254

PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY.

The Confederates having abandoned the South Mountain range, were hotly pursued by the Union cavalry. The corps of Sumner, Hooker, and Mansfield, followed their retreating columns with all haste along the Boonesboro turnpike; Burnside and Porter moved along the old Sharpsburg road with their troops. Franklin, hastening down Pleasant valley, encountered on his march (on the 15th), a superior force of the enemy in a strong position, prepared to dispute his further advance. Only two of his divisions had come up, and he deemed it prudent under the circumstances to avoid the enemy.

CHAPTER XXV.

SEPTEMBER, 1862.

ATTACK ON HARPER'S FERRY-ITS DISGRACEFUL SURRENDER-COLONEL MILES HIS DEATH-GENERAL LEE AT SHARPSBURG-PREPARATIONS FOR THE COMING BATTLE-MCCLELLAN'S DELAY-THE ENEMY REINFORCEDTHE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM-GALLANTRY OF THE TROOPS-HOOKER WOUNDED-SUBLIME COURAGE OF THE TWELFTH AND THIRTEENTH MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENTS-THE GALLANT GENERAL MANSFIELD SLAIN-CONSPICUOUS VALOR OF CRAWFORD AND GORDON-TERRIBLE CARNAGE-THE TIDE OF BATTLE TURNED BY GENERAL FRANKLIN-THE RIGHT WING VICTORIOUS-BURNSIDE ON THE LEFT-THE SPLENDID VALOR OF OFFICERS AND MEN AT THE STONE BRIDGE-THE MOVEMENT SUCCESSFUL-ENEMY REINFORCED THE PERIL OF BURNSIDE-MCCLELLAN, AND THE RESERVES UNDER PORTER-DREADFUL LOSS ON BOTH SIDES-LEE ELUDES MCCLELLEN-ESCAPES ACROSS THE POTOMAC-FEDERAL ARMY AT HARPER'S

FERRY.

THE delight caused by the victory of South Mountain, was considerably qualified by the reverse at Harper's Ferry, which occurred about the same time. This place had already been rendered famous by the occurrences which had taken place there in the different contests during the rebellion. It was now commanded by Colonel Dixon Miles, and added to its strong natural defences, was strongly fortified by art. Maryland Heights rise several hundred feet above the Potomac, being the key of Harper's Ferry, a little village consisting chiefly of government workshops and arsenals. A railroad bridge across the Potomac connects the village with the heights, which are reached by a road from the river. Near the summit of Maryland Heights, is a broad plain, which discloses a splendid view of the Potomac. On the edge of the cliff, the Union troops had planted heavy siege guns, commanding the valley. One of these was a fifty pound Parrott; besides which there were two Dalghrens, and a battery of howitzers. No successful attack could be made on this position, except on the north side. If barricaded properly, a small body of troops could keep an army at bay. The springs and brooks afforded an unfailing supply A heavy line of intrenchments, with a deep ditch

of water.

256

ATTACK ON MARYLAND HEIGHTS.

in front, thrown up on the summit of Harper's Ferry, extended from the Potomac to the Shenandoah. Bolivar Heights, on the Virginia side, were fortified with earthworks, to protect the infantry from the musketry of the enemy. The number of troops in the garrison was about twelve thousand men. A large quantity of ammunition, artillery, and stores had been accumulated at Harper's Ferry, and the garrisons at Winchester and Martinsburg had been ordered to report to Colonel Miles.

On the 11th of September, McClellan telegraphed to General Halleck, suggesting that Colonel Miles be sent to join him by the most practicable route. Halleck answered, that there was no way for Colonel Miles to join him, and that the only chance for the latter was to defend his works. It was of great importance to the Confederates, in the invasion of Maryland, to gain possession of Harper's Ferry. Accord ingly, they made their appearance on the 8th of September, on Maryland Heights, and during the following week erected a barricade of trees, fourteen hundred yards in length. An attack being expected, Colonel Miles appointed Colonel Ford to guard the heights. It was afterward proved, that Colonel Miles had neglected to fortify Maryland Heights, when ordered to do so a month previous; that when an attack was apprehended, he withheld from Colonel Ford the necessary means of erecting barricades; that without sufficient cause he allowed these heights to be abandoned on the 13th, and that he had paroled Confederate officers during the siege, who could inform the enemy of the exact state of the garrison and the fortifications.

