The Battle of Harpers Ferry was fought September 12–15, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. A Confederate force commanded by Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson captured the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) with its 12,419 soldiers. Harpers Ferry 1865 Obtained from National Archives This is in the public domain. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... 1862 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Jefferson County is a county located in the state of West Virginia. ... National Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Official language English de facto nationwide Various European and Native American languages regionally Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3–April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans... National Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Official language English de facto nationwide Various European and Native American languages regionally Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3–April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans... For the 1960s country music artist, see Stonewall Jackson (musician); for the submarine, see USS Stonewall Jackson (SSBN-634). ... Battle of South Mountain Conflict American Civil War Date September 14, 1862 Place Frederick County and Washington County Result Union victory The Battle of South Mountain was a battle of the American Civil War, considered by some to be prelude to the Battle of Antietam. ... Battle of Antietam Conflict American Civil War Date September 17, 1862 Place Near Sharpsburg, Maryland Result (Union strategic victory) The Battle of Antietam (known as the Battle of Sharpsburg in the South), fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle... Battle of Shepherdstown Conflict American Civil War Date September 19-20, 1862 Place Jefferson County, West Virginia Result Confederate victory The Battle of Shepherdstown, also known as the Battle of Botelers Ford, took place from September 19-20, 1862 in Jefferson County, West Virginia as part of the Maryland... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years). ... 1862 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Confederate dead at Antietam The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign, was a series of battles fought in September, 1862—Robert E. Lees first invasion of the North—during the American Civil War. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... For other meanings of confederate and confederacy, see confederacy (disambiguation) National Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Official language English de facto nationwide Various European and Native American languages regionally Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Largest... For the 1960s country music artist, see Stonewall Jackson (musician); for the submarine, see USS Stonewall Jackson (SSBN-634). ... The Union Army refers to the United States Army during the American Civil War. ... Harpers Ferry, Virginia 1865. ... State nickname: Old Dominion Other U.S. States Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Governor Mark R. Warner Official languages English Area 110,862 km² (35th)  - Land 102,642 km²  - Water 8,220 km² (7. ... State nickname: Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Governor Joe Manchin Official languages None Area 62,809 km² (41st)  - Land 62,436 km²  - Water 376 km² (0. ...

Harpers Ferry was earlier the site of the abolitionist John Brown's attack on the Federal arsenal there. It is a small town at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Shenandoah River. It was virtually indefensible, dominated on all sides by higher ground. John Brown John Brown (May 9, 1800—December 2, 1859) was a radical American abolitionist who played a major part in the history of slavery in the United States leading up to the American Civil War. ... Upper part of the Potomac River The Potomac River flows into Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ... This article is about the river in Virginia in the United States. ...

After Robert E. Lee's army had advanced into Maryland, Lee learned that the Union garrison, led by Colonel Dixon S. Miles, had not retreated. Lee planned to capture the Union garrison and the Federal arsenal, with its supplies of rifles and ammunition. He sent three columns of troops to converge and attack from three directions. The largest column, under Jackson, was to recross the Potomac and circle around to the west of Harpers Ferry and attack it from that direction, while the other two columns, under Generals Lafayette McLaws and John G. Walker, were to capture Maryland Heights and Loudon Heights, commanding the town from the east and south. Robert Edward Lee, as a U.S. Army Colonel before the war Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a career army officer and the most successful general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. ... State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Other U.S. States Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Official languages English Area 32,160 km² (42nd)  - Land 25,338 km²  - Water 6,968 km² (21%) Population (2000)  - Population 5,296,486 (19th)  - Density 165 /km² (5th) Admittance into... Lafayette McLaws Lafayette McLaws ( January 15, 1821 – July 24, 1897) was a U.S. Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. ...

George B. McClellan, the Union commander of the Army of the Potomac, in pursuit of Lee, had wanted to add the Harpers Ferry garrison to his field army, but general-in-chief Henry W. Halleck had refused, saying that the movement would be too difficult and that Miles had to defend himself until McClellan could relieve him. Halleck had probably expected Miles to show some military knowledge and courage. Instead, although reinforced by the Federal garrison from Martinsburg, which had eluded Jackson (Jackson's attempt to capture it was responsible for most of his delay in reaching Harpers Ferry), Miles insisted on keeping most of the troops near the town instead of taking up a commanding position on Maryland Heights. Once the detachment of 1,600 men he had left on the Heights was driven back, he was hopelessly trapped by Confederates on higher ground on all sides. George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was a Major General of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... Henry Wager Halleck (1815 - 1872) was an American soldier and politician. ...

During the night of September 14, Colonel Benjamin F. Davis and Colonel Amos Voss led their 1,200 cavalrymen out of Harpers Ferry, evading McLaws, and capturing Longstreet's ammunition train along the way. Miles made no effort to follow them with the rest of the garrison. He had not been informed of a relief force sent by McClellan under William B. Franklin, so presumably felt his position was hopeless. Besides, most of Miles' troops were new and inexperienced and could not fight their way successfully through enemy lines. The next morning, September 15, the Confederates bombarded the garrison from all sides and it was forced to surrender. Miles himself was mortally wounded in the bombardment. September 14 is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years). ... Major General William B. Franklin William Buel Franklin ( February 27, 1823 – March 8, 1903) was a career Army officer and Union Army general in the American Civil War. ... September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years). ...

At noon on September 15, a courier reached Jackson with word from Lee: Get your troops to Sharpsburg as quickly as possible. Jackson left A.P. Hill at Harpers Ferry to manage the parole of federal prisoners and began marching to join the Battle of Antietam. Sharpsburg is a town located in Washington County, Maryland. ... Ambrose Powell Hill (November 9, 1825 _ April 2, 1865), was a Confederate States of America general in the American Civil War. ... Battle of Antietam Conflict American Civil War Date September 17, 1862 Place Near Sharpsburg, Maryland Result (Union strategic victory) The Battle of Antietam (known as the Battle of Sharpsburg in the South), fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle...

References

• National Parks Service page on the battle (http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/wv010.htm)

External links

• West Point Atlas map of the capture of Harpers Ferry (http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/web03/atlases/american%20civil%20war/acw%20pages/harpers_ferry.htm)