Black Voices from Harpers Ferry: Osborne Anderson and the John Brown Raid [Special ed.]

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BLACK VOICES FROM HARPERS N FERRY

Te |

ee te

Jean Libby

For

those

who

would

go with

John

Brown.

BeReR

VOICES

FROM

HARPERS

OSBORNE

ANDERSON

AND JOHN

FERRY

THE

BROWN

RAID

BY

JEAN

LIBBY Pa

ART.

COVER

front

The

of the

of a program

is a microfiche

cover

People's Brown

Drama,

in

1950.

Inc.

Boyd

adaptation

production Stutler

of

Col-

Ward's John il of a mural series The back cover is a deta lection. Mexican artist the by ica" Amer of called "Portrait ers' School in Work New the for ted Diego Rivera, pain raphy by Minor White. tog pho inal Orig . New York in 1933

Theodore

Copyright 1979 by Jean Libby

Published in

as

Palo

by the

Alto,

a special

edition,

author

California

limited

1979.

Printed at the West Coast Print Center Berkeley, California.

INTRODUCTION More

since

than

John

on a cold

a

century

Brown

have

sought

to

during

that

Only

one

side

ginia

and

per's

Ferry

was

land

who

ially

from

son

and

of

in describing

told

fight

that

for

and

of

the

their

decision.

incredible

is

the

who

Many

books

when,

and

days.

two

A Voice

John

in Vir-

From

Har-

a black

marched

with

on

fighting

Anderson, John

of

local

down

man. a Mary-

Brown,

vowed

told

of

of

to

event

of their

the

John

people

their

Anderson

the

differs

slaveholders,

actions

response

freedom,

escape,

P.

arsenal

by a person

in the

version

eagerness

He

and

Ferry

slavery.

the

their

1859.

arrest.

Virginia

Anderson's

population

or men

eighteen destroy

States

following

raid

death

into

to personally

Osborne

that

Harpers

happened,

the

and

is by Osborne of

in

United

participated

escaped

one

the

what

night of

passed

in October,

explain

hillside

greatly

night

account

Brown's

He

invaded

Sunday

why,

has

local

black

Brown.

called

independence

deaths.

roared

espec-

with

Anderslaves

of

After outrage

to

deed

his over

ii

slaves

n of frightened controlled Southern versio refusal to fight and their reported unanimous was Osborne Anderson's voice Brown's forces.

the

heard.

must

slaves

of

local

continue

to

survive,

martial

rule.

charged

with

John

of

in the

area

that

knew

insurrections

do

isolated.

Only

systematically recognized that the are

they son

would

as

Americans

charms

Anderson

Osborne

in West July

Brown

John

by whites.

was

The

if

spread

not

Osborne

Anderfor

cowardice

for

self-image

emasculating image held "Nothing so it best:

said born

Chester

census

the

on

the

personal

Fallowfield,

1830.

as

damaging

as

was

blacks

characterization of come; that the negative

to

generations

A

expediency

this

false

the

be

of

result

were

slaveholders

The

uprising.

slave

a general

absence

men

emphasis

an

was

defense

in their

tactic

legal

severe

a

insurrection.

incite

to

conspiracy

The

raid.

captured

five

and

Brown

under

now

time

the

in the

blacks

role

the

to minimize

not

at

factions

all

of

interest

the

to

was

It

with

\

bravery." to

Colored

free

only

in

Pennsylvania

County,

records

parents

the

name

of

his

By 1840 the family had four father--Vincent Anderson. the nearby East Caln townmale children and lived in en, outside West They had moved to West Gosh ship. Chester,

started

by

on

associated

It

1850.

his

with

road

the

to

was

here

Harpers

Shadd

Osborne

that

Ferry,

family.

for

he

Anderson

became

Pennsylvania

in

iii

1850

was

a place

rioting the

and

paper--The

convention

held

Brown's

ticipant went

on

A Voice

Boston original

in 1872

him

cognito,"

Harper's at

from

slave

insurrection

known To

of

black

at

Brown

was

a

news-

was

antislavery

to

in

the

that

Ferry,

recruit

Because

of

implementing

only

Negro

convention

published

in this

who

par-

fin-

C.

He

in

the

and

among

expand

oral

black

are upon

our of

be

even

efforts

to

a

traces his

death "We

cities great

inimpor-

successful

after

and

in

an Society

married.

was

there

South,

end

follows

through It

that

His

that

that never

stealing

from

Historical

convention

Douglass.

Anderson

privately

volume

State

Chatham D.

support,

especially

1858

delay

analysis

the

to

corroborate

on

The

Anderson

liberation.

The

execution.

associates

local

cale,

Osborne

May,

John

of

Kansas

Lewis

to

and

by

the

in 1860,

said

restraints

Osborne the

is reprinted

tance

failure

started

Anderson

in Washington

remember

and

Canada

army

thirty

Kansas.

movements

blacks.

into

raid.

edition

in Topeka, his

the

From

upon

fifteen-month

the

in 1861,

severe

with

his

Osborne

among

were

Freeman.

begins

and

plan,

breaking

printer.

for

halt

often

rights

Chatham,

in Chatham

soliders

a sudden

There

Provincial

narrative

black

ally

to

journeyman

His

unrest,

of citizenship

emigrated

their

racial

violence.

exercise

Shadds

of

Brown's

those

of

his

explored. Anderson's

history

in the

residents,

was

statements

raid's

lo-

gathered

in

he

with

fought

who

about

people

and

in Maryland ing

the

a

conspirator.

Virginia

Matthews,

Benjamin wrote The

a brief

third

of

Knapper

Joseph vivid

a 1909

history

account

was

preparation

personal

memory

graduate raid

written

a black

he

as

the

of

man

for

it

of for

are

aided

attack,

in this

the

and

from

school

The

history.

of be-

College,

by Edna

John

auto-

in 1872.

Storer

1956

in

who

his

escape

wrote

Pennsylvania.

Chambersburg,

Winters,

immediate

is

authorities

for

minister

suspected

Henry's

Thomas

Rev.

was

who

Pennsylvania

the

is

Episcopal

Methodist

of an African

biography

by local

found

Brown,

with

Ferry.

Harpers were

raid

Brown

John

Army.

Union

written

sources

unknown

the

from

voices

black

contemporary

One,

study.

this

the

historically

Three black

of

some

are

These

when

slaves

in the

then

and

Brown

John

in

NAACP

the

honored

that

a plaque

erect

to

tried

slaves

the

of

DuBois

E.B.

W.

supported

She

1931.

protes-

Confederacy

of the

Daughters

United

by the

given

Her

docile,

faithful

to

a memorial

at

servants

faithful

War.

Tatten,

as

blacks

local

of

characterization

the

ted

for

publicly

teacher,

music

College

Storer

another

Ferry

Pearl

students.

first

the

of

one

was

mother

Civil

the

after

soon

slaves

emancipated

the

in Harpers

established

College,

Storer

from

teacher

music

4 retired

is

Allen

Mrs.

Ferry.

Harpers

of

Allen

Charles

Mrs.

descendents,

these

of

one

asked

fire?"

the

stand

to

willing

Brown,

John

like

men

without

be

world

this

would

"Where

1978.

and

1977

Christian

story

Brown Mrs.

annual. of

in

Knapper's.

Vv

Readers the

who

event,

B.

Oates’

of

John

the

John

To

For

a thorough the

of

raid

Allies

1974) John

Brown's

work,

to

of

Black

Voices

been

heard.

the

slaves Levi,

slaves

of

John

slaves

to

the

led

Delany

was

more

attack

a part

of

slaves.

relationship complete

on

the

contains,

over

his-

Harpers

Benjamin

and

John

Brown

the

most

notable

Quarles’

(Oxford,

is

considered

many

as

appear

well

some

briefly

as

Anderson,

at

having

was

among length

as

they

a close

a native

of

in

relate

assothe

raid. From

Harpers

They Lewis

Henry,

his

fugitive

men

been since

source.

Osborne

the

black

had

in Kansas

Brown's

and

Stephen

slavery

Brown

of

a Biography

preceded

assist

John

Blacks

Delany,

of

to

read

Brown

warfare

father,

of

associates

not

tion

his

catalyst

to

end

that

volume

although

with

locality

this

R.

Anderson.

ciation

in the

other

best

Martin

this

to

slavery

Freedom;

is the

Dr.

four

the

Blood;

1970).

abolitionists,

than

for

With

& Row,

analysis

the

of

encouraged

Land

Railroad

black

more

activities

Like

Underground

tories

of

South.

the

Ferry

This

a leader

legalization

with

are

(Harper

was

the

learn

Brown,

in guerilla

and

upon

to

Purge

Brown

engaged 1850,

wish

Ben, H.

H.

Jerry,

Phil,

Not

are

Sam,

Washington,

unknown"

Brown.

Ferry

"Jim,

Allstadt,"

jurors

by John

are

and

George

who

with

began

all

those

Mason

who

and

slaves and

a slave

committed

called

Bill,

"divers

have

Catesby, the other

insurrec-

this

act

vi

terror

or

refused

Something

of

their

in

the

importance

are

the

of Harpers

voices

black

the

for

background

area

the

of

economics

volatile

the

of

and

Virginia,

and

of Maryland

sections

in those

it was

as

slavery

of

condition

the

lives,

survived.

all

not

fight;

to

cowered

all

not

willingly;

even

or

premeditation,

with

Ferry.

A Voice

From

heroism

of

of

book

this

dary

sources

can

origination, than

has

always,

not

been

Ferry been

will

to

together

the is

role

that

from

black

in far

The

convicsources

Anderson's

with

points

significance truth,

as

decision.

Jean Palo

Alto,

of

around

community

greater

credited.

individual

is my these

far-flung

their

of the

obvious

an

in agreement

be

previously

be

It

con-

the

supports

from

emerges

may

some

exercised;

involvement.

secon-

blacks.

of local

evidence

available

seen

readily

Harpers

has

pattern

the

Shown

view.

presence

slave

of active

that

be

the

part

and

of primary

presentation

cite

the

that

agree

clusion tion

that

omission

Selective not

the

is

advo-

his

A large

presented.

be

must

corroboration

cate,

the

seconded

To be

Brown."

John

immortal

of the

efforts

the

oblivion

"from

nobly

so

who

men

colored

the

to keep

Ferry

Harper's

in publishing

purpose

Anderson's

Osborne

It was

Libby

California

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS page

INTRODUCTION

i

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S CHATHAM,

65

PENNSYLVANIA

MANOR,

OF WASHINGTON

JOHN BROWN'S

SLAVE

ANDERSON'S

ANDERSON YORK,

SUPPORT RAID

AND HAZLETT

ESCAPE

PENNSYLVANIA

CHARLES

TOWN,

JANUARY

-- JUNE,

BETWEEN

THE WARS

WASHINGTON

73

MARYLAND

THE COUNTIES JEFFERSON OSBORNE

1

CANADA WEST

CHAMBERSBURG, SAMPLES

FERRY

AND

87 97 147 159 169

VIRGINIA

D.C.

81

1860

175

183 193 201

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

213

NOTES

221

REFERENCES

238

Osborne

P.

Anderson,

author

of

A Voice

From

Harper's Ferry. He was the only member of John Brown's army who was in the fighting and not killed or eventually captured. courtesy

Kansas

State

Historical

Society

An

or iginal

edi p ion

title

page.

PREFACE.

My sole

purpose

in publishing

the

following

Narrative

is to

save from oblivion the facts connected with one of the most important movements of this age, with references to the overthrow of American slavery. My own personal experience in it, under

the orders

of Capt. Brown,

on the 16th and 17th of October,1859,

as the only man alive who was at Harper's tire time--the unsuccessful groping after

viduals,

impossible

scene--and

requires writing

the

this and

that

except

the

cause

duty at my hands--alone

circulating

I will not, intelligent

to be obtained,

conviction

under

with

the

little

for

defects

of

during the enfacts, by indi-

from an actor impartial

have been

book

such circumstances,

excuses

Ferry these

the

herewith

insult

in the

liberty

motives

for

presented.

nor burden

in composition,

nor

the for

the attempt to give the facts. A plain, unadorned, truthful story is wanted, and that by one who knows what he says, who

known

to have been at the

in shaping

company upon

the

cannot

same.

My

great

identity

be questioned,

suppressing

the

encounter,

truth;

as

and to have

a member

successfully, neither

will

of Capt.

is

labored Brown's

by any who are bent

it be by any

in Canada

or the United States familiar with John Brown and his plans, those know his men personally, or by reputation, who enjoyed his confidence sufficiently to know thoroughly his plans.

as

The readers of this narrative will therefore keep steadily in view the main point--that they are perusing a story of events which have happened under the eye of the great Captain, or are

4

PREFACE

incidental Brown;

filment

for

and not a compendium

thereto, as

his

plans

is committed

were

to the

not

of the

consummated,

future,

no one

"plans"

and

as

of Capt.

their

ful-

to whom they are

known will recklessly expose all of them to the public gaze. Much has been given as true that never happened; much has been been omitted that should have been made known; many things have left unsaid, because, up to within a short time, but two could say them; one of them has been offered up, a sacrifice to the Moloch, Slavery; being that other one, I propose to perform the duty, trusting to that portion of the public who love the right for

an appreciation

of my endeavor.

O. P. A.

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. CHAPTER THE

not

IDEA AND

ITS

EXPONENTS

--

I.

JOHN BROWN ANOTHER

MOSES

The idea underlying the outbreak at Harper's Ferry is peculiar to that movement, but dates back to a period

very far beyond emanated

from

the memory

a source

much

of the

“oldest

superior

inhabitant,"

to the

Wises

and

and Hun-

ters, the Buchanans and appointed work for life

in Exodus, failed

not

Masons of to-day. It was the of an ancient patriarch spoken of chap. ii, and who, true to his great commission, to trouble the conscience and to disturb the re-

pose of the Pharaohs saith gent

the Lord: upon

the

of Egypt with that

Let my people

people

in

go!" until

its behalf.

inexorable,

"Thus

even they were

Coming

down

ur-

through

the nations, and regardless of national boundaries or peculiarities, it has been proclaimed and enforced by the patriarch and the warrior of the Old World, by the enfranchised freeman and the humble slave of the New. Its nationality is universal; its language every where understood by the haters of tyranny; and those that accept its mission, every where understand each other. There is an unbroken chain of sentiment and purpose from Moses of the Jews to John Brown of

America;

from

Kossuth,

and the

liberators

of France

and

:

:

Italy,

to the untutored Gabriel, and the Denmark Veseys, Nat Turners and Madison Washingtons of the Southern American States. The shaping and expressing of a thought for freedom takes the

|

}

6

A VOICE FROM

HARPER'S

FERRY.

same consistence with the colored American -- whether he be an independent citizen of the Haytian nation, a proscribed but humble nominally free colored man, a patient, toiling, put hopeful slave -- as with the proudest or noblest representative of European or American civilization and ChristianLafayette, the exponent of French honor and political ity. integrity, and John Brown, foremost among the men of the New in high

World

bravery,

moral

and

religious

as brothers

embrace

and

principle

mother,

same

of the

magnanimous

in harmony

upon the grand mission of liberty; but, while the Frenchman entered the lists in obedience to a desire to aid, and by

invitation - on the

and Hamiltons,

from the Adamses fortunes

political

John Brown,

the

liberator

of those

able

of Kansas,

and thus

pushed

to help themselves,

the projector

and

com-

mander of the Harper's Ferry expedition, saw in the most degraded slave a man and a brother, whose appeal for his God-ordained rights no one should disregard; in the toddling

slave

child,

a captive

whose

release

is as

imperative,

and

whose prerogative as weighty, as the most famous in the land. " When the Egyptian pressed hard upon the Hebrew, Moses slew him; and when the spirit of slavery invaded the fair Territory of Kansas, causing the Free-State settlers to cry out

because of persecution, old John Brown, famous among the men of God forever, though then but little known to his fellow-men, called together his sons and went over, as did Abraham, to the unequal contest, but on the side of the oppressed white men of Kansas that were, and the black men To-day Kansas is free, and the verdict that were to be. of impartial men is, that to John Brown, more than any other man,

Kansas

owes

her

present

position.

I am not the biographer of John Brown, but I can be indulged in giving here the opinion common among my people of one so eminently worthy of the highest veneration.

Close

observation

of him,

during many

weeks,

and under

his

PRELIMINARIES orders

at his

Kennedy-Farm

in comparing the noble old piety and renown, who were

none

have been

more

TO INSURRECTION.

fireside,

also,

T

satisfies

me that

man to Moses, and other men of chosen by God to his great work,

faithful,

none

have

given a brighter

record.

CHAPTER PRELIMINARIES NOT

TO INSURRECTION

-- JOHN BROWN'S

SECRETS

FROM THE

II.

|

-- WHAT MAY BE TOLD AND WHAT

FIRST VISIT

TO CHATHAM

-- SOME

OF THE

"CARPET-BAG."

To go into particulars, and to detail reports current more than a year before the outbreak, among the many in the United

States and Canada who had an inkling of some "practical work" to be done by "Osawattomie Brown," when there should be nothing to do in Kansas,-- to give facts in that connection, would only forestall future actions, without really benefitting the slave, or winning over to that sort of work the anti-slavery men who do not favor physical resistance to slavery. Slaveholders alone might reap benefits; and for one, I shall throw none in their way, by any indiscreet avowals; they already enjoy more than their share; but to a clear understanding of all the facts to be here published, it may be well to say, that preliminary arrangements were made in a number of places, -- plans proposed, discussed and decided upon, number invited to participate in the movement, and the list of adherents increased. Nine insurrections is the number given by some of the true lists of outbreaks

since

slavery

was

planted

or not, it is certain that tionable. Gabriel, Vesey, meetings;

all

had

their

in America;

whether

correct

preliminaries to each are unquesNat Turner, all had conference

plans;

but

they

differ

from

the

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S

8

FERRY.

Harper's Ferry insurrection in the fact that neither leader nor men, in the latter, divulged ours, when in the most tryHark and another met Nat Turner in secret ing of situations. places, after the fatigues of a toilsome day were ended; Gabriel promulged his treason in the silence of the dense forest; but John Brown reasoned of liberty and equality in with broad daylight, in a modernized building, in conventions closed doors, in meetings governed by the elaborate regulations laid down by Jefferson, and used as their guides by Congresses and Legislatures; or he made known the weighty theme, and his comprehensive plans resulting from it, by the

at familiar

cosy fireside,

ones,

of chosen

gatherings

social

or better, in the carefully arranged junto of earnest, Vague hints, careful blinds, are Nat Turner's practical men. entire make-up to save detection; the telegraph, the postoffice, the railway, all were made to aid the new outbreak. ive By this, it will be seen that Insurrection has its progress , skulking the from Brown John by elevated been has and side, fearing

few,

in the

when

cabal,

to the

highly

indispensable institution guided by intelligence.

So much

as

hands

organized,

relates

for

to prior

but

of a brave

the

security

movements

despairing

and to very

formidable,

many, when

of freedom,

may

safely

said

be

above; but who met -- when they met -- where they met -how many yet await the propitious moment -- upon whom the mantle of John Brown has fallen to lead on the future army-the certain, terribly certain, many who must follow up the work, forgetting not to gather up the blood of the hero and

his slain, to the humble bondman there offered -- these Of the many meetings in various not, must not be told!

places, of the

before one,

the

the work minutes

commenced, of which

I shall were

speak

dragged

just

forth

may

here

by ma-

rauding Virginians from the "archives" at Kennedy Farm; not forgetting, however, for their comfort, that the Convention

JOHN BROWN'S

was

one

of a series

ly great,

The

if not

first

FIRST

at Chatham,

greater,

visit

VISIT

some

TO CHATHAM.

of which

9

were

of equal-

importance.

of John Brown

to Chatham

was

in April,

1858. Wherever he went around, although an entire stranger, he made a profound impression upon those who saw or became acquainted with him. Some supposed him to be a staid but

modernized

Quaker;

"somewhere," long white

beard,

nomy,

his

with

hands,

others,

and without

sturdy, as

a solid

business

man,

from

question a philanthropist.

thoughtful

measured

portrayed

and

reverent

tread,

as

in the best

brow

and

he circulated lithograph,

His physiog-

about

under

the

pendant coat-skirt of plain brown Tweed, with other garments to match, revived to those honored with his acquaintance and knowing to his most exalted type.

After

some

important

tion was

finished,

his

who

men,

including

the

history,

Mr.

had been

old

the

memory

business,

Brown

preparatory

went West,

spending

gentleman,

of a Puritan

the

the

and returned

winter

numbered

to

of the

in

twelve,

Iowa.

--

Conven-

with

The

party,

as brave,

intelligent and earnest a company as could have been ciated in one party. There were John H. Kagi, Aaron

assoD.

Stevens, Owen Brown, Richard Realf, George B. Gill, C. W. Moffitt, Wm. H. Leeman, John E. Cook, Stewart Taylor, Richard Richardson, Charles P. Tidd and J. S. Parsons -- all white except Richard Richardson, who was a slave in Missouri until helped to his liberty by Captain Brown. At a meeting held to prepare for the Convention and to examine the Constitution, Dr. M. R. Delany was Chairman, and John H. Kagi and myself were the Secretaries.

When

the Convention

assembled,

seized by the slaveholding

the minutes

of which were

"cravens" at the Farm, and which,

as they have been identified, I shall append to this chapter, Mr. Brown unfolded his plans and purpose. He regarded

a

a |

FROM

A VOICE

10

HARPER'S

FERRY.

slavery as a state of perpetual war against the slave, and was fully impressed with the idea that himself and his friends had the right to take liberty, and to use arms in defending

Being a devout Bible Christian, he sustained his shaped his plans in conformity to the Bible; and when setting them forth, he quoted freely from the Scripture He realized and enforced the docto sustain his position. trine of destroying the tree that bringeth forth corrupt Slavery was to him the corrupt tree, and the duty of fruit.

the same. views and |

every

|

man was

Christian

to strike

down

and to commit

slavery,

He was listened to with profound its fragments to the flames. attention, his views were adopted, and the men whose names form a part of the minutes of that in many respects extraordinary meeting, aided yet further in completing the work.

|

MINUTES

|

OF THE CONVENTION

Chatham,

(Canada West)

i |

Saturday, May 8, 1858--10 A. M. Convention met in pursuance to a call of John Brown and others, and was called to order by Mr. Jackson, on whose motion, Mr. William C. Munroe was chosen President; when, on motion of Mr.

i |

Brown, Mr. J. H. Kagi was elected Secretary. On motion of Mr. Delany, Mr. Brown then proceeded the

| }

object

of the

Convention

at length,

and then

the general features of the plan of action of the project and the plan, and both were general

in the agreed

to state to explain execution to by

consent.

|

Mr. Brown then presented a plan of organization, entitled "Provisional Constitution and Ordinances for the People of

|

the United

States,"

and moved

the

reading

of the

same.

Mr. Kinnard objected to the reading until an oath of secrecy was taken by each member of the Convention; whereupon Mr. Delany moved that the following parole of honor be taken by

all the members ]

of the Convention--"I

solemly

affirm that

I

will not in any way divulge any of the secrets of this Convention, except to persons entitled to know the same, on the pain

of forfeiting which

motion

the respect was

carried.

and protection

of this

organization;"

MINUTES

OF THE CHATHAM

CONVENTION -

11

The President then proceeded to administer the obligation, after which the question was taken on the reading of the plan proposed by Mr. Brown, and the same carried. The plan was then read by the Secretary, after which, on motion of Mr. Whipple, it was ordered that it be now read by articles for consideration. The articles from one to forty-five, inclusive, were then read and adopted. On the reading of the forty-sixth, Mr. Reynolds moved to strike out the same. Reynolds spoke in favor, and Brown, Munroe, Owen Brown, Delany, Realf, Kinnard and Kagi against. The question was then taken and lost, there being but one vote in the affirmative. The article was then adopted. The forty-seventh and forty-eights articles, with the schedule, were then adopted in the same manner. It was then moved by Mr. Delany

that

On motion unanimously

the

title

of Mr.

and

Kagi,

preamble

the

stand

as

Constitution,

read.

Carried.

as a whole,

was

then

adopted.

The Convention on motion of Mr.

then, at half-past one o'clock, Jackson, till three o'clock.

P.M.,

adjourned,

THREE O'CLOCK P.M. Journal read and approved. On motion of Mr. Delany, it was then ordered that those approving of the Constitution as adopted sign the same; whereupon the names of all the members were appended. After congratulatory remarks by Messrs. Kinnard and Delany,the Convention, on motion of Mr. Whipple, adjourned at three and three-quarters o'clock. J. H. KAGI, Secretary of the Convention

The above

is a journal

tion held at Chatham,

of the

CHATHAM, SIX P.M. of the

In accordance

schedule

Provisional

Canada West,

to the

with,

Constitutional

Conven-

May 8, 1858, as herein stated.

(Canada West) Saturday, and obedience

Constitution

pressed people"of the United States

for the

to, the

proscribed

May 8,1858. provisions and

op-

of America} to-day adopted

at this place, a Convention was called by the President of the Convention framing that instrument, and met at the above-named

|

A VOICE FROM

12

hour,

for the

purpose

HARPER'S

of electing

FERRY.

to fill

officers

the

offices

specially established and named by said Constitution. The Convention was called to order by Mr. M. R. Delany,

whose nomination, Mr. Wm. C. Munroe Mr. J. H. Kagi, Secretary. A Committee,

consisting

On reporting

progress,

of Messrs.

was

chosen

Whipple,

upon

and

President,

Kagi,

Bell,

Cook

and Munroe, was then chosen to select candidates for the various offices to be filled, for the consideration of the Convention. and

asking

leave

to sit

again,

the

re-

quest was refused, and Committee discharged. On motion of Mr. Bell, the Convention then went into the election of officers, in the following manner and order: Mr. Whipple nominated John Brown for Commander-in-Chief, who, on

the

seconding

of Mr.

Delany,

was

elected

by acclamation.

Mr. Realf nominated J. H. Kagi for Secretary of War, who was elected in the same manner. On motion of Mr. Brown, the Convention then adjourned to 9 A.M., on Monday, the 10th.

MONDAY,

May 10, 1858 -- 9 A. M.

The proceedings

of the Conven-

tion on Saturday were read and approved. The President announced that the business before the Convention was the further election of officers. In a Mr. Whipple nominated Thomas M. Kinnard for President. speech of some length, Mr. Kinnard declined. Mr. Anderson nominated J. W. Loguen for the same office. The nomination was afterwards withdrawn, Mr. Loguen not being present, and it being announced that he would not serve if elected. Mr. Brown then moved to postpone the election of President for

the present. Carried. The Convention then went

the election of members of Conand Osborn Anderson were elected. After which, the Convention went into the election of Secretary of State, to which office Richard Realf was chosen. Whereupon the Convention adjourned to half-past two, P.M. gress.

Messrs.

A.

M.

into Ellsworth

Convention again assembled, and went into a ballot21-2 P.M. ing for the election of Treasurer and Secretary of the Treasury. Owen Brown was elected as the former, and George G. Gill as the latter.

THE WORK

GOES

ON.

13;

The following resolution was then introduced by Mr. Brown, and unanimously passed: Resolved, That John Brown, J. H. Kagi, Richard Realf, L. F.

Parsons, C. P. Tidd, C. Whipple, C. W. Moffitt, John E. Cook, Owen Brown, Stewart Taylor, Osborn Anderson, A.M. Ellsworth, Richard Richardson, W. H. Leeman and John Lawrence be and are hereby appointed a Committee to whom is delegated the power of the Convention to fill by election all the offices specially named in the Provisional Constitution which may be vacant after the adjournment of the Convention.

The Convention

then

adjourned, sine die. J. H. Kagi, Secretary of the Convention NAMES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CONVENTION, WRITTEN BY EACH PERSON William Charles Munroe, President of the Convention; G. J. Reynolds, J.C. Grant, A.J. Smith, James M. Jones, George B. Gill, M.F. Bailey, William Lambert, S. Hunton, C.W. Moffitt, John J. Jackson, J. Anderson, Alfred Whipple, James M. Buel, W.H. Leeman, Alfred M. Ellsworth, John E. Cook, Stewart Taylor, James W. Purnell, George Aiken, Stephen Dettin, Thomas Hickerson, John Caunel, Robinson Alexander, Richard Realf, Thomas F. Cary, Richard Richardson, L.F. Parsons, Thomas M. Kinnard, M.H. Delany, Robert Vanvanken, Thomas M. Stringer, Charles P. Tidd, John A. Thomas, C. Whipple, I.D. Shadd, Robert Newman, Owen Brown, John Brown, J.H. Harris, Charles Smith, Simon Fislin, Isaac Holler, James Smith, J.-H. Kagi, Secretary of the Convention.

CHAPTER THE WORK

GOING

BRAVELY

A LITTLE Many

affect

who there

ON -- THOSE

CLOUD

to despise

abetted

the

III.

-the

COMMISSIONS

"JUDAS" FORBES Chatham

"treason."

ing better than to engage the Canadas, his command. By that it is clear that

Brown's

Wise

In one

respect,

they were

H. KAGI--

and

would

the

persons

like noth-

with but ten men under the men acquainted with

plans would not be a "breakfast-spell"

Virginian.

JOHN

-- EIC.

Convention,

Governor

--

not

for the chivalrous

formidable,

and their

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S

14

FERRY.

Some of them Constitution would seem to be a harmless paper. es; were outlaws against Buchanan Democratic rule in the Territori ive proscript the severely felt some were colored men who had had spirit of American caste; others were escaped slaves, who of grasp bloody the in left their dear kindred behind, writhing some until released, be to never never, er, the vile man-steal practical, daring, determined step should be taken by their What use could such men make friends or their escaped brethren. Destitute of political or social power, as of a Constitution? respects the Americans States and people, what ghost of an echo could they invoke, by declamation of action, against the peculiar and its concluIn the light of slaveholding logic institution? but, blacks; insolent and whites renegade but were they sions, aggregating their grievances, summing up their deep-seated hostil-

ity,

every

tie

is a perpetual

of relationship,

the men

protest,

in Convention, and the many who could not conveniently attend The braggadocio the time, were not a handful to be despised. the Virginia Governor might be eager to engage them with ten

slaveholders, but John Brown was satisfied is honor enough for a generation.

After the with utmost

Convention adjourned, other speed, and every one seemed

"boys" of the party of "Surveyors,"

with them,

at of

and that

business was despatched The in good spirits.

as they were

called,

were

the admired of those who knew them, and the subject of curious So many intellectual looking remark and inquiry by strangers. men are seldom seen in one party, and at the same time, such utter disregard of prevailing custom or style, in dress and other little conventionalities.Hour after hour they would sit in council, thoughtful, ready; some of them eloquent, all fearless, patient of the fatigues of business; anon, here and there over the

"track," and again came,

sallying

indifferent

in the assembly;

forth arm

about

it;

in arm,

or one,

when the time for relaxation

unshaven,

it may be,

unshorn,

impressed

and altogether

with the

com-

ing responsibility, sauntering alone, in earnest thought, apparantly indifferent to all outward objects, but ready at a word or sign from the chief to undertake any task.

JOHN H. KAGI.

15

During the sojourn at Chatham, the commissions to the men were discussed, &c. It has been a matter of inquiry, even among friends, why colored men were not commissioned by John Brown to act as captains, lieutenants, &c. Ireply, with the knowledge that men in the movement now living will confirm it, that John Brown did offer the captaincy, and other military positions, to colored men equally with others, but

a want of acquaintance with military tactics was the invariable excuse. Holding a civil position, as we termed it, I declined a captain's commission tendered by the brave old man, as better suited to those more experienced; and as I was willing to give my life to the cause, trusting to experience and fidelity to make me more worthy, my excuse was accepted. The same must be said of other colored men to be spoken of hereafter, and who proved their worthiness by their able defence of freedom at the Ferry.

JOHN H. KAGI Of the

Capt.

contellation

Brown,

no

one

of noble

was

greater

men

who

in the

came

to Chatham

essentials

with

of true

nobility of character and executive skill than John H. Kagi, the confidential friend and adviser of the old man, and second in position in the expedition; no one was held in more deserved respect. Kagi was, singularly enough, a Virginian by birth, and had relatives in the region of the Ferry. He left home when a youth, an enemy to slavery, and brought as his gift offering to freedom three slaves, whom he piloted to the North. His innate hatred of the institution made him

a willing

exile

from the State

of his birth,

abilities, natural and acquired, entitled he held in Capt. Brown's confidence.

and

him

his

to the

great position

Kagi was indifferent to personal appearance; he often went about with slouched hat, one leg of his pantaloons properly adjusted, and the other partly tucked into his high boot-top;

unbrushed, unshaven, and in utter disregard of "the latest style"; but to his companions and acquaintances, a verification

of Burns'

man

in the

clothes;

for

John

Henry

Kagi

had

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY.

16

improved his time;he discoursed elegantly and fluently, wrote ably, and could occupy the platform with greater ability than many a man known to the American people as famous in these John Brown appreciated him, and to his. men, his esrepects. timate of John Henry was a familiar theme.

Scarcely

and

Convention

the

had

and business

meetings

other

at Chatham been concluded, and most necessary work been done, both at St. Catherines and at this point, when the startling intelligence

that

exposed

were

plans

the

that

"Judas" Forbes,

to hand,

came

after having disclosed

and

of our im-

some

portant arrangements in the Middle States, was on his way to This caused caused an entire Washington on a similar errand. The old gentleman went change in the programme for a time. to meet in ultimately but another, men young one way, the In the winter Kansas, in part, where the summer was spent.

Capt.

year,

of that

A. D. Stevens,

J. H. Kagi,

Brown,

C. P.

Tidd and Owen Brown, went into Missouri, and released a company of slaves, whom they eventually escorted to Canada, where they are now living and taking care of themselves. An incident of that slave rescue may service to illustrate more

old man and his

pervading the

fully the spirit

leaving Missouri with the fugitives, the perilous hegira, birth was given

and while to a mle

"boys." After

yet pursuing child by one

Dr. Doy, of Kansas, aided in the of the slave mothers. accouchement, and walked five miles afterwards to get new milk

for

after regard

the

boy,

himself, from the

of Brown;

while

the

which name

United

United States

old

Captain

States

government

Marshals

were

him John

named

At that time,

he now bears.

was

a

the

head

about,

pre-

upon

whisking

Brown,

tendedly eager to arrest them; the weather was very cold, and dangers were upon every hand; but not one jot of comfort er attention for the tender babe and its invalid mother was abated. No thought for their valuable selves, but only how

"JUDAS" FORBES,

Ty

best might the poor and despised charge in their keeping be prudently but really nursed and guarded in their trial journey for liberty. Noble leader of a noble company of men! Yes, reader, whether at Harper's Ferry, or paving the way thither with such deeds as the one here told, and well known West, the old hero and that company were philanthropists to the core. I do not know if the wicked scheme of Forbes may not be excused a little, solely because it afforded the occasion for the great enterprise, growing out of this last visit to Kansas; but Forbes himself must nevertheless be held guilty for its inception, as only ambition to usurp power, and his great love of self, (peculiar to him, of all connected with Capt. Brown, ) made him dissatisfied, and determined

to

add

falsehodd

to

his

other

sins

against

John

Brown.

"JUDAS" FORBES This Forbes, who, though pretending to disclose some dangerous hornet's nest, was careful enough of his worthless self to tell next to nothing, but to resort to lies, rather from a clear understanding of the consequences, if caught, is an Englishman. When information came, it was not known how much he had told or how little; therefore Brown's precaution to proceed West. From the spring of '58 to the autumn of '59, getting no intelligence of him, it was said he had left America; but instead of that, he lurked around in disguise, feeling, no doubt, that he deserved the punishment of death. Before his defection, he entered into agreement with Capt. Brown to work in the cause of emancipation upon the same terms as did the others, as I repeatedly learned from Brown and his associates, who were acquainted with the matter, and whose veracity stands infinitely above Forbes' word. From Brown, Kagi, and Stevens, I learned that

A VOICE FROM

18

military

|

in the

not

to be

He was

science.

one

to receive

under

organization

to be held by "Judas," because

but |

of second

position

the

was

FERRY.

HARPER'S

particle

the

Captain

with

of his acquaintance

drill-master

of salary

of the

more

than

company,

the

But having once gained a secure youngest man in the company. foothold, he sought to carry out his evil design to make money out of philanthropy, or destroy the movement for ever, Money was his could he not be well paid to remain quiet. object from the first, though disguised; and when he failed to secure that, he raised the question of leadership with Capt. Brown, and that was his excuse for withdrawing from His heart was clearly never right; but he only the movement. When the outbreak occured, delayed, he did not stop the work. very cautiously, and though while, he figured for a little

finally fled to Europe, another Cain, whose mark is unmistak~ able, and who had better never been born than attempt to

!

stand

the

up among

men

THE

|

i |

greatly

wronged.

CHAPTER IV.

|

| \ | {

he so

WAY

CLEAR

EMIGRANTS

--

FOR

ACTIVE

PREPARATIONS

THE SOUTH

--

--

KENNEDY

CORRESPONDENCE

FARM

--

-- THE AGENT.

