Harpers Ferry – Marines Take the Fort
Earlier this morning we made the drive up to Harpers Ferry to observe the Sesquicentennial events recalling John Brown’s raid of 1859. With weather shading from “crisp” to “miserable,” I didn’t want to keep my four-year-old traveling partner out too long. As most of the events planned were oriented to older audiences, we focused on “The Final Assault” event where the Marines are depicted storming John Brown’s Fort. The event was timed to occur at roughly the 150th anniversary to the hour.
But of course, the “location” is a little out of place.
Original Location of the Armory Fire Engine House
With changes to the railroad lines after the Civil War, the fire engine house was first torn down and used at various venues as an attraction. Later the “fort” stood on the grounds of Storer College west of the original site. In 1968 the Park Service brought the structure back to Lower Town, but about 100 feet from the original location.
John Brown's Fort Today
Standing in front of the “fort” in this view are several living historians and U.S. Marines dressed in period uniforms. Moments later, a USMC Gunnery Sergeant began a presentation detailing the events which unfolded on October 16-17, 1859.
Marine Presentation. Hoohaa!
There’s something which Gunnery Sergeants learn along the way which allows them to “command” attention. And it was a real treat to hear from a Marine, about actions taken by Marines. The Gunny explained the background behind John Brown and the key events. But his tone and focus was directed toward the military aspects of the raid and response. Particularly Gunny pointed out the arrival of Virginia Militia (some of which came from Loudoun County BTW) and later a detachment of US Marines on October 17. The Army, of course, was represented by one Colonel Robert E. Lee and a Lieutenant Stuart using the moniker J.E.B.
Shortly into the presentation, a reenactor portraying John Brown stepped forward to offer his interpretation.
John Brown Speaks
When the reenactor returned inside the “fort,” the Gunny then explained the events that unfolded on the morning of October 18. Colonel Lee, faced questions of jurisdiction among those tactical problems presented by John Brown with his hostages. At first Lee turned to the militia, then he asked the Marines to storm the building. The Marines used axes in their first attempt to break down the door.
Axes Against the Door
Not a good action shot, as I just missed the timing of the click. But the two Marines front and center of the door were swinging axes, were we pretended the doors were shut. Our narrator noted that the Marines then grabbed a ladder to use as a battering ram.
Ladder Against the Door
This, the narrator pointed out, turned out much more effective and soon the Marines were able to break into the “fort.”
The Marines Go In
Note one casualty laying to the left of the door. This was Luke Quinn, killed as the party stormed into the engine house. Our Gunny narrator pointed out the storming party was told that those who held their hands up were hostages. Those who were holding weapons were obviously raiders. Sort of simple rules of engagement, if you ask me. (Perhaps another topic for another time!)
Shortly the Marines emerged with John Brown in custody, and the hostages set free.
John Brown Captured
Thus concluded the final assault. The Gunny related some details of Brown’s trial and execution. Then as a closing note, he pointed out that Harpers Ferry was, to the Marine Corps, sacred ground – one of the Corps’ battlefields where some of their number shed blood.
As related earlier, with the weather less than pleasant today, we cut our trip short. Earlier in the day we’d stopped at Loudoun Heights to converse with Robert Moore, a.k.a. Cenantua, concerning the engagement fought there in January 1864. So all told my “aide” and I were out in the elements for about 3-4 hours. Yes, let me again say it’s rather convenient living in Loudoun County when planning Civil War related day trips!
So the Sequi is off and running. I’ve had a week that has included a presentation from Ed Bearss, local author book fair in Leesburg, and finally the observance at Harpers Ferry. I’m looking forward to the events as they start up again next year, and particularly over 2011-12. This week was a good start!
Harpers Ferry Old Armory Grounds
Harpers Ferry National Historical Site opened the grounds of the old armory earlier this year following some years of archeological work. A short trail, on the ground between the Potomac Street berm and the railroad line features interpretive waysides, several with 3D features. Henry T. McLin of Hanover, PA cataloged most of these earlier in the year, adding to our coverage of Harpers Ferry.
The story of the Armory began in the 1790s with a bill passed by the US Congress approving the establishment of armories and magazines. President George Washington selected Harpers Ferry as the second (the first being Springfield, Massachusetts). With the purchase of 125-acres in 1796, and construction commencing in 1799, the “United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry” took shape. Activity at the Armory passed through several highs and lows. By 1810, small arms production reached 10,000. However by the 1840s the production facilities lapsed into less functional states, suffering from limited funding. The War Department improved facilities over 1845-54 with new workshops, machinery, mill works, and increased staffing. At the time of John Brown’s Raid in 1859, the facility employed 400 workers.
