Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/194

 188 Southern Historical Society Papers.

companies, the Winchester Continentals, the Winchester Rifles, a Charlestown company and portions of the Fauquier cavalry reached Harper's Ferry and found the arsenal and buildings in flames. But Lieutenant Jones had not succeeded in destroying everything which he could not defend, and the flames were soon extinguished. By the 23d April the newspapers reported that five thousand Virginia troops had assembled at Harper's Ferry,* but Major- General Kenton Harper, of Augusta, who was in command, reports the number at but two thousand. t

On the rSth April, Major-General William B. Taliaferro was ordered to take command of the State troops which were assembling at Norfolk. J The volunteer companies from Richmond, Petersburg and other cities of Virginia were hastening thither as one of the most exposed points ; among these companies was the Richmond Grays, Company A, of the First regiment, from which it then became de- tached, and afterwards formed part of the Twelfth. § On the other side, General Scott had charged Colonel H. G. Wright, United States Engineer Corps, with securing if possible the navy yard and property at Portsmouth, with the ships of war then in the harbor, and for that purpose authorized him to call on the commanding officer at Fort Monroe for such forces as he could spare without jeopardizing the safety of the fort. With Colonel Wardrop's regiment, about three hundred and seventy strong. Colonel Wright proceeded to Norfolk, where they arrived some time after dark on the evening of the 20th. But on reaching the navy yard. Colonel Wright found that Commo- dore McCauley, to prevent their seizure by the Virginia forces, had scuttled all the ship? except the Cumberland, and Commodore Pauld- ing, who had come on the Pawnee from Washington, determined to finish the destruction of the scuttled ships and to destroy also, as far as possible, the property in the yard.|l This was attempted, but with partial success, General Taliaferro, with the assistance of Colonel Andrew Talcot, saving many of the guns and much of the material.**

On the 22d April, by the authority of the Governor of the State of Virginia, Brigadier- General Ruggles assumed command of the volunteers and militia along the line of the Potomac, extending from


 * Richmond Enquirer, April 23, 1S61.

t Records War of Rebellion, Vol. 11, p. 772. % Ibid, p. 771.

\ War History of the First Virginia, p. 7.

II Records War of Rebellion, Vol. 11, p. 21-23. ** Ibid, p. 781.