Throughout the summer of 1859, when everything wore the appearance of perfect quiet, when suspicions were all lulled, when those not fully initiated thought the whole scheme was abandoned, arrangements were in active preparation for the Mr. Brown, Kagi, and a part of the Harper's Ferry work. company, who had previously spent some time in Ohio, went into Pennsylvania in the month of June, and up to the early part of July, having made necessary observations, they penetrated the Keystone yet further, and laid plans to Under the receive freight and men as they should arrive.

assumed further

KENNEDY

FARM.

name of Smith, Captain south, and selected

Brown

KENNEDY Kennedy

business

as

Farm,

in every

pushed

his

explorations

FARM

respect

"head-quarters,"

19

was

an

excellent

location

for

rented at a cheap rate,

and

men

and freight were sent thither. Capt. Brown returned » and sent freight, while Kagi was stationed at to correspond with persons elsewhere, and to receive and

to

, des-

patch freight as it came. Owen, Watson, and Oliver Brown, took their position at head-quarters, to receive whatever was sent. These completed the arrangements. The Captain labored and travelled night and day, sometimes on old Dolly, his

brown

mule,

and sometimes

in the

wagon.

He would

start

direct-

ly after night, and travel the fifty miles between the Farm and Chambersburg by daylight next morning; and he otherwise kept open communication between head-quarters and the latter place, in order that matters might be arranged in due season. John

H. Kagi

before published laborer:

wrote

for

freight,

in relation

and

to it,

West Andover, JOHN HENRIE, Esq.: DEAR SIR, -- I yesterday

the

was

received

following

written

Ohio, yours

letter,

by a co-

July 30th,

of the

25th

inst.,

together with letter of instructions from our Isaac, enclosing draft for $100. Have written

mutual you as

three

received

letters,

I think,

before

you have sent, probably. The heavy freight of fifteen

this, boxes

and have I sent

off

some

1958.

friend many as

all

days

ago.

The household stuff, consisting of six boxes and one chest, I have put in good shape, and shall, I think, be able to get them on their way northward

way on Monday next, and shall myself be on my within a day or two after. Enclosed please find list of contents of boxes, which it may be well to preserve.

HARPER'S

A VOICE FROM

20

The freight replies.

having

in good

arrived

FERRY.

condition,

John

Henrie

As the Kennedy Farm is a part of history, a slight allusion been to its location may not be out of place, although it has known. so frequently spoken of as to be almost universally The Farm is located in Washington County, Maryland, ina it is in mountainous region, on the road from Chambersburg; from a comparatively non-slaveholding population, four miles of souls the in traders few the among Yet, Harper's Ferry.

located

men

around,

several

circumstances

peculiar

to the

institution happened while the party sojourned there, which During three weeks serve to show up its hideous character. four deaths took than less no Farm, of my residence at the place among the slaves; one, Jerry, living three miles away, hung himself in the late Dr. Kennedy's orchard, because he was to be sold South, his master having become insolvent. so The other three cases were homicides; they were punished

that

death

ensued

immediately,

or

in a short

time.

It was

the knowledge of these atrocities, and the melancholy suicide named, that caused Oliver Brown, when writing to his young wife, to refer directly to the deplorable aspect of slavery Once fairly established, and freight in that neighborhood. having arrived safely, the published correspondence becomes Emigrants began to to an actor in the scene. significant Smith writes drop down, from this quarter and the other. to

Kagi:

--

WEST ANDOVER, Ashtabula Co., 0. Wednesday, 1859. FRIEND HENRIE, -- Yours of the 14th inst. I received last night--glad to learn that the "Wire" has arrived in good condition, and that our "R" friend was pleased with a view of those "pre-evenful shadows." Shall write Leary at once, also our other friends at the Am highly pleased with the prospect 1 have North and East. of doing something to the purpose now, right away, here and in contiguous sections, in the way of getting stock taken. Write often, and I am devoting my whole time to our work.

MORE

keep

me

acters, not any

posted

up

CORRESPONDENCE.

close.

[Here follow

which may be read:

enough to correspond thing you may write,

Please

" I have

you to see

what

phonographic

learned

to any advantage. if written in the

Faithfully yours, say to father to address

which might read

some

al

written

but

Can probably read corresponding style."

JOHN SMITH. [phonographic characters

"John Luther"] when he writes I have

char-

phonography,

me.

him.

I wish J. S.

THE AGENT.

In the month of August, 1859, some time in Canada. He visited

John Brown's Agent spent Chatham, Buxton, and other

places, and formed Liberty Leagues, and arranged matters so that operations could be carried on with excellent success, through the efficiency of Messrs. C., S., B., and L., the Chairman, Corresponding Secretary, Secretary O., and Treasurer of the Society. He then proceeded to Detroit, where another Society is established. So well satisfied was Captain Brown with the work done, that he wrote in different directions:

"The fields whiten unto harvest;" and again, "Your friends at head-quarters want you at their elbow." This was an invitation by the good old man to as laborer in the cause of human rights

brave and effiecient a as the friends of freedom

have

yet

ever

known;

light of liberty South.

to

one

who

before

and

the

self-emancipated

must

CHAPTER MORE

CORRESPONDENCE

-- MY JOURNEY

bear

the

beacon-

bondmen

of the

V. TO THE FERRY

-- A GLANCE

AT THE FAMILY Preparations had so far incidents mentioned in the that Kagi wrote to Chatham

progressed, up to the time when preceeding chapter had taken place, and other places, urging parties

EE

. HARPER'S

A VOICE FROM

22

to come

favorable

written

letter from

an

South:

office-bearer,

soliciting

referred

In reply

of time.

loss

on without

to Chatham,

FERRY.

to my

volunteers, own

journey

to the

the appended, to the

--

DEAR SIR,--Yours

came to hand last night.

One hand (Anderson)

left here last night, and will be found an efficient hand. Richardson is anxious to be at work as a missionary to bring sinners to repentence. He will start in a few days. Another will follow immediately after, if not with him. More laborers

may be looked

for shortly.

"Slow but

sure."

Alexander has received yours, so you see all communications have come to hand, so far. Alexander is not coming up to the I fear he will be found unreliable in the work as he agreed. end. Dull times affect missionary matters here more than any thing else; however, a few active laborers may be looked for as certain. I would like to hear of your congregation numbering more than

"15 and 2" to commence

a good revival;

adding

good work.

strength

to

the

Yours, To J. B.,

As

set

still,

our

few will be

JoM.B.

&c.

Jr.

forth

in this

letter,

I left

Canada

September

13th,

On my , in Pennsylvania, three days after. and reached arrival, I was surprised to learn that the freight was all moved to head-quarters, but a few boxes, the arrival of which, the evening of which, the evening of the same day, called forth from Kagi the following brief note: --

CHAMBERSBURG, J. SMITH & SONS,--A quantity of freight has for you in care of Oaks & Caufman. The amount

; to-day arrived is somewhere be-

tween 2,000 and 3,000 lbs. Charges in full $25.98. The ter is, according to manifest, 33 bundles and 4 boxes.

charac-

I yesterday received a letter from John Smith, containing nothing of any particular importance, however, so I will keep it until you come up. Respectfully, J. HENRIE

THE AUTHOR'S

JOURNEY

TO THE FERRY.

CHAMBERSBURG, J. SMITH AND arrived in the

P.S.

I have

PA., Friday,

23

Sept.

11 o'clock A.M. time to say that Mr.

SONS,--I have just train five minutes ago. Respectfully, not have time to talk with

J.

him.

16,1859 Anderson

HENRIE J.H.

A little while prior to this, * * went down to » to accompany Shields Green, whereupon a meeting of Capt. Brown, Kagi, and other distinguished persons, convened for consulations.

On the 20th, four days after I reached this outpost, Capt. Brown, Watson Brown, Kagi, myself, and several friends, held another meeting, after which, on the 24th, I left Chambersburg

for Kennedy

Farm.

I walked

alone

as far as Middletown,

a town

on the line between Maryland and Pennsylvania, and it being then dark, I found Captain Brown awaiting with his wagon. We set out directly, and drove until nearly day-break the next morning, when we reached the Farm in safety. As a very necessary precaution against surprise, all the colored men at the Ferry who went from the North, made the journey from the Pennsylvania line in the night. I found all the men concerned in the undertaking on hand when I arrived, excepting Copeland, Leary, and Merriam; and when all had collected, a more earnest, fearless, determined company of men it would be difficult to get together. There, as at Chatham, I saw the same evidence of strong and commanding intellect, high-toned morality, and inflexibility of purpose in the men, and a profound and holy reverence for God, united to the most comprehensive, practical, systematic philanthropy, and undoubted bravery in the patriarch leader, brought out to view in lofty grandeur by the associations and surroundings of the place and the occasion. There was no milk and water sentimentality--no offensive contempt for the negro, while working in his cause; the pulsations of each and every heart beat in harmony for the suffering and pleading slave. I thank God that I have been permitted to realize to its furthest, fullest, extent, the moral, mental, physical, social harmony of an AntiSlavery family, carrying out to the letter the principles of its

A VOICE

oh

FERRY.

HARPER'S

FROM

In John Brown's house, antetype, the Anti-Slavery cause. parts in John Brown's presence, men from widely different no the continent met and united into one company, wherein of ghost no -self ugly its intrude dared e ful prejudic distinction found space to enter.

CHAPTER

the

and

house

a

VI.

LIFE AT THE KENNDY To a passer-by,

and of hate-

its

FARM. presented

surroundings

Any log tenement of equal dimenbut indifferent attractions. Rough, a stray glance. arrest to likely as be sions would and unsightly, and aged, it was only those privileged to enter the of s mysterie the e penetrat to and time, tarry for a long

two rooms it contained -- kitchen, parlor, dining-room below, and the spacious chamber, attic, store-roon, prison, drilling room, comprised the loft above -- who could tell how we lived

at Kennedy

Every

the

Farm.

morning,

family

around,

when

read

the

noble

from

his

old

was

man

Bible,

and

at

home,

offered

he

called

to God most

fervent and touching supplications for all flesh; and especially I pathetic were his petitions in behalf of the oppressed. never heard John Brown pray, that he did not make strong appeals

to God for the

deliverance

of the

slave.

This

duty

over,

the

men went to the loft, there to remain all the day long; few only could be seen about, as the neighbors were watchful and It was also important to talk but little among suspicious.

ourselves,

as

visitors

to the

house

might

be

curious.

Besides

the daughter and daughter-in-law, who superintended the work, some one or other of the men was regularly detailed to assist After the in the cooking, washing, and other domestic work.

LIFE AT KENNEDY

ladies left, we cause of age or

FARM .

25

did all the work, no one being exempted, official grade in the organization.

be-

The principal employment of the prisoners, as we severally were when compelled to stay in the loft, was to study Forbes! Manual, and to go through a quiet, though rigid drill, under the training of Capt. Stevens, at some times. At others, we applied a preparation for bronzing our gun barrels--discussed subjects of reform--related our personal history; but when our resources became pretty well exhausted, the ennui from confinement, imposed silence, etc., would make the men almost desperate. At such times, neither slavery nor slaveholders were discussed mincingly. We were, while the ladies remained, often relieved of much of the dullness growing out of restraint by their kindness. As we could not circulate freely, they would bring in wild fruit and flowers from the woods and fields. We were well supplied with grapes, paw-paws,chestnuts,

and other through

During we

were

the

under

at night, air and around,

small

their

we

fruit,

besides

thoughtful

several the

weeks

restraint

sallied

out

bouquets

of fall

flowers,

consideration.

I remained I write

for a ramble,

enjoy the beautiful by moonlight.

solitude

at the

of through

encampment, the

day;

or to breathe of the

mountain

the

but

fresh

scenery

Captain Brown loved the fullest expression of opinion from his men, and not seldom, when a subject was being severely scrutinized by Kagi, Oliver, or others of the party, the old gentleman would be one of the most interested and earnest

hearers. Frequently his views were severely criticised, when no one would be in better spirits than himself. He often remarked that it was gratifying to see young men grapple with moral and other important questions, and express themselves independently; it was evidence of self-sustaining power.

CHAPTER BROWN AND

CAPTAIN

MERRIAM,

J. H. KAGI

J. COPELAND

PRECIPITATED

FERRY.

HARPER'S

A VOICE FROM

26

VII.

GO TO PHILADELPHIA

AND S. LEARY

ARRIVE

-- F.

J.

-- MATTERS

BY INDISCRETION.

Being obliged, from the space I propose to give to this narrative, to omit many incidents of my sojourn at the Farm, which from association are among my most pleasant recollections, the events now to be recorded are to me invested with the most About ten days before the capture of the intense interest. Ferry, Captain John Brown and Kagi went to Philadelphia, on How important, men there and business of great importance. How affected by, and affecting the main elsewhere now know.

features of the enterprise, we at the Farm knew full well after their return, as the old Captain, in the fullness of

his overflowing, saddened heart, detailed point after point God bless the old veteran, who could and did of interest. chase a thousand in life, and defied more than ten thousand by the moral sublimity of his death: On their

way

home,

they

at Chambersburg,

Several days were spent Merriam, of Boston. Merriam left for Baltimore, to purchase some for the

reached

Copeland

undertaking.

John

Chambersburg

on the

12th

and

met

Sherrard

of October,

young

F.

J.

at C., when necessary articles Lewis

Leary

and on Saturday,

the 15th, at daylight, they arrived, in company with Kagi In the evening of the same day, F. J. and Watson Brown. Merriam came to the Farm. Saturday, the 15th, was chief and every man worked

ready

to remove

the means

and for further security, in a state of excitement,

The a busy day for all hands. busily, packing up, and getting

of defence

to the school-house,

as the people living around were from having seen a number of men

MATTERS

about

the

PRECIPITATED

premises

satisfied

a few

days

BY INDISCRETION.

previously.

as to the real business

27

Not being

fully

of "J. Smith & Sons" after

that, and learning that several thousand stand of arms were to be removed by the Government from the Armory to some other point, threats to search the premises were made against the encampment. A tried friend having given information of the state of public feeling without, and of the intended process, Captain Brown and party concluded to strike the blow imme-

diately, and not, as at first intended, to await certain reinforcements from the North and East, which would have been in Maryland

within

waiting

one

and

for the word,

three

have

weeks.

reached

Could

the outbreak when engine house, and

it took place, rifle factory,

ent.

at the Farm had been

But the

men

other

head-quarters

the taking would have

parties,

in time

for

of the armory, been quite differ-

so closely

confined,

that they went out about the house and farm in the day-time during that week, and so indiscreetly exposed their numbers to the prying neighbors, who thereupon took steps to have a search instituted in the early part of the coming week. Capt. Brown was not seconded in another quarter as he expected at the time of the action, but could the fears of the neighbors have been allayed for a few days, the disappointment in the former respect would not have had much weight.

The

indiscretion

alluded

to has

been

of us, as Maryland, Virginia, and other they now have, a direct interest in the the

first

step.

predicated is with

the

run,

on the

the

but

shouted over or Hastings.

Few

ultimately

issue

institution

it will the

of slavery. attempt,

any

bold

movements

stroke,

It will

huzzas more

lamented

by all

slave States, had, as successful issue of

successful

of the first

not be because

first

greatly

yet

were

and so it come

down

of victory

were

than

at Bunker

by

Hill

A VOICE FROM

28

HARPER'S

CHAPTER COUNCIL

MEETINGS

--

ORDERS

FERRY.

VIII. GIVEN

-- THE CHARGE

--

ETC.

On Sunday morning, October 16th, Captain Brown arose earlier than usual, and called his men down to worship.

He

read a chapter from the Bible, applicable to the condition of the slaves, and our duty as their brethren, and then offered up a fervent prayer to God to assist in the liberaThe services tion of the bondmen in that slaveholding land. Every man there assembled were impressive beyond expression. seemed to respond from the depths of his soul, and throughout The old the entire day, a deep solemnity pervaded the place. man's usually weighty words were invested with more than ordinary importance, and the countenance of every man reflected the momentous thought that absorbed his attention within.

After breakfast had been despatched, and the roll called by the Captain, a sentinel was posted outside the door, to warn by signal if any one should approach, and we listened to preparatory remarks to a council meeting to be held that I was At 10 o'clock, the council was assembled. day. appointed to the Chair, when matters of importance were After the council adjourned, the considered at length. Constitution was read for the benefit of the few who had Men not before heard it, and the necessary oaths taken. who were to hold military positions in the organization, and who had not received commissions before then, had their commissions filled out by J. H. Kagi, and gave the required obligations. In the afternoon, the eleven orders presented in the next chapter were given by the Captain, and were afterwards carried out in every particular by the officers and men. out to the Ferry, In the evening, before setting gave his final charge, in which he said, among other

he things:

THE

ORDERS

OF CAPT.

CHAPTER "And

now,

gentlemen,

let

me

BROWN.

29

IX.

impress

this

one

thing

upon

your

minds. You all know how dear life is to you, and how dear your life is to your friends. And in remembering that, consider that the lives of others are as dear to them as yours are to you. Do not, therefore, take the life of anyone, if you can possibly avoid it; but if it is necessary to take life in order to save your own, then make sure work

of 4t."

CHAPTER THE ELEVEN

ORDERS

GIVEN BY CAPTAIN SETTING

The

orders

given

BROWN

TO HIS MEN BEFORE

OUT FOR THE FERRY.

by Captain

the Farm for the Ferry,

IX.

were:

Brown,

before

departing

from

--

1. Captain Owen Brown, F. J. Merriam, and Barclay Coppic to remain at the old house as sentinels, to guard the arms and effects till morning, when they would be joined by some of the men from the Ferry with teams to move all arms and other things to the old school-house before referred to, located about three-quarters of a mile from Harper's Ferry. 2. All hands to make as little noise as possible going the Ferry, so as not to attract attention till we could to the bridge; and to keep all arms secreted, so as not be detected if met by any one.

3. The men were to walk in couples, at and should any one overtake us, stop him until the rest of our comrades were out same course to be pursued if we were met

to get to

some distance apart; and detain him of the road. The by any one.

ee

FERRY.

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S

30.

walk ahead That Captains Charles P. Tidd and John BE. Cook h. to tear Ferry, the to rode of the wagon in which Captain Brown railthe along side d Marylan the on wires ph down the telegra and

road;

do the

to

on

same

the

the

after

side,

Virginia

town

should be captured. Captains John H. Kagi and A. D. Stevens were to take 5. party got watchman at the Ferry bridge prisoner when the

6.

Captain

Watson

Taylor

and Stewart

Brown

upon

house

engine

there, and to detain him there until the the Government grounds should be taken.

were

the

to take

positions at the Potomac bridge, and hold it till morning. if They were to stand on opposite sides, a rod apart, and in any one entered the bridge, they were to let him get

case,

pikes

unless

they

offered

them.

Sharp's

rifles,

refused

to surrender.

7.

Captains

a similar

Oliver

order

Brown

much

and William

at the Shenandoah

to be used,

were

In that

between

were

Thompson

bridge,

not

and

resistance,

execute

to

morning.

until

Lieutenant Jeremiah Anderson and Adolphus Thompson were 8. watchto occupy the engine house at first, with the prisoner man from the bridge and the watchman belonging to the enginehouse yard, until the one on the opposite side of the street and the rifle factory were taken, after which they would be reinforced, to hold that place with the prisoners. 9.

Lieutenant

Albert

to hold the Armory taken, through the

would

10.

Hazlett

and

Private

Edwin

Coppic

were

opposite the engine house after it had been night and until morning, when arrangements

be different.

That

John H. Kagi,

Adjutant

General,

(colored) take positions at the rifle and hold it until further orders.

and John A. Copeland,

factory

through

the

night,

THE ORDERS

11. held

OF CAPT.

BROWN.

31

That Colonel A. D. Stevens (the same Captain Stevens who military position next to Captain Brown) proceed to the

country

with

his

men,

and

after

taking

certain

parties

prison-

ers bring them to the Ferry. In the case of Colonel Lewis Washington, who had arms in his hands, he must, before being secured as a prisoner, deliver them into the hands of Osborne P. Anderson. Anderson being a colored man, and colored men being only things in the South, it is proper that the South be taught a lesson upon this point. John H. Kagi being Adjutant Gneral, was the near adviser of Captain John Brown, and second in position; and had the old gentleman been slain at the Ferry, and Kagi been spared, the command would have devolved upon the latter. But Col. Stevens holding the active military position in the organization second to Captain Brown, when order eleven was given him, had the privilege of choosing his own men to execute it. The selection was made after the capture of the Ferry, and then my duty to receive Colonel Washington's famous arms was assigned me by Captain Brown. The men selected by Col. Stevens to act under his orders during the night were Charles P. Tidd,

Osborne Lewis would

P. Anderson,

Shields

Leary. We were come, and bring

Green,

John

to take prisoners, them to the Ferry.

E. Cook, and

any

and Sherrard slaves

who

A few days before, Capt. Cook had travelled along the Charlestown turnpike, and collected statistics of the population of slaves and the masters' names. Among the masters whose acquaintance Cook had made, Colonel Washington had received him politely, and had shown him a sword formerly owned by General Lafayette, and bequeathed by the old General to Lewis Washington. These were the arms specially referred to in the charge. At

"Men,

eight

o'clock

on Sunday

get on your arms;

evening,

we will proceed

Captain

Brown

said:

to the Ferry."

His horse

and wagon were

a sledge-hammer

and

then put on his

crowbar

old Kansas

FERRY.

HARPER'S

A VOICE FROM

32

to the door,

brought were

placed

and said:

cap,

we marched out of the camp behind hin, As we down the hill to the main road.

pikes,

and some The

in it.

Captain

"Come, boys!" when

into the lane leading formed the procession

s J. Merriam, line, Owen Brown, Barclay Coppic, and Franci before stated, as place the t protec to behind left els sentin

which, agreeably to came forward and took leave of us; after acquainted with the better were they as and , orders previous tearing down of the effect topography of the Ferry, and to

the telegraph

C. P. Tidd and John &. Cook

wires,

led the pro-

While going to the Ferry, the company marched cession. got to the as solemly as a funeral procession, till we order to When we entered, we halted, and carried out an every when s, clothe our of e outsid our cartridge boxes was ready for taking the town.

CHAPTER THE CAPTURE SALLY

OF HARPER'S

OUT TO THE PLANTATIONS

fasten thing

X. A. D. STEVENS

-- COL.

FERRY

along bridge.

-- WHAT WE SAW,

AND

HEARD,

PARTY DID,

ETC.

as As John H. Kagi and A. D. Stevens entered the bridge, at the other being n, watchma the charge, fifth the in ordered When up to end, came toward them with a lantern in his hand. d him a detaine and r, prisone their was he him them, they told few minutes, they did not

slaves, that

the

They replied, when he asked them to spare his life. the free to was object the him; harm to intend

and he would purpose

have

might

be

to submit carried

to them for a time,

in order

out.

followed Captain Brown now entered the bridge in his wagon, and Kagi where part that reached we until us, of py the rest

Stevens

held

their

prisoner,

when

he ordered

Watson

Brown

and

CAPTURE

Stewart

sixth,

Taylor

to take

and the

rest

the

OF THE FERRY.

positions

of us to proceed

33

assigned

to the

them

engine

in order

house.

We

started for the engine house, taking the prisoner along with us. When we neared the gates of the engine house yard, we found them locked, and the watchman on the inside. He was told to open the gates, but refused, and commenced to cry. The men were then ordered by Captain Brown to open the gates

forcibly,

which

was

done,

and the

watchman

taken

prisoner.

The two prisoners were left in the custody of Jerry Anderson and Adolphus Thompson, and A. D. Stevens arranged the men to take possession of the Armory and rifle factory. About this time, there was apparently much excitement. People were pas-

sing back and

forth

in the town,

and before

we

could

do much,

we had to take several prisoners. After the prisoners were secured, we passed to the opposite side of the street and took the Armory, and Albert Hazlett and Edwin Coppic were ordered to hold it for the time being. The capture of the rifle factory was the next work to be done. When we went there, we told the watchman who was outside of the building our business, and asked him to go along with us, as we had come to take possession of the town, and make use of the Armory in carrying out our object. He obeyed the command without hesitation. John H. Kagi and John Copeland were placed in the Armory, and the prisoners taken to the engine house. Following the capture of the Armory, Oliver Brown and William Thompson were ordered to take possession of the bridge leading out of town, across the Shenandoah river, which they immediately did. These places were all taken, and the prisoners secured, wihtout the snap of a gun, or any violence whatever.

The town being taken, Brown, Stevens, and the men who had no post in charge, returned to the engine house, where council was held, after which Captain Stevens, Tidd, Cook, Shields Green,

Leary

and

myself

went

to the

country.

On the

road

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S

34

we met

some

colored

men,

FERRY.

to whom we made

known

purpose,

our

They said they had when they immediately agreed to join us. Stevens then kind. the of ty Ween long waiting for an opportuni asked them to go around among the colored people and circulate

the news,

when

each started

off

in a different

direction.

The

result was that many colored men gathered to the scene of action. The first prisoner taken by us was Colonel Lewis Washington. When we neared his house, Capt. Stevens placed Leary and Shields

Green to guard the approaches to the house, the one at the side, We then knocked, but no one answering, the other in front.

although females were looking from upper windows, we entered Col. the building and commenced a search for the proprietor. Washington opened his room door, and begged us not to kill him.

Capt.

Stevens

if speechless

replied,

he stood as

"You are our prisoner,"when

or petrified.

Stevens

further

told

him to get

ready to go to the Ferry; that he had come to abolish slavery, not to take life but in self-defence, but that he must go along.

The

Colonel

replied:

"You can

have

my slaves,

if you will

let me

remain." "No," said the Captain, "you must go along too, so get ready." After saying this, Stevens left the house for a time, and with Green, Leary and Tidd, proceeded to the "Quarters," The male giving the prisoner in charge of Cook and myself. slaves were gathered together in a short time, when horses were tackled to the Colonel's two-horse carriage and four-horse wagon, and both vehicles brought to the front of the house. During this time, Washington was walking the floor, apparWhen the Captain came in, he went to the ently much excited. sideboard, took out his whiskey, and offered us something to

demanded, small rifle, asked of him. submit, and

His fire-arms were next drink, but he was refused. when be brought forth one double-barrelled gun, one

Nothing else was two horse-pistols and a sword. he found he must when heartily cried The Colonel appeared taken aback when, on delivering up the famous

sword

CAP.

STEVENS

AND PARTY VISIT THE COUNTRY.

35

formerly presented by Frederic to his illustrious kinsman, George Washington, Capt. Stevens told me to step forward and take it. Washington was secured and placed in his wagon, the women of the family making great outcries, when the party drove forward to Mr. John Allstadt's. After making known our business to him, he went into as great a fever of excitement as

Washington

had done.

We could

have

his

slaves,

also,

if we

would only leave him. This, of course, was contrary to our plans and instructions. He hesitated, puttered around, fumbled and meditated for a long time. At last, seeing no alternative, he got ready, when the slaves were gathered up from about the quarters by their own consent, and all placed in Washington's big wagon and returned to the Ferry. One old colored lady, at whose house we stopped, way from the town, had a good time over the message her. This liberating the slaves was the very thing

a little we took she had

longed for, prayed for, and dreamed about, time and again; and her heart was full of rejoicing over the fulfilment of a prophecy which had been her faith for long years. While we were absent from the Ferry, the train of cars for Baltimore

arrived,

and was

detained.

A colored

man named Haywood,

em-

ployed upon it, went from the Wager House up to the entrance to the bridge, where the train stood, to assist with the baggage. He was ordered to stop by the sentinels stationed at the bridge, which he refused to do, but turned to go in an opposite direction, when he was fired upon, and received a mortal wound. Had he stood when ordered, he would not have been harmed. No one knew at the time whether he was white or colored, but his movements were such as to justify the sentinels shooting him, as he would not stop when commanded. The first after

firing happened at daylight on Monday

that time, morning.

and

the

only

firing,

until

Yr

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S

36

XI.

CHAPTER THE EVENTS

CAMP

IN THE SLAVEHOLDING PARTY

OF KAGI

-- THE FATE

WORKMEN AT THE KENNEDY

THE SLAVES

17 -- ARMING

OCT.

OF MONDAY,

FERRY.

--

PRISONERS

--

FARM

--

TO OUR

LOSSES

IMPORTANT

-- TERROR

ACCUMULATE

--

ETC.

a time of stirring and Monday, the 17th of October, was the movements of the night of In consequence exciting events. and tumult, but certainly tion commo for red before, we were prepa Gray dawn and yet pbrightd us. not for more than we beheld aroun as the sun arose, the and sion, confu great er daylight revealed

panic

spread

like

wild-fire.

Men,

and children

women

could be

direction; some seeking refuge seen leaving their homes in every er away, others climbing among residents, and in quarters farth various directions, eviin off up the hill-sides, and hurrying was plainly visible in which fear, n sudde a by dently impelled ents. their countenances or in their movem

Capt.

Brown

was

all

activity,

though

at times he appeared somewhat Lewis Leary, and four slaves,

ing that Sherrard to the neighborhood,

I could

not

help think-

He ordered puzzled. man belonging free a and

and to join John Henry Kagi and John Copel Kagi, and did. y iatel immed they which y, factor at the rifle killed, but not before all except Copeland, were subsequently furhaving communicated ther along.

with

Capt.

Brown,

as

will

be

set

forth

ing, or persons As fast as the workmen came to the pbuild they were taken house, engine the appeared in the street near detained train was the e, sunris after ly direct and prisoners, After the departure of permitted to start for the eastward. time; a number of short a for led prevai ess the train, quietn

TERROR

prisoners

were

colored men a number

Capt.

already

in the

were

IN THE SLAVEHOLDING

armed

Brown

in the

engine

neighborhood, for

ordered

the

who

CAMP.

house,

37

and

of the

had assembled

many

in the

town,

work.

Capts.

Charles

P. Tidd,

Wm.

H.

Leeman,

John E. Cook, and some fourteen slaves, to take Washington's four-horse wagon, and to join the company under Capt. Owen Brown, consisting of F. J. Merriam and Barclay Coppic, who had been left at the Farm the night previous, to guard the place and the arms. The company, thus reinforced, proceeded, under Owen Brown, to move the arms and goods from the Farm down to the school-house in the mountains, three-fourths of a mile from the Ferry. Capt. Brown next ordered me to take the pikes out of the wagon in which he rode to the Ferry, and to place them in the hands of the colored men who had come with us from the planta-

tions,

and others

munication

who

had come our

of

any

with

forward

party.

stances of this order, that as leader, or "ringleader,"

without

It was

out

having of the

the false charge against of the negroes, grew.

had

com-

circum-

"Anderson"

The spectators, about this time, became apparently wild with fright and excitement. The number of prisoners was magnified to hundreds, and the judgment-day could not have presented more terrors, in its awful and certain prospective punishment to the

justly

condemned

of which would operations. The

for

no

prisoners

the wicked

doubt

were

be

also

deeds

of a life-time,

slaveholding,

than

terror-stricken.

did

Some

the

Capt.

wanted

chief

Brown's

to

go

home to see their families, as if for the last time. The privilege was granted them, under escort, and they were brought back again. Edwin Coppic, one of the sentinels at the Armory gate, was fired at by one of the citizens, but the ball did not reach him, when one of the insurgents close by put up his rifle, and made

the

enemy

bite

the

dust.

A VOICE FROM

38

HARPER'S

FERRY.

Among the arms taken from Col. Washington was one doubleThis weapon was loaded by Leeman with buckshot , barrel gun. the hands of an elderly slave man, early in the in and placed After the cowardly charge upon Coppic, this old man morning. The old man was ordered by Capt. Stevens to arrest a citizen. ordered him to halt, which he refused to do, when instantly the terrible load was discharged into him, and he fell, and expired without a struggle.

the The

After these incidents, time passed away till the arrival of United States troops, without any further attack upon us. cowardly Virginians submitted like sheep, without resistance,

from that Brown, who prisoners,

time

until

the

marines

was considering passed back and

came

down.

Meanwhile,

Capt.

a proposition for release from his forth from the Armory to the bridge,

"Hold speaking words of comfort and encouragement to his men. on a little longer, boys," said he, "until I get matters arranged This tardiness on the part of our brave with the prisoners." leader was sensibly felt to be an omen of evil by some of us, It was no part of and was eventually the cause of our defeat. to parley with the or Ferry, the to on hold to plan the original prisoners; but by so doing, time was afforded to carry the news of its capture to several points, and forces were thrown into

the

place,

which

surrounded

us.

At eleven o'clock, Capt. Brown despatched William Thompson from the Ferry up to Kennedy Farm, with the news that we had peaceful possession of the town, and with directions to the men He went; but before he could to continue on moving the things. in, and the general encounter pour to begun had get back, troops commenced.

RECEPTION

TO THE TROOPS.

CHAPTER RECEPTION

TO THE TROOPS

A PRISONER THOMPSON

-- DEATH

HOUSE

about

XII. RETREAT

OF DANGERFIELD

-- THE MOUNTAINS

THE ENGINE It was

-- THEY

39

ALIVE

TO THE BRIDGE

NEWBY

-- FLAG

--

-- WILLIAM OF TRUCE

--

TAKEN.

twelve

o'clock

in the

day when

we

were

first

attacked by the troops. Prior to that, Capt. Brown, in anticipation of further trouble, had girded to his side the famous sword taken from Col. Lewis Washington the night with that memorable weapon, he commanded his men General Washington's own State.

before, against

and

When the Captain received the news that the troops had entered the bridge from the Maryland side, he, with some of his men, went into the street, and sent a message to the Arsenal for us to come forth also. We hastened to the street as ordered when

he said

we will

--

"The

troops

are

on the

give them a warm reception."

amonst

us,

giving

"Men!

be cool!

us

words

bridge,

He then walks

of encouragement,

Take aim,

coming

and make every

in this

last shot

into

town;

around wise:

--

count!"

"The troops will look for us to retreat on their first appearance; be careful to shoot first." Our men were well supplied with firearms, but Capt. Brown had no rifle at that time; his only

weapon

The facing

was

troops us, we

the

sword

soon came occupying

before

mentioned.

out of the bridge, and an irregular position.

up the street When they got

within sixty or seventy yards, Capt. Brown said, which we did, when several of them fell. them!" again

the

dose

was

repeated.

"Let go upon Again and

,

——

A VOICE

LO

FROM

HARPER'S

FERRY.

From marching There was now consternation among the troops. Some hastened scattered. became they columns, in solid martial to seize upon and bear up the wounded and dying, -- several lay They seemed not to realize, at first, dead upon the ground. that we would fire upon them, but evidently expected we would Capt. Brown seemed fully be driven out by them without firing. properly and in our very hence, and matter, the d to understan The consequence defence, undertook to forestall their movements. of their several leaving after was, reception d of their unexpecte dead on the field, they beat a confused retreat into the bridge, and there stayed under cover until reinforcements came to the Ferry.

On the retreat of the troops, we were ordered back to our While going, Dangerfield Newby, one of our colored former post. men, was shot through the head by a person who took aim at him

from a brick

store

window,

on the

side

opposite

of the

street,

Newby was and who was there for the purpose of firing upon us. He He was one of my comrades at the Arsenal. a brave fellow. Shields by avenged promptly was death his fell at my side, and

the Zouave of the band, who afterwards met his fate Newby was shot twice; on the gallows, with John Copeland. at the first fire, he fell on his side and returned it; as he lay, a second shot was fired, and the ball entered his head. Green raised his rifle in an instant, and brought down the cowardGreen, calmly

ly murdered,

before

the

latter

could

get

his

gun back

through

the

sash. There

was

comparative

quiet

for

a time,

except

that

the

citi-

Men, women and children forzens seemed to be wild with terror. sook the place in great haste, climbing up hillsides and scaling The latter seemed to be alive with white fugithe mountains. During this time, Wm. tives, fleeing from their doomed city. to the Kennedy Farm, errand his from returning was who Thompson, was surrounded on the bridge by the railroad men, who next came up, taken a prisoner to the Wager House, tied hand and foot, and,

COWARDICE

at a late

riddled

hour

of the

with balls,

OF THE VIRGINIANS.

afternoon,

and

thrown

cruelly

41

murdered

headlong

on the

by being

rocks.

Late in the morning, some of his prisoners told Capt. Brown that they would like to have breakfast, when he sent word forthwith to the Wager House to that effect, and they were supplied. He did not order breakfast for himself and men, as was currently but the

falsely stated contrary, when

him,

at the time, as he suspected foul play; solicited to have breakfast so provided

on for

he refused.

