University of Virginia Library

JOHN BROWN'S RAID UPON HARPERS FERRY, VIRGINIA, 1859.

On the 16th day of October, 1859, an event occurred at Harpers Ferry,
Virginia, which sent a thrill of terror throughout the State and astonished
the entire nation, an event which was but the forerunner of mightier ones;
it was the muttering of the storm in the distance, the rumbling of thunder
below the horizon where lay the storm which was destined, erelong, to

break forth in all its fury and scatter destruction far and wide throughout
the country.

May 8th, 1858, a conference was held at Chatham, Canada, composed
of numerous representatives from various parts of the United States
and British America, the object of which was to consult upon and
determine the best plans for bringing about a consummation of their
long-cherished hope, the abolition of slavery in the Southern States.
The moving spirit of that body was John Brown, or "Old Ossawattamie
Brown," so called because of his participation in the battle fought at
Ossawattamie, Kansas, during the troubles in that State. What the
action of that convention was, never has been, and never will be known,
but an inference may be drawn from the immediate action of its principal
leader.

Shortly after, Brown and his two sons, Oliver and Watson, appeared
in the vicinity of Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and under the assumed name
of Smith, leased a farm in Maryland, only a few miles distant from
the place selected as the scene of their future operations. Here a considerable
quantity of arms and ammunition, shipped from an unknown
source, was collected, and a force of twenty-two confederates joined
him, of whom seventeen were white and five were colored. Brown's
courage and resolute daring displayed in the long and bloody war which
ended in making Kansas a free State, secured for him the leadership
in the dangerous enterprise now to be undertaken. At length the day
for action arrived; Brown issued his instructions to his followers and
concluded by saying, "And now, gentlemen, let me press this one
thing upon your minds. You all know how dear life is to you, and
how dear your lives are to your friends; and remembering that, consider
that the lives of others are as dear to them as yours is to you.
Do not, therefore, take the life of any one, if you can possibly avoid it;
but, if necessary to take life in order to save your own, then make sure
work of it."

The hour was 10 o'clock P. M., when William Williamson, the arsenal
guard on the Potomac bridge, while walking his beat, was seized
and made a prisoner. The guard thus removed, Brown and his men
quietly took possession of the armory buildings, in which were stored
an immense quantity of arms and ammunition. When the midnight relief
came to the bridge and found the lights out and the guard gone, he
supposed it to be an attempt at robbery, and hastened away to give
the alarm. About 1 o'clock in the morning several of the invaders
went to the house of Lewis Washington, an extensive farmer and slave
owner, and, arousing him from his bed, made him a prisoner, and after
securing his arms and carriage and proclaiming freedom to his slaves,
carried him to the arsenal. A similar visit was made to the residence
of Mr. Alstatt, who, together with his son, was made a prisoner and

his slaves likewise proclaimed free. Several other prisoners were
also brought in, some of whom interrogated Brown as to the object
of the proceedings, to which he answered, "To free the slaves;" and
when asked by whose authority the reply was, "By the authority of
God Almighty."

At the usual hour the mail train on the Baltimore & Ohio road
arrived, but was warned not to pass over the bridge, but after considerable
detention was permitted to proceed. So quietly had everything
been managed that the town was not aroused until after daybreak,
when it was discovered that the government buildings were in possession
of a band of insurgents, who, with armed sentinels, guarded every
approach to the town, thus rendering its inhabitants prisoners. At
daylight the workmen engaged on the buildings, not yet aware of the
proceedings, went as usual to their work and were made prisoners
and confined in a large building in the yard; the other prisoners
being confined in the engine-house which the invaders after made
their chief fortress.

When the true state of affairs became known the wildest confusion
prevailed; messages were hastened off to the surrounding towns, and by
noon military companies began to arrive. Colonel Baylor, with a company
of Charlestown troops, was the first to arrive; they made a dash
toward the bridge, the invaders falling back and taking refuge in the
armory, where they checked the military and compelled them to fall
back; a desultory fire was kept up during the remainder of the day, by
which Mr. Beckham, mayor of the town, was killed; also Brown's son,
Oliver, Kagi, his secretary, and Leeman, one of his captives, fell within
the armory. In the evening a considerable force arrived from Martinsburg,
which at once stormed and carried the building in which the
workmen were imprisoned, they were all liberated and an attack was
then made upon the engine-house, which was repulsed with considerable
loss.

