Battle of Harpers Ferry

39°19′22″N 77°43′49″W / 39.3228°N 77.7302°W / 39.3228; -77.7302

Battle of Harpers Ferry
Part of the American Civil War

Harpers Ferry in West Virginia in 1865
DateSeptember 12, 1862 (1862-09-12) – September 15, 1862 (1862-09-15)
Location
Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States United States (Union) Confederate States of America Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
United States Dixon S. Miles 
United States Julius White
Stonewall Jackson
A.P. Hill
Strength
14,000[1] 21,000–26,000[2]
Casualties and losses
12,636 total
44 killed
173 wounded
12,419 captured[3][4]
286 total
39 killed
247 wounded[3][4]

The Battle of Harpers Ferry was fought September 12–15, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. As Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee's Confederate army invaded Maryland, a portion of his army under Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson surrounded, bombarded, and captured the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia).

As Lee's Army of Northern Virginia advanced down the Shenandoah Valley into Maryland, he planned to capture the garrison at Harpers Ferry to secure his line of supply back to Virginia. Although he was being pursued at a leisurely pace by Major General George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac, outnumbering him more than two to one, Lee chose the risky strategy of dividing his army and sent one portion to converge and attack Harpers Ferry from three directions. Colonel Dixon S. Miles, Union commander at Harpers Ferry, insisted on keeping most of the troops near the town instead of taking up commanding positions on the surrounding heights. The slim defenses of the most important position, Maryland Heights, first encountered the approaching Confederates on September 12, but only brief skirmishing ensued. Strong attacks by two Confederate brigades on September 13 drove the Union troops from the heights.

During the fighting on Maryland Heights, the other Confederate columns arrived and were astonished to see that critical positions to the west and south of town were not defended. Jackson methodically positioned his artillery around Harpers Ferry and ordered Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill to move down the west bank of the Shenandoah River in preparation for a flank attack on the Federal left the next morning. By the morning of September 15, Jackson had positioned nearly 50 guns on Maryland Heights and at the base of Loudoun Heights. He began a fierce artillery barrage from all sides and ordered an infantry assault. Miles realized that the situation was hopeless and agreed with his subordinates to raise the white flag of surrender. Before he could surrender personally, he was mortally wounded by an artillery shell and died the next day. After processing more than 12,000 Union prisoners, Jackson's men then rushed to Sharpsburg, Maryland, to rejoin Lee for the Battle of Antietam.[5]

  1. ^ Bailey (1984), p. 38; Bodart (1908), p. 527; Eicher, McPherson & McPherson (2001), p. 345; Kennedy (1998), p. 113; Rafuse (2008), p. 219; Robertson (1997), p. 602; Sears (1983), p. 88; Murfin (2004), p. 86; McPherson (2002), p. 106
    The strength of the Union forces is estimated at 12,737 by Eicher, p. 345; 13,000 (110,500 initially plus 2,500 from Martinsburg) by McPherson, p. 106 and Sears, p. 88; 12,000 by Murfin, p. 86 and 14,000 by Bailey, p. 38, Kennedy, p. 113, Rafuse, p. 219, Robertson, p. 602, and Bodart, p. 527.
  2. ^ Bailey (1984), pp. 38–39; Bodart (1908), p. 527; Eicher, McPherson & McPherson (2001), p. 345; Kennedy (1998), p. 113; Rafuse (2008), p. 219; Robertson (1997), p. 602
    The Confederate strength is estimated as 26,000 by Rafuse, p. 216, (Jackson 14,000, McLaws 8,000, Walker 4,000). Bailey, p. 38, estimates 21,000 ("7,000 more" than his Union estimate of 14,000). Robertson, p. 602, estimates 23,000.
  3. ^ a b eHistory: Harpers Ferry @ Ohio State University.
  4. ^ a b NPS CWSAC Report.
  5. ^ Carman (2010), pp. 283–355; Gottfried (2013), pp. 18–104; Hartwig (2012), pp. 553–581; Teetor (1982), pp. 11–240.

Battle of Harpers Ferry

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