Officers connected with Headquarters and
Commissary Department, 50
Scattering cavalry, 50
Sick and wounded in hospitals, 312
Total, 11,583
All of the cavalry, numbering about two thou
sand, under the command of Col. Davis, cut their
way out Saturday evening, going by the road to
Sharpsburgh, and capturing on its way, Long
street s train, and more than a hundred prisoners.
They comprised the following : Eighth New- York,
Twelfth Illinois, Rhode Island and Maryland.
They left at nine o clock, crossing to Maryland
on the pontoon-bridge. Rebel pickets fired on
them as they passed by.
The artillery taken comprised the following :
Twelve 3-inch rifled guns.
Six James s.
Six 24-pound howitzers.
Four 20-pound Parrott guns.
Six 12-pound guns.
Four 12-pound howitzers.
Two 10-inch Dahlgrens.
One 50-pound Parrott.
Six 6-pound guns,
and several pieces of " Fremont s Guns," of but
little value. Seven of the whole number were
thoroughly spiked. But few horses were taken,
the cavalry having secured most of them. The
Commissary Department comprised six days ra
tions for twelve th<msand men. This embraces
nearly all the Government property which was
surrendered.
REBEL REPORTS AXD NARRATIVES.
GEN. JACKSON S OFFICIAL DESPATCH.
HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT, September 16, 1962.
COLONEL : Yesterday God crowned our arms
with another brilliant success on the surrender,
at Harper s Ferry, of Brig. -General White and
eleven thousand troops, an equal number of
small arms, seventy-three pieces of artillery, and
about two hundred wagons. In addition to other
stores, there is a large amount of camp and gar
rison equipage. Our loss was very small. The
meritorious conduct of officers and men will be
mentioned in a more extended report.
I am, Colonel, your obedient servant,
T. J. JACKSOX,
Major-GeneraL
Col. R. H. CniLTox,
Assistant Adjutant General.
RICHMOND "DISPATCH" ACCOUNT.
From a participant in the engagement, we have
obtained some particulars with reference to the
investment and subsequent surrender of Harper s
Ferry. Our informant states that Gen. Jackson
left Frederick on Thursday, taking the Hagcrs-
town road, and at the same time the division o\
Generals McLaws and R. II. Anderson, moved
from the vicinity of Frederick for the Maryland
Heights, overlooking the town of Harper s Ferry.
On Wednesday, the division of Gen. Walker was
sent down to destroy the canal aqueduct at the
mouth of the Monocac} r , and arrived at that point
during the night. The next morning early, be
fore they had accomplished their purpose, an
order was received from Gen. Lee directing Gen.
Walker to proceed with his forces, by forced
marches, to the London Heights, via Point of
Rocks, to prevent the enemy at Harper s Ferry
from escaping in that direction.
The division crossed the river at Point of
Rocks, nine miles below Harper s Ferry, and on
Friday evening reached the position assigned to
them. Gen. Jackson s force reached Williams
port, on the Potomac, on Friday morning, and
immediately crossed and moved on Martinsburgh,
twenty miles above Harper s Ferry, where there
were some three or four thousand of the enemy s
forces. On the approach of Gen. Jackson this
force fell back and united with the force at Har
per s Ferry, believed to number about five thou
sand. Gen. Jackson pursued, and on Saturday
morning reached Halltown, four miles south-west
of Harper s Ferry. From this point he despatched
a courier to Gen. Walker, then in possession of
the Heights south of the town, directing him not
to open his guns on the enemy s fortifications
until he (Gen. Jackson) got in position, of which
he promised to notify Gen. Walker.
. Meanwhile the divisions of McLaws and An
derson, after but little resistance, had become
masters of the Heights on the Maryland side, the
enemy leaving them, and joined the forces in
DOCUMENTS
449
their intrenchments on the Virginia side of the
river. On Saturday night Gen. Walker received
orders from Gen. Jackson to open fire upon the
enemy at daylight on Sunday morning. In obe
dience to this order, at day-dawn, the stillness
of the Sabbath was broken by the opening of
Walker s guns upon the fortifications of the ene
my on Bolivar Heights, two miles above the rail
road bridge at Harper s Ferry. At the same
time the attack was made by the forces under
Gen. Jackson, and the fight, which was desperate
and determined, continued throughout the day
McLaws and Anderson shelling from the Mary
land side.