Between

two

and three

o'clock

could be seen coming from ing and counter-marching; thirsty ruffians swarmed,

pounce after

on the the

charged,

little

arrival

and the

townspeople, which filled well conceal brazen head, and in no way

except

that

band.

of fresh

echoes

in the afternoon,

The fighting troops.

from the

commenced

Volley

hills,

men

upon

the

in earnest

volley

shrieks

was

dis-

of the

and the groans of their wounded and dying, all of the air, were truly frightful. The Virginians may their losses, and Southern chivalry may hide its for their boasted bravery was well tested that day , to their advantage. It is remarkable, that

one

foolhardy

colored

man was

other funeral is mentioned, although the zens are known to have fallen. Had they ber, their disgrace would have been more

wisely

armed

every direction; soldiers were marchand on the mountains, a host of bloodwaiting for the their opportunity to

to be silent.

(7?) concluded

reported buried,

no

Mayor and other citireported the true numapparent; so they

The fight at Harper's Ferry also disproved the current idea that slaveholders will lay down their lives for their property. Col. Washington, the representative of the old hero, stood

"plubbering"

laboring

like a great

white

classes

(mostly gentlemen from the

bullets

of John

calf at supposed

and non-slaveholders,

danger; with

while the

the

marines ,

"furrin" parts,) were the men who faced

Brown

and

his

men.

Hardly

the

skin

of a

ee

a

ke

ee

A VOICE FROM

HARPER'S

FERRY.

the cowards kept slaveholder could be scratched in open fight; the poor whites g sendin , passed was danger until way out of the the bragging, for ed reserv into the pitfalls, while they were afterwards. ing murder al judici ly coward but safe and to do the

round about, As strangers poured in the enemy took positions e of the so as to prevent any escape, within shooting distanc manoeuvres, their seeing Brown, Capt. . engine house and Arsenal if they are ns, positio three our to on hold will "We said:

unwilling

to come

to terms,

and die

like

men."

and pall All this time, the fight was progressing; no powder aim. deadly took and cover, under from shot We were wasted. the firing For an hour before the flag of truce was sent out, were conswas uninterrupted, and one and another of the enemy tantly dropping to the earth.

One of the Captain's plans was to keep up communication In carrying out this idea, Jerry between his three points. to see Kagi and his men. factory, rifle the to went Anderson the Kagi, fearing that we would be overpowered by numbers if him advise to Anderson by word sent leaving, delayed Captain This word Anderson communicated to to leave the town at once. The message sent the Captain, and told us also at the Arsenal. back to Kagi was, to hold out for a few minutes longer, when we Those few minutes proved disaswould all evacuate the place. troops before spoken of came the that was it then for trous, pouring in, increased by crowds of men from the surrounding After an hour's hard fighting, and when the enemy country. out were blocking up the avenues of escape, Capt. Brown sent paid was respect no but truce, of flag a with his son Watson He returned to it; he was fired upon, and wounded severely. for fully that after bravely fought to the engine house, and an hour and a half, when he received a mortal wound, which he The contemptible and struggled under until the next day. had been received, truce of flag the which in savage manner

CAPTURE

induced severe measures before the next one was

OF STEVENS.

43

in our defence, in the hour and a half sent out. The effect of our work was,

that the troops ceased to fire had the advantage of position.

at the buildings,

as we

clearly

Capt. A. D. Stevens was next sent out with a flag, with what success I will presently show. Meantime, Jeremiah Anderson, who had brought the message from Kagi previously, was sent by

Capt. Brown with another message to John Henrie, but before he got far on the street, he was fired upon and wounded. He returned at once to the engine house, where he survived but a short time. The ball, it was found, had entered the right side in such manner that death necessarily ensued rapidly. Capt.

his

flag

Stevens

was

of truce,

fired

upon

and received

several

severe

times

while

wounds,

as

carrying

I was

informed

that day, not being myself in a position to see him after. He was captured, and taken to the Wager House, where he was kept until the close of the struggle in the evening, when he was placed with the rest of our party who had been captured.

After the both sides.

capture of Stevens, desperate fighting was done The marines forced their way inside the engine-

by

house yard, and commanded Capt. Brown to surrender, which he refused to do, but said in reply, that he was willing to fight them, if they would allow him first to withdraw his men to the

second lock on the Maryland side. As might be expected, the cowardly hordes refused to entertain such a proposition, but continued their assault, to cut off communication between our several parties. The men at the Kennedy Farm having received such a favorable message in the early part of the day, through Thompson, were ignorant of the disastrous state of affairs later in the day. Could they have known the truth, and come down in time, the result would have been very different; we should not have been captured that day. A handful of determined men, as

A VOICE FROM

yh

FERRY.

HARPER'S

side, when the they were, by taking a position on the Maryland for sheltroops made their attack and retreated to the bridge n's Thompso fires. two between ter, would have placed the enemy se would otherwi they as down, g hurryin from them ed prevent news

Owen have done, and thus deprived us of able assistance from the Coppic, and Merriam Tidd, and , himself in Brown, a host

brave

composing

fellows

that

band.

The climax of murderous assaults on that the final capture of the engine house, with This outrageous his handful of associates.

lized

must

warfare

centrates more often believed

have

a special

of Southern to be true.

CHAPTER THE CAPTURE

OF JOHN BROWN AT THE

to

chapter

littleness

and

memorable day was the old Captain and burlesque upon civi-

itself,

cowardice

as than

it conis

XIII. ENGINE

HOUSE.

One great difference between savages and civilized nations Flags is, the improved mode of warfare adopted by the latter. attacking an and tion, considera to entitled always are of truce party would make a wide departure from military usage, were they not to give opportunity for the besieged to capitulate, or Looking at the Harper's Ferry comto surrender at discretion. bat in the light of civilized usage, even where one side might be regarded as insurrectionary, the brutal treatment of Captain Brown and his men in the charge by the marines on the engine house is deserving of severest condemnation, and is one of those plood-thirsty occurrences, dark enough in depravity to disgrace a century.

CAPIURE

OF JOHN BROWN.

4S

Captain Hazlett and myself being in the Arsenal opposite, saw the charge upon the engine house with the ladder, which resulted in opening the doors to the marines, and finally in Brown's capture. The old hero and his men were hacked and wounded with indecent rage, and at last brought out of the house and laid prostrate upon the ground, mangled and bleeding as they were. A formal surrender was required of Captain

Brown, which he refused, knowing how little favor he would receive, if unarmed, at the hands of that infuriated mob. of our

party

who

went

from

the

Farm,

save

the

Captain,

All

Shields

Green, Edwin Coppic and Watson Brown (who had received a mortal wound some time before,) the men at the Farm, and Hazlett and I, were either dead or captured before this time; the particulars of whose fate we learned still later in the day, as I shall presently show. Of the four prisoners taken at the engine house, Shields Green, the most inexorable of all our party, a very Turco in his hatred against the stealers of men, was under Captain Hazlett, and consequently of our little band at the Arsenal; but when we were ordered by Captain Brown to return to our positions, after having driven the troops into the bridge, he mistook the order, and went to the engine house instead of with his own party. Had he remained with us, he might have eluded the vigilant Virginians. As it was, he was doomed, as is well-known, and

became a free-will offering Copeland. Wiser and better man

never

lived

than

for freedom, men no doubt

Shields

Green.

CHAPTER

XIV.

with his comrade, John there were, but a braver

6

A VOICE FROM

SETTING

FORTH

WHY

O.

FROM THE ARSENAL,

ESCAPED THEY

REASONS

HAD NOTHING

RESULTED A PURSUIT,

TO THEM,

WOUNDED.

Of the

six men were only

P. ANDERSON INSTEAD

AND TO THIS

assigned

FERRY.

AND A.

NARRATIVE,

GOT KILLED,

a position

either slain or ones remaining,

HAZLETT

OF REMAINING,

AND

WHEN

AND WHAT

-- TOOK A PRISONER,

WHEN SOMEBODY

BODIES

Brown, four myself, the

TO DO

HARPER'S

THEREFROM

--

OTHER

in the Arsenal

by Captain

captured; and Hazlett and never left our position until

we saw, with feelings of intense sadness, that we could be of no further avail to our commander, he being a prisoner in the hands of the Virginians. We therefore, upon consultation, as our work for the day was clearly finished, and gain a position where in the future we could work with better success, than to recklessly invite capture and brutality at the hands of our The charge of deserting our brave old leader and enemies. fleeing from danger has been circulated to our detriment, but I have the consolation of known that, reckless as were the halfcivilized hordes against whom we contended the entire day, and much as they might wish to disparage his men, they would never John Brown's men at They know better. have thus charged us. Harper's Ferry were and are a unit in their devotion to John Brown and the cause he espoused. To have deserted him would have been to belie every manly characteristic for which Albert Hazlett, at least, was known by the party to be distinguished, at the same time that it would have endangered the future safety John Brown gave orders; those of such deserter or deserters. orders must be obeyed, so long as Captain Brown was in a posi-

tion

to enforce

them;

once

unable

to command,

from

death,

being

A PRISONER

TAKEN.

7

a prisoner, or otherwise, the command devolved Kagi. Before Captain Brown was made prisoner, had ceased to live, though had he been living, tion between our post and him had been long cut not aid Captain Brown by remaining. We might, men at the Farm, devise plans for his might become available on some future

upon John Henry Captain Kagi

all communicaoff. We could

by joining the succor; or our experience occasion.

The charge of running away from danger could only find form in the mind of some one unwilling to encounter the difficulties of a Harper's Ferry campaign, as no one acquainted with the out-of-door and in-door encounters of that day will charge any one with wishing to escape danger, merely. It is well enough for men out of danger, and who could not be induced to run the risk of a scratching, to talk flippantly about cowardice, and to sit in judgment upon the men who went with John Brown, and who did not fall into the hands of the Virginians; but to have been there, fought there, and to understand what did transpire there, are quite different. As Capt. Brown had all the prisoners with him, the whole force of the enemy was concentrated there, for a time, after the capture of the rifle factory. Having captured our commander, we knew that it was but little

two must

of us

building,

hind full

could

come;

so

against

Hazlett

climbed

so many,

and

up the

I went

wall,

and that out

and

at

went

our

the

upon

turn

back

the

to be taken

part

of

railway.

the

Be-

us, in the Arsenal, were thousands of dollars, we knew well, but that wealth had no charms for us, and he hast-

ened to communicate with the men sent travelled up the Shenandoah along the

to the Kennedy Farm. We railroad, and overtook

one of the citizens. He was armed, and had been in the fight in the afternoon. We took him prisoner, in order to facilitate our escape. up his gun. struggle at

He submitted without resistance, and quietly gave From him, we learned substantially of the final the rifle factory, where the noble Kagi commanded.

48

A VOICE FROM

number

The

larger tha there were

said

there

must

FERRY.

seventy

we He

supposed, although wounded together.

either Hazlett or I had a great many killed and

be at least

opinion,

to his

according

was,

killed

of citizens

much knew

HARPER'S

wounded.

besides

killed,

had said there must be fifty, taking into account the I do not know positiveof the three strong positions. would not put the figure below thirty killed, seeing

Hazlett defence ly, but

I did, and knowing the

many fall as

upon

"dead aim" principle

which we defended ourselves. One of the Southern published accounts, it will be remembered, said twenty citizens were killed, another said fifteen. At last it got narrowed down to five, which was simply absurd, after so long an engagement. We had forty rounds apiece when we went to the Ferry, and when

and

Hazlett us.

The

as

we were,

number we saw

When

I left,

rest

we

of the

if not

had not more

more

we had

gone

as

twenty

than

far as

published,

the

foot

rounds

their

with

We had further

so.

of dead was larger lying dead around.

than free

as

were

party

evidence

from

the

between

ammunition

that

many

the

that

of the mountains,

our

prisoner begged us not to take his life, but to let him go at liberty. He said we might keep his gun; he would not inform on us. Feeling compassion for him, and trusting to his honor,

we

suffered

finding

him to go,

every

thing

when

there

he went

in the

directly

hands

of our

into

town,

enemies,

and he

informed on us, and we were pursued. After he had left us, we crawled or climbed up among the rocks in the mountains, some hundred yards or more from the spot where we left him, and hid ourselves, as we feared treachery on second thought. A few minutes before dark, the troops came in search of us. They came to the foot of the mountains, marched and countermarched, but never attempted to search the mountains; we supposed from their movements that they feared a host of armed

enemies

in concealment.

Their

air was

so defiant,

and their

THE ENCOUNTER

errand

so

distasteful

ammunition

to their

AT THE RIFLE FACTORY.

to us,

case,

that

one bite fell,

dust

returned

concealed

changing

position in the not so dark but

now and then,

particularly

undisturbed,

troops were

the

instantly,

which

from

when

the

their

but

us

it was

sight

continued

others

wounded.

satisfied

our fire,

of shots

concluded

to apply

and having a few cartridges

we poured from our excellent well-directed shots. It was them

we

hg

by the

lay where

they were

random

for some

rocky wilds some that we could see would run to aid

Some

that

rocks

minutes,

a little

on hand,

they

dead.

shooting,

The

as we

and bushes.

with much

Inter-

spirit,

when it became quite dark, and they went down into the town. After their return to the Ferry, we could hear the drum beating for a long time; an indication of their triumph, we supposed. Hazlett and I remained in our position three hours, before we dared

venture

down.

CHAPTER

As stated factory

land,

was

XV.

THE ENCOUNTER

AT THE RIFLE FACTORY

in a previous

chapter,

given

Sherrard

to Captain

Lewis

Leary,

Kagi.

the

command

Under

and three

of the

him were

colored

men

John

rifle Cope-

from the

neighborhood. At an early hour, Kagi saw from his position the danger in remaining, with our small company, until assistance could come to the inhabitants. Hence his suggestion to Captain Brown, through Jeremiah Anderson, to leave. His position being more isolated than the others, was the first to invite an organized attack with success; the Virginians first investing the factory with their hordes, before the final success at the engine house. From the prisoner taken by us

FERRY.

HARPER'S

A VOICE FROM

50

n, we who had participated in the assault upon Kagi's positio companbrave our of er slaught the of details sad the received fired Seven different times during the day they were ions. building, upon, while they occupied the interior part of the killing the insurgents defending themselves with great courage, numlming overwhe last, At on. precisi and wounding with fatal blocked bers, as many as five hundred, our informant told us,

up the

front

of the building,

forced

their

way

into

the

battered

interior.

the

The

and

down,

doors

were

insurgents

then

the forced to retreat the back way, fighting, however, all it and river, the to took they when , pursued were They time. there being so shallow, they waded out toa rock, mid-way, and made

a stand,

into

the

being

completely

hemmed

four or five hundred shots, said them before they were conquered. hands

of the

enemy,

but

in,

front

and

rear.

Some

our prisoner, were fired at They would not surrender kept

on

fighting

until

every

Seeing he could do no one was killed, except John Copeland. murdered, he suffered were s associate his all that and more, The party at the rifle factory fought himself to be captured.

Slave desperately till the last, from the perch on the rock. and free, black and white, carried out the special injunction The unforof the brave old Captain, to make sure work of it. tunate targets for so many bullets of the enemy, some of them There fell poor Kagi, the friend received two or three balls. and adviser of Captain Brown in his most trying positions, and the cleverest man in the party; and there also fell Sherrard Lewis Leary, generous-hearted and companionable as he was, and in that and other difficult positions, brave to desperation. But There fought John Copeland, who met his fate like a man.

they were all

“honorable men," noble,

noble fellows,

who fought

John Copeland was taken and died for the most holy principles. to the guard-house, where the other prisoners afterwards were, His subsequent mockery of a and thence to Charlestown jail. trial, sentence and execution, with his companion Shields Green, on the 16th of December--are they not part of the dark deeds of this era, which will assign their perpetrators to infamy, and cause after generations to blush at the remembrance?

ESCAPE

FROM VIRGINIA.

CHAPTER OUR ESCAPE

FROM VIRGINIA

AND HUNGER

the

-- NARROW

--

XVI.

HAZLETT

ESCAPE

51.

BREAKS

DOWN FROM

FATIGUE

IN PENNSYLVANIA.

I have said elsewhere, that Hazlett and I crossed over to Maryland side, after the skirmish with the troops about

nightfall. To be more circumstantial: when we descended from the rocks, we passed through the back part of the Ferry on the hill, down to the railroad, proceeding as far as the saw-mill on the Virginia side, where we came upon an old boat tied up to the shore, which we cast off, and crossed the Potomac. The Maryland shore once gained, we passed along the

tow-path of the canal for some distance, when we came to an arch, which led through under the canal, and thence to the Kennedy Farm, hoping to find something to eat, and to meet the

men who had been stationed on that side. When we reached the farmhouse, all our expectations were disappointed. The old house had been ransacked and deserted, the provisions taken away, with every thing of value to the insurgents. Thinking that we should fare better at the schoolhouse, we bent our steps in that direction. The night was dark and rainy, and after tramping for an hour and a half, at least, we came up to the schoolhouse. This was about two o'clock in the morning. The schoolhouse was packed with things moved there by the party the previous day, but we searched in vain, after lighting a match, for food, our great necessity, or for our young companions in the struggle. Thinking it unsafe to remain in the schoolhouse, from fear of oversleeping ourselves, we climbed up the mountain in the rear of it, to lie down until daylight.

———

HARPER'S

A VOICE FROM

52

FERRY.

the morning. It was after sunrise some time when we awoke in Hazlett Ferry. the at The first sound we heard was shooting their force to trying men his and Brown Owen thought it must be number of us had way into the town, as they had been informed a prisoners,

been

taken

were

firing

we

and

down

started

along

the

ridge

to

troops When we got in sight of the Ferry, we saw the join them. rable conside with side d Marylan the firing across the river to Looking closely, we saw, to our surprise, that they spirit.

upon

a few of the

colored

men,

who

armed

had been

stationed the day before by our men, at the Kennedy Farm, and They were in the down at the schoolhouse by C. P. Tidd. occasionally pushes on the edge of the mountains, dodging about, The troops crossed the bridge exposing themselves to the enemy. ons. in pursuit of them, but they retreated in different directi see Being further in the mountains, and more secure, we could One of the colored men came without personal harm befalling us.

towards where we were, when we hailed him, and inquired the parHe said that one of his comrades had been shot, and ticulars. lying on the side of the mountains; that they though the who had armed them the day before must be in the Ferry.

was men

That

opinion,

join

with

clined, While

us

we told

him,

in hunting

and went we were

his

was

up the

not

correct.

rest

of the

We asked

party,

but

him to he

de-

way.

in this

part

of the

mountains,

some

of the

troops went to the schoolhouse, and took possession of it. On our return along up the ridge, from our position, screened by Our last the bushes, we could see them as they invested it. hope of shelter, or of meeting our companions, now being des-

We started at troyed, we concluded to make our escape North. once, and wended our way along until dark, without being fortunate enough to overtake As may be supposed, eat.

our friends, or to get any thing to from such incessant activity, and

HAZLETT

BREAKS

DOWN.

53

not having tasted a morsel for forty-eight were exceedingly keen. So hungry were we,

hours, our appetites that we sought out a cornfield, under cover of the night, gathered some of the ears, --which,by the way, were pretty well hardened, -- carried them into the mountains,--our fortunate resource, --and, having matches, struck fire, and roasted and feasted. During

our

and for some corn roasted

perilous

and

fatiguing

journey

to Pennsylvania,

time after crossing the line, our only food was in the ear, often difficult to get without risk,

and seldom eaten but at long intervals. As a result of this poor diet and the hard journey, we became nearly famished, and very much reduced in bodily strength. Poor Hazlett could not bear the privations as I could; he was less inured to physical exertion, and was of rather slight form, though inclined to be

tall. With his feet blistered and sore, he held out as he could, but at last gave out, completely broken ten

miles

below

Chambersburg.

He declared

it was

as long down,

impossible

for him to go further,

and begged

more in danger He said, after

together in the vicinity of the that night, he would throw away

rifle, we

if seen resting

and go to Chambersburg

agreed

with

tears

both

knew

to meet

when that

again.

we

parted.

danger

was

The

tains around Harper's Ferry. slaveholding aristocracy were of their own grand hills;--in the pro-slavery classes would on

suspicion,

or

to

in the poor

I was more

go hunting

me to go on, as we stage

young

next

man's than

towns. his

morning, face

loth to leave

imminent

should be

him,

when

was

where wet

as we

in the

moun-

At the latter place, the ignorant unacquainted with the topography Pennsylvania, the cupidity of induce them to seize a stranger for

our

party,

so

tempting

to

them is the bribe offered by the Slave Power. Their debasement in that respect was another reason why we felt the importance of travelling at night, as much as possible. After leaving young Hazlett, I travelled on as fast as my disabled condition would admit hours after midnight.

of,

and

got

into

Chambersburg

about

two

A VOICE

54

FROM

HARPER'S

FERRY.

I went cautiously, as I thought, to the house of an acquainBefore knocking, however, I tance, who arose and let me in. My appearance the house. from distance hid my rifle a little caused pected

Having been susmy friend to become greatly agitated. he was in ignoralthough , outbreak of complicity in the

my ance of it until it happened, he was afraid that, should he would whereabouts become known to the United States Marshal, From him I learned that the Marget into serious difficulty. for shal was looking for Cook, and that it was not only unsafe suspect to chose they one any that but hour, me to remain an I represented to him my famished condition, would be arrested. eat and told him I would leave as soon as I should be able to After having despatched my hasty meal, and while I a morsel. the back was busy filling my pockets with bread and meat, in at the knocked Marshal States United the house, the of part I stepped out at the back door to be ready for front door. flight, and while standing there, I heard the officer say to

my friend, "You are suspected engaged in the Harper's Ferry produced,

and

of harboring persons who were A warrant was then outbreak."

they said they must

search

the

house,

and,

sup-

posing that who ever had entered was lying down, they expected Hearing what I did, I started to pounce on their prey easily. left my arms, gathered them I where place quietly away to the up, and concluded to travel as far as I could before daylight. When morning came, I went off the road some distance to where there was a straw stack, where I remained throughout the day. At night, I set out and reached York, where a good Samaritan

From York, I wended my way to gave me oil, wine and raiment. I took the train at night, at a the Pennsylvania railroad. convenient station, and went to Philadelphia, where great kindness was extended to me; and from there I cam to Canada, To avoid detection without mishap or incident of importance.

and my journey I was obliged to change my apparel three times, me, I lying in over the railway was at first in the night-ti concealment in the day-time.

ALBERT HAZLETT.

CHAPTER A WORD

OR TWO ABOUT

55

XVII. ALBERT

HAZLETT

I left Lieut. Hazlett prostrate with fatigue and the night on which I went to Chambersburg. The next he went into the town boldly, carrying his blanket, and revolver, and proceeded to the house where Kagi boarded. The reward was then out for John E. Cook's and suspecting him to be Cook, Hazlett was pursued. chased from the house where he was by the officers,

hunger, day ,

rifle had arrest, He was dropping

his rifle in his flight. When he got to Carlisle, so far from receiving kindness from the citizens of his native State, --he was from Northern Pennsylvania,--he was arrested and lodged in jail, given up to the authorities of Virginia, and shamefully executed by then, --his identity, however, never having been proven before the Court. A report of his arrest at the time reads as follows:-"The man arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the insurrection was brought before Judge Graham on a writ of habeas corpus to-day. Judge Watts presenteda warrant from Governor of Virginia for the delivery of the fugitive named Albert Hazlett. There was no positive evidence to

identify

the prisoner."

Hazlett was remanded to the custody of the Sheriff. The Judge appointed a further hearing, and issued subpoenas for witnesses from Virginia, & c. No positive evidence in that last hearing was adduced, and yet Governor Packer ordered him to be delivered up; and the pro-slavery authorities made haste to carry out the mandate.

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY.

56

CHAPTER CAPT.

OWEN BROWN,

CHARLES

P. TIDD,

MERRIAM, In order

at Harper's information compnay,

to have

XVIII.

a proper

BARCLAY

COPPIC,

F. J.

JOHN E. COOK. understanding

of the

work

done

Ferry, I will repeat, in a measure, separately, concerning the movements of Capt. O. Brown and

given

in connection

with

other

matters.

to the Maryland This portion of John Brown's men was sent Tidd and John P. s Charle except , battle the to side previous Sunday eveE. Cook, who went with our party to the Ferry on Washington Col. took who y compan the of These two were ning. to the prisoner, but on Monday morning, they were ordered Having arms. ng guardi and moving in Kennedy Farm, to assist t the agains was ct confli the that means, some h throug heard, ts, blanke food, with lves insurgents, they provided themse They ins. and other necessaries, and then took to the mounta The . rsburg Chambe to y were fourteen days making the journe , snowed, weather was extremely bad the whole time; it rained r for blew, and was freezing cold; but there was no shelte

the fugitive poor health,

travellers, one of whom, F. J. Merriam, was in He was, lame, and physically slightly formed.

every however, greatly relieved by his companions, who did for him. y journe the of e fatigu the lessen to le possib thing

JOHN E. COOK. The bad weather,

and their

most trying journeys Sometimes they would

57

destitution,

made

it one

of the

it is possible for men to perform. have to lie over a day or two for the

sick, and when fording streams, as they had to do, they carried the sick over on their shoulders. They

were

a brave

band,

and

any

attempt

to arrest

them

in a body would have been a most serious undertaking, as all were well armed, could have fired some forty rounds apiece, and would have done it, without any doubt whatever. The success

of the

unfortunate

Federal

officers

enough to fall

this manner did their power.

poor

into

Hazlett

and

consisted

their John

in arresting

clutches E.

Cook

those

singly. fall

In

into

Starvation several times stared Owen Brown's party in the face. They would search their pockets over and over for some stray crumb that might have been overlooked in the general search, for something to appease their gnawing hunger, and pick out carefully, from among the accumulated dirt and

medley, even the smallest crumb, and give it to the least able to endure the long and biting fast.

comrade

John E. Cook became completely overcome by this hungry feeling. A strong desire to get salt pork took possession

of him, and against the remonstrances of his comrades, he ventured down from the mountains to Montaldo, a settlement fourteen miles from Chambersburg, in quest of it. He was arrestedby Daniel

before

Justice

Logan

Reisher.

and

Clegget

Fitzhugh,

Upon examination,

and

taken

a commission

A VOICE FROM

58

signed by Captain Brown, person, he was committed

Wise, ia,

where

cuted.

John

It

he was is

BE. Cook.

to John Brown

not

tried, my

That

marked No. 4, being found upon his to await a requisition from Governor

is well-known,

as

and finally,

FERRY.

HARPER'S

after

intention

to

he departed

and his men,

was

a fashion,

every

dwell

from

one

the

to Virgin-

surrendered condemned,

upon

the

record,

of them

and

exe-

failings

as

of

familiar

"posted"

in the

well-knows; but his details of their obligations and duties, He was brave-sion. compas our excite should ss very weakne

none him,

could which

doubt that, and life was invested with charms for intenhis new relation as a man of family tended to

ng his mercisify; and charity suggests that the hope of escapi s and assofriend his to spared being of and less persecutors, cause he had ciates in reform, rather than treachery to the ar sayings. espoused, furnishes the explanation of his peculi

g Owen Brown, and the other members of the party, becomin somesuspect to began absence, ed prolong Cook's at nt impatie and safer thing was wrong, and moved at once to a more retired stopped and sburg, Chamber to went they rds, Afterwa position. with in the outskirts of the town for some days, communicating ions revelat Through there. while y, directl put one person, and they made by Cook, it became unsafe in the neighborhood, the took Merriam when town, from left, and went some miles ently to cars for Philadelphia; thence to Boston, and subsequ The other three travelled on foot to Centre County, Canada. when Barclay Coppic separated from them, to take vania, Pennsyl his posthe cars, with the rifles of the company boxed up in then went and days, few a Ohio, Salem, at He stopped session. from Cleveland to Detroit, and over into Canada, to Cleveland; d. Owen where, after remaining for a time, he proceeded westwar the Brown and C. P. Tidd went to Ohio, where the former spent usetts. Massach to ed proceed sojourn, a The latter, after winter.

THE BEHAVIOR

OF THE SLAVES.

CHAPTER THE BEHAVIOR

OF THE SLAVES

--

59

XIX. CAPTAIN

BROWN'S

OPINION

Of the various contradictory reports made by slaveholders and their satellites about the time of the Harper's Ferry conflict, none were more untruthful than those relating to the slaves. There was seemingly a studied attempt to enforce the belief that the slaves were cowardly, and that they were really more in favor of Virginia masters and slavery, than of their freedom. As a party who had an intimate knowledge of the conduct of the colored men engaged, I am prepared to make an emphatic denial of the gross imputation against them. They were charged specially with being unreliable, with deserting Captain Brown the first opportunity, and going back to their masters; and with being so indifferent to the work of their

salvation by the

from

Captain,

the yoke,

contrary

as

to have

to their

to be forced

On the Sunday evening of the outbreak, when plantations and acquainted the slaves with our

effect

their

liberation,

the

into

service

will.

greatest

we visited purpose to

enthusiasm

was

the

manifested

by them--joy and hilarity beamed from every countenance. One old mother, white-haired from age, and borne down with the labors of many years in bonds, when told of the work in hand,

replied:

party

"God bless

at her

house,

you!

and

God bless

requested

you!" all

She then kissed

to kneel,

which

we

the did,

and she offered prayer to God for His blessing on the enterprise, and our success. At the slaves! quarters, there was apparently a general jubilee, and they stepped forward manfully, without impressing or coaxing. In one case, only, was there any hesitation. A dark-complexioned freeborn man refused to take up arms. He showed the only want of confidence in the

movement, the plan.

and far less courage than any slave consulted about In fact, so far as I could learn, the free blacks

FERRY.

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S

60

and infinitely South are much less reliable than the slaves, In Washington City, a party of free colored more fearful. to aid in suppersons offered their services to the Mayor, d us to the followe who slaves the Of t. movemen our ng pressi the others and stores, remove Ferry, some were sent to help

up in a circle

drawn

were

around

engine-house,

the

at one

furnished by time, where they were, by Captain Brown's order, prisoners the to guard a as acted and mostly, me with pikes, to prevent their escape, which they did.

of the American Revolution, the first blood man's, Crispus Attuck's, so at Harper's Ferry,

As in the war shed was a black

of the the first blood shed by our party, after the arrival ng beginni the In slave. a of United States troops, was that emerged fairly had troops the before and er, of the encount

Phil, the I saw him fall. from the bridge, a slave was shot. d, was reporte was it as fear, with prison, in slave who died Of the wounded at the Ferry, and died from the effects of it. men

shot

take

when

rocks,

the

on

river,

to the

some

were

party

Kagi's

slaves,

were

and they

compelled

suffered

to

death

bodies pefore they would desert their companions, and their surprised was who Brown, Captain . beneath waves the into fell ered, volunte they which with and pleased by the promptitude

and with their

manly bearing

at the

scene

of violence,

remarked

into me, on that Monday morning, that he was agreeable disappo one expect not did he for slaves; the of r ted in the behavio The truth of the Harper's out of ten to be willing to fight.

Ferry

"raid," as

taken

by the

it has been called,

slaves,

and

the

aid

First, that demonstrates clearly: weakness the of ee guarant a strong favorable opportunity occur; people, as a body, were well

the fight,

and

in the number

in regard to the part

given

by colored

men

and, secondly, that the represented by numbers,

who

generally,

the conduct of the slaves is of the institution, should a

suffered

martyrdom

colored both in

afterward.

THE BEHAVIOR

The first

report

was

seventeen,

which

for

there

only

were

OF THE SLAVES.

of the number showed

that

ten of the

61

of “insurrectionists" several

men

that

slaves

were

belonged

killed

killed;

to the

)

Kennedy

Farm who lost their lives at the Ferry, namely; John Henri Kagi, Jerry Anderson, Watson Brown, Oliver Brown, Stewart Taylor,

Adolphus Thompson, William Thompson, William Leeman, all eight whites, and Dangerfield Newby and Sherrard Lewis Leary, both

|

colored. The rest reported dead, according to their own showing, were colored. Captain Brown had but seventeen with hin, belonging to the Farm, and when all was over, there were four besides himself taken to Charlestown, prisoners, viz: A. D. Stevens, Edwin Coppic, white; John A. Copeland and Shields Green, colored. It is plain to be seen from this, that there

was a proper and executed fangs of the

percentage of colored men killed at the Ferry, at Charlestown. Of those that escaped from the human bloodhounds of Slavery, there were four

whites, and one colored of those at the Farm.

man,

myself

being the

sole

colored

man

That hundreds of slaves were ready, and would have joined in the work, had Captain Brown's sympathies not been aroused in favor of the families of his prisoners, and that a very differ-

ent

result

would

have

been

seen,

in consequence,

there

is no

question. There was abundant opportunity for him and the party to leave a place in which they held entire Sway and possession , before the arrival of the troops. And so cowardly were the

slaveholders, proper, that from Colonel Lewis Washington, the descendent of the Father of his Country, General George Washington,

they were

easily

taken

prisoners.

They

had not

pluck

enough to fight, nor to use the well-loaded arms in their possession, but were concerned rather in keeping a whole skin by parleying, or in spilling cowardly tears, to excite pity,

as did Colonel Washington, and in that way escape merited punishment. No, the conduct of the slaves was beyond all praise;

|

| |

|

|

FERRY.

A VOICE FROM HARPER'S

62

could our brave old Captain entreaties of his captives,

and the

against

sympathies

their

have steeled his heart against of shut up the fountain of his

he,

families--could

for

moment ,

the

sh thought of his own friends have forgotten them, in the selfi the original plan, have left and kindred, or, by adhering to to the prospective freedom rd the place, and thus looked forwa been armed

ng would have of the slave--hundreds ready and waiti As it was, even the ed. before twenty-four hours had elaps of great good, the ctive produ were kes mista noble old man's d, without the recor will fact of which the future historian John Brown did tion. narra nt prese its embarrassment attending y-four hours, twent for not only capture and hold Harper's Ferry Buchanan dent Presi red captu He . South but he held the whole Governor d kille ry, and his Cabinet, convulsed the whole count eventually will which train the laid and Wise, and dug the mine rebound The ry. Slave dissolve the union between Freedom and be! it So let reveals the truth.

Harper's note

was

reference

Ten

Ferry.

from

taken

narrative

the

ended

This

pages

contemporary

placed to

"The hunt was

in

John

one

of

to the

of A Voice

these men

game

From

Brown,

eulogizing

of poetry

newspapers,

Brown's

up--woe

portion

A foot-

followed.

which

described

a

as"game:"

enclosed

within

that

The town was occupied by a thousand or fiery circle! companies from fifteen hundred men, including volunteer elsewhere; and ster, Winche stown, Charle Shepherdstown, y predomput the armed and unorganized multitude largel a great of ter charac the more affair inated, giving the game savage The . battle a of that than scene g huntin

was

holed up beyond all possibility Virginia

Correspondant

of escape." of

Harper's

Weekly.

63 The

second

edition

of

in Washington

was

published

in 1873

ize

Anderson,

who

two.

Edited

batim

in

this

brief

this

Langston sity,

J.

24 pages

died

in

D.

Enos,

of

biography

information of

by

given

edition

Hughes

A Voice

of

in

at

the

the

Memorial

the

to

memorial-

age

of

forty-

An

Special

Library

printed

Included

Anderson

father.

original

Lincoln

ver-

was

based

on copy

Collections

at

Ferry

C.

was

type.

Osborne

Harper's

D.

work

condensed

by his

is

1872

From

of

the

Univer-

Pennsylvania.

Osborn P. Anderson, the son of Vincent Anderson, was born in West Fallowfield Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, on the his father until

old,

during

which

27th day of July, 1830. he was between nineteen

time

he received

He remained with and twenty years

a common

school

educa-

tion--such as could at that time be obtained by colored children in the common schools of that State. Asa youth he was remarkably intelligent, always manifesting a great desire for education; while at work with his father he would frequently go without his dinner at noon in order to apply himself to his books. He often expressed to his father great regret at his inability to assist the oppressed and wronged of his race who were then in bondage in the South, stating that he was satisfied that God who created us all free and equal never intended his people to be held this way in slavery. He generally consoled himself with

saying, "NEVER MIND, The remark indicated

I MAY SOME DAY BE ABLE TO HELP THEM." unconscious prescience, for, at that

moment the Almighty Spirit was moving an illiterate man of unbounded faith and strong will to undertake the Herculean task of freeing the slaves by insurrectionary action. Being dissatisfied with the opportunities extended to

colored

youths

in the

1850, visited Canada trade. Between this

of John Brown

United

States

at that

time,

he,

in

with a view to learning the printer's and the time he made the acquaintance

(1858) he had become associated with, and

64, This man, John traveling agent for the "Canada Freeman." of Virginia, (the same, who Brown, whom Governor Wise,

signed the death warrant, ) characterized as the "Noblest of them all," is destined to figure in history with

Roman

him the marked men of all time; the few who accompanied brave these Of fame. of temple the in niche high a merit spirits the subject of our sketch was not the least.