Their preparations made, the Confederates assaulted the position on the afternoon of Friday, September 12th. The Union line of battle was drawn up in front of the barricade during the night, and a decisive action was anticipated for the morrow. At seven o'clock next morning, the enemy made a vigorous attack, which was repulsed. The contest then raged with greater fury for an hour, and the enemy, being reinforced, again advanced. Most of the regiments in the garrison were raw recruits. The One Hundred and

Twenty-sixth New York, intimidated at the approach of the enemy, broke and fled behind the barricades; Colonel Sher rill rallied the men, and they again took part in the action. The Federal left being turned, they fell back. The Confed

DISGRACEFUL SURRENDER OF HARPER'S FERRY. 257

erates retired soon after, and again advanced at four o'clock, P. M., but the attack was not renewed on their part, and night ended the engagement. No hope, but in reinforcements, remained to the garrison. During the night, such dispositions were made as best promised successful resistance. At four o'clock A. M., on Saturday, the 13th, all the troops were ordered to retreat down the mountain, and Maryland Heights were abandoned to the enemy; the latter occupying them on the afternoon of the same day. The Union line of battle on Bolivar Heights, was similar to that on Maryland Heights. Colonel D'Utassy held the extreme right, Colonel Trimble the left; General White occupied a position on the heights, and Major McIlwaine directed the operations of the artillery. No attack was made until four o'clock, P. M., when a tremendous cannonading thundered from the rebel guns on Maryland Heights, Loudon Heights, Sandy Hook, and from batteries planted on the Shepardstown and Charlestown roads. A spirited reply was made by the Federal guns, and the artillery duel continued during the day. On the approach of night, the Federal lines were somewhat contracted, as the enemy had turned the left flank. An attack on Rigby's battery, at eight o'clock, was gallantly repulsed, with great loss to the enemy.

The final issue was uncertain at the end of the second day's battle, nothing decisive yet occurring. On the following night the enemy planted batteries so skilfully as to enfilade the Union position. At five o'clock on Monday, 15th, the enemy, strongly reinforced, renewed the conflict with great energy. Harper's Ferry had been threatened with an attack during the whole week, and yet it had not been reinforced. On Sunday night Colonel Miles had sent to General McClellan for aid, but none had arrived. The ammunition of the Federals was exhausted at eight o'clock on Monday night, and Colonel Miles called a council of war. All except Colonel D'Utassy approved the determination of Colonel Miles to prevent further loss of life by the surrender of the place. White flags were then raised on the intrenchments, and a flag of truce was sent by General White to arrange the terms of capitulation with the Confederate general, Jackson. The conditions were, that the Union officers should be allowed to depart on parole, with their side arms and private effects. The rank and file were

258

COLONEL MILES-HIS DEATH.

also paroled and permitted to go out with every thing but their arms and equipments. Eleven thousand, five hundred and eighty-three officers and men were thus surrendered to the enemy All the cavalry, two thousand in number, under Colonel Davis, had previously cut their way through the works of the enemy, and escaped by the Sharpsburg road, capturing on their route one hundred wagons of Longstreet's train and one hundred prisoners. The Confederates captured, at Harper's Ferry, forty-seven pieces of various calibre, also, seven thousand five hundred stands of arms, forty thousand rounds of cartridges, fifty rounds of cannister shot, and rations for six days for twelve thousand men. The Union loss was eighty killed and one hundred and twenty wounded. The rebel loss was estimated by their officers at one thousand five hundred.

After the surrender, Colonel Miles was wounded by a shell and his leg amputated. He died after the operation.

When the brave soldiers learned their fate their rage and shame was unbounded. Under a good commander they might have made a successful resistance till reinforced. Had Harper's Ferry not been surrendered, the Confederates at the battle of Antietam, weakened by the absence of Jackson and his forces, could have been attacked in detail, with the Potomac in their rear.

Colonel Ford displayed a lack of military capacity in defending Maryland Heights, and in accordance with the report of the investigating commission, he and other officers were dismissed from the service by the President. The splendid victory of South Mountain hardly recompensed for the surrender of Harper's Ferry, the result of delay, stupidity, cowardice, and treason. The paper on which the terms of capitulation were written was scarcely dry, when twenty thousand active troops moved off rapidly to assist General Lee, and were present at the battle of Antietam.

The victory of South Mountain being achieved, the Union forces at once, as already seen, pursued the retreating Confederate columns. The latter had made a retrograde movement in the direction of the Potomac, and taken up a strong position of their own selection near Sharpsburg, where formidable intrenchments were thrown up. The Union cavalry in pursuit had captured two hundred and fifty prisoners and two guns in an action at Boonesboro On