The enemy resisted with great spirit, and the
guns, of which they had a large number in posi
tion, were handled with great effect upon the col
umns of Gen. Jackson, which had to approach
them through an open space, where their guns
had unobstructed play. The shells from Walk
er s batteries and the impetuous attacks of Jack
son s men rendered their intrenchments on Boli
var Heights too warm for the enemy, and late in
the evening they fell back to Camp Hill, one mile
in the rear of the Bolivar fortifications. Here
they had their heavy guns planted and strong in
trenchments thrown up, but within easy range
of the batteries of McLaws and Anderson on the
opposite heights. Night coming on, the struggle
ceased, Jackson s forces occupying the deserted
intrenchmcnts on the hills of Bolivar. That
night old "Stonewall" sent a message to Gen.
"Walker that his forces were in possession of the
enemy s first line of intrenchments, and that
with God s blessing, he would have Harper s
Ferry and the Federal forces early next morning.
At daylight the next morning, (Monday,) the
fight was renewed, the enemy still offering an
obstinate resistance, until about seven o clock
A.M., when their colors were struck and a capitu
lation proposed. Of the terms of this capitula
tion we have learned no particulars, but conclude
they involve the unconditional surrender of the
whole force, negroes as well as Yankees. About
nine o clock our forces entered the second line of
intrenchments, the enemy having surrendered
every thing, guns, ordnance and commissary
stores, etc. The number of the enemy is vari
ously estimated at from seven to twelve thou
sand, and the negroes from fifteen hundred to
two thousand.
Of our losses we are not apprised, but judge
from reports that Gen. Jackson s column suffered
pretty heavily. In Walker s division we had five
killed, three of these by the accidental explosion
of a shell. Among the killed in this division,
we have heard the name of Lieut. Robertson, of
French s battery.
LATER. Since the above was written we have
received the following additional particulars, con
tained in a letter to Gov. Letcher from Col. Fran
cis II. Smith :
WINCHESTER, September 1C.
After the advance of our army to Frederick,
and the issuing of the admirable proclamation to
the people of Maryland by Lee, a movement took
VOL. V. Doc. C 2 j
place with our troops, seemingly in the direction
of Pennsylvania, but really for an important
movement into Virginia. After sending a por
tion of his troops to occupy and hold the Mary
land Heights, Gen. Jackson was directed by Gen.
Lee to recross the Potomac at Williamsport, take
possession of Martinsburgh, and then pass rapidly
behind Harper s Ferry, that a capture might be
effected of the garrison known to be there. The
movement was admirably conducted. Martins-
burgh fell, with a capture of one hundred and fifty
prisoners and some stores, the most of which were
being taken to the Ferry.
The investment of Harper s Ferry was effected
on Saturday. Sunday morning there was some
firing, and it was renewed yesterday morning,
and the result was the unconditional surrender
of the garrison ten thousand men, with all the
arms, fifty pieces of artillery, ammunition, one
hundred wagons, quartermaster and commissary
stores, and many cars, some of which were
loaded, and nine hundred negroes. This import
ant conquest was effected without the loss of a
man on our side. So much is official. It is re
ported that the cavalr} r , one thousand in num
ber, escaped by Shepherdstown.
Another account, received late last night, says
that the surrender took place on Monday morn
ing last, at ten o clock. The firing commenced
as early as five o clock in the morning. Shortly
after the Yankees sent out a flag of truce, pro
posing a conditional surrender ; but our firing
did not cease, when another flag was sent pro
posing an unconditional surrender, when the
firing ceased. General Miles, the Federal com
mander, is reported to be wounded.
The results of the surrender, according to this
last account, are as follows : Twelve thousand
Yankees, thirteen thousand Enficld rifles, fifty
cannon, one hundred four-horse teams, a number
of fine artillery horses, a large quantity of am
munition, some quartermaster and commissary
stores, and one thousand " contrabands."
Doc. 121.
SURRENDER OF MUXFORDVILLE, KY.
REPORT OP COLONEL WILDER.
CAVE CITY, KY., Sept. 18, 1862.
