Capture of Harper's Ferry Armory.
The Commissioners sent on by the
Governor to take possession of
Harper's Ferry, have returned.
The people in the vicinity were opposed to the act. It is stated that after being addressed by the
Commissioners, and after witnessing the conduct of the United States troops, they joined in the seizure with fervor.
The Alexandria
Gazette, of Saturday, says:
‘
By the down train on the
Alexandria,
Loudoun and
Hampshire Railroad, we have the following important information:
The Arsenal at
Harper's Ferry is in ruins, with 16,000 stand of arms.
At 12 o'clock last night, the Horse troops from
Fauquier, under
Lieutenant Randolph and
Captain T. R. Ashby, arrived at
Harper's Ferry, and demanded the surrender of the Arsenal.
A parley was asked by the garrison, and in a few minutes flames were seen to burst from the buildings, they having been fired during the parley, by the garrison, which escaped across the river, leaving nothing but burning ruins behind them.
The troops via the
Manassas Road had not arrived.
A train laid to blow up the work-shop failed, and as a consequence
Virginia gets the machinery uninjured.
A train was also laid to blow up the bridge, but in the baste of departure the retiring troops neglected to apply the match.
’
The
Enquirer of yesterday says:
‘
John Seddon,
Esq., (member of the Virginia Legislature from
Stafford county,) had been detailed with a body of
Virginia troops to visit
Harper's Ferry, and proceeded to that place on Friday last.
When
Mr. Seddon arrived at
Harper's Ferry, the citizens of that place, under the impression that the
State authorities were about to make an unlawful seizure of their property, to the number of some 250 or 300, opposed the supposed invasion of their rights.
On the arrival of 300
Virginia troops, the
Federal troops, fearing they would be overpowered, fired the
Armory and evacuated it. As soon as this was done, the citizens of
Harper's Ferry saw the mistake they had made, and, with the
State troops, rushed forward to extinguish the fire and save the property within the
Armory, which they succeeded in doing in a great measure.
All of the machinery was saved uninjured, and 5,000 of the improved patent muskets were saved, and are now on the way to
Richmond.
All of the buildings at
Harper's Ferry, and 9,000 of the old smooth-bore muskets, were destroyed.
There are now 2,300 State troops guarding
Harper's Ferry.
’
[by telegraph.]
Alexandria,April 20.--It is now ascertained that about 8,000 stand of arms were saved at
Harper's Ferry, half of them being incomplete.
Seven of the U. S. troops there have deserted, and joined the Virginians.
The
Washington city National Volunteers are deserting, and flocking down to us to-day.
The
Gunpowder bridge beyond
Baltimore, was blown up yesterday, to prevent the passage of troops.
It is nearly a mile long.
Passengers say the Baltimorean are a unit to resist the passage of troops.
