The U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry Historic Resource Study Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Archeology Program Prepared by Andrew S. Lee 2006 The U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry Historic Resource Study Andrew S. Lee, Archeologist Archeology Program Harpers Ferry National Historical Park 2006 Contents List of Figures ....................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements.............................................................................................. xi Preface ...............................................................................................................xiii Part One: Founding and Early History Chapter 1 George Washington and the Founding of the Harpers Ferry Armory 1 Chapter 2 Armory Construction..........................................................................7 Chapter 3 The Corps of Discovery: Meriwether Lewis at Harpers Ferry ..........15 Chapter 4 Harpers Ferry Armory and the War of 1812 ....................................21 Part Two: Operations and Improvements Chapter 5 The Rise of Industry ........................................................................29 Chapter 6 Overhaul of the U.S. Armory ...........................................................45 Chapter 7 John Brown’s Raid and the Civil War ..............................................57 Part Three: Destruction and Abandonment Chapter 8 Post Civil War..................................................................................79 Chapter 9 Recycling the Harpers Ferry Armory Materials................................87 Chapter 10 The B&O Railroad and National Park Service Acquisition...........103 References Cited ..............................................................................................119 iii iv List of Figures Cover: Ca. 1825-1829 painting showing the Harpers Ferry Armory. Maryland Historical Society. Figure 1. 1796 “Landsdowne Portrait” of George Washington. Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution .......................................................................2 Figure 2. Depiction of the Potomac ferry, by Carol Stuart Watson. NPS, Harpers Ferry Center Collection.........................................................3 Figure 3. Ca. 1808 illustration showing the large arsenal at Harpers Ferry. NPS Collection, courtesy of the Collection of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts .................................................................12 Figure 4. Detail of 1803 Map of Musket Factory Yard at Harpers Ferry. NPS Collection .........................................................................................13 Figure 5. 1807 portrait of Captain Meriwether Lewis by Charles Willson Peale. NPS Collection, Independence NHP................................................15 Figure 6. Reproduction of a modified 1792 militia rifle with powder horn and pouch. Photo courtesy of William L. Brown II..................................16 Figure 7. Portrayal of Armory Superintendent Joseph Perkin (left) and Captain Meriwether Lewis Inspecting the Iron Boat Frame at Harpers Ferry. NPS, Harpers Ferry Center Collection .............................................17 Figure 8. Portrayal of Captain Lewis inspecting his weapons and supplies. NPS, Harpers Ferry Center Collection .............................................19 Figure 9. Portrayal of Captain Lewis preparing the boat launch at Great Falls, Missouri. NPS, Harpers Ferry Center Collection.............................20 Figure 10. Portrait of Thomas Jefferson from the Granger Collection, Smithsonian Institute........................................................................21 Figure 11. Portion of 1838 railroad map showing the configuration of the U.S. Armory. NPS Collection ..................................................................24 Figure 12. “Capture and burning of Washington by the British, in 1814”. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress ...............................27 Figure 13. Detail of Hall rifle receiver and lock. NPS Collection .......................33 v Figure 14. 1859 photograph of the armory trestle at Harpers Ferry. Courtesy of WV and Regional History Collection ................................................35 Figure 15. 1897 photograph of Harpers Ferry from the Maryland shoreline from “Art work of Scenes in the Valley of Virginia” WH Parish Publishing Co. Chicago. NPS Collection ..........................................................37 Figure 16. James Stubblefield, 1822 oil painting by George Cook, NPS Collection, courtesy of Mrs. Charles Green Summers .....................39 Figure 17. 1844 map showing the layout of the armory prior to the majority of Symington’s reorganization. NPS Collection...................................48 Figure 18. 1886 photograph of the Smith and Forging Shop showing Symington’s standard design plan for a three-part structure. NPS Collection .........................................................................................50 Figure 19. James Burton drawing of the front elevation of the Stock House showing the proposed alterations for converting it into a workshop. NPS Collection.................................................................................51 Figure 20. Civil War-era photograph of the armory entrance, illustrating wrought- iron gates and gate posts. NPS Collection......................................52 Figure 21. Beyer’s 1857 illustration of the Harpers Ferry Armory, as viewed from Magazine Hill. NPS Collection.........................................................53 Figure 22. 1857 lithograph of Virginius Island. Sachse Co., 1857. NPS Collection .........................................................................................53 Figure 23. Armory Grounds, map by David T. Gilbert (Walker’s Guide)............54 Figure 24. 1859 photograph of John Brown. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress..........................................................................57 Figure 25. “Attack On The Insurgents At The Bridge By The Railroad Men.” NPS Collection.................................................................................58 Figure 26. Postcard showing John Brown Fort with a portrait of John Brown. Published by Walter E. Dittmeyer, ca. 1910. NPS Collection..........59 Figure 27. Drawing of drilling machine with three spindles, by James H. Burton, August 16, 1852. NPS Collection....................................................61 Figure 28. “Harper's Ferry Armory as it now appears,” Harper's Weekly, July 20, 1861. NPS Collection .....................................................................62 viv Figure 29. “The burning of the United States Arsenal at Harper's Ferry, 10 p.m. April 18, 1861.” Harper's Weekly, 1861. NPS Collection................64 Figure 30. “Secession Batteries at Harpers Ferry, erected on the heights overlooking the town…” Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. NPS Collection .........................................................................................65 Figure 31. Ruins of Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridge destroyed by Confederate forces on June 14, 1861. NPS Collection ...................67 Figure 32. Burton illustration of a Back-Action Lock with Maynard Tape System. NPS Collection.................................................................................69 Figure 33. Musket Factory buildings rehabilitated for use as a Quartermaster Depot in 1864 during the Shenandoah Valley campaign. NPS Collection .........................................................................................73 Figure 34. Sketch of Sheridan’s Quartermaster’s Stores. West Virginia State Archives Collection...........................................................................74 Figure 35. Contraband camp established by the Federal forces in the Musket Factory Yard, ca. 1864. NPS Collection..........................................76 Figure 36. Ca. 1869 photograph of the Smith and Forging Shop ruins. Fifteen ft. overshot waterwheel in foreground. NPS Collection .......................80 Figure 37. Sketch of Quartermaster bakery in the Arsenal. NPS Collection.....82 Figure 38. Detail of 1869 S. Howell Brown map of Harpers Ferry Armory property. NPS Collection.................................................................83 Figure 39. Illustration of the devastating flood of 1870, Harper's Weekly. NPS Collection .........................................................................................84 Figure 40. Thomas H. Savery portrait. Courtesy of Hagley Museum and Library .........................................................................................................86 Figure 41. 1886 photograph showing the remains of a 15 ft. wooden water wheel at the site of the armory ruins. NPS Collection .....................88 Figure 42. Bell tower in Marlboro, Massachusetts where the Engine House bell rests .................................................................................................89 Figure 43. 1889 sketch of Anthony Memorial Hall. NPS Collection..................91 viiv Figure 44. 1914 photograph of the Camp Hill United Methodist Church, reconstructed with bricks from the Federal Armory. NPS Collection .........................................................................................................92 Figure 45. 1860 armory photograph showing the sandstone fence caps. NPS Collection .........................................................................................93