Brown had taken the precaution to have the wires cut, so that the
outside world should not be aware of his proceedings until he should
have firmly established himself; but late in the evening messengers
bore dispatches beyond the damage to the wires, and transmitted them
to Washington, Baltimore, Richmond, and other points, at all of which
the intelligence produced the wildest excitement and throughout the
South it amounted to almost a "reign of terror." Col. Robert E. Lee,
with one hundred United States marines and two pieces of artillery,
was at once dispatched from Washington to the scene of action, and upon
the arrival Colonel Lee sent Lieutenant J. E. B. Stuart to demand an
unconditional surrender; only promising the insurgents protection from
immediate violence, and a trial under the civil laws, but Brown refused
to capitulate on any terms other than these: "That they should be permitted
to march out with their men and arms, taking their prisoners with

them; that they should proceed, unpursued, to the toll-gate, when they
would free their prisoners; the soldiers would then be permitted to pursue
them, and they would fight if they could not escape." To these
terms Lieutenant Stuart could not consent; he withdrew, and an attack
was at once made which resulted in the capture of Brown and several of
his followers, all of whom were forced to surrender only at the point of
the bayonet. One of the soldiers struck Brown, after he had thrown
down his arms, in the face with his saber, and another soldier ran a bayonet
twice into his body.

Captain Brown was carried out into the yard, where he soon revived,
and talked freely to those around him, defending his action, and declaring
that he had done only what was right. The following conversation
took place between himself and one of the officers:

"Are you Captain Brown of Kansas?"

"I am sometimes called so."

"Are you Ossawattamie Brown?"

"I tried to do my duty there."

"What is your present object?"

"To free the slaves from bondage."

"Were any other persons but those with you now, connected with the
movement?"

"No."

"Did you expect aid from the North?"

"No; there was no one connected with the movement but those who
came with me."

"Did you expect to kill people in order to carry your point?"

"I did not wish to do so, but you have forced us to do it."

An indictment for treason and murder was at once found against
Brown by the authorities of Virginia, and from this time until his trial,
he was closely confined in prison. Several of his followers were also
confined to await trial, all of whom demanded to be tried separately;
the authorities consented, and Brown was placed on trial for his life,
upon the charge preferred in the indictment. The case came up for
hearing on the 26th of October, at Charlestown, Virginia. He asked
for a continuance because of his severe wounds, but it was denied
him. Throughout the trial, being unable to sit, he lay upon a mattress.
The trial continued three days; a verdict of guilty upon all the charges
preferred was found against him, and he was sentenced to be hanged
on the 2d of December.

During the period of Brown's confinement from the time his sentence
was pronounced until the day of his execution, he was visited by many
distinguished persons, and letters of sympathy and condolence from eminent
editors and politicians poured in upon him. When the day of his
execution arrived he walked forth from the jail with a calm expression

upon his face, and a firm and steady step; mounted the wagon which
was to convey him to the gallows, and seated himself between Mr. Avis,
the jailer, and Mr. Saddler, the undertaker. On the way to the gallows
he conversed as cheerfully as if he had only been taking a morning
drive with the object of viewing the surrounding mountain scenery.
Arrived at the place of execution, he descended from the wagon and
mounted the scaffold, the first man to stand upon it. A white cap was
then drawn over his eyes and the fatal noose adjusted. Said the sheriff:
"Captain Brown, you are not standing upon the drop; will you step
forward?" Brown replied: "I can not see; you must lead me." Sheriff
Avis then led him to the center of the drop; the fatal signal was given
and the body was dangling in the air. After hanging thirty-eight minutes
it was cut down, given to the undertaker, who placed it in a walnut
coffin, after which it was conveyed to North Elba, New York, where an
eloquent eulogy was pronounced over it by Wendell Phillips. That thus
died a fanatic, a victim to a delusion which entirely possessed him,
none will deny; but that he was a brave man, possessing determined
resolution, we have the testimony of Governor Henry A. Wise, who
said of him. "Brown was as brave a man as ever headed an insurrection.
He is the farthest possible remove from the ordinary ruffian, rake
or madman."

Six of Brown's companions were also executed: Cook, Coppoc, Copeland
and Green, on the 16th of December, and Stephens and Haslitt
on the 16th of the following March. Thus ended the most tragic scene
in the history of Virginia.