How the Disaster Occurred.
The surrender of Harper’s Ferry surprised everybody when it was announced. It was not easy to understand how it had become necessary. Col. Miles had under his command about 13,000 men, including the cavalry that escaped. He had all the artillery necessary to a successful defence of the position, including fifty pieces of field artillery, besides all the heavy guns in the various batteries on the Heights. There was no lack of ammunition or stores, and the place should have been held against double the force that was brought against it. The batteries on Maryland Heights were finely placed and very powerful. This was the key to the position, and a capable and determined officer would have held it success fully without serious difficulty.
The officer placed in charge of Maryland Heights was Col. Thomas H. Ford of Ohio. He had all the men necessary to map the batteries and repel an attack; and the hundred pounder rifled guns and other heavy pieces, commanded the approaches to Harper’s Ferry for miles around. And yet, soon after the appearance of the enemy, he spiked his guns and evacuated the position. This made it impossible for our troops to hold Harper’s Ferry. Maryland Heights were immediately occupied by the rebels, and their army now supported by batteries there, and by other batteries immediately placed on Loudon Heights, attacked Col. Miles on all sides in overwhelming force, and nothing was left for him but surrender. Before the firing ceased Col. Miles was mortally wounded.
It is charged that Col. Ford evacuated Maryland Heights without orders, and therefore that he is responsible for the disaster that followed. The order to spike the guns and leave the Heights was written by Col. Ford himself, and Col. Miles declared very earnestly that he had not given such an order. A lieutenant in the 12th New York regiment, who stood conversing with Col. Miles at the time, states positively that “when the colonel cast his eye up the mountain and saw our men spiking the guns, he exclaimed, ‘Good God, he is giving up the Heights !” that he reeled in his saddle and was apparently almost overcome.” There is other evidence that Col. Miles was surprised and indignant at the surrender of Maryland Heights; and the only thing said in behalf of Col. Ford is that it was left to his discretion to evacuate the Heights should he deem it necessary to do so. But this, if true, could not exonerate him, for, if he had such discretion, it is plain enough that his exercise of it under the circumstances was extremely censurable, to speak of it as mildly as possible.
It is a matter that should be investigated, and we trust that it will not be suffered to pass without such attention from the government. If the charge against Col. Ford is true, he is unfit to be trusted anywhere. He must him self see the necessity of demanding an investigation, if he has the means of repelling the charge; but the government should order it, whether he demands it or not.
Worcester Daily Spy, Worcester, MA