Existing comment:
Capture of Harper's Ferry
September 15, 1862
No. 4
In the afternoon of the 14th Jackson's Division advanced its left, seized commanding ground near the Potomac and established Artillery upon it. Hill's Division moved from Halltown obliquely to the right until it struck the Shenandoah, then pushed along the river; the advance, after some sharp skirmishing late in the night gained high ground upon which were placed five Batteries. Commanding the left rear of the Union line. Ewell's Division advanced through Halltown to School House Hill and deployed about one mile on front of Bolivar Heights, bivouacking on either side of the Charlestown Road. During the night the Confederates advanced on the right and left gaining some ground, and 10 guns of Ewell's Division crossed the Shenandoah at Key's Ford and were placed on the plateau at the foot of Loudon Heights to enfilade the entire Position on Bolivar Heights.
About 9 P.M. the entire Union Cavalry force, about 1500 men, crossed the Pontoon Bridge, passed up the canal bank about a mile followed the mountain road near the river, crossed the Antietam near its mouth, passed through Sharpsburg about midnight and escaped into Pennsylvania. |