pect that Harper's Ferry would be attacked . As s personal inspection would best post me up as to the condition of things, I began on the Harper; s Ferry side, and found Kenly's brigade-consisting of two regiments of infantry and one light battery ; in all, 900 men-posted on Bolivar Heights. I also found that all the military subsistence, ammunition, &c., were exposed on the Virginia side, in Harper's Ferry . I found m on the Maryland side, Brigadier-General Morris's brigade, consisting of parts of two artillery and one infantry regiment, one light battery, and Cole's cavalry, in all 2, 200 men, thus making the entire force in and around Harper's Ferry 3, 100 men, irrespective of the disorganized forces which cane in from Martinsburg and Winchester on June 15-16, amounting to 3, 300 men. On june 17, I was re-enforced by two regiments of infantry (1, 700 men) from the Relay House, and on the 25th by Jewett's brigade consisting of three small regiments and one light battery, in all 1, 700 men, from Hooker's army . My inspection satisfied me that the entire force should, as soon as possible, be removed to the Maryland side, and not a moment was to be lost in removing all the military supplies, hospitals, &c., from the Virginia side, placing them under the protection of Maryland Heights; and to effects this objects every team was put into requisition and used exclusively for this purpose until the morning of the 17th, the quartermaster, commissary, and ordnance officers reported all the stores safe on the Maryland side. So long as stragglers were coming in from Milroy's defeat, and the stores and supplies were on the Virginia side, it appeared to me injudicious to remove Kenly's brigade, although it was exposed to be cut off by the enemy ; but the moment these two objects were measurably attained (on the evening of the 16th), I ordered General Kenly, with his two regiments and light battery, and two regiments which arrived from Relay House, to take post on Maryland Heights, and at the same time to render the railroad bridge at the Ferry impassable . These dispositions effectually relieved me from any care on the Virginia side, and left the entire force applicable to the Maryland shore, which presented the only points from which the ford and crossing of the Potomac at Harper's Ferry could be protected and maintained. My personal examination on the 15th had satisfied me that the defenses on the Maryland side had been sadly neglected, and were not in a condition to respond to the expeditions of the Government, and that couple of good regiments approaching the heights by way of Pleasant Valley and striking the ridge 2 and 1/2 miles from the howitzer battery, so called, near the stone fort (the main defense of Maryland Heights), could by a sudden and determined attack, carry the battery, and consequently control to entire position . At this time the entire force on Maryland Heights was composed of six companies Fourteenth[First] Massachusetts Artillery, 486 men, aggregate, manning the guns, and two companies of the Sixth New York Artillery, 130 men, acting as infantry. These forces were divided between the howitzer battery, looking down the ridge toward Pleasant Valley, and naval battery, so called, which looked toward Loudoun Heights,, and with its guns covered Harper's Ferry and partially Bolivar Heights. As this time June 15, the timber in front of the stone fort and the