Displays at Harpers Ferry today, in the “industrial exhibits” building, show examples of the equipment used at the armory and musket factory.
Duplicating Lathe for Stocks
Rifling Machine
The Arsenal produced several generations of small arms ranging from the early flintlocks, to Hall pattern breechloaders, to the percussion cap muskets at the eve of the Civil War. Some sources credit the arsenal for housing some 100,000 weapons by 1859, in readiness for issue in the advent of a war. Most readers will recall, the Armory was the initial objective of John Brown’s Army which attacked Harpers Ferry on October 16, 1859 – specifically those muskets which Brown intended to use to arm freed slaves and others who joined his war of abolition in the mountains. Thus, one might say the “war” came to the muskets, instead of the muskets going to war. Of course, events did not turn out as planned in 1859, and the muskets were not used for THAT rebellion.
In April 1861, with the announcement of the secession of Virginia, the Armory lay within grasp of that state’s militia. On April 18, 1861, 1st Lieutenant Roger Jones at Harpers Ferry sized up the situation and determined the Arsenal must be destroyed to prevent capture. He reported burning up most of the facilities and 15,000 stand of arms. A later report prepared by Lieutenant Colonel William Maynadier of the Ordnance Department detailed the loss of “20,507 arms of different models in store,” $270,235 worth of machinery, $109,560 worth of tools, and $193,616 of parts and materials. [OR, Series I, Vol. 2, Serial No. 2, pp. 4-6]
However, some of the equipment was salvageable. Confederates sent tools and machinery south to seed a fledgling armaments industry. But with Harpers Ferry untenable in the face of threats from Maryland Heights, in June 1861 the Confederates (under a Colonel Thomas J. Jackson) withdrew from the town, leaving behind a burned and pillaged Armory.
Photos from 1862 indicate at least some of the buildings survived. One looks at the Armory from the east, down what is today Potomac Street.
Armory Ruins, 1862 (Historic Photo Collection, Harpers Ferry NHP)
From another view looking at the Armory from the west, at a higher elevation, the damage is much more apparent.
Overlook of the Armory, 1862 (Historic Photo Collection, Harpers Ferry NHP)
After the war, the Government sold off the site, with portions becoming a paper mill. By the 1930s, even that endeavor had grown stale. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad purchased easements and improved the rail lines into what had been the Armory. Three different rail lines (the original used in 1836-1893, a second used 1894-1930, and the last dating to 1931) have traversed the grounds. Today only portions of the once vital Armory remain uncovered by the rail lines.
Armory Site from the Berm
The armory canal, which provided water power to the engines and machinery, is visible upstream, west of the modern train station. But around the main Armory area seen here the course is covered by the berm left by the second rail line.
Railroad Berm
However, the old wall along the Potomac River remains.
River Wall
Along the wall are a few depressions, lined with carefully laid stones – the remains of tailraces.
Tailrace
The output flow of water from the turbines passed through these holes and out to the Potomac.
Output Hole in a Tailrace
The site is, as mentioned above, well marked and interpreted. Locations of structures are roped off to help the visitor visualize the foundation traces.
Trace of the Forging Shop
The larger wayside type markers feature three-dimensional displays which aid the descriptions of items found during archeological excavations or historical research.
Examples of Artifacts
My four year old “Aide-de-Camp” liked these displays in particular, providing something to touch and ask questions about. Much more so than the standard photos and illustrations.
Replica Lockplate from 1855 Rifle
The trail is not much more than a few hundred feet, but just enough off the beaten path at Harpers Ferry it is overlooked by many. I would suggest visitors mark this as a “must see” site, allocating 10-15 minutes on their itineraries. I have included the markers in this area within a related set at the Historical Marker Database.
School House Ridge, Part II
In the Harpers Ferry Historical Park, US 340 bisects the park’s School House Ridge unit. I covered the northern half in an earlier post. The southern half is less developed, and certainly off the beaten path, but offers a few points of interest for the battlefield walker.
From the northern half parking lot off Bakerton Road (CR 27), the trail head of the southern half is reached by way of a crossing of the busy US 340. Bloomery Road is a continuation of (CR 27) and follows the valley between School House Ridge and Bolivar Heights, down to Millville, WV. The parking lot is roughly a half mile south of US 340.
And yes, there is a “one room visitor center” on site.