After the Harper's Ferry raid he remained in Canada during the war, when he returned to the United States attended

the

John Brown,

laying

of the

corner

remaining but a short

stone

time

to the

until and of

monument

in the United States

Shortly after his return thereafter, feeling yet unsafe. recruiting service for the in to Canada he was appointed d good service, as rendere he y capacit which in the army, ts. evidenced by the rosters, &c., of our western regimen Penn, Chester West at father his visited he war After the sylvania--being the first time he dared visit the United Since then and up to the States feeling free from harm.

time of his death at Washington, of December,

for his

1872,

health,

he was

having

D. C., on the 18th day

generally

never

engaged

recovered

in traveling

from the

severe

colds

contracted in the exposures he had incident to and during A few days before his death the Harper's Ferry raid, &c. he visited Harper's Ferry in company with several friends for the purpose of pointing out to them the field of their

Fearing the bias of friendship, maneuvres under Capt. Brown. the hope that impartial with ed, present are facts alone readers, perchance, may add data for a more comprehensive work

at an

early

day.

65

CHATHAM, CANADA WEST For

led of

many

to

black

Chatham,

the

Americans

Canada

Underground

Negro

race

a in

West.

eel |

the

1850s,

It was

Railroad--"the

Besides

of persons

who

themselves

there

many

did

were

not

Negroes

Free

who

want

to

In

1860

rights.

freed had

live

where

there

in Canada.@

black

the

Shadds,

tor

to

society.

Shadd

family their

were

of

15,000

was

Originally

moved home

first

was

to

a main

terminus of

slavery,

slaves,

but

no

the

population

from

had

who

citizenship

American-born

in Chatham.

lived

in the

whom

a large

been

they

2,000

emigrants

each

where

never

a major

roads

headquarters

in Canada."+ had

all

early

1850s

included

an

outstanding

from

Delaware,

West

Chester,

branch

of

contribu-

the

Abraham

Pennsylvania,

the

Underground

Railroad.3 Abraham's

the

Provincial

Toronto

and

"editress,"

had

daughter

Emigration

Freeman

later as

influenced

Mary

she

Ann

Shadd

newspaper,

in Chatham. titled

others

published

to

was

first

She

was

it,

in

North

come

to

Canada

in Detroit

a founder

published the

first

America.

in A Plea

in 1852.4

of

in black She

for

66

became

Anderson

Absalom

with

up

Abraham's

Shadd,

of

much

and

paper

the

edit

to

Apparently

again.

functioning

it

get

on

came

who

son

Isaac

with

in town

time

the

at

boarding

was

Anderson

1858.

in May,

convention

Brown's

John

to

previous

months

eight

for

published

not

had

and

debt,

in

constantly

was

Freeman

The

occupation.

supporting

a

hardly

it was

Freeman,

Provincial

the

on

assistant

general

and

devil

a printer's

was

Anderson

Osborne

While

area.

Chatham

in the

purchased

farms

two

age

nonrelatives. Osborne He came so attached to the Shadds. to help manShadd, Abraham's brother, single

including

often

groups,

family

in extended

lived

emigrants

American

The

res-

the

disconponsibility had been Mary Ann Shadd's, for its child tinuance coincided with the birth of her first a barber who in 1857. (She had married Thomas F. Cary, but still participated in John Brown's convention,

to Chatham

visit

end

out

others their

that

from

of the

energy

as

freedom.

each

slavery Fugitive not

a first

only

step

stayed

have

home

in his

preliminary

to

Canada

formed

drawn

of

consideration

year

may

April.?

Hundreds

slavery.

States

United safe

of

in late

stimulated

that

milieu

Shadd’s

Isaac

intellectuals

black

The

the

at

Anderson

with

Brown

John

)

professionally.

Shadd

used

at

onto

great

toward

Law.

soil

social

risk

where

Others

general

to

were

the

to

bring

they

were

turning

emancipation,

and

hasten to

returned

personal

British

Slave

toward

in Canada

ideas

a

political

but

67 Of those

extraordinary

in talent

among

Anderson's

associates

Chatham

was

Delany,

born

Town,

old

where

John

his

life.

had

been

mother

Martin in

R.

Charles

Brown

ended

Delany's

father

a slave,

free;

their

from

the

legal

of

the

forced

Charles

status

young

ten.

His

in 1822,

Martin

had

went

Chambersburg,

possible

to

in

Brown's

it

is

burg,

informed Brown's

father,

Brown

Slavery

Pennsylvania

behalf

home when

that

Supply

of Mrs. he

was

that 6

to

be

near

as

mother

was

in

Chatham

friends

sued

widow

for

figure

in

1858,

in ChambersBrown

of

an

anti-

interceded

libel

as

discussions

headquarters. once

They

later

a key

in private

who

pro-

read.

his

Ritner,

governor

law

to

Delany

of reliable

selected

at

the

whom

convention

imagine

R. Delany

Virginia

taught

As Martin

boarded Delany's

being

antislavery

to

1819

Pennsylvania,

Delany's

tempting

Delany

an

children

by purchase.

Martin

been

of violating

black

freed

a ee

was

hibited to

freep

flee

mother

convicted

The family

to

Town

when

his

children

mother.

members

in

Virginia,

took

were

Osborne

for

on

remarks

68 no

ease

and

disagreement

on

his

for

if Dr.

"Gentlemen,

courteously

Delany

they

could

skilled

black

as

color,

nate

Chatham Brown

Delany,

in

which

Delany

is

afraid,

Brown

then

challenged

him.

stated:

don't

him

let

when

apologized

profit

would

that

industry

African,

Americ an/Canadian and slavery in the United States both

of

people

elimi-

and

cotton

that

by making

unprofitable.

system

method

one

by

and

is little changing people

Portage

1852

Alle gheny

patent

it,

he

not

be

that

Martin

Brown's

plan

of

the

United

was

States

as

well

States a into

was

a

which

hauled pulleys.

on

he

because

foremost for

was

It

citizen.?

state

a

devised

Mountains

Delany

creating

Jeffersonian

Delany

refused

a United

wonder

as

Railroad,

the

could

within

In

over

one to

Attempting

black,

the

improve

to

inventor

ethnologist.

and

journalist

and

physician

individual--a

a

was

Delany

Dr.

Harvard-educated

The

cars

convention

interested in John Brown's plans assist his own, which were to bring Americans into Africa and set up a com-

cotton

petetive

the

was

Delany

Martin

of

floor

cowards:"

all

you

make

and

Brown

between

the

a

reflects

also

account

The

comfort.

jail

in

treatment

Brown's

influenced

Avis

John

jailer

Town

Charles

the

with

friendship

childhood

his

that

conviction

Delany's

is

however,

editing. 8 Noted,

and

material

contributed

personally

he

which

to

biography,

1868

in Delany's

however,

advice,

such

of

evidence

is

There

The Mystery.!

newspaper,

Pittsburgh

in his

in

black

a separate

nation

69 patterned

after

Brown

that

itive

Slave

would

not

action

under law

be

sxARE

TO

ORDAIN

AND

TO

was

men

an

manual

Dresden,

good

reason

to

by Martin was

the

OTHER

DO,

FOR

THE

well

WHITE

MAN

PEOPLE

TIME

THE

LIVES

COURT

AND

IS

DE-

BEING

FOLLOWING

ORDINANCES,

on

was

PRO-

BETTER

TO

LIBERTIES:

William

were

vacant.

linked

the

to

Dawn

Anderson

Day,

that who

The a

Institute,

attended

convention of

in

bring

Chatham. | There

president Howard

a Member

Freeman.

attempting

to

Osborne

elected

convention.

Provincial school,

was

Anderson

Anderson

the

Brown

temporarily

Brown's

emigration

The

John

Osborne

as

Canada

African

printer

THE

OPPRESSED

SUPREME

ALL

Osborne

believe

Delany.

THE

WITH

Government

training

nearby

1858

OF

THE

THE

a committee

from

August,

AND

WHICH

Presidency

as on

the

a Provisional

ACTIONS." 10

editor

served

foundering

Fug-

declaring:

PROPERTY,

and

activities

the

Thus,

form

OURSELVES

AND

by

whites.

to

RIGHTS

THEREOF,

convinced there

from

DECISION

FOR

He

decision,

STATES,

Commander-in-Chief;

Delany

represented

was

TOGETHER

OUR

The

as

nation,

NO

Provisional

Martin

two

HAVE

LAWS

GOVERN

Mormons.

Scott

UNITED

PERSONS,

of Congress.

Delany

THE

ESTABLISH

this

other

new

BY A RECENT

OUR

military

Dred

CONSTITUTION

PROTECT

To

this

THE

VISIONAL TO

the

or

protection

RESPECT:

BY

laws,

convention

OF

WHO

GRADED

AND

and

for

DECLARED

BOUND

state

May

CITIZENS

PEOPLE,

Cherokee

enough

of the

Government

"WE,

the

is

the

organized

convention had

made

the

70

editor

vention

in May,

Harper's

Ferry,

of which

were

greater,

if not

great,

equally

of

some

Chatham,

at

series

a

of

"one

was

From

in A Voice

Anderson

said

1858,

con-

secret

Brown's

Shadd.12 John

Isaac

Freeman

Provincial

was

president

vice

self-government;

black

for

Constitution

Provisional

Brown's

John

of

copies

importance." +o

the

of

because

Delany

the

forgotten; sional

year

word

was

it was

now

Constitution

economically

occasion

was

of

over,

were

through

the

South

that

come

had

William into

The

individuals

had

of

been

passion had

and

time

gone.

in Ireland was

Virginia

signers

gone--it

Day

a

over

was,

It

Forbes.

Other

in Chatham. and

raids

raid

the

on.

a black

and

in Africa that

of

to

abolitionists withinsisted upon postponement

idea

good

came

13

white

and

disclosures

plans

making

nation

idea

nervous

funds

another

later,

Martin when

the

continued

plantation

necessary

Thomas.

John

raid.

the

the

was

man

the

31,

May

of

letter

Realf's

Anderson,

testi-

Realf

in Cleveland

men

black

the

in Chatham

participants.

Richard

associate

Brown's

John

forgotten;

seemed

year

on

by massive

created held

as

slavery

black

in Chatham

activists

The end

go

not

did

Realf

the

states

Brown

John

to

1858

of

two of

Osborne

probably

was

convention

one

that

in 1860

fied

the

white

Brown's

Although

attended

with

Cleveland

to

went

had

who

fighters

sas

Kan-

white

Brown's

John

leaders,

Republican

various

plans

of their

revelations

Forbes'

Hugh

Following

the

not

Provi-

a difficult

of to

the reflect

John

Brown's

Headquarters,

Chatham,

e

18

(or

agreement

time

a while

large

of

forceful

had

before

advance

time

the

book

There

he

attack

came

at

held

his

to

expected

not

lock-

Brown's

explain

after

Cook

had

for

1857.

indication

Harpers

he

was

Connecticut-

joined

in Kansas some

He

worked

armory.

as

Brown

workingman

jobs-~canal

and

"Capt.

white

schoolteacher,

peddler,

the

a local

John

a number

as

quarter

the

raiders

at

by Anderson:

of

the

O Canal,

had

known

The Kennedy farmhouse from the northwest, Elk Ridge in the background. This photo was taken in 1932 by John Wayland for John Kagi and John Brown. The log portion was originally a collier's hut for the Antietam

Tron

Works.

As many

Antietam

workers

were

slaves,

the

initial

resi-

the dent Grand Lodge of the IBPO Elks of the World--the Colored Elks--in 1950. not They hoped to turn it into an antislavery memorial, but plans did restoration is Under private ownership, work out and it was sold. now underway to return the building to its 1859 appearance. could

well

courtesy

have

been

Shenandoah

The

property

Publishing

Company,

black.

was

purchased

Strasburg,

by

Virginia.

97

JOHN

BROWN'S

"Mr.

SLAVE

Anderson,

1870,

estimated

fifty

actively

Hinton,

a

Brown's

men

when

be

areas

upon."

these

knew

it

estimate

of

in his

1860,

From

one

perils

is known of "14,

of

the and

worked

were,

Richard John

of

staging

Negroes

‘round'

in the

this

who

area

tilled

who

could

knew,

and

also

In

to

is

and

local

even

here,

slaves

on

April

is 10,

assistance:

colored War,

downplayed

informed

publishing

that

and

when

Anderson's

in Toronto

Revolutionary '15;

Osborne

fifty

a speech

all

recognizing

considerably

Ferry.

for

they

raid.

kind

hundred asked

what

critical

Harper's

to

stated one

Chambersburg were

and

hundred

one

So

during

1

all

book.

Anderson

",..it 1812,

and

participation

in A Voice

the

Washington

himself

was

"There

people

are

slaves."

who

at

land

at

least

at

were

began.

Information

not

there

informed

of

depended

black

conversation

waiting

raid

Where

they

in

journalist

the

small

SUPPORT

as

men

shared

well

as

the

that

in suppressing

of

98

is

..It

was

for

of

the

colored

efforts

of

the

immortal

to

the

conspiracy.

to

their rights

in Virginia. 3)

belief

that

was

those

to

me

enable

no

section

of

they

tion--that

an

were

opportunity

Church

short

but

the

world

publication

with

his

states...that

the

slaves

Gov.

to

refused

pressed

offered

into

itself

in

confederates

and

country

the

Baptist

Wise

believe

slaveholding

in the

told

of that

history

that

Anderson

"Providence...to

by

spared

to

transmit

longer

Street

Terauly

been

had

struggle;

desperate would

he

that

slaveholders.

the

in the

gathered

Toronto

as

for

fighting

in the

join

to

widespread

the

that

knew

he

refused

slaves

the

a victory

But

citizenship

no

had

men

black

the

comrades;

white

and

Brown

John

were

as

treason,

with

charged

not

were

tried

and

captured

raiders

black

two

(The

rebellion.

incite

to

conspiracy

and

murder

for

executed

be

expect

could

trial

to

brought

Those

with

identified

blacks

free

and

slaves

local

pen

hap-

would

what

knew

Anderson

Osborne

fugitive

The

©

Brown."

John

the

seconded

nobly

so

who

men

heroism

the

oblivion

from

in snatching

him

aid

to

people

colored

the

urged

he

reason

this

it?°

prove

to

in history

anything

there

But

part.

active

an

took

men

colored

Rebellion,

Canadian

the

in the

join

service,

that

of

insurrec-

and

as

their

deserted

soon

liber-

ators." As of

has

history

local

black

Anderson's,

accepted

response

supportive

to

Governor John

evidence

Wise's

Brown

must

over

be

description Osborne

offered.

99 Most

known

documentary

sources;

much

ment

who

controlled

ers,

particularly

on

the

Town

trains.

were

less,

of

at

from

the

the

news

Strangers

history

the

by not

to

proceed

in Harpers until

reconsidered

from

Northern-

past

Baltimore

and

cleared.

a black

white

establish-

Ferry

can

be

from

allowing

jailed

stories

In the early autum

comes

slaveholding

reporters,

routinely

white

looking

it

evidence

Charles

Neverthe-

simply

by

viewpoint:

of 1858 a stranger went to the house

of Dr. Thomas Maddox, in the Tilghmanton district of Washington County, and sold a copy of Headley's Life of Washington. He said his name was S. Stearns, and asked

to stay all night, which request was cheerfully complied with. At supper he pronounced an inordinately long ‘grace,' and after the meal disappeared for several hours. It was afterward learned that he had been in the kitchen urging the slaves to kill their master and obtain their freedom. This proposition was received with horror by the slaves. This man was John E. Cook, Brown's lieutneant, who afterward suffered the fate of his leader. 5

Certainly

the

slaves

for

if

ing

insurrection

made.

were

it were When

known

the

confronted

between

them

and

John

to

Maryland,

"strange

survive.

Negroes."6

and

Tilghmanton.

would

persons

with

questioned

to whites

there

necessary

the

were

that

have

enslaved

the

question

Cook,

that

Before

stories

Sharpsburg

the

began

is

after a man

been

the was

some

by Thomas

of what

alarm

Maddox

was

raid,

in

to

the

one

Sharpsburg,

circulate

the

spread-

transpired

answer

between

raid,

among

Kennedy

farm

—h

a

ji

100

week

following

face

value.

raid

the

in the at

accepted

been

often

has

capture

his

after

confession

Cook's

John

all

were

they

“but

raiders,

let off easy."7

She was

lies.

other

the

and

him

about

stories

told

and

well,

Cook

knew

she

said

indeed

had

she

that

magistrate

the

told

Peats

pirators."

con-

the

with

communication

had

of having

"suspicion

on

judge

a

before

examined

and

arrested

was

woman,

a black

Peats,

Betsey

that

reported

Ferry,

Harper's

from

hill

the

up

just

Bolivar,

from

item

A news

declared:

Cook

to trust Capt. Brown in Cleveland, Ohio, gave me orders with sation conver no hold to and secret, no one with our ion... the slaves, which I obeyed with but a single except Jefferson

two

and

free

two

negroes,

of four

a party

I met

near Bolivar,

slave,

I asked

Virginia.

County,

them

They replied, if they had ever thought about their freedom. sed doubts expres but free,' be to ought they thought 'they might come time that them I told that they ever would be. and dark keep to present the for but years, pefore many look for the good time coming, and left them.

only

Not

might

of major

A factor raid

was

Besides

the

to

come

the

several to

the

to

was

incite

influence movement

sudden

catching

eliminated ing

them

with

conspiring

he

local

scene

from

indictment

under

for

insurrection. on

of

outcome

the

forward

blacks

recruits,

about

concerned

been

have

blacks;

local

implicating

Gook

John

of

date.

the

by surprise,

black other

and

white,

states

the

and

it preparCanada.

101

The

and

of

a

a

was

group

at

search

the

was

"tried as

reported

friend"

Dangerfield

acted

and

John

Cook.

who

fifty

who

Newby

slaves

the

far

and

getting

the

event

the

was

A news

number

names

for

story

the

the

people

color,

New

and

in the

more

in

one

Cook's

the

selecting

on

October

they

were

and hun-

than task

in

neighborhood

shortly

of

knowledge

that

This

surreptitiously

masters

York

wrote

inform

description, the

suspicion

community

actively

purpose

widespread

under

Anderson

information.

lived

slaves

of

from

indicates of

of

fell

this

could

By Anderson's

gathering

farm

imminent.

gave

Newby,

a spy.9

dren

Kennedy

of

24,

the

before

hostages. 1859

plot

caught

off

among guard:

Rumors which are current among the free blacks of this city, represent that this outbreak was only a premature expression of a more general conspiracy. It is alleged that a rising all over the States of Maryland and Virginia was contemplated;

that the 2kth of October was the day appointed

attempt,

and that

the

seizure

of the Arsenal

for the

was

to be the

signal to the insurgents. The taking of the Arsenal in anticipation of the day whereby the conflict has been precipitated before the slaves were ready for it, is supposed to be a mistake of some one entrusted by the leaders for

the execution

Benjamin College

in

of

that part of the plot.

A.

Matthews,

1909,

wrote

a

black

"Harper's

10

student Ferry

at

and

Storer John

Brown"

for the Storer Sentinal. 11 He was also specific that the date changed from October 24th to the 16th following a council

by the

raiders.

Matthews

said

the

102

of

Town

Charles

Avey

hanging.

Avey,

a white

resident

by Elijah as

a child,

wrote

of

considerable

lay

their

to

reach

the

expected

he

slave,

Brown.

news

of

Brown

doubt "Mammy

as

Disguised

impending

subject by the

of

them

to

a

been

jockey,

told

a

agent

had

news-

of

the

South,

after

of

Her

donation

claim

of assistance

of a large

San

sum

the

spread

Roanoke

notorious of

spears."

and

in the

the

to

of money

controversy abetted no reputation of her life as

of historical

Pleasant"

He

end.

that

she

the

whatever

use

an

and

insurrection

in Chatham.13 including

states

had

she

parts

other

and

area,

convention

that

march

free

Pleasant,

Ellen

Mary

in 1901

the

is

on,

pistols,

guns,

with

majority

the

Negroes

hands

accomplish

to

necessary

be

as

to

negroes

the

could

John

the

for

they

editor

River

local

about

statements

possible

source

his

in 1906.

as

arms

former

paper

antislavery

it as

used

have

may

acti-

black

local

a strong

had

he

and

Execu-

Brown's

witnessed

who,

was

might

provided

is

and

Nevertheless

force

John

Capture

plan

as

North.

A

The

"Brown's

such

soon

to

Matthews'

of

unique: as

similarities

published

it had been

with

black

Matthews

attitude. One

the

raid,

in the

vity

of

Brown

John

of

tion

many

are

There

community.

resident

a local

as

learned

he

stories

from

been

have

may

history

of Matthews'

much

how

judge

to

hard

is

about.12 It

moving

saw

they

men

strange

the

from

as

well

as

farm,

Kennedy

the

left

women

the

when

suspicious

became

neighborhood

Francisco.

1+

103

Virginia's

prosecuting

cribed

a local

white

of

"manner

with

his

who

came

found

to

that

arrest "the

Whoever

may

have

Town

account

by a local

At the time

southwest from

about

that

the

him

bird

Charles indicates

man

who

near

been

of the Raid Ferry,

Charles

on

Hunter

suspicion

The

flown."

squad

Town

of

after

des-

because cavalry

the

15

speaking

slaveholder

to

slaves

near

insurrection, of

this

their

awareness

on a farm

six miles

did: I was

from Charlestown,

Harper's

aroused

impending

someone

Andrew

slaves."

had

an

attorney

this

living

and therefore turnpike

morning the 20th of October 1859, work of the men, who were cutting

fourteen

road.

On the

miles Monday

I was overlooking the off corn in a field near

Ripon, our post office station. I noticed that the men often turned their eyes on me as I followed behind them in their work,--a thing I had never observed in them before. Their glances made me feel uncomfortable and doubtful, -an entirely new sensation in my experience as a slave owner. The post office, where the stage to Berryville stopped to deliver the mail, was in sight. A negro boy passed up the path leading across the field to the post office at Ripon about two o'clock. It was his daily task to go for the mail at this hour. He soon returned, swinging the empty

mail bag and reported,

‘there

is no mail.*

Accustomed

to

having the daily paper, at least, I walked immediately to Ripon and heard there the news of the Raid, much exagerrated, of course, but still presenting the main facts. lL

raid

104

the

revolution

had

begun

until

the

town

account,

to

go

many

that

was

result

The

scene

of action."

Correlation

local

contemporary

account:

Brown

made

five

who

escaped

and

wires able

that

friendly How

The

many

raiders

he

local

engineer thinks

"took

of

or

colored

the

train

particular

numbered

at

gaid

men

least,

at

notice

least

white others

that the

telegraph

was of

three

guided,

is probby the

n 18 village.

gathered

that

which

track....1t

in the

belonging

negroes

is

cutting

the

to

with

seventeen

railroad

aided,

were

they

the

up

the

in this

of

by

outside,

assisted

tearing

it

though

men,

colored

and

seen

forces

"The

consisted

attack

his

be

may

to

them

gathered

men

colored

an

direction.

different

a

in

off

for

circulate

and

people

to

agreed

asked

then

Stevens

made

waiting

long

been

“on

when we

immediately

had

Colonel

whom

to

posted

men

the

midnight,

men,

they

started

each

when

news,

around

that

by Anderson's

capture

to

way

colored

the

among

around

and

party

kind.

the

of

opportunity

taken

The

they

said

They

us.

join

was

when

purpose,

our

known

given,

colored

some

met

we

road

its

on

was

Washington the

tasks.

next

their

not

was

it.

people

black

local

the

to

notification

Actual

be

to

prevented

change

sudden

attack.+7The

of the

part

two

from

army

Brown's

John

join

reinforcements due to white men who planned

of

mention

Anderson's

to

statements

corroborative

specific

are

There

at

stopped the

the

by the

crowd,

hundred

scene?

which

persons;

105 that

among

them

occasionally as

they

mate

but that

three

was

men

and

slaves

most

to

his

Osborne Has

of

the

the

first

among

ever

those

plans

and

Brown failure

of

them

and

his

"It

of

is

said:

the

was

at

address

"With

eight-

three

thous-

rallied

fifty

of

class."

of

certain

in an

he

esti-

when

prisoners

figure

His

or

nearly

men

liberty,

sustained,

larger

Douglass,

made

act

recruits were

were

17th

the

of

said

the

to

bold

an

Douglass'

fifty

of

slaves

armed

to

learn

be

of

was

whites

out

who

The

after

of a

the

the

'walloping.’

change

have

after

than

army?

midnight

could

Ferry

group

Brown's

between

October

Harpers

of

John

possibility

to

hours

anonymous

enough

the

able

in the

the

Brown

a more

despite

who

hundreds

into

John

noted:

slaveholding

for

approaching

the

been

eighteen

been

local

curfew,

Only

anyone

not

1881,

a town

these

for

acknowledged,

30,

who

Anderson.

these,

morning

on May

source

there

9 p.m.

has

Frederick

standard,

number

longed

considerably

he

negroes,

enough. "19

has

report

overpowered

likely

tedly

than

With

they

long

persons

was

College

souls.

equal

that

news

party

made

he

strapping

in bondage

supposed."®0

Storer

teen

several

out

hundred

Brown's

first

see

been

a contemporary

attack

at

had

of

were

shouted

in

and

mid-

joined,

that

would

time

for would

squeeze

enginehouse.

accepted raid.

exactly

responsibility Soon

what

after

Anderson

his

for

the

capture

later

wrote:

military he

repor-

there

106

were

hundreds

slaves

who

would

have

joined

work

if he

town.

of

"I

in the

had

left

knew,

of

course,

that

the

negroes

would

rally

to my

standard.

I had

only

thing

started, seen

that

would

would have

your

eyes; if

you

I tell

I was

you

sights

have

and

the

got

Virginians

opened

free

this

and

hundred

negroes

put

. Wise

I would

me,

these

Among

were

in the

dence. ment

fighting

the

raiders

in

ington,

Lewis

fight

and

mostly

all

the

same

way.

did not

One

and

by the

chance

to

own

a house

join

the

Gropper ~

John

of

John

their

man,

want

William

Brown. 22

directly

in with

brought

to

a

those

were

Washington

responded

Not

firmly

slaves

by

quoted

white

a local

night,"

slaveholders

lithograph eee

before

by the

erated

John Brown

on

irons

. himself

Saturday

|

five

had

moment, around

If

the

1lib-

hostage

Allstadt.

They

resi-

of their sudden involveslave

for

Wash-

insurrection,

107

which

was

group.

later

This

published "There

attested

attitude

by the

were

local

thoroughbreds,

with

God

Man,

nor

the

Washington a

slave

and Lee."°3

who

was

not

Washington's.

He

slaveholder getting

of

These

men

W.

and

having

instigations criptions boys.

All

With aside

Sam,

slaves,

with 17, news

John 1859.

find

to

their

God

in

devil."

by John

Lewis

(the

the

rest, at

the

of

the

that old real

to

of

state people

who

Monday

jump

stated

rebel,

"not

out

were

from part

the

meager

des-

men

and

can

be

the

slaves

morning,

histories were

at

grown, " 26

anonymity

people

H.

which

their not

Phil,

John

"...black

was

of

Jerry,

of

eyes,...and

who

rainy to

them

Catesby

property

Ben,

property

Allstadt:

veil

and

and

25 Among

one,

the

begin

the

left

slaves

Mason

indictment

with

on

These

the

conspired

some

entity was

join

Levi,

and

of

names

Names

Henry,

slaves

except

Brown

accounts,

documents.

and

the

of the

these

to

like

slaveholder. 24 the

men,

God's

wrong"

"prisoner"

source]

is that

as

to men

group

to

in

fear

World:

prevailed,

was

"Jim,

had

the

the

hurried

other

the known

opposite

when

something

and

of

bore

named

according

raiders

they

Brown's

in a book

Brown,

have

were

Bill,

Allstadt,"

which

the

Washington,

George,

the

this)

next

.... [ellipsis Lewis

could

present

with

the

John

This man's

"heard

told

aboard

taking

Himself,

Elks

of Negroes

neither

relationship

of

later

IBPO

a class

whom

Stevens

described

(black)

in Virginia

Angry

against

by Aaron

was

the and of

moved

October pages

of

eyewitness an

event

108

that

is

the

of

one

in American

points

epoch-marking

history. as I was about closing About ten o'clock on Sunday night orse covered wagon one-h a ed notic I , up the doors below luded it was 4 conc ce going by, and from its appearan and told one of up, shut to below gypsy wagon...I went some gypsies

servants,

our colored

whom I found up, that

them, He wanted to go out and see were going by. going was I said I but seemed quite anxious to 0, hear could .We bed.. to go to shut up, and bade him wagon the later an hour at work in the armory, and and three or four driven out with four men in it, one of the men ed gniz reco I guns. with following

and to them was men as @

around here and married man named Cook, who had lived here on Friday last, and was He tom. this his wife in our boy, the one who with I saw him talking a long time of our ser~ to see the gypsy wagon....One the I spoke of as wanting to see

was so anxious vants, the one

to know him (Brown,

appeared

gypsies,

and had conver-

very well,

house..-This poy had been sation with him in the engine , but has been doing for heirs some a slave belonging to The fellow left time. himself and counted free for some He went away . since seen been on Wednesday and has not was plenty around there that se, suppo I because he knew, if they got the chance. who would take a crack at him

His

name

Charles

was

Williams.

of W. W. Throckmorton

Statement

(Fouke 's)

Clerk of the Wager House

Hotel 27

Jim,

name

of

appears

in

some

arsenal

gate;

The

The

leads

to

James

Redpath,

raiser

for

accounts

a

killed.

Tracking

Life

published Brown

of

a free back

these

Captain

early

family.

is

Redpath's

Negro in time

Brown

John

in 1860

the

at

killed

slave

alongside

Public

the

as

Washington,

Lewis

for

mentioned

also

companion

a coachman

as

by

a fund-

source

for

109

these he

deaths

does

not

was

and

other

as

Anderson

for

Redpath

many

a

an

often

source

the

presence made

of

of

and

severe

identify without

an

the

and

had

joined

the

him,

cartridges..."

the

rebels and

he

had

at

the

account

river

with

gate

was

or

gate.

Washington's

into

in

the

Voice

contradiction,

that

local

noted of

Anderson's

the

chased

Anderson

persons

time,

on

doubt

is

of

for

two

the

commenting

was

on

at

die

news

Webb

or

one

saw

proslavery

a source

slaveholders.28 other

place

wounding.

is

published

Osborne

of unspecified

same

It

was

corroboration

fighting

hostage

deaths the

(only

Ferry)

fought

was

one

he

who

found

gate

up

a compilation

slave

unnamed

is no

the

at

"Jim

credits

of

picked

Anderson.

Assuming deaths

slaves

mention side

eyewitness:

Redpath

arsenal

Harper's

Brown's one

of

local

by one

accounts

in 1861.

the

From

later

unattributed,

to

A Voice

Hinton

to Anderson;

Life.

at

cap-

account

in Public

men

of

news

Webb

black

danger

in

contemporary

by Richard that

an

to

assistance be

or

them

most

whom

"Liberator"

still

Richard

in addition

accounts,

a

Anderson,

attributed

and

that

possible

as

was

quoting

words

a tiger"

Osborne

than

extradition.

Redpath"’s

like

likely

name

"eyewitness" ture

very

negro

will.

pockets

one did

death not

Redpath, quoted

said:

coachman

by citizens

a good

his

that

on

also

"There Jim,

and

drowned,

A pistol

filled

with

was ball

a

ba

163

é

Bsa ae

Say

NS

Seale of Feet

AML Ioan

pitt «dey Mil 7

va

fab)

lewdeT Rene manne

™% hy

(Ol)

"Recollections of the John Brown Century Magazine, July 1883.

Raid"

by Alexander

Boteler.

111

Lewis

Washington

"his"

slaves,

Rifle

Works,

complex naming

and about

was

was

of

known.

For

using

numbers

this

the

killed

present

from

following in the

from

him

loss

near

the

Washington to

said

had

and

number

Miller's

actions

are

described

William

Fuller

from

the

property,

willingly

but

fought

and

that

John

are

accounts

is

the

will

less

to

Brown's

original

army.

published Register

Virginia the

and

soon and

Its

the

after

later

and in

to his rear;

the

man turned

in

Shenan-

transition:

Ferry and reached the buildings where the insurgents were confined. Sharp firing occurred and the rioters were driven from the bridge. One man was killed here and another fearfully wounded. A man ran out to escape by swimming the river, a dozen shots were fired after him; he partially fell, but rose again, threw his gun away, and drew his pistols, but both snapped; he then drew his bowie-knife and cut his heave accoutrements off and plunged into the river. One of the soldiers was about

from him,

is

People,

Potomac

well-separated

diffi-

be made

statements

in both not

slaves

these

statement, West

local

is known,

a comparison

from

of

The first attack was made by a detachment of the Charlestown Guards, who crossed the Potomac River Above Harper's

ten feet

of

Hall's

without

indemnity

slave

one

armory~-arsenal

by Dr.

of his

Shepherdstown

and

rivers,

drowned

eyewitness

more

study

Maxwell doah

the

identity

Sometimes

event

the

various

cult.

the

for

the

from

the

was

requested

the

killed

In

death.of only

forces.29

Deducing

number

out

the

mile

man,

Fuller

because

Brown's

with

The

Virginia

refused

he

a half

hired

of Winchester. state

stated

in town. him,

admitted

and

held

112 The soldier fired and up his hands, saying 'don't shoot.' blown off...in the man fell into the water, with his face to E. H. ssion commi in's his pockets were found a capta . .Five of the ment.. govern l siona provi 's Brown Leeman from and posted in the armory insurgents, armed with Charlestown Guards. They the by led expel pbuilding, were e to swim and all ran for the river, and one was unabl in the center rocks the to swam others The was drowned. fired upon the --and river ndoah Shena e m--th strea the of The act drew upon citizens and troops on both banks. three hundred soldiers, and two en betwe of try muske the them fired at them were shots d and not less than four hundre distant. One yards d hundre two about Ferry, r's from Harpe attempted negro, a , second was finally fatally shot; the afternot was and shot, fell but dam, the to jump over and the remainwards seen; the third was badly wounded, The white insurgent, wounded, caping one was unharmed. es in a few tured, and dead in the arms of his comrad From him scene. awful the of part this moments completed een whites enninet only were there that d learne was it For nearly an hour a steady Several were the rioters. d. wounde were but escaped

gaged in the insurrection. firing was kept up against

death

The

who

white

insurgent

rades

at

the

fighting

close

ically,

wounding Jeremiah

house,

as

the

account

Anderson

of Jerry Anderson

has

(pp. fight

final

identified

by the

hostage

white

the

Stewart

Taylor,

whose

wounded com-

his

remark-

bears

of the

42-43.)

counted

been

in the

remains

of

arms

description

to Anderson's

possibility was

above

killed

raiders

those

of

the

in

died

the

Further,

there.

soon

who

similarity

mortal

gate--unidentified-description of the local

the

at

Anderson's

died

slave

man

the

of

Osborne

matches

able

others

and

down,

shot

Histor-

among

in the

engine-

slaveholders. The raider described above

movements

through

various

113

histories

are

man

wounded

badly

accounts

sketchiest in

following

ancestors

also

Americans. The

the

did

the

--ebut

had

out

fire,

not

this

a black

immigrants

until

a letter

taken

our

the

The

and

man

and

next

written

positions

when the then

firing

they threw

of the escape in the

raiders.

whose

Native

day.

in

the

week

raid:

out...they

I think

the from

Leary,

Irish die

is

than a few minutes, marched

Lewis

not

source

following we

was

all

Shenandoah

included

He

next

the

of

a

made

gun,

a run

others

down their

on the bluff

insurgents

arms

five

for the

say

they

when

more

in number

river,

with-

returned

the

about

one

third

way over the river, and attempted to make their by swimming. one was drowned soon after getting river two more were shot before reaching the

rocks in the middle of the river, the other two reached the rocks only badly wounded and the other unhurt.

Joseph G. Harris to David Strother, October 25, 1859. Stutler Collection.