To J. R Stacey, A. A. G. and Chief of Staff:
SIR : I have the honor to report that on Sep
tember eighth, 18G2, according to a special order
from General Boyle, I assumed command of the
forces at Munfordville, Kentucky. I immediately
set to work building fortifications for defence of
the railroad bridge over Green River. On Sun
day, September ninth, I was informed that the
railroad bridge at Salt River was burned by the
rebels. Our supplies being sufficient for one day
only, I immediately began collecting flour and
bacon in the country about us, and got some
bread from Bowling Green, and managed to get
rations for fifteen days. At the same time I or
dered all the home guard coni^anies aitd recruits
450
REBELLION RECORD, 1862.
tor the Thirty-third Kentucky, who had no arms,
to scatter out over the country, and act in the
capacity of scouts. They served me admirably
in this respect, giving notice of Bragg s approach
when over fifty miles distant, and notifying me
of his numbers, pieces of artillery, direction taken,
etc., in every movement made by him on his ad
vance from Cumberland Iliver. On Saturday,
September thirteenth, Col. Scott, with a brigade
of cavalry and a battery of five mountain-howit
zers, came down the north side of the river from
Greensburgh, and at eight o clock P.M. demanded
an unconditional surrender of the place. I per
emptorily refused, and at three o clock the next
morning he commenced an attack by firing on our
pickets. They contested the ground so stub
bornly that he was compelled to bring up his
artillery to drive them in, which he accomplished
at daybreak, after losing his guide and a lieuten
ant-colonel killed. At daylight a furious attack
was made on the pickets, on the south side of
the river, by a large force of infantry ; I immedi
ately sent company K, Seventy-fourth Indiana,
out to a belt of woods about a quarter of a mile
in advance, to act as a reserve for the pickets to
rally on. They held their ground until nearly
surrounded, and only fell back when perempto
rily ordered to do so by Major Cubberly, of the
Eighty-ninth Indiana, who had charge of the
pickets and skirmishers on the south side of the
river. Our advanced line fought them stubborn
ly for an hour, and only came in when ordered
to do so by me, as I did not wish to lose the ad
vantage of our works. At half-past five the fight
ing became general along the whole line, the en
emy having advanced to within two hundred
yards of our works in large numbers.
At half-past six A.M., the enemy advanced in
line of battle upon our west or main work, and,
seeing their intention to storm our position, I or
dered the men to fix bayonets, when the rebels
came forward with a cheer, supposing our cessa
tion of fire was a sign of retreat. When they
came within about thirty yards I directed the
men to fire, which was repeated by Col. Murray,
and the officers along the line, and a very ava
lanche of death swept through the ranks, causing
them to first stagger, and then run in disorder to
the wood in the rear, having left all of their field-
officers on the ground, either killed or mortally
wounded. The regiments that made this charge
were the Seventh and Tenth Mississippi and Sev
enth Alabama. Immediately after this repulse
a similar one was made on the redoubt by the
Ninth and Twenty -ninth Mississippi and a bat
talion of sharp-shooters. They were literally
murdered by a terrible fire from the gallant de
fenders of the work. Major Abbott sprang up on
the parapet with his hat in one hand and a
drawn sabre in the other, urging his men to stand
to the work, until he was shot dead under the
flag he so nobly defended. A braver man never
fell. The flag had one hundred and forty-six bul
let-holes through it, and the staff was struck
eleven times. Lieut. Mason, of the Thirteenth
Indiana battery, commanding the artillery, in the
mean time was riddling them with grape and
canister, when they broke in all directions, flee
ing as from a belching volcano, many dropping
as they fled. At this juncture I sent Colonel
Emerson, of the Sixty-seventh Indiana, with one
more company to reenforce the redoubt, and to
take command. The enemy soon rallied, how
ever, and seemed to be more cautious in their
movements, keeping up a constant fire from the
best cover they could obtain, until half-past nine
A.M., making several weak efforts to charge us
again ; but they had learned a dear lesson, and
profited by it. At half-past nine they sent in a
flag of truce, demanding again that I should sur
render. I again refused,* when they asked the
privilege of removing their dead and wounded.
I gave them leave to do so.
At nine A M., I was reenforced by six compa
nies of the Fiftieth Indiana, under Col. Dunham,
who had come up on the railroad from Louisville.
and were thrown off the track six miles back.
