Battle of Harpers Ferry

Overview

The Battle of Harpers Ferry was fought September 12–15, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War. As Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee's Confederate army invaded Maryland, a portion of his army under Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson surrounded, bombarded, and captured the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Harpers Ferry was a component operation of the Maryland Campaign, fought while Confederate General Robert E. Lee's army was advancing through Maryland. Jackson's force surrounded and bombarded the Union garrison, ultimately capturing it along with nearly 12,636 Union troops — making it one of the largest single surrenders of Union forces in the war. The operation cleared Lee's strategic rear and secured a significant supply of men and materiel for the Confederate army as it continued operations in Maryland. The scale of the loss removed a substantial Union force from the campaign at a critical juncture.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (4)