This

letter

Shenandoah ments

tle was

the on

may

of

have

Shenandoah

Virginius

written

Boteler,

clearly

portion

(which

in

Works

is

an

the the

of

a

River

Island. the

incident

previous

been

eyewitness

a member

same

as

eyewitness

compilation.)

was

outside

A similar slaveholder,

United

the

States

state-

This

Hall's

bat-

Rifle

description Alexander

Congress

from

Shepherdstown: I...rode around toward the rifle-works, getting there in time to see the assault made on them which drove Kagi and his party pell-mell out of the rear of the building into the Shenandoah River, where a very exciting scene occurred; for, as soon as the insurgents were recognized attempting

114

the citizens, to cross the river, there was a shout among .. .The banks. both from them on fire hot who opened a raiders, finding their retreat to the intercepted by Medler's men, made for

it, how-

reaching

and died in the water, apparently withFour others reached the rock, where,

ever, Kagi fell out a struggle.

returning

stand,

an ineffectual

they made

for a while,

Before

of the stream.

the middle

near

opposite shore a large flat rock

But it was not long before the fire of the citizens. r prostrated two of them were killed outright and anothe o, standing mulatt a nd, Copela g leavin by a mortal wound, Thereupon, . alone and unharmed upon their rock of refuge the into dashed Holt, H. James a Harper's Ferry man, as he who, nd, Copela e captur to hand, in gun river, ng his approached him, made a show of fight by pointi to the but, his; leveled and halted who gun at Holt, surprise of the lookers-on, neither of their weapons temporarily were discharged, both having been rendered useless...from being wet. From

consistent

these

ber

16,

The

unele.

own

another

word

Leary,

who

enough

except

us may

naming

of Lewis evident

to

man.

himself,

be

in the

given letter

with

Boteler

the

consider

the only

of his

that

with

and

Kagi,

unless

interpretation those

no

mentions

however,

persons

the

that known

is

It

version.

misidentification

Copeland,

Leary,

relative

Copeland's is

contradiction

Decem-

on

a mutual was

John

from

execution

to

most

black

his

before

answer

compared

capture

different one

death

a letter

is

an

It was

1859.

the

about

just

written

Copeland

contradiction

considerable

stories

the

to

posted

raiders

had

he

Presenting

works.

rifle

than

Brown's

on

participants

more

three

death

meeting

side to

or

two

are

there

scene,

the

on

townspersons

of

accounts

these

he to

single

was the

115

recipient.

in and

out

It

of

should

the

always

Charles

be

Town

remembered

jail

was

that

mail

censored:

You ask me to tell you about poor Leary --well when we came to the Ferry we were put under the command of Captn. Kagi and sent about half a mile from the Bridge where Captn. Brown & men were stationed

to Halls

Rifle Factory,

this

was

about

10 o clock at night. We remained there until Monday about 2 o.c.P.M. waiting for orders from Captn. Brown without receiving any. at this we discovered that we were being surrounded by men when Captn. Kagi give orders to leave the building & make our escape which we accordingly did but upon getting to

the road at the back of the building we had occupied, we discovered that if any, was to cross the Shenandoah

cross.

On entering the river

John Copeland our only means of escape River, which we tried to

we turned

and fired

___ round

at those who had by this time opened a hot fire on us all sides. Capt. Kagi succeeded in getting about two

from thirds

across the river when he was shot through the head & sank beneath the river. The whole fire of at least fifty men was then turned upon poor Leary and myself, when he being next to Kagi in advance of me about ten or twelve feet saw that there was not chance of escape left us, got up ona stone that was near him and turned his back upon those on the side of the river to which we were trying to escape and was shot through the body but did not die until ten

hours afterward as I have been informed, since I have been in jail. At the time Leary was shot I had succeeded in

getting on some stones that were just above me in the river & floated down behind them & remained so until they thought we were all killed when one of them coming out to where Leary was discovered me & I was pulled up out of the water with the intention of being shot. But one of those that were present not being such cowards as to want to kill a man when disarmed & a prisoner prevented it....

116 There

was

a possible

Anderson

who

had

Hayden

by Lewis

Boston

from

sent

been

John

named

raider

black

sixth

time of the in Harpers Ferry at the ble to find further Historians have been una raid. suggested that The local Colored Elks record of him. works been killed in the rifle John Anderson may have expected

was

and

His name,

pattle.3!

disregarded

most

(and

raiders

Brown

Of

escaped.

who

raider

all 32)

a Negro of additional

as

York

stories

the John

generally

several,

been

have

there

crackpot

as

New

Elba,

at

men

Brown's

John

to

memorial

in North

farm

family

the

the

on

listed

is

son,

Ander-

as well as that of Osborne

the

is

Anderson's

plausible.

more local slaves additional evidence that who ng than the single man were killed in the fighti l The local commander, Colone drowned in the canal. side more deaths on Brown's Robert Baylor, cited five le hting than are accountab at the end of Monday's fig is

There

his

original

Anderson

present.

from

Monday

ing, had

army,

33 Robert captured

and

night

or

if

four

E.

Lee,

one

counts

who

arrived

on

Brown

John

John

late morn-

Tuesday

in his report than Brown reported two more bodies e men, These were apparently whit dead soldiers. as

however,

Albert

Hazlett,

emissary

identified

both

(at

them

that

time)

prisoners."

34

escaped.

As

the

waited

for

War

Lee be

and

Tidd

Charles

as

President Buchanan, orders on “what should

from

Department

white

Lee

done

with

the

117

Reconciling cannot

be

burials Watson

occurred Brown

Winchester tion,

the

Ben,

the

the

a young

rifle he

died

according

to

of

and

for were

slave

taken

the

under

died

later

1859

to

least

were

buried

two

sent

NEGRO BEN Ben, the property of Mr. John was captured with his master by the Brown

to

the

dissecboxes

from

captured

Charles County

dead,

on

supervision. 3°

"pneumonia

Jefferson

counts

hasty

and two

directly was

of

in

local

the

body

rough,

exhibition

twenty-two,

a week

Some

Anderson,

Shenandoah

man

works

others

later

night.3? At

School

more

with

accurate.

Jeremiah

eight

one

deaths

on Monday

and

of

least

where

slave

Medical

while

banks

At

the

historically

the

outside

Town and

Death

raid.

jail, fright," Registers!

H. Alstadt who party, died in

the Jail in this town on Monday night last. He had been placed at the Rifle Factory by the marauders as a guard, and attempted to save himself by escape when he was arrested. Whether he was in error, or not, is not positively known, but he was kept in Jail for the purpose of making an Investigation. It is believed that his death occurred from fright and excitement.

[Charles

The

following

in Harpers cribe

the

When road

the and

Ferry capture villains made for

Town’.

Virginia

letter on of

Free

Press,

by a circuit

Sunday

night

of

November

minister the

raid

3, 1859

staying may

des-

Ben:

ran they crossed the Winchester Railthe river. One ran towards us with his pike (slave of Mr. Alstadts )--and beckoned us to come to him. We ran immediately toward the whole of them--the Bolivar men pressing on them from the mountain--we on one side. One or two of our men had by this time procured guns. One negro was drowned--a slave-the only one of whom we have doubts as to his complicity with them & that because he ran with them. When Alstadts

118 asked him how came he man who ran towards us came up--I the pike--he said they there and what was he doing with night before--brot the had taken him and his master keep guard at the t didn' he if him them down--& told I believe he was Rifle factory they would kill hin. w came up-fello ess reckl a ng While talki innocent. head within an inch 's negro the at t muske his led level I asked him trigger. or so--and was about to pull the kill him & he'd swore He s. other did as not to fire in of Charlestown Comthat he had orders from the Capta his gun & saved the of hold took then pany...Several that it was with tude negro...so enraged were the multi ng & shooting hangi from ained restr difficulty they were several on the spot.

Charles

of Berryville,

White

Va.

to

John Felt of Salem, Mass, November 10, 1859. 38

Rev.

It may victims

were

of

saved

John

be

too

mob

by

much

expect

to

condoned

violence,

like

citizens

Allstadt

that

admitted

potential

by military

Charles

the

all

death

orders,

White.

of Ben

in his

tes-

investigating committee: valuable one 1 twenty years old; the most "about ge while Allstadt Ben had been held without char had." because "I thought I had stayed home for several days or else I might be taken better take care of myself, black man died in The possibility that another sick." rted by a white man who the Charles Town jail was repo Monday night of the raid, wag in that jail himself on stranger from the North. 39 arrested because he was a the fear of his relatives Rev. Charles White calmed his belief that "the majorin Massachusetts by stating intentions--or desire any ity of servants have no evil

timony

before

the

U.

S.

Senate

119

movement,"

or

although

attacked

amazing Rev.

"several

by their

pair

of

Charles

servants"

documents

White

(unfortunately

at

pages

were

their

scence

of White's

publication)

Edward

spent

Sunday.

and

and

he

Virginia areas.

the

Edward

the

armed

town

in

inside

his

or

that

of the Monday's

he made

capture quiet,

recorded

did

people

told

maps

on

leave male

(from

a

battle

of

various

the

as

on

come

residents

Brown.

for

gray

Captain to

stay

therefore

The in his

only

men-

description

morning.

miles

un-

with

noon,

White

Tuesday

older quiet"

proceeded

around

was

descrip-

his

"deathly

pickets

upon. of

that

he

hotel

blacks

Brown

include

the

Brown's

fired

had

0

Mill

"both

attitudes

began

a prisoner

of John

Ferry. to

both

not

daylight

local

time

enginehouse,

brothers

described

fighting

of

that

letter.

He

be

at

there

hand-drew

through

might

himself

White

years

reminis-

compelled the

of

hundred

at Herr's

by

An

event

in Harpers

the

of their

messenger

they

considered

the

the

Edward,

friends

early

raid.

unpublished

had

reminiscence

the

beaten

letter

in the

felt

hotel

in his

unmolested

or

he

even

upon.

Before

the

family)

slaves

centered

shawls.

tion

action

local

and

Brown

he

White

White's

of

brother

as

the

slaveholding

of

tions

to

Therefore

Charles

parts

of

return

female."

of

time

Charles

morning

resided,

the

brother

with

the

the

schoolteacher

night

On Monday

Charles where

the

been

matching

lost

and

younger

a nineteen-year-old

have

following

are

written

some

before

masters

around

Unlike to

see

D

of a few men surconclusion--the capture hundreds of spectators. by ninety marines and

foregone

the

rounded

in fright. were the fifty

cowering

was

Where at

Charles

and

by

men

and

five

or

more

in

the

enginehouse

Most

of

the

local

the

(it had

have

protect

him

Brown

Allen, made

began

been

worse

than

they

captured

to

shoot

them

on

Brown's

didn't for

"they a descendent; it, while others were

orders

For

the

to

caught spot,

pickets

nothing

"They

couldn"

delay.

know

them,"

fled

these

how

said

the

to Mrs.

use

wea-

the

Charles

Some

hilis."

by militiamen as

until

slaves

local

py the

on Monday.

because had

guarded

watchouse

in the

together

were

the

and

men

These

morning.

Monday

working-

forty

about

were

There

buil-

same

the

in

placed

were

They

room

unconnected

an

people

with

armed

Monday,

on

Anderson.

by Osborne

slaveholders a fire going)

fighting

could

hostages. guard duty

prisoner

taken

pons

Tidd,

enginehouse.

the

as

captured the

Maryland

watchouse,

the

ding

to

them

given

pikes

Cook

John

with

gone

assigned

been

had

captured,

or

dead

had

and

Brown

with

those

John

to

rallied

who

four

least

were

There

standard?

Brown's

who

slave

every

not

had

slaves

dimen-

another

us

Certainly

conduct.

black

local

of

sion

giving

White,

Edward

said

show,

the

see

to

came

they

white,"

and

black

unarmed,

and

"Armed

described

with by

Charle

"Many of the stated: A millworker named Xindle they ran for the river and negroes, and a few whites feared ment and another attack were shot...Great excite

White.

121

the

negroes

next

evening

man

about

of

"a

little

toward

me

as

wrote

his

too

much

and

trying Brown

knew

slavery,

but

told

the

slaves

away

from

None

left

possible,

killed

after

least

five

present

tages

in

room

One

man

there

who

was

a neighbor

Sunday

night

on

bridge

the

description.47 who

wanted

no

three

men

Phil,

ee for

Lucker.

from

8

John

in

walking

by a

train with

not

was

he

put

the

number

black

Allstadt,

to

to

as

be

There some

high

as

to

He

stay

far

shot45

appear

there.

could

hostages

martyrs

going

property

paying

publicity.

although as

was

a terrorist.++

enginehouse

retreat

the

Anderson

of his

have

he

end,

the

negro

enginehouse

the

of

the

enough

to

join

and

was

would

the

considered

to

he

as

Brown's

aided

in town:

been

in the

slaves

legs,

lamentations

death

Ferry

a field

explanation

long

them

own

been

the

the had

as

the

too

to

Congress-~

Harpers

Earlier,

stout

same

there

his

him

of

to

prove

home

43

the

dallying

got

across

bandy

him."

"short,

gave

hid

sun."42 As

coming of

carry

raiders,

attention to

by

and

approached

a pair

a

the

himself

for

John

seen

with

Brown

hour

"darky'

as

could

had

a staff"

an

old

fast

stick,

conductor

demoralized

Shepherdstown

saw

crooked

badly

at

Boteler

he

{

were

to

have

were

white

at

hos-

twelve. 46

of Daniel

Moore,

have

in

insurrection--he

come

was

on

"captured

forced

to participate" by slaveholder Washington's"thoroughbred" house servant part of the rebellion was present, and the him

Allstadt there

Brown

premises.

is

even

a

asked

Phil

to

last

One

of

these

name--Luckum

knock

holes

in

was or

the

122

he did until shoot through, which enginehouse wall to bricks. a pullet hitting the he was thrown back by Osborne wounding of Phil that This may have been the Anderson

saw

his

from

post

in

the

arsenal,

two

hundred

histories, identified in several in jail, as the man who died including Anderson's, Register ig listed on the Death rather than Ben, who press. and reported by the local itude been the reported att Fear and passivity has hostages, enginehouse with the of the slaves in the

feet

who

were

is

Phil

away.

selected

by Brown

because

they

were

prominent

two held many of the glaveholders; t, now dage until this attemp group in the room in bon h levity the side of freedom. Muc clearly a disaster for ernoon sleeping during the aft was made of the slaves ter of attested by the paymas of the fight, which was

citizens.

the

armory

Most

were

(a slaveholder)

who

also

saw

"no

negro

from

ly: “9 take up arms voluntari neighborhood appear to are py whites; only the All the written accounts n that a family in Charles Tow story passed down in of the of the personal safety Brown was considerate That it is absolutete source. slaves is from a nonwhi presented at these accounts as ly essential to look redent in these two interp with a white bias is evi after the sional writers long tations, both by profes a local Thomas Allstadt about raid, of statements by who was the boy not yet grown) plack man (or perhaps in the enginehouse:

the

123

It was just after our confinement Stevens fell, as he sallied forth

in the watch-house that on an errand for Brown.

One of my father's colored boys who was with me, peering out, spied the men who were aiming at him. The boy called my attention. Glancing across at the Galt House, I saw Captain George Chambers and Mr. Percival Standin g at an upper window, watching Stevens! progress until he should

come

within

sure

range.

As

the

moment

arrived

they broke

the glass, in order to fire. Stevens fell. ‘Stevens is shot!" cried one of Brown's men. ‘I am sorry for that,'

said Brown; ‘is he dead?! 'No, pulled himself up on one knee. "Look, Marse Tom, they're going

Katherine Magazine

[NOTE:

Captain

Edmond Chambers After

a while

Mayo,

of History

George

quoted Brown

with

Chambers

in this sent

he is moving.' Stevens 'Look!! exclaimed our boy. to fire again!'

"John Brown's Notes

was

Raid

& Queries,

not

study. ]

the

Stevens

on some

and said,

‘Look,

50 Years Ago,"

December

same

person

1909.

as

errand

to the hotel,

look!

There

and had him take along a prisoner so he wouldn't be fired upon. They had nearly reached the hotel when a colored boy at the engine-house pointed to an upper window in a tavern

not far from the bridge

two men and they're goin' to shoot!! That same of the men punched a pane of glass out and pop! gun. A raider by the name of Coppic had joined

are

instant one went his the colored

boy, and he remarked, "They've shot Steve ns.' 'I'm sorry for that,' Brown said. ‘Is he dead?! ‘No, * Coppic answered, "He's

fallen down but he's movin'yet. Now he's got up on knee. His prisoner has walked right on--g lad to git away, one

I guess.' 'Look!' to shoot him again.'

Clifton Springfield microfilm)

Johnson,

the boy exclaimed.

"Reminiscence

Sunday Republican, Boyd Stutler

'They're

goin!

of Thomas Allstadt."

date

Collection.

undecipherable,

12h

a kidnapped In

Johnson's

the

threat

hostage

talking

was

warning

he

to

Stevens.

In

said

testimony

in 1860,

he

"his

negroes"

in the

with to

held

he

Senate

Allistadt's

John

no

conversations

enginehouse. instructed the

marines

"not

unless

they

in custody

retained

blacks

the

injure

Lee

E.

Robert

Colonel

assistant) he was with his young master. Coppoc or John Brown of

research

Villard's

(Oswald

Mayo's

In

difference.

of

volumes

shows

accounts

two

these

in

slave

the

of

attitude

reported

the

Studying

s Ferry ten A marine ordered to Harper resisted." had told that fellow marines days after the raid was the enginehouse "peating dragged two black men from

Green

house.

Edward

It

Brown,

only

those

considered

sent.

A slave

ing

the

was

held

five

commented

that

Lee

on

the

when

“fortunately

held

the

until

midday

the

property

who

came

of Brown's

of

in from men

on

the

none

at

of

least

slaveholders

pre-

after

leav-

sideof the

river

Maryland

that

violence

captured

slaves

Tuesday,

on

engine-

in the

hurt."

appear

would

Brown

with

of

was

hostages

the

also,

fists."

raider

black

only

White,

capture

the

after

the

was

Shields

their

with

Negroes

struggling

two

the

ing. 72 in Harpers Ferry until even the n on the activities of Much of the documentatio l cia testimony before the spe local slaves is from the asion quire into the late inv Senate committee to "in ry." property at Harper's Fer and seizure of the public of Virginia and including Headed by Senator Mason

125

Jefferson

Davis

of Mississippi,

designed

to

the

elections

1860

No

discredit

testimony

many out

of

of

slavery

slaveholders,

rebel

was

thousand

just, They

expected

years

whites

and

armed

men

caused

Many

the

absence

may

have

the

slave

the

such

slaveholders were

had

unrest

hopes

contribute

three

and

was

ruled

and

group

of

slaves

Kennedy

Ferry

are

of Brown's

when

concerted to

to

considerably held

raiders

for

There

on

it

was

believe to

log

to

at

possible

their

slaves after

the

lid

toward could

on

newslimitfan

also

move

arms

schoolhouse

documented.

their

Relief

action.3

a time are

Brown

Southern

that

Maryland

the

massacre.

John

put

Turner, news

shudder.5+

actions

responsibility

printing

a quarrel

and

white

that

immediate Nat

hundred

Slaveholding

measures

sent

records.

former

truly

the

farmhouse

slaveholders

Senate

to

Since

to

mean

slaves

"the

with

tremble

to

of

was

believed

extreme

by not

efforts

their masters.5>

Their

taken

ing black

in the

for

ignored.

force

armed

to

War,

a massacre

in rebellion.

editors

two

Civil

to kill

insurrection.

Harpers

Virginians

descendents

further

from

were

It

midst

after

of

the

safety.

insurrection

capture

the

for

their

led

not

The

was

Brown.3

allowed,

a motivating

minimizing

Brown's

from

Party

it with was

information

in their

local people

paper

as

necessary

black

who

were

Republican

person

pertinent

investigation

order.

For

to

a black

with

Discussion

new

by associating

from

whites

the

the

Testimony

in Maryland the

near

is

accounts

movements--Osborne

of

126 differ week

or

ing

some

number

the

Cook

fourteen;

said

son

to

as so

after

the

of

slaves

may

Cook

raid,

accounts

Ander-

in Maryland.

In his

four.

the

All

Brown.

Owen

and

Cook,

John

Anderson,

confession

have

been

a

protect-

by minimizing the number, or himAmong all the escape. self in contributing to that es +o Washington planaccounts there are more referenc d in the indictment, tation slaves than the four name It is a rational elf. including by Lewis Washington hims absent from the Washington speculation that men who were ("My servants were almost property because it was Sunday t ") returned by early all away, that being Sunday nigh Presence of action. Monday and came in to join the d be strong motivation others from their plantation woul ive, people Because Lewis Washington was capt to do so. in and left without his from his estate could have come their disinterest. knowledge, and later proclaimed were definitely Two of the local men in Maryland One was described e. identified from Washington's plac r held hostage after py Lind Currie, the schoolteache and the children allowed the building was commandeered to

escaped

who

leave: Question.

Answer. Question.

did

You

Yes,

sir.

What

go back

to the

[currie

did you find

had

school-house?

escorted

a youngster

home .}

there?

black I found, then, nobody there but Cook and one Answer. schoolthe about stowed arms of load man with this wagon, the me I presume; knew they but s, negroe the know not did I house.

I2T they mile

were from

Colonel Washington's negroes, and I lived but a his house. I learned afterwards that they stated

to Cook who

I was,

that

I was

a Virginian,

a farmer

and

slave-

holder over there; and I noticed some slight change in his mannter after I came back; he was rather cooler; but after

was

there

and

he spoke

for some

Question. ently was

time

of a great

he became

many

rather

more

I

communicative,

things....

When you got back, in what position the negro whom he retained with him?

of duty appar-

Answer. He seemed to be there as an assistant in guarding those arms. Mr. Cook told me he was there under orders from Brown, and that he could not get away. His orders from Brown were to remain there and take care of that point and protect those arms. Question.

What

was

the

negro

doing,

apparently?

Answer. He appeared to be an assistant both sitting there watching. Question.

Answer.

What

Nothing

Question.

arms

had

the

but

the

pike.

Did the

negro

of his;

they

were

negro?

recognize

you there;

to you?

did he speak

Answer. No, sir; he did not recognize me; he evidently knew me, though he. did not speak to me or make himself known. I did not know until afterward that he was one of Colonel Washington's negroes. Question. Answer.

The

the

Have No sir;

three

fighting

hearc

you

from

seen

I have

men

him not.

remained

in Harpers

across

since?

the

in the

Ferry.

river

schoolhouse

When

around

all

through

heavy

firing

was

2 p-m.,

Currie

asked

128

and

men,

them

down.'"

Charles

Tidd,

of whom

were

the

at

Kennedy

to

permission would

he

all

Coppoc,

fight.

the

during

farmhouse

Brown,

Owen

with

Barclay

and

Merriam

Francis

was

the

building.

night

on Monday

sun

for

in the

happening

our

provision

the

with

resisting As

Gook

asked

granted

escaped

Cook

John

shooting

was

what

reveal

there

was

which

leave,

down

schoolmaster

the

setting, not

are

we

are

people

those

that

this:

means

simply

‘it

he,

said

"Well,

meant.

it

what

Cook

in Pennsylvania while seeking inia authorities. His dicfood and returned to the Virg Tidd arrived at the schooltated confession stated that of arms, after which house about 4 p.m. with a load with one of the local Cook left for Harpers Ferry man who had been with Negroes, possibly not the same was

Cook

him

me

school-house," he fighting hard at the

the

below

they

were

Cc &

O Canal,

him

as

a fellow in,

hemmed

Potomac. along

the

had

no

Meeting

two

other

road,

Cook

and

formed

of the

massive

Ferry.

Cook

described

the

informed

"who

Ferry."

Reaching

whites

all

who

had

men

Brown's went

across

residents

whom

he knew

if

liberated

strength

of the

slave

troops

were

the known

were

he

chance

he

and

that

canalworker

dis-

short

related,

local

by

told

was

Cook

a

woman

a negro

"I met

afternoon.

all

tance

alone

captured

the

in-

in Harpers

apprehension of the reports, and sent him back black man upon hearing the Tidd and the other slaves to the schoolhouse to inform Cook arms of the situation. there who were unloading the town from the Maryland then fired a few shots at the

growing

——

129 Heights,

had

and

went

then

a

small

wp

skirmish

the

road

to

Kennedy

farmhouse-but not

a local

Irish

other

a local

their

were

black

man

military

From

army

A futile

cribed cates

the

taking

attempt

own

protection

Between

their

his

near

the

canal,

comrades

at

the

until

he

had

eaten

with

foot

of

the

hill.

The because

the

way

reached

viewpoint, to

the

provided bring

following

slaves

their

on had

hardly

in the

at

men

find

to

find

Cook

them

with

the

news

of

disaster.

a black

Brown's

upon

family

raiders

with

began

two and three

to

account to

raiders

inspirational

help

Harpers

by Owen

recognize

measures from

white

for routed

that

afternoon,

Ferry,

Brown,

the

survival

the

from

leadership. des-~

indi-

necessity

and

not

of

rely

insurgents: we

heard

a great

deal

of firing in the direction of Harper's Ferry. Later that afternoon a black man came up on horseback, and asked us to go over to the Ferry and help in the fight. I don't know that he had any authority but his fears; for I think he must have come from the school-house where some of Washington's and Alstadt's slaves were congregated....I prevaile d on Cook to go reluctantly as far as the school-house, for provisions, and to see what had become of the liberated

Slaves....Approaching

nearer,

we whistled

and

called

for

the black men, but got no answer....Coming out of the schoolhouse and joined by Cook, Merriam, Coppoc, and the negro; we lingered in the neighborhood perhaps an hour, calling the black men. The only answer that came out of the rain and darkness was the firing at Harper's Ferry, but a mile away. We saw no more of the liberated slaves....I put the bags of biscuits and sugar across the negro's horse, and on the way maae up my plan of escape....When we began to ascend the mountain I ordered the negro to turn his horse loose... I had hard work to convince him that his life was worth more than the horse...About this time the negro, who had been

130

ain of rheumatism. despondent all along, began to compl I told him he was us. with go 't couldn he He was afriad

I felt

and that

if he went back,

life

his

to lose

certain

freedom if he kept reasonably sure I could get him his of that negro, and I cious suspi feel to began us...1 with He knew my plans, him. on eye an keep thought I had better

also,

you see.

He knew

of saving were, for while the tism; and

he couldn't

bed...But

if he left

and

when

comfortably,

life

walking

past

him

with me that

much as possible. the

to

able

October

David Mr.

Strother

seen

is

1859,

to

from

Washington's

the

at once,

to sit

nearest

man

again,

Then for him in vain. They agreed hurry.

and

change

our

plans

as

the

raid

were

97

slaves

local

survive 22,

move

must

on

to look for the black

I came back

we

and wanted

down

sat

I hunted and hallooed he was gone. I roused up all the boys in a great

How

only hope

his

us,

The beds his life would be in divulging them. After a safety's sake, four or five rods apart. rheumahis of ain compl and negro began to groan

I arose,

up.

that

man

who

had

in this

Harper's

his

and

an

in

letter

Weekly

relative

Mason

been

D. old

written

on

correspondent

E.

Henderson:

fellow

belonging

to

his statement, neither a gentleman above town confirms ry they were taken to the Armo having seen the other, that to fight sed refu they d foun n Brow and given arms but when s with Cooke and five other he sent them to the mountain from the farm down to the white men to haul the arms made him drive his master's they says n Maso school house. And in the evening ay. team hauling guns all day Mond down to hauling while he went Cooke told them to keep on y and that they, as soon Ferr the an on got they see how their guns and crawled away w he got out of sight, thre

as

e's men might not see them through the bushes so that Cook coming home as fast as ped, to carry them back, and esca satisfied until they be to never ing seem they knew how, that Mr. Allstadt's also nd I understa reached home safely. him the night he was taken men were willing to fight for he was taken for and their put that he, not knowing what had better go with them, as he ght not hurting anyone, thou

—————

L31

they had no guns

to fight

with.

Mr. Allstadt's

man

came

home first, he having on Monday night pretended to be taken with cramp colick and rolling and tumbling about in the bushes where they were concealed, persuaded the man who had him to go get something to give him. He rolled out from the party into the bushes and lay there a few moments and then, crawling into the bushes made his escape in the darkness and reached home early the next morning. One of Mr. W's servant women jumped out of the second story of the quarter and ran and hid herself in the chicken coop until the next morning. She was considerably injured by her fall. The women were told to tell all of the servants to come to the Ferry, and they would receive arms, but they ran and

hid for

fear

they would

now.

be carried

Copy

David

signed

Hunter

himself

Weekly.

This

man

the

slaveholders'

ful

slaves

able

than

the

leading

trial,

and

it

who

artist in,

but

for

Frank

was

told

enjoying

work

was

Tribune

by his

He

not

to

leave

Brown.58 While and

prominently

their the

was

in the

into

Illustrated town

when

he

editors

memor-

nephew

of of

Brown

to

interview

by other

allowed

toward

of fear-

a member

John

freedom

shared

the

Harper's

history

families-~-~a

enjoyed

Leslie's

for

letter,

insidiously

Strother

not

this

caricatures

Brown--more

attorney

routinely

Weekly

York

John

principals

to

New

influenced

art

here

Collection.

of

greatly

Slaveholding

sympathetic were

recipient

words.

quiet

Stutler

in his

Hunter.

were

is

Crayon"

prosecuting the

All

Boyd

the

viewpoint

a mad

local

Andrew

sketch

ists,

has

a thousand

Virginia's

The

and

in the

Strother,

"Porte

off.

journal-

Charles Weekly

Town. made

seemed

too

of Harper's

attack

on Horace

Greely's

Republican

Party,

Strother's

featured.

Within

a few weeks,

INDIGNITY.—Cesar and Pompey.

A PREMATURE MOVEMENT. ia My name's Brown.” . Brows. “Uore! Take this, and follow me, s eedin’ yit at our house.” God! Mr. Brown, dat is onpossible. We ain't done

re,‘Please

NEGLECT AND n of de captivated do most ‘tinguished gent’me : : Cusan. “Dey sity dese outlandish folks } oder night.” 2" Did dey disturb your premises, Cassar ' Pomrry. 5 2” Pompey ted, Caxsan. “Dey did not, Was you interrup ignorant pussens, onacquainted wid de neighborhnod was Pourny, “I b'lieves not. Tallows dem | of Harper's Ferry.” 1 ever heard of 'em.” BONS | Sela: ta PEPanMRTO | O#sats Dat [always know'd before

es by Davi da Strother These racist caricatur n widely rep rinted Harper's Weekly have bee

in the to the

November 26, present day.

1859

A planter arming his slaves against John Brown by Strother appeared in the November 19, 1859 Harper's Weekly. Nothing could have been at greater variance with the truth. in surrounding towns there were several deaths of slaves blamed on overreaction of slaveow ners due to Brown's raid. Black churches were closed as far away as South

Carolina and other gatherings prohibited considered a very real threat.

4 SOUTHERN

PLANTER

ARMING

HIS SLAVES

to

contain

TQ RESIST

INVASION.

the

insurrection,

134

guard

to

Town

insurrection,

execution.

cers

not

did

and

of Governor bother to

account

and

drawings

John

of

Brown's

were

no

the

remain

with

sition

to most

Strother

and

capture

Brown's

Strother,

history.

who

an

as

provided

easily-used detail, has The balana respected historical source. to doubt influenced by Strother's decision

in such been

for

remained

to

eyewitness clearly

artist,

appeared

79

damage

material

critical

of

danger

stated)

had

a cartoon

ran

Strother's

David

The

correspondent

by another

drawn

print

their

Harper

ridiculous. Wise

men

any

never

was

(there

seven

in Charles

gathered

troops

of

thousands

the

however,

was

ready

Union members

and

in the

Civil

of his

a racial

War,

in painful

oppo-

family.

bigot.

In one

Harper's

Weekly

"half-monkey." sy with Shields In another he wandered through a fanta to kill most of Green in which the black raider wanted "...his the white population and enslave the rest, d with loade fingers stiff with diamond rings, his vest ters." © gold chains and stuffed with jeweled repea rson may The letter from his relative D. E. Hende and Strother have provided a basis for embellishment, Had the local very likely believed it to be true. whites of their slaves not been able to convince the could be expected. lack of complicity summary execution after other plots That is exactly what had occurred article

and

he

described

rebellions

among

black

people

slaves. 6

as

135 Those

who

convinced

loved

espoused

themselves

their

planters right

homes.

arming

imposed,

local

a year

of

father

was

state

of

while

to

his

new

wife

upon

the

dice

on

ings

from

join

slaves

troops.

through

morality native

of

After

to

That

and

for

elements

may

Cipants,

even

the

on

is,

of

treason

even

and

another

especially

flesh

out

some

when

the

stories

of

the

were

depended his

pre ju-

to

and

warn-

be

his

the

learned

and

of people,

age

leaving He

revised

Strother

together

the

Stonewall

competance

course,

the always

at

others

of

faces

to

though

strength

black

Putting

to

Strother,

continuously

event,

that

Strother's

Town.

him

black

numbers

the

within

compelled

spies,

man

trust

large

years.

for

Charles

Colonel

any milestone

confusion abound

war

slavery.

ones.

David David

blinded

on

The

the

Virginia

that

a topographer,

accuracy

the

was

the

as

blacks

daylight

felt

Negroes

their

case

County

as

out-

a reporter

in

proslavery,

army

as

insurrection.62

jailed.

in Confederate

local

Jackson’s

and

and

local

churches;

told

execution

in Morgan

the upon

of

even

in this

Brown's

Virginia,

fifty

armed

slavery happy

dismissed

works

black

irony

of

closing

rifle

from

scene

be

of

were

restrictions

the

heavily

tried

of

white

the

were

John

a unionist

views

of

fantastic

slaves

must

Severe

themselves

The

the

slaves

including

whites

protect

that

the

superintendent

righteousness

Strother's

propaganda.

were

the

in his

wary

story.

one

of

of 63

such

anecdotes

some local

with black

common

partiexaggerated.

136

He

with

they

bedded

them

with

he

strange a

about

story

came

slave

who

to

ordered

at

from

the

in his

on

he

his his

diction

the

pbuilding

He

the

remainder

a carriage memory

selective

Lewis

arrived.

and

carriage He

house

to

also

women

several

he

described

it

as

said

is

were

there (This

Anderson's at

well,

Lewis similar

the

retained

and

enginehouse

in his no

is an

account John

and The

night."

details

provided

Washington's. to

of

of Washington's

details

Washington

horses

the

the

mistress

stack

straw

by trade,

outside

night.

that

Osborne

by

vivid

a

of

painter

noticed

he

which

to

ran

out

his

untied

home,

went

occupied

unhitched

dashed

and

animals

the

of

horses

the

through

testimony. at

into

then

carriage, when

let

got

he

When

go

them

and

master

in

was

carriage

loose

and

was

narrator

horses

the

drove

who

man

He

Democrat

Springfield

stairway

there

hic

carriage.

speed.

full

town

Washington's

one

mounted

negro

drove

his

raiders.

by the

at

the

turn

follow

and

home,

a militiaman

negro

"the

that

1900

Ferry

Harpers

from

the/Missouri’

for

reminisced

A

wagon.

the

to pull

used

was

which

there

horse

a

was

there

indeed

schoolhouse--and

the

from

came

thought

Brown

illness.

of

subterfuge

the

from

escaped

then

and

night,

the

for

down

until

in Maryland

raiders

white

five

the

went

Ferry,

Harpers

for

help

seeking

Brown

Owen

to

came

horse.

a

with

man

the

is

elements

common

the

of

One

Senate

white

women

apparent

of loud The

Allstadt's

contra-

protests scene

as

testimony.)

Owen

quish

such

have

137

Brown's

insistence

valuable

insured

a

property

speedy

to

his

his

on

Survival

Several

accounts

Allstadt

group,

he

was

but

with

possible

that

he

Brown.

That

would

John

was

of

the

arrival

when

he

in

the

enginehouse.

that

Brown

crossing

initially

the

There

is

the

shotgun

son

saw

it

also

with and

in the

it.

Terence

Byrne

Maryland,

returned

noiter:

"The

when

I left

with

a

of

he

grocer

was

point

after

the

negro

the

credited

to that

was

with for

Shotgun,

mentioning

Osborne

man

this

the

and,

on

Mon-

one

of

the

man

time, the

black

slaveholder

a local

slave

fowling-

transferred

me

Ander-

on

a white

famous

Cook

Guards

men, 6+

taunted

local

school-house

Jefferson

at

schoolhouse, was

Maryland stated

slave

the

who

double~barreled

gun

and

from

from

own

killed

the

described

killed

Washington's

Tidd

of

schoolhouse,

in accounts

information

the

the

the

and

have

take

likely

hostage

his

in Maryland

the

is most

elderly

shot

Colonel

to

an

generally

It

Washington.

said

Cook

some

for

hands

with

with

piece.65 at

arms

is

John

armed

Lewis

a member

One

would

may

and

as

forces

thread

that

a messenger

that

relin-

slavery.

Brown's

were

from

armed

death

raiders.) was

whom

(An

his

a common

taken

day morning,

bridge

to

at

as

of his

believed

Potomac

the

illness

arms

explain

expectation was

one area,

man

posted

him

from

by name.

loading

with

a horse,

fake

this

none

people

to

man

in returning

identify

the

as

decision

but

the

departure

contributed

chances

that

people

left

I think,

loading

to

Monday

Ferry,

to

recoinevening,

was

armed

a pistol

138

of

control

my

under

was

He

know.

not

I do

arms

the

him

delivered

Who

manufacture.

arms

Massachusetts

the

report to Tidd that the orders while with me'66 troops were coming up. He obeyed with the shotgun The man with the horse and the man Owen Brown was ; were clearly not the same individual

until

I sent

asked

to

The

family)

provides

to

had

man

who

and

later

also fine slave

taken

been

brought

assisted

in the

testimony

Washington's

to Lewis

to

and

property,

the

the

puried

rode

shotgun, He

it.

running

horse

considered

important

as

provided

gun

of the

burial

his

Washington

weapons

the

retrieve

to

spot

Lewis

collectors’

who

man

Allstadt's. According "his to the Senators,

in finding As

hills.

