being transferred to the army of Brig . Gen . Irvin McDowell , in which he commanded a division of two brigades . During the First Battle of Bull Run , his division was in reserve , but he was accused by Brig . Gen . Israel B . Richardson of being drunk during the battle . A court of inquiry validated this accusation ; and , after an eight - month leave of absence , he was reassigned to what should have been a quieter post . In March 1862 he commanded a brigade that defended the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and , in September 1862 he was given command of the Federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry . Harpers Ferry . During the Maryland Campaign , in which Confederate General Robert E . Lee invaded the state of Maryland , Col . Miles ' s garrison at Harpers Ferry stood directly on Lee ' s supply line through the Shenandoah Valley . He was ordered by General - in - chief Henry W . Halleck to hold the important Federal arsenal and railroad bridges until he was relieved by Union forces under Maj . Gen . George B . McClellan . Lee sent columns converging from three directions to surround Harpers Ferry . Unfortunately , Miles apparently treated his orders to defend the town too literally and stationed most of his 14 , 000 men just outside of the town to the west , on Bolivar Heights , neglecting the commanding heights to the northeast ( Maryland Heights ) and to the south ( Loudoun Heights ) . When his token defensive force on Maryland Heights was defeated , the town was surrounded and virtually indefensible . When Confederate Maj . Gen . Stonewall Jackson began to bombard the town on September 15 , 1862 , from the heights he had seized , Miles held a council of war with his brigade commanders and decided to surrender . Before the white flag could be raised , he was struck in the left leg by an exploding shell , mortally wounding him . Some of his men accused him of being drunk on duty again and were so thoroughly disgusted by his inept defense that it was said to be difficult to find a man to carry him to the hospital . Miles died the next day and is buried in St . James Episcopal Church Cemetery in Monkton , Maryland . Some historians have concluded that Miles was struck by artillery deliberately fired by his own men , but there is no conclusive proof . The resulting surrender of 12 , 419 men was the largest number of U . S . soldiers surrendered until the Battle of Corregidor in World War II . The court of inquiry into the surrender denounced Miles for " incapacity , amounting to almost imbecility . "