[Video] Today in History: Harpers Ferry- Stonewall Jackson’s Greatest Capture – 9.15.1862

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Today in History: [Video] Today in History: Harpers Ferry- Stonewall Jackson’s Greatest Capture
September 15, 1862

On September 15, 1862, Confederate forces under General Stonewall Jackson achieved one of the most stunning victories of the American Civil War — the capture of Harpers Ferry. The town, strategically located at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, was a vital transportation and supply hub, making it a key target during Robert E. Lee’s Maryland Campaign.

Union forces under Colonel Dixon S. Miles held the garrison, but their position was vulnerable. Surrounded by steep hills, Harpers Ferry could be easily dominated by artillery placed on the heights. Jackson, one of Lee’s most trusted commanders, moved swiftly to exploit this weakness, placing cannons on the surrounding ridges to encircle the defenders.

For three days, Confederate forces closed in. Union troops attempted to resist, but Miles failed to act decisively, ignoring advice to evacuate or break out before it was too late. On the morning of September 15, Confederate artillery rained down on the town from three sides, leaving the defenders with no escape.

Realizing the hopelessness of his position, Miles agreed to surrender. More than 12,500 Union soldiers were taken prisoner, the largest mass surrender of Union troops in the entire war. Miles himself was mortally wounded during the negotiations, struck by a final Confederate shell.

The fall of Harpers Ferry provided the Confederacy with thousands of captured rifles and much-needed supplies, while also boosting Southern morale. For the Union, it was a humiliating defeat that exposed poor leadership and the vulnerability of even well-manned garrisons.

Yet the Confederate triumph was short-lived. Just two days later, Lee’s army would clash with Union forces at Antietam, the bloodiest single day of the war, where the momentum of the Maryland Campaign was halted. Harpers Ferry, however, remains remembered as Stonewall Jackson’s brilliant victory and the largest Union surrender of the Civil War.