The

day.

to Maryland"

Washington

Maryland

horses

him

Washington's

"Mr.

from

was

farmhouse

Kennedy

the

all

arms

slaveholding

(a

Henderson

the

on

down

shotgun

identity:

best

the

loading

was

Mason"

man

E.

D.

from

letter

canal.

the

with

man

the

from

separated

Cook

than

earlier

much

Ferry

Harpers

to

come

to

back

him

as

his

great

been Mason) no insurance for the man (who may have matter which way events turned. that he and the Mason convinced the white Virginians they could escape. group with him returned as soon as 's raiders sooner Actually, they separated from Brown This man returned early than the man with a horse. ay afternoon,twentyTuesday morning-~-the others on Tuesd hours

That

timing

with

the

by

the

schoolhouse.

Tidd

left

them

coincides

with

Osborne

Anderson's

schoolhouse

group

after

four

slaves

from

the

on

encounter

Tuesday

morning

top

with

of

the

Albert

Elk

Ridge

pers

Ferry--the

last

stand.

reported with

and

had

been

Coming

troops

Hazlett of

was

Cook

and

Owen

the

Brown's

on

troops

from

would

have

John Unseld, hills,

into

armed

stated

and

told

if he

that

Independent

and

the

It was

then

and

relate

an

at

Cook

to

the

looted.68

find

certainly

the about

were across

arms

and

John insisted

Maryland

military

of

so.

He arms.

marched

full

Tuesday

the

who

on

fired

done

in

were

area

County,

point.

still

those

Grays

schoolhouse

this

was

where

among

on

Anderson

It

confession

have

Heights

had

and

army.

side

the

could

Hazlett

Maryland

morning.

left

who

whom

exchange

Maryland

they

of

Brown's

in Washington

to pursue

Baltimore found

the

Anderson

Tuesday

blacks;

scene

them

routine

Maryland

join

river Ander-

one

on

John

the

Maryland

the

Lee

from

local

entered

E.

on

people

neighbor

comic-opera

go

only the

Brown's

to Robert

of

reminiscence,

The

were

to

the

men."

men,

a ledge

accounts

Potomac

across

the

Har-

Brown's

Anderson

associates.67 By Cook's

night.

morning

on

from

and

colored

with

remnants

firing

his

Monday the

the

those

and

"firing the

139 on

awoke

gunfire

investigate,

declined

newspaper

across

supposed

John

men

of

raiders

enginehouse

to

placed

local

in seeking

gunfire

the

contact

and

Contemporary

on

Virginia

made

two

sound

spirit...,on

wounded

The

The

the

closer

from

Hazlett

Heights.

to

assault

considerable

son

Hazlett.

After

who

firing, the

a

should

the

bridge

equipment.

140

were

"more

tractable

four

years

by the

Army

indicated

at

county

than

ward

and

tore

up

the

Colonel

Baylor

from

Halltown

up

"not

only

are

There at

the

whose the Town.

time actual

oral

of

the

fate

history

Reginald

raid, is

not

among Ross,

/° to

Elijah the

night

tracks

escaped. been

had

and

Baltimore

who

Allstadt's)

and

Ohio

individuals who escaped including Charles Williams, Another account is in known. of

black who

the

after-

those

stated

Avey

by

Cherles

seen

not

was

Sunday

but

taken

was

slavery

raid--escape.

hotel,

on

the

in

influence

more

a Loyal

of

head

the

at

Stevens,

by

off

(by Washington's

stories

four

carried

of Lewis

"One

freedom:

for

reported

track."7

Railroad

Union

the

Winchester,

the

the

tracks

railroad

Robert

taken

to

left.

presumably

men

slaves

in the

at

worked

who

Williams,

the

local

has

people

local

the

of

some

that

next

returning

to

alternative

their

that

the

master."

former

his

circumstances.

of

was

and

Halltown,

League,

and

world

the

recently

was

he,

events

of

who

than

before,"

desire

their

enter-

testified

and

support

the

same

the

to

crowed

than

rest,

the

and

An

under

negroes,

Washington's Cook,

left

bondage,

preferred

slaves

did

slaveholders

the

While

less

no

69 They

who

son,

own

Brown's

fail."

to

was

prise

saw

they

when

masters

their

to

back

slipped

naturally

but

Brown,

follow

to

enough

ready

proved

negroes

"The

slaves:

liberated

the

about

statement

this

provided

Tidd

Charles

raider

escaping

The

around

residents

died

there

in

the

Charles

1960s,

141 often

said

his

father

Brown

raid

and

then

Virginia "seven

Free

Ferry--passed road

last

route

ary

28,

18

of

from

1860,

others

The

Auburn

on

the

the

John

War.

The

reported

direct

would

this

of

Civil

1860

from

that

Harper's

Underground

come

Shepherdstown

reprinted

[New York]

19,

Syracuse

time

the

slavery--one

through

week."

the

after

January

week...some

this

at

returned

Press

fugitives

escaped

article

over

Rail-

the

same

Register

of

from

January

the

Janu-

Advance:

A fugitive slave from Harper's Ferry came into Auburn yesterday, on his way to Canada. While walking about he strolled into one of our restaurants, and there to his surprise, he saw quietly eating oysters a United States Marshal from Harper's Ferry. The marshal, on seeing the fugitive, arose, and patting him on the shoulder, called him by name, and asked him what he was doing in Auburn. The negro made an incoherent reply, when the marshal immediately left. The

negro went into the street, and saw the marshal, in company with two others, rapidly approaching the restaurant. The negro immediately took to his heels, but the marshal failed to pursue him probably not wishing to attract attention. The fugitive found friends, who learned his history, and

have sent fugitive,

Brown

into

What

lives

him on towards Canada, or parts it is understood, was the slave the

of

and

the

there

call

to

leave,

more

joined

were

from

the

These

seemed

had

to

people

from

were

those

ranks

references

aside

who

connected

even

the

at Harper's

slaves

closely

Certainly

specific

arsenal

the

the

of

the

three who

indeed

happy

their

would

raid

with

white

never

answer

progressed

well

There

blacks

such

to

with

allegiance choose

the

their

associates?

liberated.

swore

first

Ferry.

with who

unknonwn... The who guided John

for side

the and

are

attitudes, survival. of

142

you

I see

Massa

as

being

shot

a

black

woman

Pocohantas

John

what

cisely

award

mous

from

of

Sons

acy

and

the

character

groes,"

the

porter

first

the

he

person

first

of

the

John

be

killed

townspeople

Confeder-

"exemplifying

nothing

knew

Brown,

and by

a posthu-

of

of...thousands

probably

Baltimore

the to

of

for

Veterans

faithfulness

and

the

of

one

to

was

Ohio

of

Haywood

depot.

of John

exercise

pre-

doing

slaveholders

of

recipient

Daughters

Cenfederate

purpose

at

was

Hannah

streets.

United

to

compared

woman

the

74 although

antislavery

in Barry's

on

the

arms,

her

extending

asked--identify

Virginian,

out

rushed

alley,

who

woman,

colored

had

black

third

The

intervention

Brown

nonslaveholders

and

the

that

viewpoint

the

ig

through

dusky

a noble

of

phrases

flowery

escape

own

shoot."73 Lost

to

not

men

the

on

begged

conclusion.

his

"A

and,

guns,

the

and

him

between

free-

was

he

narrated

in the

in a doorway

crouching

was

described

that

to

lead

him, "/@

for

said

Anderson

Hannah:

named

until

fight

Anderson

Osborne

men

enough

I fights

then

could

by Brown's

from of

to

man,

a white

Barry,

Joseph

going

and

statement

man's

the

born;

not

arms.

up

take

to

refusing

free

man

the

been

have

I was

fighting

Lewis

could

This

free;

I'm

and

me,

took

before

being

about

anything

know

not

"did

he

that

declared

who

servant

house

the

was

He

slavery.

of

institution

the

to

loyalty

such

held

opinion,

author's

in the

three,

these

of

one

Only

Brown.

John

to

in opposition

Virginia

ne-

the Shepherd,

He

Brown's

was

the

men;

leadership

in

143 resisting equal

number

accounts

His

surprise

of

of

or

other

as

slave

or

legal highest

Shepherd

words

more

Donovan,

a reporter

was

free

in

the

"slave,

counted

was

mayor

the

free."

of Harpers

following

of praise

“inoffensive,

knew

his

men

tell

you who he was.

place

was

among

made

whites.

by

S.

Baltimore:

He was

a man

of middle

age,

of prominent family, kind and obliging to his friends, obseqious to his superiors, always haughty and frequently insolent to those he deemed his inferiors, whether they were white or whether they were black. The slave Hayward

partook

of all the bad

qualities

of his

master,

and pos-

sessed none of his virtues. He was six feet two inches in height, powerfully made and coal black in complexion. He gave the raiders more trouble than all the rest of the people in the Ferry. He refused to obey orders and cursed

them with

fearful

bitterness,

exhausting

all

vile

epithets.

Just ‘before the dawn of the day he slipped off his shoes and attempted to cross the bridge, for what purpose will

never

be known,

but

one

of the

raiders

told

the purpose of gaining the Maryland side mation as to their number and condition.

ted called a halt Obey, but started

on him, to run.

fell dead on the floor

me

it was

for

and giving inforA raider secre-

which he not only refused to The raider fired and Hayward

of the bridge.

75

were

unassuming,"

Up to this time but one person had been killed. He was a negro man, named Hayward, slave of Fountaine Beckham, the station agent of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at the Ferry. As Mr. Beckham figures prominently in my story,

I will

an

many as

terms

description

from

described

Both

he

startling

He or

stationmaster.

as

meaning

A rather

as

owner

Beckham,

in the

deaths;

attack.

death,

Fontaine

described their

times

his

previous,

Ferry,

and

this

K.

14h

is

went

his

revolver,

was

not

colored

to

"When

went

in with

they

Mayor

the

on

Jennie there

got

and

Fountain from

hand

a slave

as

like

there a dog.

at

him

as

minutes

five

boy,

ran

later

out

county,

and ran

in,

got

ran, back

Williams,

Heywood

with

Shepherd

and

he

eyewitness:

William

depot.

in this

he

an

quoted

grabbed

they

railroad

was

turned

Chambers

Beckham's the

man

or

the

Sheppard, as

~

con-

four

took

The

shot

bridge

the

and

ahead,

them

Phelps,

Heward

bridge.

'Surrender.'

out

watchman,

bridge

down

men,

hotel."

the

his

to

men

the

and

went

called

they

the

and

men

five

borrow

and

revolver

and

heard,

and

seen

I had

what

of

ductor,

Capt.

informed

then

loaded...I

out

his

but

one,

kept

always

he

as

the

man,

colored

the

Sheppard,

see

to

up

and

then

"I

way:

this

it

described

House,

Wager

at

walked

clerk

Throckmorton,

W.

W.

died.

he

before

agony

of wounded

a night

endured

he

as

epithets

vile

all

with

raiders

the

cursed

he

that

agree

to

hard

is not

It

dawn.

before

just

not

midnight,

after

hours

early

in the

shot

was

he

indicate

statements

eyewitness

Most

that.

just

thought

Shepherd

Haywood

that

likely

It

workers.

railroad

striking

were

raiders

the

that

raid

the

of

events

earliest

in the

belief

a common

was

It

armed.

was

Shepherd

Hayward

that

state

eyewitnesses

were

who

Those

began.

raid

the

after

hours

twenty-four

night,

Monday

on

Lee

E.

Robert

with

arrived

he

shooting;

Shepherd's

to

eyewitness

an

not

was

Donovan

Reporter

a pistol was

they

the

Shepherd, as

shot

in fine

him

145 What

men

the

had

impact

shot

slaves

and

of

a black

free

the

knowledge

man

black

in

the

people

that

John

may

have

town

in

the

area

Brown's

been

can

on

only

be

imagined. Jim,

Sam,

Jerry,

One

Phil,

drove

jail.

his

One

reled

bring

in

hauling

whom

to

with

on

shot.

to

die.

One

were or

These

after were

slavery.

other

North

of

an

the

in the

South

with

the

in

first

join

on

Shenandoah

River.

all

others

the

primary were

loomed

white

the

from

listening

danger

Some

of

were

es-

John

Brown's by all

impact

armed

Side

died.

forgotten

financial

to

Brown's

and

a

twenty

Surrendered,

object soon

and

a moun-

to

larger~--the

martyr;

far-reaching

had

on

John

fight,

to

a hard

immediate

the

They

forces

heroic

to

being

with

tried

persons

alternately

and

was

people

as

of

slavery

cabin

the

in

the

a man

Spent

eighteen

them,

man

died

in

‘Two

three

and

free

slavery

--

spent

Brown

a

one

log

killed.

Sides

by

Brown

night,

unknown.

a double-bar-

small

been

upon

with

spent

John

Ben,

lynching,

one

hurried

fighting

was

Several

One

shot

others

One

thundered.

to

John

Levi,

discussing

guns

from

and

from

were

sleepless

liberated

being

attack

a

--

freedom

Cook

the

Captain

had

capec,

his

John

Henry,

wall.

saved

hours

while

of

still

Six

arms

discussions

Some

for

another.

he

stone

One,

Captain

After

hours

Bill

reinforcements

woman. tain

a

fought

of

Catesby;

and

wife.

Slaveowner

day

in

shotgun.

company

and

George,

holes

visiting

a

Mason,

on

invasion

backing.

the

146 Osborne

Only

during

people

blood

the

remembered

hangman,

the

spilled

was

stain

of

liberty,

I say

(and

continent),

was_a

the

soil

--

the

first

may

my

words

slave

of

that

black

man

whose

of

the

echo very

the

local

first

cleanse

slavery

the

from

the

"Yes,

raid:

to

of

efforts

elude

to

zigzagging

Anderson,

that

martyr

country to

throughout

this

neighborhood."

7

147

OSBORNE

ANDERSON'S

A key

RAID

weakness

in Brown's

the

Maryland

side,

and

lead

slaves.

had

counted

the

on

was

two

the

In

operation,

lack

his

of

especially

someone

original

plan,

Harriet

Tubman

black

leaders tary for

of proven miliability and charisma this task--Frederick

Douglass

and

Tubman.

Douglass,

Harriet

Chambersburg,

"come

and

Harriet cipated

in

refused

hive

the

bees

Tubman

had

parti-

in planning

raid.

the

It

was

she

Suggested

the

Fourth

who

July

to

infiltrate

land

of

slavery

symbolic the

value.2

General

of

the

for

catastrophic

delay,

to

its

With year's

Tubman

to

on

collect

John

Brown

148

York

when

Brown

had

New

he

the

Without provide, ment

local

local

slaves;

the

rallying

distribute

on

morning

people

especially

George

individuals

the

from

during

these

to

join

Anderson,

could

the

be

sword

was as

could

commented

to

Anderson

to

Anderson

He

Brown.

counted

his

seemed

done.

pikes.

Washington's

To

in.

whom

reinforce-

surprising

the he

he

and

on

have

not

Har-

Brown

to

leadership may

family

elsewhere"

support

Brown

did

From

their

John

and

Osborne

given

have

should

felt

and

"there

men

the

chided

He

late

try

to

for

except

names,

using

without

Ferry

Doug-

in

his

for

plans

his

about

in A Voice

meeting

this

described

Anderson

leaders

Negro

join if he led.?

also

would

some

that

as

A group

mind.

support

promising

Douglass,

to

far

as

there

leaders

his

change

to

to

Philadelphia

to

black

ask

to

attempt

Frederick

of

failure

the

returned

he

in,

at

Garnet

Highland

With

the

Philadelphia

with

Henry

Douglass

persuade

Kagi.

came.3

1859

September,

per's

end

and

join

to

and

the

1858.

in March,

write

had

consulted

Still

William lass

she

before

getting

promised,

as

group

the

join

just

made

Tubman

ill.

quite

was

she

action,

reached

finally

when

find;

to

hard

was

five

black

entrust

was

selected a symbol

of

willingness men,

whatever

assigned

to

to

receive

of black

dignity.

recalled autobiography, actions of Anderson's description of the duties and ds Green: Douglass’ friend, the fugitive slave Shiel Frederick

Douglass,

in his

[Douglass

another

has

mistakenly

Anderson

in the

named

Jeremiah

Anderson,

company.|

Before I had left Canada for England, Jeremiah Anderson, one of Brown's men, who was present and took part in the raid, but escaped by the mountains joined me, and he told me that he and Shields Green were sent out on special duty as soon as the capture of the arsenal, etc. was effected. Their business was to bring in the slaves from the surrounding country, and hence they were on the outside when

Brown was Shields

surrounded.

come

I said to him,

with you?'

‘'Well,'

"Why then did not

he said,

‘I told him to

come, that we could do nothing more, but he simply said he must go down to de ole man.* Anderson further told me that Captain Brown was careful to keep his plans from his men, and that there was much opposition among them when they found out what were the precise movements determined upon, but they were an oath-bound company, and like good soldiers agreed to follow their captain wherever he might lead.

Osborne

Anderson

did

not

raise

such

disaffection

with Brown's plan in his book, but he was remarkably critical of Brown's delay in departure from Harpers Ferry at the expense of his men and the “hundreds ready

and

waiting

twenty-four the "All

Browns

the

hours

militant the

Finally, ment

that

burn

the

had

white

boys

most

camp.

[who|

of

men

abolitionist Harper's

all.

In

left,

they

almost

6

be

sent

been

armed

Charles Thomas Ferry,

September

consented,

should

bridges."

have

elapsed."

opposed

[viaa]

when

would

it

in each

told

WwW. Higginson: the

younger

nearly

quarreling

it was

Tidd

before

with

broke

up

with

Brown.

the

agree-

direction

to

150

of

the

white was

this

for

death

Shields

an

important between

ence

his

of

Edmond Just

Albert

the

and

be

time

compression

The

is

counterpart

in Douglass’

the

incident

the

opposition,

represented

a white

rifleworker

who

of

differ-

events.

the

of

is

Hazlett

in Douglass’

story

work

7

had.

separation

the

and

own

may

of view

iniscence

objectors

account.

of Anderson's

interesting

point

and

himself

from

part

autobiography understanding An

Newby

of Dangerfield

Green

of

the

as

Ferry,

physical

no

had

recruits

black

the

that

most

explanation

Brown's

opposed.

were

men

Kagi;

John

éid

as

father,

his

of Harpers

knowledge

The

with

sided

present

men

colored

the

stated

later

Brown

Owen

objective,

a military

as

Ferry

Harpers

over

argument

the

In

by a rem-

in the

was

the

from

fight,

Chambers: then

four

men

made

We fired

appearance.

their

on

Charles Green ran and got into them and killed Newby. The other two ran across the enginehouse where Brown was. jumped into the cellar and , railroad the over jumped and These two were of a house occupied by George Decker. guns in the cellar their left They Hazlett. Anderson and Their and came out in the night and made their escape. arrested was Hazlett guns. their on names were marked

in Carlisle,

Pa.,

By Anderson's when

was

Newby

arsenal

the

enginehouse.

The

the

enginehouse

in the

In their

he

account,

the

River.

got away.

and Anderson

killed

arsenal

escape

and was

direction later

the

8

and

to

returned

Hazlett

Green

went

to

200

feet

from

about

of the

Shenandoah

two men

might

well

LS]:

have

hidden

grinder the

in

the

in the

armory?

Virginians

would

had

pursued.

may

have

been

held

hostage

but

inconclusive.

his

own

and

hard

There

believe

are

many

by Brown's

The From

men

is

with

left

of

names

Ferry,

Brown

day

afternoon,

rather

than

the

arrival

Robert

E.

saw

Brown

There that

taken

are

he lied, at

Villard,

Ferry

Defense,

reasons

(Anderson

-Pro-Brown

guilt,

for

lying.

called

him

most

specific

about

in Harpers

of

objects

on

them.

left

Anderson's

Brown.

Tuesday

it

Ferry.

initials

on

In A Voice

prisoner

on

morning

Anderson

Mon-

after

stated

that

he

left.

for

explanation;

Brown

was

historians usually

"many

and

intriguing,

taken

in between,

contained

is

was

he believed

Anti-Brown

lied.

and

finding

Lee.

he

George

weapons

John

possibilities

or that

problem.

ful

before

two

time.

Anderson per's

of

that

Anderson

in Osborne

of

they

Chambersburg,

or

capture

house

a

if

outside

the

discrepancy

in the

Harper's

rifles

they

the

that

was

was

Obviously,

into

evening

Anderson

stories

monstrous

history

As

Decker

possibility

citizen

in the

Hazlett's

to

go

The

the

(George

a time.

them

been

Hazlett

house

) for

seen

have

Decker

is

Decker

Albert captain

have

do not

said

of

that

mention From

the Har-

statements,"10 others

Hazlett, and

captured

said

A Voice

erroneous

protection

indeed

that

as

lieutenant)

are

an

power-

officer, was

in

charge and made the decision. When he died he left Osborne Anderson the sole survivor of John Brown's men who fought at Harpers Ferry. John Cook received a lot

152

This

capture.

his

own

the

[Charles

10,

on November

Press

Free

Virginia

Town|

in

Douglass

by Frederick

letter

after

raiders

fleeing

other

the

indicative:

is

1859,

of

descriptions

giving

for

especially

and

Brown,

deserting

for

criticism

of

denouncing me as a coward. Mr. Cook may be perfectly right in or vindication of my I have not one word to say in defense more distinguished been s alway have I character for courage. Harper's Ferry the by tried and ing-fight than ng for runni in courage-ient defic ably insurrection test, I am most miser

his brave old Capextent, Mr. Cook is

even more so than Cook, when he deserted To this tain and fled to the mountains.

adiction from me or entirely right, and will meet no contr But wholly, greviously wrong is Mr. Cook, anybody else. present in person at the when he asserts that I promised to be Of whatever other impudence and Harper's Ferry insurrection. , I have never made a proguilty been indiscretion I may have taking of Harper's Ferry The this. as wild and mise as rash word or by my vote, at my by was @ measure never encouraged has

my cowardice,

or

my wisdom

place;

or

time

any

only

not

ly kept me from kept me from Harper's Ferry, but has equal for a full statetime he ....T there go to making any promise

this desperate ment of what I know, and of all I know, of the slaves ipate emanc to t effor ted but sublimely disinteres

to

lass

From

in A Voice men

out

the

risk

hands

with of

and

John the

who

and

to

sit

Brown,

in

and

Virginians;

could

to

not

talk

judgement

who but

is well

"It

Ferry:

be

upon have

the

fall been

has

from

Doug-

response

enough

for

to

run

induced

flippantly

did not have

angry

this

with

well,

scratching,

a

of

as

Harper's

danger,

of

cowardice,

went

him

include

masters

charge

desertion

the

considered

Anderson

ANN

task

cruel

of Maryland and Virginia from their not yet come, and may never come.

about men

who

into

the

there,

153 fought

there,

there,

are

and

to

quite

understand

different."

Douglass,

in

appointed

Brown

in their

the

cooling-off

raid

after

questioned

event

Philadelphia

Anderson

(how were

The

footnote

the

area

"more

of a battle" Anderson he

wrote

could

see

Anderson Even

to

would

in the

the

could

have

just

No

the

and

poetry

hunting

as

of

himself Penn

Another

credible

that

afternoon

John

when

he

what

he

said,

ing,

as

historian

him, Town

Jefferson of

land

side.l@

white they

that

the

men; were

with

Guards, and

Osborne

he probably when

he

read

is

of

Brown,

John

objectivity. "The

had

fellow

later

he

stayed and

the who

heard

the

Monday

morn-

interpreted

the

of United Charles the

Potomac

from

the

Mary-

were

organized

they

what

Anderson

across

across

Anderson

Tuesday

arrival of

told

is precisely

have

the

deployed

decided or

until

movements

marched

on

This

others of

Osborne

captured

left.

that

Although

that

been

Hazlett

Villard

bridge To

had

description

coincides

west

Brown

and

not

Anderson's

States

viewpoint

the

feelings.

the truth," 11 believed

them

event.

with

if he

of

described than

guilt

Warren:

worthy

the

after

that

the

dis-

escaped?).

scene

importance

see

all

you

besides

had

for

doubt

to Anderson's

Robert

others who

enthusiasm

captured

historic

been

were

incredulously,

passion

hardly

Southerner

of

year.

a great

speak

transpire

Cleveland,

lack

amidst

like

may

and

all

placed

did

There

closely,

they

what

kind U.

S.

of

troops

Marines

had

154

distinct

in

tories.

The

tion

ladder,

the

marines,

a fine

and

mangled

with

of

removal

John

was:

statement

in the

the

engine

house

the

say

not

with is

It

saw

actually the

upon

to

doors

capture." they

on

Brown

being

Compare

bleeding..."

identifica-

Arsenal

“prostrate

Brown,

ground, words

Anderson's

account:

local

this

does

he

but

point,

of

in Brown's

finally

and

the

in opening

resulted

which

the

are

exact

upon

charge

the

saw

opposite,

myself

and

Hazlett

"Captain

capture

the

Anderson's

afternoon.

Monday

the

and

troops

the

of

differences

principal

his-

other

in

agree

narrative,

Anderson's

charges,

separate

Two

Brown.

captured

and

surrounded

men make About 3 p.m. a party of twenty brave railroad of door the h throug ing a dash and succeed in batter woundand men, s Brown' of one g killin house, the engine with retire to forced are But they ing one of his sons. at somewh sh skirmi his d....T wounde number seven of their who to subdued the ardor of the militia and citizens, town, the number of one or two thousand thronged the l rifles armed with every_conceivable weapon from squirre

to pitchforks."

The of

Albert

exactly

matches

timing the

1

capture

John

of

Brown

description

Anderson's

with and

own

escape

with

that

events

are

his

Hazlett.

There

is no

interpreted comparison

more

from

each

of Lewis that

obvious

person's

to

raider,

Washington

point

Washington's

of Osborne

capture

example

was

the

of view

account

than

of his

Anderson.

While

blubbering

symbol

to

of

a

own the

cowardice, "With

the

a pop-gun

shirt-tail." up

his

Taylor, ted

I could

was,

to

a white

the

court

by four

at

These

that

"there al

conductor was

John

white

Green.

train

were

trial

man.

He

and

Washington

of

two

Osborne

a

as

the

that

there

he

even

knew

that

negro

prisoners

Anderson

was

an

he

and

Stewart

was

told

in his

when

the

him Provision-

intelligent

Fairbairn,

arres-

were

Shields

occurred

had

who

Washington

trial

Brown

gave

Canadian

insult,

Representatives

that

in your

that

never

"sensation"

testified

; Lewis

"and

of you

stated

later

155 saying:

himself

never

Brown's

men

a House

Government,

him

either

man. 15 In a final

along, "16

In

a black

naming

described

take

14 Washington

weapons

Anderson told

slaveholder

col-

Charlotte The o erso son n n Co. Co

S Was hin S gto e n n Home Homes sg of oft Jeff Jef fer

156

in Chatham.

convention

Osborne

Anderson

pistols

one

Cook

made

its

way

to

Brown.

The

gun

was

returned

on

continued:

Sullivan

the

"They

kidnapped

sword

and

colonel

and

took

colored

men

occasionally

gword

brings

Pike

instead

a thrust local

scared" to

whites

20--in

A reporter turn

to

prodding

a literal among

the

his

to

join

in his

the

pompous

would is

have

that

home

that for

of

this

the

Washington days

was

Halltown

as

relic

actually was

dignity

Oral

history

was

"plenty

of Anderson's

as as

description.

unwilling

in fear

the

body'19

main

Washington's

been.

with

colonel

carriage

own

the

of

One

Brown's

Washington

several

astonished

along

march

relinquishing

corroboration

wrote

John

raid

Brown's

the

the

pub-

swords

pistols.

prodded

a forced

of a ride

but

occurred,

back

to mind

This

great

way

the

on

John

in

role

its

Of

1940.

in

lished

B.

R.

wrote

Washington

the

on

article

in an

Sylllivan

a myth,"

was

"That

Washington.

ident

Pres-~

to

Great

the

Frederick

from

a gift

traditionally

was

sword

raid.18 The

the

of

anniversary

first

the

Hyatt

Thaddeus

abolitionist

by white

gesture

dramatic

in a

Washington

Lewis

to

Owen

through

Jr.

Brown,

John

tually

even-

It

escape.

his

on

Pennsylvania

into

took

John

other

the

Brown;

John

with

remained

Lafayette

the

Of

exception.

no

are

to

by Washington

reliquished

pistols

and

sword

the

and

symbolic,

often

are

of history

accouterments

The

the

of

time

the

at

elected

Anderson,

Osborne

was

This

to

of his

reslaves?!

157 Washington

named

mother

and

Beall,

a nearby

the

Keep

Ross. the

was

raid,

tages

stepmother

Triest

It

Beallair

both

estate.

had

his

last

name

founders Henderson,

escaped

named

intended

to

be

as

but

well,

only

women

Ross son

who

in Charles

taken

when now

at

the

Lewis

lived

of

of

slave

Beall,

during

Town.

Hos-

Henderson

Washington

there,

it

told .

was

over,@

of

the

tracks

insurrectionists

to

the

hostages

By a sawmill

Anderson

with

the

for

Furnace~-Washington,

proximity

map.

the

Remember

his

raiders

The

who

to

were

passed

a

mansion

according

plantation the

his

and

which

at

Hazlett

they

the

old

found

escaped

across

up

by the

evident

Triest tied

the

to

on

this

Furnace the

shore

Potomac.

LY:

saw-mill

HALLTOWN

Speer ie 7s

“Henderson

if 77”HARPERS

FERRY

i/Winchester & Potomac R.R.

ee

local

Triest

Baltimore & Ohio RR:

|

is

Keep

a boat

_

Washington

torn

—

> The Maryland Locale

159

ANDERSON

AND

From

HAZLETT

the

Hazlett

sawmill

rowed

river

makes

the

water

was

they

the that

went

culvert

The

deeper

of

drain

to

and

gaining

could

be made

small

communities,

even the were

a post not

had

to

the

arch,

tain

at

walk

which

Lock.

the

fall,

was

cold

and

in

is

it

would

rainy

miles

all

up

above

not

much

matter

day

and

above

where

the

dam;

with

rocks.

they

reached

an

arch

canal.

It

was

the

walked

along

a

river.

was

a considerable

shore.

Crossing

around

blacksmiths,

the

as

Lock

home and

Cook.

to

known

of

Hazlett

The

towpath 37,

were

repair--

the

Anderson John

the

locks

boat

well

family.l

just

was

but

like

point

they

the

some--as

his

five

There but

locks,

the

and

side

Canal

Maryland

residents,

over

and

into

with

and

local

the

the

office

locktender

until

Ohio

to

treacherous

Maryland

towpath

Anderson

It was

less

a creek

Chesapeake

barrier

Potomac

canal

the

Triest

bend.

and

the

the

under

to

Keep

the

a sharp

reached

towpath

at

across

the When

ESCAPE

two

reach as

Moun-

water

in the

creek

little.

The

weather

night,

and

the

men

in were

MARYLAND

After still John

HEIGHTS,

HARPER'S

PERRY.—]

D,

Woomwanh,

negotiating the Potomac, Anderson and Hazlett Their comrade had to cross the C & 0 Canal. Cook,

a

in residences

former

along

locktender,

the

canal.

found

help

The Aldine,

and

food

July 1873

under the canal, Pictured here is

and thence to the Rev. Albert Moser

Kennedy farm..." of Shepherdstown,

photo

a

by the

Kk

author

eee

| 162

Most

probably

vert

on

steps

and

a half

but

as

men

had

been

and

had

already

he

it was

and

Qther

Maryland sources

Brown's

then

John

that

into

three

our

the

second the

prisoners

beyond

which

lock

second

request

written

we

and

parley

school,

set

before, Anderson's

statements

the

his

the

lock

also,

only: at

Ferry,

way

back

bridge. but "we

the Potomac them

The

rainy."

above

said

cross

will

hour

the

from

a mile to

tried

had

specify

actual

take

a little

Brown

to

of

quarters

his

are

location

its

to

clues

strongest

an

distance.

considerable

gone

bent

night

the

sleepless

virtually

and

dark

was

night

"the

noted

to

farmhouse

the

from

get

to

"...we them

took

It

direction..."

in that

our

helpful:

very

is not

Anderson

Osborne

that

Manor.

Samples

and

Ferry

Harpers

between

halfway

as

described

was

generally

It

inconclusive.

is

schoolhouse

of the

location

exact

the

on

Evidence

slaves.

local

the

and

Cook,

by Tidd,

moved

been

had

arms

to which

schoolhouse

the

for

next

headed

they

comrades,

their

of

empty

house

farm-

The

operation.

the

deserted

not

had

they

but

fighting,

the

from

escaped

had

Anderson

and

Hazlett

farm.

the

at

residence

their

during

described

Anderson

"rambles"

nightly

the

cul-

the

of

learned

had

men

the

of

one

road.

back

the

then

a while,

for

creek

the

lowing

by fol-

reached

they

which

farm,

Kennedy

the

to

close

quite

Maryland

entered

they

route

this

By taking

John

will

bridge,

liberty;

163

after

which

property the

we

occurs

upriver

than as

(west)

the

people

they

are

today.

frequently and

Solomon's Annie

as

Brown

was

told

father's

army

October

the

top

the

local

must

of

the

Byrne, Ferry

for

their

schoolhouse

in their

and U.

schoolmaster

held

all

night

to

home

in the

Lewis

Washington

that

his

avoided

crossed

The

the

key

Potomac

the

S.

Monday

by John

location

the on

the

place raid

by cars and

Harpers

the The

Cook

returned neighborhood of

and

puzzling He

today.

Terence

from

indirectly

altogether.5

by private

of

taken

testimony.

Virginia

Ferry

on

road

direction

Senate

wagon, 3 her

actual

Unseld

thereby

by a circuitous

Harpers

to

John

a northwesterly

the

at

or

that

Ferry

time

routes

crossed

mountain

deserted

of the

and

of Pleasant

by foot

escaped"

4 Locating the

was

people

old,

homes,

Ridge

the

Harpers

Slaveholders,

indicated

over

to

by forgetting

Maryland

Elk

an

much

of

different

"along

spent

this

a point

very

the

who

as

were

down

mountain."

slaves

begin

Two

16

"one

above

assume

habits

intercourse

by

marched

to

traveling

the

circled; went

government

Ferry

area

In 1859

in regular

night

of

Harpers normal

Manor

the

of the phrase

enough

in the

it was

Samples

Gap

from

However,

of

Valley

about

frequently

identification.

routes

negotiate

as may be best." 2 Use

bridge

means

can

at

route

probably

ferry.

of the

schoolhouse

is in in describing his movements "...met a negro woman a short distance below the school-house who informed me they were fighting the

locks

on

the

canal.

John

Cook,

164 at

Lock

kept

on

the

bulge

west

map.

The

great same

the

tended

Hardy

assume

to

1859

from

distance

a

land

too

1864

War make

Civil

of the

upheavals

many

study's

this

on

position

of the

the

in

nestled

have

would

schoolhouse

1859,

in

there

was

he

If

Potomac.’

the

of

crook

the

at

pair

the

35/36,

for Locks

locktender

the

was

In 1864 Hardy

bridge.

the

above

a mile

34 was

Lock

identification.

positive

provide

would

Hardy

by George

kept

lock

the

Ascertaining

bridge.

of the

west

Cook

put

ently

appar-

would

This

Ferry.

in Harpers

Street

on High

men

with

fire

exchanged

and

Heights

Maryland

the

up

went

then

Cook

shot." ©

been

had

them

of

several

that

and

in,

hemmed

were

men

our

that

me

told

who

Read,

Elizabeth

Mrs.

and

wife

his

I saw

where

bridge,

the

above

a mile

about

Hardy,

by George

the

to

I came

till

on

I hurried

Ferry.

the

hard

lock.

to

after

Tuesday

route

was

upon

which

"a

schoolhouse

County,

for

a

a mile

"in

a gloomy

the

the

of

farm

same

party

4+ miles

and

house

closely

and the

heart

on

continued from

the

bought

as

Washing-

their

Ferry,

and

of

the

barri-

is known

path...which into

found

they

Ferry

the

hollow,

leading

the

Md.,

distance

reached

from

about

road,"

rocky

and

the

leader,

their

of

ascending

constantly

caded....Following the "County Road,' ton

capture

morning's

in Maryland

men

Brown's

of

pursuit

the

Describing

34.

Lock

to

close

fairly

schoolhouse

the

identify

enough

specific

is

account

news

contemporary

One

course

until

occupied

they

by Brown,

165 under

the

name

according

Harpers the

to

course

course

longer

John

was

Sharpsburg

which

still

did

it had

burned

when

was

It must

tion, the

for

E.

the

oe

a map.

in nearer

to

.

with

the

7

the

here,

local

slaves

schoolhouse

with

Osborne

morning,

Anderson

however,

Ridge.

do

not

in

Thunder

Most

mention

were

other when

this

not

the

two

timber

to

be

Hazlett men

came

DuBois'

encounter

Ferry,

the

raiders.

