Battle of Harpers Ferry

During the Battle of Harpers Ferry, three separate Confederate commands surrounded the town and recorded the single largest capture of Union troops during the war.

During the Maryland Campaign of 1862, Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee had expected the Union troops garrisoning Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, Virginia to be withdrawn. When he realized that neither town had been evacuated, on September 9 Lee devised Special Orders 191. The orders divided the Confederate army into a number of separate parts, three of which were directed to surround Harpers Ferry. Under the overall command of Maj. Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, on September 10 the three columns got underway. The command under Brig. Gen. John G. Walker occupied Loudoun Heights to the southeast of Harpers Ferry. The column led by Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws approached Harpers Ferry from the north and ascended Maryland Heights. Jackson moved toward Harpers Ferry from the west after first capturing Martinsburg. The Union troops holding Martinsburg, commanded by Brig. Gen. Julius White, withdrew to Harpers Ferry. By September 14 the Confederates were in position on the high ground that surrounded Harpers Ferry, and artillery fire was exchanged. Jackson directed Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill to move his forces along the Shenandoah River so as to flank the Union position on Bolivar Heights. Hill was able to place them within 1,000 yard of the Union left flank. During the night, however, 1,500 Union cavalrymen made a successful escape from the town.

On the morning of September 15, Confederate artillery opened fire on Harpers Ferry. Following a two hour bombardment, the Union garrison surrendered. After the white flag had been raised, Union commander Col. Dixon Miles was struck by a shell fragment, one of the last rounds that had been fired during the battle, and died. Jackson captured 12,700 Union soldiers, which was the largest single capture of Union troops during the war. He also captured 13,000 arms and 47 pieces of artillery.