At daylight they pushed through by a circuitous
route, missing Scott s cavalry, on the north side
of the river, and getting into the works without
any loss, except one man slightly wounded. Af
ter the night closed, Colonel Dunham, being the
ranking officer, assumed command, and will, no
doubt, make a report of the events occurring on
Monday and Tuesday following the Sunday s
fight. My whole force consisted of the Sixty-
seventh and Eighty-ninth Indiana regiments, one
company of the Eighteenth regulars, two hundred
and four recruits of the Seventeenth Indiana, two
companies Seventy-fourth Indiana, one company
of cavalry, Louisville Provost Guard, Lieutenant
Watson commanding one twelve-pounder heavy
gun, one twelve-pounder Napoleon, one twelve-,
pounder howitzer, and one three-inch rifled gun,
under Lieut. Mason ; Thirteenth Indiana battery,
sixty men ; Thirty-third Kentucky, Capt. Wilson
the whole force amounting to two thousand
one hundred and twenty-two men for duty. If I
were to give a list of those who did their whole
duty, it would simpl} r be a muster-roll of all who
were there ; no man flinched or held back a par-
* The following is the correspondence that passed between the
two parties :
Colonel J. T. Wilder, Commanding U. S Forces at Green
Itiver:
* You have ma le a gallant defence of your positions, and tc
avoid further bloodshed, I demand an unconditional surrende/
of your forces. I have ;-ix regiments of infantry, one battalion
of infantry sharp-shooters, and have just been reenforced by a
brigade of cavalry, under Col. Scott, with two batteries of artil
lery. I have two regiments on the north side of the river, an-.
you can t escape. The railroad track is torn up in your rear,
and you can t receive reinforcements. General Bragg s army
is but a short distance in the rear.
JAMKS Tl. CHALMERS,
Brig. -General Commanding First Hrij:a;le, Kight Win<?,
Army of Mississippi.
To this demand and these arguments Colonel Wilder return*"*
the following answer :
Brigadier-General Jo*. R. Chulmcrs, Commanding l\rt
Brigade R. W. Army of Mississippi :
Your note demanding the unconditional surrender of my
forces has been received. Thank you for your compliment*. If
you wish to avoid further bloodshed, keep out of the range cf
my guns as to reinforcements, they are now entering my
works. I think I can defend my position against your entire
force. At least I shall try to do so. J. T. AYiLi>E,
Colonel Commanding U. S. Forces at Green Iliver
DOCUMENTS.
451
ticlo. I must, however, mention "W. A. TJullitt,
Adjutant Third Kentucky, who conveyed orders
for me through the hottest of the fire with as
much coolness as if on review ; and Capt. Frank
White, Fifteenth Indiana, who superintended the
earthworks, and, whenever a point was exposed
to a raking fire from the enemy s batteries, im
mediately threw up traverses to protect the men.
Our entire loss was thirty -seven killed and
wounded. The enemy admit a loss of seven hun
dred and fourteen killed and wounded on Sunday
alone. I cannot give as complete a report as I
could wish, not having yet received a report from
the different commands engaged.
On Tuesday evening, at seven P.M., I was
again placed in command. By this time General
Polk had crossed the river ten miles above, with
the right wing of Bragg s army, and coming down
on the north side, took up a position on the river
hills commanding our works ; the left wing under
Ilardee, having taken position on the hills on the
south side. Bragg had sent a summons to sur
render, and a consultation had been held late
Tuesday evening with commanders of regiments,
in which it was the unanimous expression, that
unless enabled b}^ reinforcements to hold the
north side of the river, we could make no suc
cessful resistance. All, however, decided to re
sist, unless full evidence should be given of the
overwhelming force of the enemy ; and having
been informed that Gen. Buell s army had not
left Bowling Green at two P.M., the day before,
and having been notified by you that we could
get HO help from Louisville, our ammunition for
small arms being very limited, and our men worn
out by constant work and fighting for four days
and nights, and being satisfied that further re
sistance was no less than wilful murder of the
brave men who had so long contested with over
whelming numbers, I determined, after counting
forty-live cannon in positions commanding our
open field-works, and surrounded by over twen
ty-five thousand men, with no possible chance of
assistance from any quarter, although promised
such by you from Bowling Green, to surrender
the entire force ; which I did on Wednesday
morning, at two A.M., marching out of the works
at six A.M., with all the honors of war, drums
beating and colors flying, we being allowed, by
the terms of surrender, our side-arms and all pri
vate property, and four days rations. Officers
and men were immediately paroled, and are about
to start for the Ohio River.
I have the honor to be, your ob t servant,
J. T. WILDER,
Colonel Commanding U. S. Forces at Green River
COLONEL DUNHAM S REPORT.
LOUISVILLE, Kr., September 80, 18C2.