Albert

histories,

in Harper's

in

white

and

12,

1859

Andrew Hunter.10

stationed

by Tidd

the

Harper's Weekl

November

direc-

given by Virginia's

returned

Elk

located on

than it appears

The

met

from

historian

DuBois

coinciding

tions

illustra-

identical

Only

placed

1859.

national

drew

B.

nearly

9

artists

schoolhouse

canal

the

re-

the

competing

details.

He

looked

both

weeklies W.

Men.

like

from

follows

writing

and His

have

markably

road,

road

Richard

learned

Brown

in

the

building

exists.

he

county

Frye,

it

the

This

John

Hinton

John

Smith."8

archivist

Ferry

same Of

no

to

of

at

found

when

These

slaves

the

decided

from

the

excepted,

Allen

that

he

next

down

again

all.

behind

Keller,

Anderson

| 166 and

Hazlett

went

to

far

side

the

ridge

wrote,

up

of

but

until

that

two

old

Brown

Albert

|

the process.

in

off

the

to

going

ones

i

ii mt st

Cook's

of view.

looking

fine

social

and

Hi ‘

He

i

and

was

in

fun

at

the

in

every

would

get

and

red

was

hair

of the

14 Before

eighteen-year

he

the

old

on

word

raid

was

his

eyes

day

he

looked

sized

were

the

like

Hazlett

Thompson,

one's

and of a

expression.

of

the

Dauphin

1e

"raw-boned

unpleasant

young

Ferry,

nature

good

with

and

of a very

dressed

upon

"a good

was

he

wander

and

daylight."

depended

Hazlett

a Virginian

To

sense

in the

back

out

to Harper's

down

overflowing

fellow, His

go

friends

his

roughly

very

They

Leeman

invisi-

‘my

all

of

Albert

To

color

brown

customer."

of Mis-~ of

and

"Hazlett

caged

and

home

feeling."13

muscular.

muddy

out

a slaveholder

of him:

even

and

woods

Characterizing

point

in

Brown

a member

to keep

them.

I called

as

bles'

Mont-

company

helped

being

John

James

slaves

killed

who

said

later

hardest

the

were

thirteen

1858-59,

of

State

of

met

HU

Brown

Annie

Hazlett

Stevens

Aaron

with

group

Kansas.

of

had

a part

Free

wake

a twenty-

native

He

gomery's

bring

winter

the

in

ouri

Hazlett

while

the

Anderson

didn't

was

white

Pennsylvania.

on

night.

Hazlett

year

as

they

Tuesday

Albert

sleep

had

raid,

an

ugly

poked

suggesting

167 he

needed

like

"toughening

a girl

was

than

Osborne

confined

in Kansas,

a soldier;"

Anderson,

in the

the

house,

the

discipline Albert

have

Town

First

and

was

identified

the

Harpers

called

him

an

as

as the

for

the

later

night, with

the the

U.

house

being

occur

before

set

or

off

near,

then

20th,

exact S.

again

would

within

march

four

an

he

at

his

two

Charles

by Joseph

get

the

who

Federal

some

in Chambersafter

His at

badly

order

at army

to

did

food.

Mountain

Harpers

call

friend's

least

Robert

mid-

close

needed

South

that

out

October.

unidentified

through

road

of

hours

in Chambersburg,

16

known

in and

was

questionable.

30;

Penn-

was

army

21st

is

was

insurrectionary

years.

or

that

date

immediately

representing

20th

it

could

Highway

to

quickly

as

watched

who

back

but

Marshal,

he

so

who had

Carlisle,

Brown's

slipped

Hinton

the

being

customer."

He

on

it

by trade,

Cook,

taken

of

it was

burg

to

historian-participant

Anderson

Richard

John

was

of Chambersburg told

nearly

run

others"15

outside

part

Ferry

"ugly

Osborne

long

a printer

found

Hazlett

Barry,

When

the

too

"accustomed

being

mistaken

escaped,

in

was

survive.

Hazlett

sylvania. to

to

he

but

man

that he was not as restive

as

E.

Lee,

Ferry,

Gettysburg

not He on,

—V!s"

3

The York, (Pa.)home of William Goodridge, who aided Osborne Anderson in his escape by first hiding him and then sending him along the Underground Railroad.

Photo circa 1899 by Thomas Featherstonhaugh; residence is still in lovely condition. courtesy

Library

of Congress

the

169

YORK,

PENNSYLVANIA

it

York Directory, The

first

found

four

was

in

hours

sheltered

York,

after

by night.

The

William

the

Underground

cessful

C.

for

that

time

(Hazlett

he

and

Railroad

William built

of

an

early

to

the

Samaritan"

not

was

Goodridge that

day,

traveling

whom

only

did

not

agent

on

was

suc-

Anderson's his to

escape

name

self-discipline;

have

escaped

by people

for

looking

with

the

the some

for

John

Underground

slaves.

was

a wealthy

business which

apprenticeship

Goodridge

twenty-

and

connected

fugitive

about

a businessman

known

he

Anderson

he

captured

a diversified

in York

arrived

reasons:

was

Osborne

Chambersburg,

Railroad.

because

for

that

he

left

Goodridge,

three

fact

Cook);

he

"Good

was

rest

where

1856

to

Building,

he

black

in the had

tallest

who

he

sold

had

had

building

constructed.

a barber

which

man

From

progressed

"A variety

of

170

from

toys

fine

wooden

sale

of

tion

by Goodridge

in

was

introduc-

Another

in York.*

newspapers

daily

historian

by a local

described

first

the

introduced

and

Europe,

imported

also

Goodridge

kinds.

of all

confectionaries

and

premises,

the

on

available

were

braids

and

Hairwork,

Toilet."1

a Lady's

to

suited

article

every

wigs

Paints...Pomatum...with

Scissors...Costume

Fifes,

Harmonical

Accordeons,

Guitars,

Instruments,

Musical

Rings,

Ear

Watches,

Jewelry,

as

such

articles,

fancy

i912: He sold hundreds of bottles

_..the sale of ‘bear grease.'

Brummels of the of it at 50 cents per bottle, to the Beau oil a luxuriant this used they if that They believed town.

young man's crown. growth of hair would appear on every ed upon the glass. stamp bear a of re The bottles had a pictu kept a live bear idge Goodr found. be still may few Some , and finally at his home, on East Philadelphia Street informed! 3 are we ed, produc it fat the for killed it

agent

tive of

Philadelphia

and he

constructed

people

which

hidden

compartments to

to

send

the

cars

having

sent

word

the

previous

color,

Cato

Jourdan,

used

cars

was

on

the

The

concealed.

were

bridge

who

over

was

his

ownership

the

route

York

shipments,

in the

cars

in

commonly

most

Pennsylvania,

Columbia,

drove

the

an

business

Besides

Line.

him

called

he

which

cars,

railroad

effec-

made

slaves

fugitive

in aiding

thirteen

that

of Goodridge's

business

The

day

to

another

a

team

which

Susquehanna

man

of

hauled

River:

fa. Another trusty colored man...took the fugitives through Black's hotel yard to another portion of the town... Wm. Wright, of that place, generally took them in charge

and sent some Philadelphia,

to Daniel Gibbons, and some direct to in the false end of a box car, owned by

Stephen Smith and William Whipper, colored men and merchants of Columbia. They got off at. the end of the

"plane,' near Philadelphia, to receive them.

William 1851

Goodridge

Christiana

historian

riot

William

resistance

to

assisted Katz

slave-catchers

organization

Osborne

Anderson

but

without

was fear

an agent

was

as

a

from

"full-scale

by self-

blacks."5

in experienced

hands the

of

in York,

Samaritan:

He Goodridge was well acquainted with John Brown and the militant band that aided him. In fact, one of the colored men who escaped from Harper's Ferry after that disastrous failure came to York and arrived by night at the Philadelphia street house and produced great fear

and

consternation

Goodridge

ordered

in the

Goodridge

him away

from the

family.

house,

as

it was

watched day and night at this period...Goodridge, however, through some means, hid Osborne Perry Anderson in the third story of his building in Centre Square, under the stairway in a closet for several weeks until the excitement subsided. When it was considered safe he was sent away on a Goodridge car....Anderson was delivered like F. J. Merriam into the hands of William

Still,

in Philadelphia.

the

Negro

Maryland...a

on

part

from

described

of neighborhood the

waiting

fugitives

in Pennsylvania,

Loren

defense not

had

where

172 when

have

been

West

Chester.

eyes

and

came

to

He

told

Annie

and

in weather

and

snow,

a close

Ferry

but

fighters,

outcome

changed

the

numbers

of local rest

sheltered

with

of

lack

for

raiders

couple they

clearly

knew

who

When

they

separated,

Erie him Tidd

and

then

together wrote

to

to

The 4th,

Owen

his

other

three

but

were

Charles

found

did

on

their

first

birthday,

Pennsylvania say

not

Tidd

where

large

Brown's

Owen

have

the

of

because

trio

went

mutual

December

as

friends 1859:

who

much. 8

first

Osborne 9,

then

Harpers

the

could

they

comrade-in-arms

Brown

and

had

Maryland-side

the

in western

Cleveland,

with

on

in aiding

event

the

November

farm

a white

of

foot,

further

The

doubtful

is

militia.

on

travel

leadership

it

Chambersburg.

criticize

to

easy

is

It

west.

moved

lost,

often

in Chambersburg,

Anderson

like

call

were

freezing,

rain,

to

by rail.

alone

chances

his

took

to

weak

too

Merriam,

Francis

outcast"'7

an

a fortnight,

came

finally

group

came

met

escaped

had

the

ever

he

was

he

in his

from

if he

if

alternately

was

that

the

for

Wandering

suffering.

also

him

who

army

Brown's

of

men

white

The

turned people

as

him

to

shoulder

cold

the

turned

tears

colored

the

of

most

that

and

again;

"with

arrested

him

have

to

threatening

door,

father

own

his

that

voice

Brown

in

family

his

of

house

the

he

may

escape

his

during

experience

worst

Anderson's

to put

Anderson.

173 I met there

[in Cleveland] a person as unexpected to

me as that of the ‘old ‘Chatham Anderson.' He but before they got to Anderson had to leave presence showed. From together, where I also three of the originals

man' himself would have been... escaped from below with Hazlett Chambersburg, 'Al' gave out so him. He got through safe as his Windsor we went to Chatham found Merriam, so there were together. 9

"the originals" Charles

Tidd

Francis

Merriam.

These and similar forces throughout

Richard Hinton's 1894 edition.

Osborne

Anderson

sketches of John Brow's this book are from

John Brown and His Men,

"The prisoners in their cell in the Charlestown jail. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Weekly, November 26, 1859. Shields Green, John Copeland, From left to right: the leg chains. Note Hazlett. Albert courtesy

Kansas

State

Historical

Society

175

CHARLES In

the

blacks the of

TOWN,*

of

crops John

Despite area,

time-honored

Jefferson

County, of

barns

We regret

slaves

to

the

day

law

that

awaiting to learn

George

was destroyed a negro boy.

Fole,

the

from

the

Barn,

near

on Monday

of

the Swan morning

the

torching

from his

the

time

execution.

prevailed

insurrection

help

that

were

slaveholders

martial

kept

manner,

Virginia

the

capture

undeclared

the

revolutionary

and

Brown's

hopelessly to Mr.

VIRGINIA

in the

burning

while

outside: Stabling,

Pond,

last

Virginia Free

etc.,

belonging

in Berkeley

by fire,

Press,

the

County,

work

October

of

31, 1859.

INCENDIARIES--On last Thursday night three large straw ricks belonging to Mr. John D. LaRue, of this county, were entirely destroyed by fire...Also on Friday night, the granary and carriage house of Dr. Stephenson, near Cattleman's

Ferry,

in this

county

were

destroyed

by fire.

Virginia Free Press, November

10, 1859.

* Charles Town is the present spelling. As seen in quoted passages, it was formerly Charlestown; likewise, Harper's Ferry, past and Harpers Ferry, present. Both towns are now in West Virginia. ;

176 ..eetheir policy partly was to fire stockyards and destroy property--they are now carrying it out--three stockyards have been burnt in this county alone since their capture and since their trial--last night one of mine was burned destroying not less than $2000 worth of property...we can only account for it on the grounds that it is Cook's ins-

tructions

.

to our negroes...

'Private' letter, I. W. ]?} Ulare to Governor Wise,

November

13, 1859.

Boyd Stutler Collection.

Another bold attempt was made yesterday on the premises of This gentleman, who is Mr. John Burns, near Charlestown. one of our most industrious and enterprising farmers, had left his stock yard about one mile from town, for the purpose of going to dinner, leaving a negro to watch in his absence. He had been gone but a few moments when the negro observed a large pile of shavings and staves, only a couple of hundred yards from him, in flames. The loss is insignificant, but it is thought it was intended to draw the boy's attention from the wheat to enable an incendiary to fire it. No clue has yet been obtained as to the perpetrators of these horrid deeds, but the impression is strong that it is being done by the Abolition confederates of Brown & Co. This inpression is strengthened by the fact that Messrs. Shirley

and Burns, as well as Mr. George H. Tate, whose stable and horses were burned a week ago, were on the juries which convicted

the invaders of our soil. Correspondance of the Baltimore a

in the Dollar Pennsylvanian,

November

26,

1859.

Boyd

American,

printed

|Philadelphia|

Stutler

Collection.

Immediately after Brown's execution Wheatland, the farm of George Turner, burned. His brother reported the death of several

horses

& sheep

the

New York Times,

George

Turner

was

day before.

December

a slaveholder

3, 1859.

killed

in the

Stutler

raid. |

Collection.

177 This

author

Stutler

to

Mammy

that

local

come

in and

When

this

on

the

fused cue

their

aid

they

other

black

shirt

ribbon,

the

to

rescue

group

included

and

son

Massachusetts;

Eldridge;

In all,

in Charles Slavery.

got He

as many men

soon

Town

Hinton,

Chambersburg out then

Brown,

after

as

went

into

Their

badge

tied

in

the

Black

publishers

and

Thomas

and,

to

later,

and

HigginCharles

in Harrisburg,

attempt

Harpers

W.

was

a

Boston

Hinton

raid

antislavery

Montgomery

assembled

the

were

James

LeBarnes

Richard

leaders

themselves

youthful

John

res-

Kansas

long,

re-

to

Ferry

a to

jailbreak end

4

Richard or

inches

calling

of Kansas;

Pennsylvania

from

been

he

actions

Strings.

Again

Thayer

Tidd.3

eight

not

When

the

that supportl

had

Brown.

Among

Black

a slave

Northern

separate

2

Redpath

of

in

for

who

to

raiders.

recognized

have

John

prison.

the

six

buttonhole.

they

organization

called

jailed

friends

free

tried

from

a secret

days

Strings, James

men

to

Holdredge:

abolitionists

chances

must

and

by Boyd

Helen

other

felt

succeed,

tried

fighting a

they

further,

conspirators

the

the

lost;

were

of

and

were

to

made

biographer,

expecting

Brown

who

members

opinion

occur

raid

the

an

not

insurrection,

There

were

rescue

did

with

Pleasant's

slaves

insurrection an

agrees

of

the

tried Tidd,

for area

from and

who the

had

been

raid

quickly

begin

with

the

Harrisburg

Coppoc:

"A

waiting

to to

October

aid

help

quiet,

in Hagerstown

on

of

the

but

local

escaping

24th, blacks. Owen

well-organized

178

and

vigorous

the

time, It

shot.

John

John to

were

of

the

people

as

Henry

may

startling

of

letter

Brown's

Thomas

communicate

were

of

a letter

is

to

black

local

messengers

the

however,

messengers

the

rifle

within

July

the

known,

but In

extant.

passage

trusty"

and

"reliable

be

coincidence

1859,

on

involved

were

never

with

colored

side.

Brown's

Who there

impossible,

Again,

5

race."

was

when

even

them

several

at

party

Owen's

were

friends

times

and

reach

to

made

was

effort

came

referring to

the

d authorities when it was foun Susegquently the news broke among Brown's possessions. Rev. Thomas Henry, who had that Virginia was seeking was believed to have moved lived in Hagerstown, but or Wise received letters North. 6 Immediately Govern One, who was e people. about Thomas Henry from thre "long been sussaid that the minister had anonymous, with and intimate intercourse pected of having improper of

attention

Old

Brown's

Virginia

the

and

Party,"

Abolition

noted

that

Thomas

to Harrisburg "about three Whether r the Brown raid. weeks previous" 4- just afte with Rev. Henry's son, even friends had made contact

Henry's

son

had

father

though

the

stated

in his

Hinton

did

not

a trip

made

had

letter

moved

from

to Kagi)

identify

the

is not

Thomas

Henry

area

(as

Brown

Richard

evident.

as

a local

person

in 1894, but specifically reprinting Brown's letter ng it "Henrie") as a identified the name (respelli

when

for

Aaron

Stevens.8

Kagi,

whose

middle

pseudonym

by

John

name

("Henrie"

was

was

Henry. )

often

used

179 His

for

name

the

town

elder

in

and

had

plans.

ced

in

1858

Thomas

Henry.

to

a

Henry

was

9th.

needed

had

been

The

minister

North,

and

more

on

resented case

was

Mason

the

Johnson

Brown.

He

and

had

Reverdy

make

to

Supreme

was

his

of

Town

statements

he

of

had

uncle him.

the

moved

The

judge

behalf.9 attorney

the

in the

in

not that

and

to

face-to-face

who

rep-

Scott He

matters.

suggestion

submit

Balti-

won.

"moderate"

Wise

of

Dred

1857--and

racial a

of

manumitted

innocence

Johnson

Governor

on Rev.

Mason's

Reverdy

on

announ-

Mason

was

Court

his

of protec-

untrue.

slavery

expert

or

papers

T.

stated

be

shore,

conspiracy

death

Henry's

Johnson's

the

John

his

had

considered

advised

Charles

his

with of

saint"

in Maryland.

to

Hagers-

eastern

"certificate

Johnson

a local

Reverdy

go

on

interests

therefore

Henry

Wise

matter.

before

It was

that

from

autobiography,

Judge

papers

consulted

the

from

old

Brown

his

Mason

knew

Governor the

to

a problem

moved

when

the

of his

the

had

Maryland's

slavemaster;

by arguing

proved

"good

blacks

convinced

also

on

and

help

by free

charge

Mason

him

signer

Henry's

He

that

According

the

letter

in Baltimore

sought

Baltimore,

to

of

between

first

wrote

circuit

heard

November

tion"

Brown's

never

a link

Henry

John

on

to Rev.

John

hang

himlo

Thomas

questioning,

with

Brown:

I replied that, where my character was at stake, I would go anywhere and face John Brown or any one else. He [Mason] then wanted to know if I would be in tow a few days, and

where

he could

find me at No.

12 Little

Monument

Street.

180 said

He then

he would

that

and

come

for

send

in a couple

me

and I waited until This was on the Oth of November, of days. e I left, I went befor y Sunda The . the 19th of the same month amin Sayles, Benj d named down to Short street to see a frien on the the Philadelphia depot who I requested to take me to was too busy to come on Monday, He ng. morni y following Monda took me to the depot and left put came Tuesday morning, and At

me there,

of me.

to rid himself

to be anxious

seeming

not leave the city of Balthat time a colored person could some responsible white by for ed vouch timore unless he was fine looking gentlevery a I looked around and saw person. wanted to get on the I if me asked He man coming toward me.

cars,

and I said that

in the cars, and to give him my baggage and get I was informed city. after the cars had left the

office, but pay my fare

that,

He told me not to go to the

I dia.

house,

Smith's

I left Brother

after

ten minutes

in about

Brother Smith's wife told them that two officers came for me. They loafed in after a while. be I put up there, and might nearly in was I time around the house until midday, by which imore the Balt from miles six When we got about Philadelphia. not ask me did He ts. ticke the for d aroun conductor came I going to Philadelphia. for a ticket, but asked if I was

and he asked me for two dollars,

told him I was, my fare.

The

this little widow's son.

as

prisoners

as he knew that

Thomas

of Rev.

Town

In Charles

the

for me,

arrangement

Autobiography

I had met

that

gentleman

their

it

described

as

Brown's

steadfastness."11 All

illiterate,

willingness to and Coppoc was brother-in-law,

visited

him

die

wrote

to

aborted

had made

of the

took

the

I was AME

place

Church.

over

approached; historian “drawing strength from

executions

Oates

was

Henry

a transformation

Stephen

who

W.

which paid

depot

at the

end

in jail that

An

slavery. Cook

Willard

Shields

expressing

letters

because

Governor

but

them

of

day would

was

escape

Green,

their

for

concerned

Indiana,

who

be implicated.

Cook his had

181

Cook's

friend

pretended the

to

be

Charles

Removing by

their

hood he

Charles

friend also

him

such

him

his

wrote

Town

he

that

of

island,

friend

or

foe,

Albert "leaving

to

do

have

1860,

in a field

Brown town,

became

army

"Look,

W.

more

public

of

at

the

them

to

the

that

John

brought

Brown

escape.

gave

John

Avis

Black

it

Copeland

"if

it were

Strings

got

with

drunkeness.

awaiting

execution,

of Avis'

life,

the

jail

in Charles

fires

without,

nor

Town

had

from

mattered.

than

Charles

fight

but

men

his

chains,"

last

because

cost

14+ The all

abuse,

for

child-

probably

charged

last

guard.12

(the

of Avis

so." 13 The

at

meaning

in the

from

approached

land

given

Avis

It was

a favor"

the

longer

Hazlett this

John

character

fortress,

and

no

would

Anderson

well

friends."

an

jailer,

Delany).

the

the

become

night.

a surrealistic

liberty

their

next

held

"do

Stevens,

the

in

prisoners

to

and

job

a Virginia

try

Hazlett

who

a knife-blade

not

into

got

duty

would

power

want

on

raiders.

man

not

a

the

another

"did

and

from

brother

in his

man

into

so

been

respect word

a Kansas

ran

their

them

not

with

two

of Martin

have

his

ever

was

the

with

protected

must

jail,

shackles

Green,

relationship

Lenhart,

antiabolitionist

Town

Shields

The

Charles

hanging

and

his

survivor

at Harpers

for

instance,

at

Va.,

literally

stained

the

thought

life.

Town,

with his

death

15 0n March

Virginia,

of

joy at

the

16,

Osborne

original

P.

John

Ferry.

fertile

with

hills

of

Charles-

blood."

Rev.

Thomas

W. Henry

Mary Ann Shadd Cary, a principal editor of the Cary assisted Osborne Provincial Freeman. Anderson in preparing A Voice From Harper's Ferry for publication. Hallie

Q. Brown,

Distinction.

Homespun courtesy

Heroines

and Other Women

Moorland-Spingarn

Research

of Center

183

JANUARY

-~

JUNE,

1860

The

decade

that

United

States

began

the

John

Brown

would but

raid. His

year

was

a letter

Mary

Brown

on

first

the

23rd

the

letter

end

and

Osborne

in Canada. send

the

two

safe

to

see

of

Anderson

the

after

reasonably

act

condolence

in

months

was

documented of

slavery

one-half

of

to

the

the

new

widow

of January. It was a lengthy, nineteenth-century bereavement piece with religious references. Although written in a

typically many

woman's

hand,

Friend,

Anderson."1

Soon

letter lish

the was

as

"0.

P.

made

for

letter The

receipt

Mary

in his

Brown

sent

as

"Your

Anderson's

the New York Tribune, suggesting they pub"in the cause of freedom." She described the

who

Tribune

its

signed

to

it

author

pany

after

was

good

some

was

woman

probably

Anderson,

time

not

who Mary

his

one

of

escape."2

after

its

the

John

A search

forwarding

Brown

of

com-

the

indicates

published.

penned Shadd

Anderson's Cary.

letter

Osborne

to Mrs.

Anderson

Brown had

184

and

an

not

an

inexperienced writer unusual combination.

with

Ferry

came

the

died

after

year

old

herself not

Brown's during and

and

Cleveland

was

clear--to

holders

had

put

out

to

join

on

refused United

imminent. Railroad,

States

He to

Toronto.

on

to

slaves

around

April

safety The

in The Weekly Anglo-African

3rd,

was

meeting

His

York.

viewpoint

the

his

his

arrest

again

the

here

of April 28,

was

slaveFerry

Harpers

Upon

insurrection.

the

soil

return

the

correct that

New

Rochester,

visited

purpose

had

spoke

Anderson

1860.

early

John

in preparation publicly in Toronto

was

Ferry

Harper's

From

A Voice

of

known.

side

own

his

from

raid

had

she

story

the

but

all if

Shadd

Ann

to make

Anderson

Osborne

enabled

a thirty-seven

a toddler,

Mary

forgiven

have

would

and

Cary,

F.

Thomas

3 As and

infant

an

with

widow

great

child,

another

had

illness.

a lingering

to

of

a time

at

are

tell

contribution

husband,

her

year

the

of

end

to

a story

Her she

1860

In

stress.

personal

at

Harper's

From

A Voice

editor

A good

author.

this

to

evident

is not

it

ting

to

it was

that

possibility

the

a professional form; the point of ghostwri-

into

material

the

edited

ly she

Certain-

Ferry.

Harper's

From

A Voice

notes,

Anderson's

from

compiled

or

edited,

Shadd

that

state

sources,

other

and

They,

mother.

a recent

been

not

she

had

herself

raid

Brown's

on

gone

have

would

she

that

state

biographers

Cary's

Mrs.

Shadds.

the

to

home,

come

arrival was

Underground reported

1860:

185 A public meeting of the colored citizens of Toronto was held at the Terauly-street Baptist Church, on Monday evening, the 9th inst....introduced to the audience Mr. Osborne P. Anderson, who was received with much applause. After asking the indulgence of the audience for his unprepared remarks ,

he said: ‘It has been my privilege command of Capt. John Brown, at the

to be present, under the capture of Harper's Ferry.

I had

party

the

honor

of being

one

of the

that

took

prisoner

Col. Washington, who, notwithstanding the illustrious name he inherits, submitted passively to a few volunteers; and I received from his hands the sword presented by Frederick the Great of Prussia to General George Washington, and with which Capt. Brown commanded his men at Harper's Ferry. Gov. Wise and his confederates of the slaveholding States were eager to have the world believe that the slaves of that section of the country refused to join the insurrection--that they

were

pressed

into

service,

and

as

soon

as

an

opportunity

offered itself they deserted their liberators. This false and wilful statement, which has been echoed and reechoed by the pro-slavery press North and South, originated with Gov. Wise after he returned from Harper's Ferry, and was no doubt offered to the chivalrous inhabitants of Richmond to allay their panic. But Providence has been pleased to spare my life, to enable me to transmit to posterity a truthful history of that short but desparate struggle; and I thank God for this opportunity of bearing testimony that the second Attucks in the cause of freedom has forfeited his life. Yes, the first man whose blood was spilled to cleanse the soil of that country from the stain of slavery--the first martyr to liberty,

I say,

(and may my words

echo throughout

this continent, ) was

a slave of that very neighborhood. He fell at the beginning of the conflict, in the early part of the day. I saw him offer-up his life, and was by his side during his dying moments, until his spirit leaped from its earthly tenement to the world on high; and to-night he is seated on the right hand of God, in the full enjoyment of that great blessing for which he died--liberty. There were seven vacant places by his side, which were soon occupied by that noble little band which was captured by the banditti, pre-judged and condemned, and then tried and executed. You know too well how the apostle of liberty, Capt. John Brown, met his fate,

186 proven to the world that they and those who followed him have On r of such a chief. banne the under were worthy to fight the in and, er; chapt y blood the 16th of March terminated the could nia Virgi te tribu st highe the words of another ‘it was gallows on which the martyrs offer to true virtue, and the n is not as sacred as the heave of liberty were wafted into

cross:'' on his way to New York, States, and having

was Mr. Anderson related how that he d Unite the in s citie other and n, Bosto

inst., dame rumor arrived at Rochester on the 3d intelligence that the with city the gh throu flew

too one

eagerly of Captain

U. S. Deputy Marshal being Brown's men was in town; and the endeavoring to arrest him, apprised thereof, was cautiously on the underground railge passa which compelled him to take on to the States was missi His ty. liber of land road for this for

the

purpose

of

publishing

a history

of the

struggle

at

he alone is in possession Harper's Ferry, the facts of which that colored men shared all He said that it is known to of. as well as that of 1812, War, ary ution Revol the perils of the g the Canadian essin "1h, and '15; and even here, in suppr But is there part. e activ an took rebellion, colored men

It was for this reason he anything in history to prove it? in snatching from oblivion him aid to e urged the colored peopl

the heroism of the colored men who so He forts of the immortal John Brown. to nd respo ally liber of Toronto would the assistance he expects to receive would

ere

long

be

able

to

issue

nobly seconded the efhoped that the citizens his request, and with from other places he

a work

so

much

needed

by our

race.

speech--of which this During the delivery of his interesting was frequently on Anders . is but an imperfect synopsis--Mr ded the edifice conclu had he when and se, applau interrupted by elming audioverwh an shook under the repeated approbation of inst. 12th the on here leaves ence....Mr. Anderson

appearance was in Cleveland The Weekly Anglo-African published on June 17, 1860. Aid Society at a report of a meeting of the Fugitive cy on Anderson's which everyone had been sworn to secre Anderson's

next

public

187

presence. Charles

who

The

article

Langston,

aided

Anderson

November,

fellow

1859,

raider

Cleveland

was

who

as

when

he he

Charles was

a

hotbed

he

1859

Oberlin-Wellington

cultivated

Langston

had

and

Kagi

John

and

Oberlin

and

black

ground

came group. of

who

gone

to

John

Copeland's had

After

Leary

Charles

He

he

In his African,

could

be

not

to

the

his

spring

rescue.

Charles

was

widow

the

on

about

address

forwarded:

for

poet

7,

Osborne

in Chatham

being

one

He

persuade

Lewis

of

John be

and

the

the

1860,

Copeland

fugitive

army; for.?

hung,

Osborne

of

the

Leary,

dead. and

Hughes.6

to The

Weekly

"Charlie"

Anderson's where

Leary,

Brown's

families

Langston

had

provided

Patterson

Cleveland" July

over

the

to

could

Mary

among

doubts.

fray

aided

who

by

part

family

funds

published

be

fishing

Copeland,

in Oberlin

1859

in the

only

the

enough

in

friends,

fruitful

agonized

overcome

killed

from

an

slave

John

jail had

if his

"Letter

confident include

was

raised

granchild

in

uncle,

married

those

with

following

indicted

in August,

Langston

later

their

but

was

of

together

Brown's

ardor

been

was

agreed

Anderson,

John

fugitive

Langston

Oberlin

Leary

with

had

raid,

number,

of

insurrection.

Charles

the

brought

one

Cleveland

in that effort.4 John Brown considerable time in the Cleveland considering the thirty-seven white

areas, armed

the

been

through

a leader

spent

men

for

on

been

had

came was

"Charlie"--

Tidd.

whom

had

bylined

probably

mail

felt

safety and

Anglo-~ to

donations

188 meeting

At the

last

Aid Society

of the Fugitive

Sabbath

interview. There afternoon, we had a peculiarly interesting P. Anderson, O. Mr. days l severa had been in our city for took part in ly active and ly actual who man living the only the

great

1859,

at

against

and

noble

battle

the

of

16th

is known,

Harper's

Ferry.

As

him in the

land

of the

‘Father

and

17th

there

of

is an

of his

October,

indictment

for

Country’

ble and glorious the part which he took in that ever memora ble that he struggle, and it was therfore thought advisa

should be as

little

known

here

as

possible

for

here,

as

in

y of ours, the all other parts of this God-forgotten countr rs’ and guard ‘nigge hunt to only government officials live This seems to ' ution. instit iar ‘pecul the of sts the intere and Christian tism patrio atic be their highest idea of Democr advice of the to ry Contra ive: narrat my to But fidelity.

many friends,

I took Anderson

with me to the meeting

of the

nd secrecy above-named society, and after enjoining profou audience as one of upon all present, I introduced him to the I will not attempt to describe the heroes of Harper's Ferry. It beggars desthe scene which followed the introduction. sed. All rushed witnes never have I ng Such a greeti cription.

e that he had forward to take him by the hand, and to rejoic Old . halter bloody ia's Virgin the good fortune to escape were not a men d hearte stoutand mode, la a cried ladies gs of the little affected by the scene....After the feelin ed, Mr. restor was order and ed subsid at somewh had audience

with the Anderson gave a short account of his connection 's Harper at last, r Octobe of 17th and 16th the doings of WashingHe gave the particulars of the taking of Col. Ferry.

party. ton and many others, he being one of the capturing and By the by, I must state that Mr. Anderson is now writing, giv, invasion Brown's Capt. of account an will publish soon, Monday, of ing particulars of the fight on Sunday night and the number of ts, insurgen the joined the number of slaves who arsenal the of out escape own his of wounded, and killed of the raid, of day second the on after fighting until 5 o'clock himself but man living other no which things other and many shot or knows, every man who went into the Ferry being either a make will account 's Anderson Mr. only. hung save himself of the highbook of one hundred and fifty pages, and will be I need not say est interest and importance to our people. author ample its and sale ready find will it sure am I that compensation.

189 I will not attempt to give a description of Anderson's personal appearance, but will only say that he is a fine looking dark mulatto, six feet high and well proportioned, with superb African features and a considerable admixture of European boldness and intellectuality. He is a man of great earnestness of character, and will be felt in any position in life where his lot may be cast. But I must say to the friends of the slave and of humanity generally that Mr. Anderson is in great want of pecuniary aid. He has been housed up every since the Harper's Ferry troubles, having been afraid to make himself known, and has had no work to do. What little money he has been able to get has been spent in preparing his book, and as he has been almost wholly unknom, he has been unprovided for. So he is destitute of the necessaries of life. Will you not make an appeal to the public in his behalf? I raised in our society and from a few other friends

eighteen

dollars

for

him.

We

are

trying

to

Any communication addressed to Joshua C. Hammond, Chatham, tions

C. W., will be forwarded

sent

will

be thankfully

do more.

Box 86,

to Mr. Anderson,

received

and dona-

by him. Charlie.

From John

Cleveland

Brown

years

Annie

farmhouse Osborne and

farm

Osborne in

North

Brown,

the

death

had

In the

early

at

the

changed summer

Elba,

made

New

teenage

in Maryland,

Anderson

Anderson

his

York.

lookout

way

In

at

the

Kennedy

to

Richard

Hinton

home

of

the

whose

the

course

of 1860,

of his

he visited

about life

own:

North

Elba,

enter-

ing the door yard and stopping at the grave of the Captain, where he appeared to the friendly eyes watching him from the house to be weeping and praying. At last, as he turned

to leave, Watson's widow, Belle, suggested he might be a fugitive and Anne Brown, looking again, declared that perhaps

she

knew

him.

On going

out,

his

identity

the

later

wrote

man

to

was

estab-

lished. He expressed himself as delighted to meet her, asked after all the family, and then with a "God bless you, you dear girl,' he started to go. Anne insisted on his

190 coming

into

the

house,

seeing

Watson's boy, Freddie, and meeting her mother. ‘I might not

be

welcome;

I have

seen

you and the Captain's grave, and now I'll go.' The harsh manner in which, among others, some of his own relatives had received him, threatening even his arrest in their cowardly and selfish alarm, had made the refined and sensitive man timid even of this hospitality. However, he staid, and for a number of days, being present at the Fourthof-July celebration held at

John Brown's at which

*

-

grave,

in 1860,

J. Merriam

F.

and

Barclay Coppoc were also

Annie Brown

present, while Thaddeus Hyatt, James Redpath, and R. J. Hinton were active, papers and letters being read, by the latter, from Wendell Phillips, Frederick Douglass, and Henry D. Thoreau. modest

the

leaving

When Anderson

was

of the Gods,'

which

conversation,

a printer by trade.'

but

hospitable

very

"House

he told

him so cordially,

had received

Anne, in explanation of his strange behavior, how he had been treated, and that he had hardly a kind word spoken to him He apologized, she writes, for until he came to their house. ‘staying so long and said he dreaded to go back and into the He was a world where he would be so friendless and alone. dignified and sensible man, modest, and unassuming in his

Brown father

the

in

Goodridge's to

live

an

Pennsylvania,

of

daughter

John

family

under

to

Elba

Brown.

allow

a stairway

Anderson

that

of being

experience

the

of

in North

here

It was

7

turned

him

in the

refusal

to

stay,

store

for

Annie

by his

attitude

unthinkable

The

told

away

to

of William

forcing weeks

him must

191 have

been

burden

at

one

of

the

home

by Osborne other,

only

farm.

difficulties

of

Anderson

held

Kennedy

the

and

Martha

group

in Maryland,

The

child

she

1859

died

and soon

Brown.

the

by four

the of

John

he

Brown

The

had

also

Brown,

who

had

Oliver after

not

had

bond

also

present

birth

in

to like

at been

for

un-

shared

was

been

conceived

its

able

family

who

was

was

no

the with

the

reunion.

in that

summer

February,

and

Martha had willed herself dead also. ® At

the

Fourth-of-July

introduced

"for

whom

Anderson

the

of $1500,"

their

the

pirate-state

noting

friends

and

memorial

that

"with

Hinton

escaped

raiders

of Virginia

the

good

other

Richard

present

company

revolvers

and

Mr. Anderson then came forward upon the handsome mulatto, with thoughtful face, and an expression of intellectual observer strongly. He said, that

in his

life when

that

grave's

held

more

Virginia, struggle!

sacrifice,

than

not as a mulatto, Costly

amply be repaid.

as

9

had

been

defend

arms:"

stand. He is a tall, sadly-earnest eyes,

stand

on a Fourth-of-

had hitherto been a lie and longer so! By the light of

generalities.'

but

would

strong

he knew the Declaration

‘glittering

a reward

power that impressed the this was the first occasion

he felt that he could

July platform. That day to him a juggle. Thank God, it was no

offers

as a man.

the

sacrifice,

He

of Independence

had

Thank

gone

to

God for

it would

yet

the

te —

ee

ie PP gs

, ASE Cao.