Two trails, to the northwest and south west split out from the trail head. The northwest trail offers a view of Bolivar Heights and the other Heights beyond, with a historical perspective. The interpretive marker at this point details the use of signal flags to coordinate General Jackson’s activities during the siege operations.
The southwest trail passes several post-Civil War ruins. Almost all are fenced off and appear near collapse. Queries with the park service has needed little background information regarding these structures. Continuing south, the trail drops down along Flowing Springs Run. A.P. Hill staged his division in this area prior to moving out to the Murphy Farm area on Bolivar Heights.
Outside of the park, further south on Bloomery Road at Millville is Keys Switch. The railroad here makes a turn around School House Ridge with branches to the south (Winchester) on a siding and west (Charlestown). The town was along A.P. Hill’s line of march. A Sons of Confederate Veterans obelisk at the switch marks the location of a skirmish on April 15, 1865 involving Col. Mosby’s Confederate Rangers and a detachment of Federals.
The markers for Schoolhouse Ridge both north and south sections are here: List Map. Overall the trails on the southern half of the ridge are easy walks, with only a few steep grades. I managed to take in Loudoun Heights and walk the southern trails as a “cool down.”
One additional note, School House Ridge was in the news recently regarding a nearby training facility for the US Customs and Border Protection Agency.
Other related articles:
Loudoun Heights
On Saturday I took advantage of the good hiking weather and ascended Loudoun Heights overlooking Harpers Ferry. The main attraction to the heights for the Civil War enthusiast are several extant fortifications, in addition to a view of Harpers Ferry and surrounding ground. The park service lists the trail as 8 miles, but that probably includes distance from the Visitors Center area. I found the distance from the parking area near the Highway 340 bridge up to the northern overlook to be closer to six miles. The trail is rated “strenuous.” From the crossing of the Shenandoah River to the crest, just over three-quarters of a mile, the elevation increases from around 275 feet to 1150 feet above sea level. My advice is to pack well, and pick a cool day.
The initial leg of the trail follows the Appalachian Trail to about the 900 foot elevation line. I found this to be the most difficult of the trail, naturally. Because the first step up from the bridge criss crosses a creek, with several small waterfalls, the going was somewhat damp. But after the crossing Chestnut Hill Road, the path was dry. At several segments the trail parallels an old road bed used by the U.S. Armory to move charcoal down hill. In the first half of the 19th century, the wooded slopes of Loudoun Heights were processed to feed the industry in Harpers Ferry. At first glance, the old road bed appears to be a breastwork. But it is the result of the debris of road clearing and wear:
Where the Appalachian Trail turns south, two different legs branch off to the north and the heights proper. The Orange Blazed trail follows one of the Charcoal roads across the lower tier of the heights. The Blue Blazed trail branches off the Appalachian Trail further up the heights, and follows the ridge crest more closely. I recommend the blue trail going up for two reasons. First the fortifications are along the blue trail. Second, well it is better to get the climbing out of the way while your are able to! Regardless, both Blue and Orange merge about a half mile to the north.
Before turning onto the Blue trail, I walked the Appalachian for about 300 yards further south to locate what might be the remains of a blockhouse dating back to Jackson’s first occupation of the Heights in 1861.
I returned back to the Blue Trail and proceeded north. During the Siege of Harpers Ferry, Brig. Gen. John G. Walker sent the 27th North Carolina and 13th Virginia to secure the heights on September 13, 1862. Finding the ground unoccupied, Walker then ordered three Parrotts from French’s Battery and two “rifled pieces” from Branch’s Battery to the heights. My records show Branch’s contained one Parrott and two 3-in Ordnance Rifles at this time, but presumably Walker meant the Ordnance types. Walker’s report mentions reducing a Federal battery and causing much “great consternation and commotion” while firing down on Harpers Ferry. My estimates are the guns took positions somewhere along the Blue Trail a few hundred yard north of the Appalachian Trail.
A short distance up the trail several rock pilings are on either side. These are partly debris kicked up by the logging of the heights, but some are the residue of Federal occupation in October 1862. The 2nd Division, XII Corps held this position during the slow pursuit after Antietam. General Greene’s Federals improved the existing blockhouses and added several stone redoubts and rifle pits.
Moving further north along the trail, two “vistas” are presented by way of power line cuts through the wooded slopes and a third “overlook” from the cliffs. The first “vista” offers a sweeping view the terrain to the west, including the upper portions of Harpers Ferry, Bolivar Heights, School House Ridge, and the approaches from the west.