To the A. A. General and Chief of Staff of the
Army of Kentucky :
SIR : I have the honor to report that in obedi
ence to an order of Major-General Gilbert, on the
thirteenth instant, at eleven o clock P.M. left the
depot of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
with six companies of the Fiftieth regiment Indi
ana volunteers, and one company (K) of the Sev
enty-eighth Indiana, attached to the Fiftieth for
duty in all four hundred and forty-six strong,
rank and file lor Green River, near Munford-
villo, to reenforce Col. Wilder in defence of that
point. The train ran very slowly until some dis
tance below Elizabethtown, when I went forward
and earnestly urged the engineer to greater speed,
assuring him that it was all-important for us to
reach Green River before daylight. He did in
crease the speed as far as safety would permit.
Just below Bacon Creek, and about seven miles
from Green River, the train stopped for wood.
I immediately passed along the cars, aroused the
men, and bid them stand by their arms in readi
ness for any emergency, as we were approaching
dangerous ground. I then took position on the
engine, and the train moved cautiously forward.
We had proceeded about a mile when we ran
upon a portion of the track which had been un
dermined by the enemy, and slid to one side in
such a manner as to make the injury apparent to
the engineer and myself. The train was thrown
off and several of the cars completely wrecked,
yet strange to saA r , not a man or horse were seri
ously injured. The men seemed inspired with
even greater confidence, as if feeling themselves
under the especial protection of an overruling
Providence.
They were immediately formed in line of bat
tle, an instantaneous attack being expected. The
woods which skirted both sides of the road were
promptly reconnoitred. No enemy appearing,
the regiment was put in rapid march for Mun-
fordville, presuming that the road had been de
stroyed to prevent reinforcements from reaching
that place. We had not proceeded far before
cannonading in that direction was heard. It had
now become daylight, and the men deposited their
knapsacks and blankets in the thicket on the
roadside and moved rapidly on. We soon met
crowds of frightened and fleeing citizens, from
whom no satisfactory information could be got of
the situation of affairs at, or of the forces invest
ing our works. When within between three or
four miles of the place we were met by an intel
ligent citizen, of my acquaintance, who informed
me that a cavalry force of the enemy, at least
two thousand strong, and a battery of artillery
were posted some distance this side of the river,
and covering the road approaching our works
which were upon the south bank, that guns wt-ro
also so planted upon both banks of the river as
to cover the bridges, and that he deemed it im
possible for us to pass them and get in. But
nothing daunted, our little force made a detour
to the right, and, by keeping under the cover of
the woods, and corn-fields, and down ravines,
eluded the enemy and reached the river just be
low the railroad bridge and opposite our works.
Here a momentary halt was made under the
cover of the wo6ds to close up the column and
give the men a little rest. They then plunged
into and forded the river at double-quick, between
the two bridges, the first notice the enemy having
of our approach being the hearty cheers of our
452
REBELLION RECORD, 1S62.
beleaguered troops in the works. Fortunately
for us, the guns of the enemy upon the northern
bank, bearing upon the crossing, hadjust before,
by a well-directed fire from our own, under Lieut.
Mason, been silenced, and from those upon the
southern side he had only time to throw a shell
or two at our rear as it disappeared under the
cover of the bank, resulting only in slightly
wounding one man. His cavalry came dashing
down in an attempt to cut us off, but only in
time to be as hastily driven back, as we prompt
ly turned and fired upon them.
We found the engagement still progressing.
By Gen. Gilbert s written order, the command
was to go according to seniority, and I being the
senior officer, Col. Wilder promptly tendered me
the command, but I promptly refused to assume
it, feeling that to do so during the progress of the
engagement would be ungenerous in me and un
just to him ; but I placed myself and force under
his command. He has reported the proceedings
of that day.
Cn Monday, the fifteenth, I assumed command.
The enemy had, under the cover of the night,
withdrawn from before us the infantry and ar
tillery to Cave City and the cavalry up the river.
Work upon the intrenchments was at once re
sumed and pushed forward with vigor that daj%
the night following, and in fact throughout all
the affair on Tuesday. Wagons were sent to the
wrecked train for the provisions upon it, and
steps successfully taken, by the aid of Mr. Wil
liam Gibson, a patriotic Union citizen of Mun-
fordville, of whom I cannot speak in too high
praise, to bring in the ammunition which had
been upon it, but which the loyal men of the
neighborhood had carried to the woods and con
cealed. Efforts were also made to repair the
telegraph line. Messengers were sent to differ
ent points northward to communicate to the
headquarters in this city our situation, and in
form them that we expected a renewal of the at
tack by a largely increased force, and ask for re-
enforcements. Messengers with a like object, I
\vas informed, had been sent by Col. Wilder to
Bowling Green. I regarded the place as of great