At the second of the vistas, a better perspective of the dominating elevations of Maryland Heights is apparent.
And also from this view, what six hundred feet or so of elevation looks like:
Also of note is the view of South Mountain, in the distance here.
I include this mostly because the most distant, and highest, elevation of South Mountain in this view (distant left) is the high ground just south of Fox’s Gap. Both Crampton’s and Brownsville Gaps are in the distant center. Moving on, the last overlook is actually the northern most point in the Blue Ridge at the Potomac. The average visitor to Harpers Ferry notes this as a set of cliffs over Highway 340 (seen in the center next to the river).
From this overlook, the trail heads down the slope to Highway 340. I opted to back track across the heights and down the Orange Trail. I’d rather walk up and down the rocky slopes than to dodge traffic. Overall the hike took four hours to complete, with all the back tracking and a lunch at the last overlook. Loudoun Heights certainly qualifies as “off the beaten path.” I wouldn’t recommend it if you have a single day to see Harpers Ferry. But it makes for a great day trip excursion.
I found David T. Gilbert’s A Walker’s Guide to Harpers Ferry quite useful for this hike. However for a map, I used Trailhead Graphics’ Civil War Campaigns Across the Potomac.
School House Ridge
School House Ridge at the Harpers Ferry Battlefield is one of those out of the way corners that get overlooked by most visitors to the park. The Federal lines on Bolivar Heights were long part of the park. But until Civil War Preservation Trust purchased sections on School House Ridge, the battle lines used by Jackson’s forces during the September 1862 siege were neglected. With the addition of the Murphy Farm section, the real story of the 1862 battle plays out to the visitor, without a long hike up Maryland or Loudoun Heights.
The northern section of School House Ridge is best reached from the parking area, off the Bakerton Road (WVA 27) on the west side of the Bolivar Heights section. Bakerton Road runs north to south between School House Ridge and Bolivar Heights. The foot trail of about a mile and a half is mostly undeveloped, so bring your hiking boots. Once atop the ridge, several interpretive markers discuss the battle, but unfortunately in general terms. The section of the ridge was occupied by Ewell’s/Lawton’s Division during the battle but no detailed discussion of the units or employment is provided. A lone 3-inch Ordnance Rifle is positioned to fire on Bolivar Heights:
Looking down it’s barrel, the snake rail fence in the distance is about half way back to Bakerton Road. But the eyes won’t see the road from here. The ground drops off enough through the valley, that it becomes dead space for this point of view. However, Bolivar Heights is the long wooded ridge running from left to right in the background. Looking almost center of the photo, just below the profile of Maryland Heights, is a strip cut out of the ridge. Armed with binoculars, or if one zooms into the photo for the same effect, there is a sister 3-in Ordnance Rifle on the Federal side of the valley:
From the Federal point of view, the gun in the previous photo is in the most distant “green” patch ground. Like the Confederate gun, Bakerton Road is also not visible directly from this gun’s muzzle. The ground drops off sharp enough to create dead space for direct fire. Indeed, none of the positions for the Federal skirmish line below the Heights are visible, only the Confederate positions on the far ridge. Looking at the map, the Federal gun is at about 610 feet in elevation. The Confederate piece is probably around 430 feet. The ground around Bakerton Road is 400 feet in elevation. Just looking at the topographical map, one would think there would be few blind spots. Once again, there is just no substitute to actually putting boots on the ground!
Of note, at the time of the battle, and later when Sheridan fortified the ridge line, the tree line was significantly thinner than today. While the direct line view is similar to that during the war, the panoramic view is not as accurate. Also, looking in the foreground of the Federal position are a line of trenches, probably dating to Sheridan’s 1864 fortifications, but no doubt in line with similar works built in 1862. From those trenches, just down from the crest, it is a bit easier to view the Federal Skirmish Line and Bakerton Road. Still, I’m reminded of Missionary Ridge overlooking Chattanooga. To fully defend this ridge line, the Federals needed weapons to fire down the valley at angles to cover the dead zone. Fort Duncan on the north side of the Potomac offered such a position. However without a good terrain walk it is hard to determine how effective that position would be. And today much of that terrain is private property.
The distance between the artillery pieces is just under a mile. Figuring the range of a 3-in Ordnance Rifle was about 2750 yards (Hotchkiss or Schenkl projectiles), or about one and a half miles. So the positions presented here are within the bounds of the weapons systems and offer an opportunity to study the “geometry” of the Civil War battle-space with regard to artillery employment.