"D

eos

are

ew

y| ig

2

see =

ee

ie

FAbbhar

—

weoe be Wor AG iin thats

Jisif «pond: epew

tt cA

+"Js

tates hoe -

Tp pre

Gee

-

ma

PP

fener

ae

9? Cone

-ee

tem

shesce

an

nk

af oe ‘aes prea ons Arch tie ot

fontSe Wy

ayes i Me haa

te

55 ee

Spee

160

aus thin

ash

Pre

F

one

Cobiypy

fa dics tar Tm Le GSS Sale 14s

4442

Miwerrre.

ne Cla tp

+ a

gut -

ELi.

aehiehe

gue «a ofbboAdn oA

a

are

at

Dreceerdi

p~

feces hseil bol Harry zaAapurd § WA 1M Aerads +e0t q. f.(nae

Rifakay pee’ptt wis peel coo bly cm

A pe el ela:

Ge a4

is

piece Mee

Y

->

(eas

my aes he. 7 hee Rees pee a a

Osborne Richard

leer AZ.

hone

>

ey BEI? aoe F?

4 pian

Anderson's qespairite letter to Hinton a year after the raid.

courtesy

Kansas

State

Historical

Society

|

193

BETWEEN

THE

The

living

Fourth

erson Owen

WARS

departed

July

memorial

may

have

gone

gack

and

John

Brown,

Brown

said

of Anderson:

"I

bula

County,

and

my father faulty

Ohio,

and

it was on

enough

time

before

the no

had

been

and

survivors

means

next

July

Elba,

New

Brown's

after

Anderson's

there

to

would

have

in Ashta-

York,

where

was

talk

have

been

with

Brown

memory

not

And-

Ohio

Owen

Unless

of

had

the on

Brown

until

for Anderson. dire

Hinton

pointed

support

throughout

of

live

particularly Richard

Langston

raised to

1874

the

North

Osborne

through

In

the

in

been

in Ashtabula

services.

son

them

at

17th,

Canada

him

after

Brown.

Jr.

saw

June,

directions

John

to

Anderson

for

had of

the

Charles

difficult

to

is buried."1

Cleveland

As

in all

of

straits

showed:

out,

following

the

country

forces,

his

book

but was

By October and

spirit,

Osborne

the

raid.

for

the

getting published

of 1860 as

Ander-

his

Funds

families a

share proved

he was letter

in to

194

Chatham

Oct. 13th

1860

You yours of the 8th inst. came to hand. Dear Friend He has for some time been ask me what has become of Meriam. I seem him now & then in town & hear in this nabourhood. expect to in a few days see him again & will tell him that I have now the committee wants him to report himself. of my book. publisher the to regard in made arrangements Wen at North Elba Hayett proposed to me to undertake the mater & on my return to Chatham he would write relative Thus has the Not herd a word from him. to the agreement. My intention wen at Elba was to mater stod ever since. secure a portion of the John Brown Fund which was due me in order to get my manuscript published by Hayett interposed & the result was I only got money to gow home with.

I have been badly delt with in every respect & at present I must visit Boston and dont know waught course to pursue. If you can send some other Eastern city, to collect money. me 20.00 Dolars pleas do so soon; if borow it from some one. Fraternally yours OP Anderson

The was

mostly

raised

chairman

of

sale

and

unsigned

the

John are

was

Brown

part in

Brown

family.

of his

the

1860,

and

Most

of the $6400 to Brown

the

accounting

small

noted

two

received

much

listed

Anderson

as

Redpath and of

biographies benefit

Brown's

on the

Stutler

list

at

members;

of what

"colored,

James

to

in Hyatt's

notes

Redpath

in Kansas

Brown wrote

undated

an

and

Haitian

proceeds

family

not

had

met

York,

Collection,

accounting. He

group.

1859

allocated

Hyatt

who

journalist

was they

in an

intermingled

the

Fund

through

In

Stutler

Boyd

and

Fund

Family

New

Brown.2

John

in the

document

a white

became

of

Brown

Committee

Emigration

Kansas

of

Hyatt,

by Thaddeus

of photographs

the

Fund

the

John

the

from

Anderson

due

money

hand

was

able

the

time

of

indicated

allocated.

bodied."

195

He was first written over of

the

$25,

In 1862,

Haitian

tributed went

assigned to $50.

to

John

$209.34 Owen

Brown

to

Brown,

John

and

Cook).3

At

the

time

of

Hyatt

was

also

a hero.

authority

Harpers

of

Ferry,

in Washington slighted the

the of

The

only

less

and

had were

was

worst

the

a year

ceived which

1860,

aid

for

those

dry

spell

in the

Indians,

on and for

sales be

the

go

made;

were to

execution in

The

York

93-year

drought.

he

was

faced

his

"the

life

utterly

the

out. help-

Buchanan

homesteaded some

of

people

President

land

on

Speculators

John dying

Brown's

raid

in Kansas. quietly,

in Virginia.

From

Liberator

in

starvation--

Boston,

A Voice

jail

have

severe

emigrants

disaster.

people did

of

from

Kansas,

New

took 9

recognize

might

a

and

were

hoggish."

to publish

announced

who

in Kansas

amount

widows

investigating

of

in

farms

Anderson

wanted

state was

for

not

to

Hyatt

their

could

up

the

dis-

Thaddeus

released

reason

chairman

postpone

gone,

been

of

left

to

support was

of

utterly

cleaning

still

that

Osage

ones

payments

Osborne

is

loss

the

refused

which

One

the

memorial

refused

had

same

and

Committee

just

C.4#

fall

had

it

(the

Jr.,

Elba

He

had

seeking

a total

chief

was

in

Brown,

Senate

Emigration

involved it was

D.

and

Kansas

with

and

announced

Anderson

North

the

Anderson

summer

As

the

that figure had been an American committee

Fund

Osborne

Leary

the

then

of

as

He

Harper's January

he

re-

Ferry, 11,1861:

196 On the evening of MEETING OF COLORED CITIZENS OF BOSTON. e convened at the audienc Tuesday, January lst, 1861, a large which, for pruof purpose a for Twelfth St. Baptist Church d, but which, informe fully been had few a of , reasons dential cement that in due time, was made apparent by the announ Capt. John of ons compani the of one n, Anderso P. Osborne er in this sojourn a been Brown at Harper's Ferry, who had city. the leave to about now was y vicinity recentl

the responsiIn view of this fact, some friends had taken and means might be ways that gs, meetin the g callin of pility mate exponent devised for an expression of feeling--a legiti

r, identiof which would be ‘material aid'--for their brothe in so had who ion, condit and fied with them in complexion and

signal

heroic

a manner

his

testified

irrepressible

love

of freedom. Leonard A. Remarks were made by Rev. J. Sella Martin, Rev. J. Smith, John Esq., Morris, Robert , Downing Grimes, Geo. T. embodying

Nell,

and

others,

imparting

the

only

scenes,

and

of assisting

C.

Wm.

earnes

appeals,

statements

s from Mr. of facts, and interesting incidents, with reading Harper's Anderson's book, just issued, entitled 'A Voice From in friends lavery anti-s some that It was stated Ferry.' it which book this of ation public the d promote had Boston means a as both tion, circula was hoped would obtain a wide of

able

nation

of causes,

now

authentic

information

the author,

happened

to be

of these

who,

memor-

from a combi-

in need.

The exertions of an impromptu financial committee of ladies and gentlemen, resulted in a contribution of about forty dollars, which was considerably increased, we believe, by

for the proceeds of a Levee in the Vestry--the refreshments with r -togethe DowningMr. by d which were generously furnishe

other subscriptions, sales of books, &c., which, considering that no notice of an appeal for funds had been given, will perhaps be regarded as an acceptable New Year's present.

Mr. Anderson has left Boston, but his book can be obtained at the anti-slavery office for 15 cents each, or $10 a hundred.

W. C. N.

[William C. Nell]

197

Frederick announced

from

Anderson

the

$100"

was

while

pamphlet

here

at Hall's

of

involved

with

from

skilled

workers, to

Provincial

Freeman

John

ern

official the

Brown,

states

Delany

was

and

and

last

of

may

week,

books.

be

procured

living

in Chatham.

unmarried,

a Mulatto,

black

emigration

deep

factions. people

Martin and

Delany elite

an

physical

back

corps

of

Among

and

in who

people

(Nigeria)

Shadd

had

was

hardship.

Isaac

and Within

who

professional

for Yorubaland

movement,

equality

of

a means were

editor

The

his

were

his

wife

schoolteacher.

representative

United Jr.

city

into

farmers,

pioneers

in

extenlike

Douglass

a number

cents,

preparing

face

eighty-six

The

at

quoted

faction

Brown.

Africa,

Chatham

a

as

split each

been

Shadd,

was

of England.

the

pursuing

were

of

Haiti

1861

advancement,

prepared

there

Church

and

leadership

Amelia

He

this

quite

20

who

the

"something

in

continued

him

the

were

of

of

in Boston.

was

for

the

1860

some

that

Anderson

Anderson

a member

which

time."

sold

lists

racial

alive

1861

depot."

census

During

man

entire

Anderson

is

publication

only

disposed

news

Osborne

the

of February

reported

for

"Mr.

and

and

and

raised

The

"the

the

it,

concluded:

1861

by

during

from

Monthly

Rochester

book,

Ferry

sively

Douglass"

to

States, recruit

Canada

outraged

to

that

of

James black

emigrate a white

the

government

Redpath, people

employed

in

to Haiti. man

was

of

the

north-

Martin

chosen

to

198

represent

a black

objected ist

to

Redpath

of long

emigration the

was

were

people

adjustment

Haiti

of

and

lured

there.

wife who

peting

Garnet

a rigorous

After

sons

presided

the

of Rev.

at

John

convention

ing many

Brown's

a mass

African

Civilization

group

led

by Rev.

Henry

for

Delany

time,

the

formed

an

alliance

during

this

in

which had

com-

Society, at

fiery

1861,

principles. was

a

Garnet,

working

equally

period

Cary

adopt-

The

virtually

organ.7

Anderson,

to Africa it.8

Pan-African

she

Highland After

some

Freeman

official

Osborne

Brown.

Provi-

A third

the

John

Munroe

meeting

resolutions

and

in

editor

was

of Delany's

Provincial

death

in 1858,

organized

in

physical

William

emigration &

of

abolitionto Haitian

opportunists,

Haitian

and

Ralph

by

also

conditions

condemning

confidant

against

the

of

cross-purposes

to

had

Cary

an

a group

force

another

that

stand

two

not

passed

ministers'

going

and

in Chatham

unanimously

was

misrepresented

were

Shadd

opposition

grounds not

others

their

the

Constitution

written

he

could

the

Mary

Cary's

who

of Detroit, sional

on

and

because

standing.

country

that

nation,

in the

Owen

Keeler,

in

the

summer

Brown,

said

midst

he

of

this,

of 1861,

in his heard

but

considered

decided

reminiscence

that

Anderson

in

1874

had

gone

to Liberia. Frederick ments,

Many

Douglass

concentrating

ordinary

free

opposed

all

the

emigration

his

energy

in the

United

black

people

agreed

with

move-

States.

him

through

a resounding

lack

of those

had

who

attention the

There

committee,"

to

had

slavery."

and

"how

whom

the

many

future

must

up

the

Exactly

who

of work

this

letter

with

an

for

time

has

his

with

himself

future

fallen

to which from

W.

Anderson

W.

Thayer

by Richard

attempt arrived

cannot

the

humble

must

not

be

were

be

James

rally

the

to

start

an

certain.

is

told!"

besides The

evident

in

Montgomery,

members

old

Brown

of

Do you not think

Insurrection

in the

the

fighters

insurrection:"

Friend Montogomery. to initiate

to

Hinton--all

to

many

gather

referred to

on

to

committee"

Hinton

lead

certain,

slain,

and

planned,

to

not,

"the

to

moment--upon

his

many

"the

resistance

action

terribly

work,

hero

to

Brown,

into

physical

has

this

letter

may

Boston April 16/61 the

the

in

propitious

Brown

at

involved--"the

offered--these how

all

through

slavery

not

or

as

slavery

forgetting

addendum

more

of

the

certain,

Strings--trying

"one

favors

John

the

Merriam,

kind

not

and

of

there

Black

up

was

thrown

spoke

army--the

bondman

of

participation

await

of

follow

blood

Anderson,

yet

did

end

referred

which

Voice

mantle

the

he

By his

group

to

Anderson

which

His

who

resolution

irrevocably

antislavery

emigrate

movement

Osborne

Hinton.

Anderson

the

to

199 Many

in resettlement.

War.

another

in which

Richard

to

Civil

was

interest

planned

turned

American

time

of

South?

We are on the eve of a sanguinary warfare that can be determined only by the most decisive measures. If President Lincoln does not proclaim liberty to the slaves, then the

200 means. work of insurrection should be hastened by private hear to waiting are boys We The opportunities are grand. Lane that see I course. d intende his and ery from Montgom be with him is going back to Kansas if so I presume you may

if he raises

a regiment.

If he does

this,

I hope he will

It is get into a position where he can reach the slaves. to humbug a ever than more now at this day all a humbug You know state. slave a than other place any in strike h Boston there is danger of the war fever cooling, althoug North is whole the and blaze a in are England New and all war should the if ty liabili a But there is for that matter. will people time, of length nable unreaso an to ted be protrac mness, get tired and when now all is fever we may have lukewar We have every thing until the golden opportunity be lost. It is that alone to aid in getting up an insurrection. & when she finds senses her to South the which will bring that she must confront that enemy she will sue for peace. Under its cover a grand By aid I mean the inaugurated war. While men's passions are up demonstration could be made. they will -hail any auxiliary that will forever put down & crush out slavery which is now beginning to be felt at the Providence seems Now is the time. bottom of our troubles. go forth and to work for ready men the upon calling be to Have you no call now that silences all free the slave. Have you the means for other appeals for your attention. If you do not enroll with Lane, for beginning the raid?

Organize your sake do something single-handed. guerillas and pursue a line of independent operation....

God's

W. W. Thayer

Regards to all--I hope to hear affirmatively--Saw Lane in Washington on Sunday last--He is up for the fray --This morning the telegraph announces his being in command of 1000 men at Washington.

Richard

Hinton 9

201

WASHINGTON The

war

D.C. that

official,

but

ineligible vary

3,

Anderson

get

his

for

Two

are

of

the

"served

during

he

have

United

specific Hinton,

was

left

Brown

was

until

in

Canada,

send

a

do

for

Janand

Stearns letter

in Canada.

to write

to

army

received

if you

was

behind,

to Mrs.

then

you

have

going

was

start

not

from

I will

get

it

to Annie. him

and

I am

do

some-

me." 1

Richard

Oswald

send

helped

living

"Annie

he

had

Lincoln's

Mary

fall

historians

been

from

I shall

you

he

continued

and

I can.

uniform not

last

man

Abraham

said:

address

that

thing

join

1863

Anderson

black

Anderson

Mr.

glad

a

A letter

March

before

as

to

1863.

in need. on

Osborne

Villard

enlisted,

mustered

put

States

about

who

the

Osborne

his

knew

Civil

found:

Anderson

Colored

Troops,

regiment

or

but

have

location.

firsthand,

said

Anderson

War

Union

Army."

in the

"During

the

Civil

became

a non-commissioned

out

the

at

in the

close

of the

War,

officer,

war

in

2 1864, and

in Washington."3

NN 202

In

the

From

brief

biography

Harper's

Ferry,

in the

one

Anderson,

Osborne's

father,

after

return

Canada

his

recruiting he

service

for

good

service,

rendered

&c.,

of

was

an

Army

our

western

officially

in

would

to

Indiana

recruiters

them

there

to was

Brown's

the

Osborne these,

white

friend 54th

who

the

was

a major

left

Cary

the

her

U.S.

there

Anderson

black the

to

likely

"do

John

something" for

Colored

a member as

Confederate

Stearns,

recruiter

a pseudonym,

soldiers,

recruiters

George

Massachusetts

not

for for

principal

Stearns

was

Shadd

with

sending

promised

under

rosters,

Archives.

abolitionist

55th

capacity

Ann

listing

had

and

in the

by the

recruiter

who

Anderson even

Mary

were of

"Shortly

appointed

presence

slaves

One

Vincent

stated:

evidenced

National

previous

Boston.

Anderson. famous

the

of A Voice

was

in which

A regimental

The of

army,

regiments."

at

States,

was

as

evident

many

he

the

is not

which

it was

Anderson's

logical.

edition

of

commissioned

Indiana;4

be

1873

source

they

for

the

Regiments.

of

either

of

were

filled

in

1863.9

Martin

Delany

to

become

the

be

commissioned.

Troops.

first

Delany

for

the

ing

slaves

the

emancipated,

leaving

had

black

He

was

insisted

companies,

which

"through

a few

enough

the

taking

veterans

political

man

in the

a major

on

additional to

be

heart

of

the

among

United

in the

were

them

as

the

clout

States

104th

black

recruited

fresh

in 1865 Colored

officers by

arm-

South...arming troops,

freedmen. "6

to

and

SS

203 That

had

The

been

rest

joined

of

the

John

John

Union

Brown's

Brown's

Army.

plan.

men--all

Charles

Tidd

but

Owen

and

Barclay

Harriet Tubman proved her died in service. talent again by liberating 800 slaves slong hee

River

James At

regiment.

some

Washington

messenger.

If

route

of

have

the

come

in the son,

Osborne

ger;

it was 1872

1860.

attempted

and jail

sent and

Horner.

except

listed

he

for

1870s.8

Green

free

into

had

that

he

one

of

Moses

slavery.

a fine Little

living

else

Horner,

Green may

be

a Census

the

with

teenage

not

prove

S.E.,

the

Osborne who

Alfred

or

14th

& C,

front

page

of

on

July

Anderson

had

received dollars

readily

messen-

time.

Professor

on

Detroit

Representatives

does

for

might

in

Ann's

Philadelphia

of twenty-five was

of

Street,

with

he

living

Mary

of

the

war,

a Congressional

appeared the

along

the

This

also

C & 14th

Anglo-African to

House

1872,

occupation

generally

Cary,

moved

Directory

possibly

the

was

was

at

was

Cumbawith

Volunteers,

the

before

occupation

a common

either

with

had

1869,

early

He

the

Anderson

Washington

Linton

Anderson

Osborne

moved

as

between.

Alfred

The Weekly 7,

is

Anderson

Green,

military

affiliated

Carolina

war

the

around

in the

that

N.E.9

P."

a messenger

beginning

In

In

Anderson

there

South

the

C.

Shadds

years

was

after

D.

Osb'n

Second

1863,

in

Coppoc

7

point

"Anderson,

M.

Carolina

South

Montgomery's

a black to

in

Brown--

rescuers been

thirty

days

in

for aiding

found

commissioner

who

kidnapped

about

in

1670,

hin,

1

204 and

he

his

last

cared

and

"A few

days

in company

before with

his

several

pointing out to them under Capt. Brown." thirteenth

the

Anderson he

spoke

can

only

Back 21st

be

It must

how

he

Harper's

for

purpose

the

been

almost

the

raid

when

What

Ferry. on

felt

this

Ferry of

maneuvres

have

of

Harpers

visited

of their

field

the

exactly

Osborne did,

he

who

journey

final

imagined.

in Washington,

reported

Baptist

and

to

he

friends

anniversary

returned with,

death

Ferry:

Harper's

From

Enos

in the

sentence

this

him,

and

dollars."11

ten

enclosed

"Poor

with

brave

the

Give

in A Voice

of Anderson

biography

is

all

of

poignant

Most

acquainted

personally

the

and

love,

my

man

Anderson's replied:

Smith

1872.

health.

declining

his

I lament

13,

I was

Anderson!

Osborne

noble

October

on

health

who

Smith,

of

raid,

the

of

backer

financial

another

and

abolitionist

Gerrit

to

in included

Boston

to

a white

wrote

the

penniless,

disease,

journey

last

Sanborn

Brown.

supported

Era, 10

invalid

an

"now

was

Sanborn,

Franklin

to

a visit

of

October

On

Jr.

a fatal

Anderson's

in debt."

through

in the New National

Douglass,

with

stricken

Boston,

home notice

first

the

that

Anderson

that

stated

paper

in his

death.

appeared

illness

by Frederick

edited

Anderson

1872

20,

June

Anderson's

poor

Osborne

illness

was

It

for

Church

a meeting

to

raise

the

New National

held

money

at

the

for

Era

of November

Nineteenth

Anderson.

Street

eee

Les &

:

eee

4

Harper's Ferry as it appeared to Osborne Anderson when he returned thirteen years later. The enginehouse, still in its original position, is directly behind the opening

in the

retaining courtesy

wall.

National

The

Park

arsenal

Service,

burned

Harpers

in the

Ferry

Civil

War.

od

206

he

the

result

of which

the

peril

been

the

emancipation

it an

honor

to

contribute

Among

amothers,

Professor

spoke

at

this

land

the

in

person

colored

every

slave,

has

towards Green

his and

life,

of his

at

in a work,

engaged

"As

should

and

care

the

of

feel

comfort." Douglass

Frederick

meeting.

New. National Era, December

19, 1872:

The last survivor of the DEATH OF OSBORNE P. ANDERSON. ‘only army of freedom ever recruited in the United States' as Robert Purvis, Esq., so truthfully speaks of John Brown's Osborne noble band, died in this city on the 10th instant.

P. Anderson was truly a noble and devoted lover of freedom for all mankind and proved his devotion in a way that many other decided and earnest friends of freedom really had not the courage to pursue, or of which they failed to see the Yet the course pursued by John Brown, and Osborne utility. P. Anderson, was the entering wedge to rive the chains from Mr. Anderson had been suffering a long the Southern slave. time with the consumption, engendered by the privation undergone while he was escaping from Harpers Ferry, and while here

unable

to peform work

kind

of any

he has been,

in the main,

cared for by the family of Prof. A. M. Green, at whose house During the past few weeks, Mr. Wm. F. Matthews and he died. other young men have endeavored to assist Mr. Anderson by appealing to the colored people of the city for pecuniary aid to pay physician's bills and for such necessaries as were required. funeral

The

Friday were

last

obsequies

participated

Anderson,

of the

in by the

noble

street

at the Fifteenth

Rev.

Bishop A. R. Green,

Mr.

Anderson

took

Presbyterian Reeves,

and Robert

Rev.

Purvis,

place

church, D.

Esq.

on

and

W.

The

turnout of citizens was not as large as the occasion merited, owing, probably, to the fact of a not sufficiently extended The exercises notice of the time and place of the fumeral. at the church were highly appropriate. The remarks made by the different speakers were full of just appreciation of the great service performed by John Brown and his co-laborers,

207

among

whom was

deceased

was

Osborn

P. Anderson.

present,

and

was

The aged father

the

recipient

of the

of the

sympathy

of all. The remains were followed to the grave by many who had become acquainted with Mr. Anderson during his brief sojourn in our midst. The pall bearers were Mr. Wm. E.

Matthews, Robert Purvis, Esq., Dr. C. B. Purvis, D. A. Straker Esq., Hon. J. T. Walls, George T. Downing Esq., Prof. W. J. Wilson, P. H. Murray Esq., and Hon. Lewis H. Douglass.

A public obituary

meeting

edition

article

on

written

by the

his

to

life

was

announced

honor

and

Canadian

Osborne

work D.

A.

was

in the

December

Anderson,

on

the

and

front

19th

an

page,

Straker:

When I look back upon the history of the American country, and the accursed system of human bondage which it established and endeavoredto maintain at the dear cost of human lives and the sacrifice of its honor and dignity, and when I contemplate

the life and services of Osborne Parker Anderson, now deceased, in the remarkable John Brown's raid, which had for

its aim the human flesh

destruction of and blood and the

freedom;

and

deceased

in the

when

I think

cause

auction marts for the sale of establishment of liberty and of the self-sacrifice of the

of his

fellow-man,

I am lost

in admir-

ation and am driven to the conclusion that he was a hero. The extraordinary character of his deeds had shed an imper ishable lustre upon his name and fame. The greatest hero among the emancipated slaves in the struggle for liberty has gone to his rest.

Unable to live contented in comparative safety himself on the free soil of Canada, while his fellow-man was borne down by chains, denied of his God-given right of locomotion, sold

as a chattle,

treated

little

better

than

a brute,

he turned

his back upon his safety and prospective prosperity and faced and encountered dangers in the cause of freedom. His was no money sacrifice, no eloquent appeals, as many now living

contributed,

but

it was

personal

sacrifice,

of personal suffering through hunger than the bondage of his brother....

and

the

and an horrors

election of war,

208 Then is it too much to say that all who knew the deceased, knew him in his simple, unobtrusive manners, his untiring efforts, and his suffering in the freedom of his enslaved brother, his wonderful nature, talent, and application of the same, may call him truly great, and regard him as a hero... Few would join a visionary John Brown, not even a Douglass , He was too wild for their sober sense; but nor a Langston. Osborne Anderson faced it all in the belief that God will uphold the right....Let us cherish his memory to our latest generation....

after

son's

funeral,

times to

had

was

in Pennsylvania"

Cary

and

John

June it

stated

hero

one

"The

that:

Ferry,

the

funeral

of

the

committee

Lewis

now

Era

Citizen,

made

were

26,

December

1872

Shadd

by Mary Ann

Anderson

Osborne "A

body

and

editor,

and

on

Entitled

of Harper's

burial, gome

article

1873.

18,

the

home

late

"his

Sampson.

P.

A baffling

in

announced

appeals

Era;

New National

to

remains

effort

An

a copy.

30¢

to

price

Anderson's

Osborne

remove

the

increased

Changing

Anderson.

elder

the

for

funds

raise

to

was

From

A Voice

in Washington,

Enos

D.

J.

by

edited

Ferry,

Harper's

Ander-

Osborne

of

edition

1873

the

and

recon-

apparently

attended

He

War.

Civil

the

ciled

had

son

his

and

Anderson

Vincent

and

Shame," of

P.

Osborn

appeared

vault

expenses

remain

unpaid.

Douglass,

responded:

who

why

had

the

Anderson,

in the

explain

"Justice}

signed

still

is

this

remaned

is

on

awaiting Will so?"

the

The

paper

209 There ants

are

who

in the District,

hang

out

at all

as

elsewhere,

public

meetings,

a set

of cormor-

charity

occasions

,

and private parties, eager to serve on finance committees, carry subscription lists, or pass the basket, that they may

be relieved of the necessity of contributing. The late survivor of Harper's Ferry was the occasion of much cheap rhetoric and but little practical sympathy, while a wanderer, poor and in ill health. In death, to our disgrace let it be said, his corpse meets with the same treatment. We remember

him in 1860,

stealing

then

although

room

of the U.P.A.

the

through

clouds

our

of war

he talked

cities

were

incognito,

rising.

not safe

In the

to a few of us,

little

who with the

enthusiasm of boyhood had assembled to do him honor. We desire to express our interest by stating that a subscription list in hereby opened at this office and headed by the

writer and

of this,

Why is

his

was

the

yet

tary. "an

Dr.

was

At

have There

is

true

Church,

and

no

of

good name

who

will

not

the

which

Harmony

from

at

1978

that

indi-

Harmony his

Ceme-

body

with

interview

15th the

Park,

D.C.

Osborne

the was

Stutler,

faded

Memorial

of

in the

was

the

that

in

pas-

Oswald

for it. 12

Washington

there

records until

in an

finally

papers

Columbia

wrote

if his

unresolved

was

by Boyd

location

vainly

burial

Also

Anderson

in the

Quarles whose

record

puzzle.

recorded

searched

moved

the

remarked

present

been

any

Anderson's

Osborne

buried

grave

had

the

upon the

we

Featherstonhaugh

Benjamin

years,"

Villard

is

he

is

where

in the

unmarked

sing

blot

Have

reported

of Congress,

that

the above

District.

unburied

Notes

Library

the

obituary

location

laid. cate

of

to this?

contribute

body

to remove

patriotism

all

the

graves

to Maryland. Anderson.

Street

same

The

same

Presbyterian

building

in which

210

submitted still

be

heard.

walked

at

dawn

can he

into

motion

ment

of

raid

on

to

its

Dist-

The

held.

application

in

National

Organization

People.

Perhaps an

on

Brown's

made

as

men,

Advance-

the

was

Anderson

Osborne

to

set

and

1909

for

anniversary

was

it when

heard

DuBois

B.

Ferry

Harper's

from

battlefield

his

a memorial

by John

faithful

E.

W.

1931,

in

which

at

killed

the

Colored

again

there

voice

Anderson's

Osborne

Only

been

Certificate.

a Death

for

had

respond

not

did

of Columbia

rict

funeral

Anderson's

Osborne

of

John

Brown's

Shepherd,

Haywood

a representative

of

slaves:

Miss Stribling then introduced the President-General of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Mrs. Leopold Bashinsky, of Alabama, a cultured and gracious gentlewoman whose dignity and ability showed her to be well She made an excepworthy of the position she holds. only the most kindly which in address, pleasing tionally She spoke of and generous sentiments were expressed. and the West Haiti of slaves the between the difference Indian Islands and those of the United States, who, though

coming

from

the

same

native

source,

were

so

different in behaviour, and dwelt on the affection that was called forth by the lovable qualities of the good old black

mammies

who

were

so

faithful

and

efficient....

all

It remained for a colored woman named Pearl of Connecticut, to inject a note of discord.

Tatten, She was

present with students of Storer College to direct them in several songs on the program. When called upon to lead a song she took occasion to make some remarks which were construed as a reflection upon the sentiments of Mrs. Bashinsky and said she was a representative of one who wore the blue during the Civil War and she was not

of the

"black mammy" type.

Her lack of propriety was

severely criticised, though no reply was made statement nor any open notice taken of it.

Shepherdstown

to

her

Register,

October 15, 1931. Boyd Stutler Collection.

213

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Looking journey

for

Osborne

through

countryside. journey's son's

it with

miles

It

my

From

who

history. that

fought

Dr.

people

reality

of

would

that It

is

been

at

to

the

John

Brown

up

Ferry. of

not

account

After

Here

because

is

from

here

to

World's

Fair

in Chicago.

there

this Ander-

Sharing

created of

be

and

an

the

local

lost

to

believes to

to

read

feel

the

I decided

commitment.

taken

the

on

a time

in the

course;

cities

Osborne

bravery

personal

absorbing

1975.

opportunity

raid.

caught

image

in

particularly

firsthand

get

an

a date

read

Ferry

the

Brown's

changed,

moved

the

have

Harpers

put

that

a meaningful

in reverse

flopped;

once

be

easy

envelops

has

built

John

to

Weusi-Puryear

with

should

been

documents,

I first

Weusi-Puryear

Anderson's

It

but

belief

Osborne

this

difficult

Muata

has

books,

Harper's

friend

ever~increasing slaves

is

of

beginning,

A Voice

Anderson

aura

the

of

history

enginehouse.

apart

and

re-

transparency

was

and

back.

You

It

can

was

buy

a

214 postcard

with

front

it at

But

if you

the

al

of

for

come

here

feel

the

the

sound

of a train

bridge

by an

old

slaves

who

long

for

tell

I have

come

the

I am

white

and

where

Anderson

said

this

area

have

I became

less

and

seeing

one

comes

black

a

to

fought

a Nation-

sensation Fort

rifle

pick

at

and

that

the

fifty they

the

John

to

fills

the

its

energy. us song.

from of

in

be

small

programs.

many

services,

church.

Everya male

beyond

descrip-

churches--not a thrilling

room

it would

stomping

on

A women's "The

the

choir,

Battle

I feel

as

Hymn if

found.

another's

choirs--is until

the

ministers

of Harmony,

excellence

in

Osborne

special

another

Brothers

city

some

for

history

raid.

might

by attending

in these

the

people

Brown

go

oral the

welcomed

one

big

for

Brown's

soon

people

group

music

leads

of

seek

about

where

the

singing

to

small:towns,

again

not

John

with

a stranger

it were Pearls,

but

denomination,

hear

Sound

Ferry

descendents

people

over-arranged

of

with

stopped

passengers

residents

stranger,

any

Black

ence.

Harper's

circuits,

of

tion.

now

the

to be

a Sharp's

panicked

of many

churches,

religious

to

present

churches

still

the

area,

patrol

coming,

Museum.

weekend

a strange

that

with

Wax

in

liberty.

among

In

man

Brown

the

I did

tracks

standing

a sunny

to

as

girl

John

on

tourists

might as

white

inevitable

annual

you

a moment

up

the

don't

million

Park,

a hoopskirted

floor

the of

I have

the experi-

burst to

if

release

Gospel

the come

Republic"-to America.

215

Bishop my

first

Walter contact

stories.

duces and

Mary

me

to

see

of what

it

Storer

the

is

willing with

Union

a retired

text.

Mrs.

Storer

presently

plan

owned

The

Albert

spirit

Moser

Anderson's idealism Summit

of

that

Point

of

Wesley

family

when

he

Miss

Lovett

controls

led

us

in

to

retired

the

for

one

is

found

life.

Shepherdstown

each

Sunday,

The to

bringing

new

Charles

who the

hundred

years.

in Rev.

Church.

sorrow,

in

is

and

that

Anderson

his

is

It

Service,

contribution

and

by commence-

artifacts

Methodist

in

Ferry,

Storer

community

from

hung

1955.

Park

Shep-

Harpers

remembrance

Storer

intensity

of

grand-

whose

a

we

alumni

mentioned

at

closed

United

who

among

Harris

of

was

whose

the

the

the

explanations

is proudly

spoke

National

Osborne

of the

face

travels

to

share

people

Noted

Lovett

of

I

denominator

certificate

College

intro-

interviews

halting

principal

Allen,

and

home

with

are

have

do.

John

school

exhibit

made

and to

Dr.

recognizing

institution

Newman

Newman

might

arranges

dinner

face

by the

a permanent

documents,

the

whose

another.

teacher,

she

Charlotte

Douglass

was

music

Miss

teacher

Frederick

ment

Army

to

interviewed.

to be

included

parlor.

church

me

a common

a retired

herdstown,

father's

is

Mary

takes

trying

College

wife who

At

my

his

individuals

Sunday

I am

talked

and

community; me.

beyond

people

ster

Newman

old-fashioned

somehow

the

with

accompanies

first

the

Newman

He

and

of

young Town

a message

of

has the minito social

> _

216 justice for

and

us

worshippers.

weather

ment

of

and

the

able

in this at

to

Moser

Moser

the

task

for

of

Methodist

has

been

one

has,

especially

and

to

Hazlett,

the

in

the

1859.

for

He

of

Washington

the

worthy

were

the

its

professionally

and

is

kind

of

Mrs.

the NAACP

of person

giving

whose

of what

shoots

It

she

of

is

into

later

called

the

its

slope,

Anderson

and

Albert

companions.

in Pleasant sight,

for

up

on

departed

Free

with

longtime

nestles

Brethren

County

Rev.

assistance.

mountains

(known

archivist

upon,

a member

and

antislavery

Brown

of being

daughter

it.

farm

Ridge

out

Ridge

Osborne

the

Present-day

is

be

who

encouragement.

the

their

Elk

John

and

all

within

Dunkers,

my

the

around

came

of the born

is

Blue

Kennedy

tory. and

the

than

refuge

welcomed

people

offered

cheerfully

formation The

set

and

and

faith

of

looking

Frye,

among

who

spur

bottom

John

of

her

higher

its

of

self-govern-

despairing

Church,

life

Ridge.

that

I had

me

Washington

Elk

severities

ancestors

Shepherdstown,

Mrs.

geological

asks

me

worker.

Maryland,

is a newspaper

seeking

by their

contacted

a home

A narrow

of the

in California,

Washington United

speaks

prayer

of people

made

complete

suddenly

Asbury

His

country.

home

arranged

Dora

Rev.

sacrifices

Back

He

arrest

in Africa.

the

slaves

He

responsibility.

to

and

them

John

Valley

nurtured

people

as

Smith)

Frye

Library for

lives here

pacifist

historical

responsible

At

Isaac lives

his-

collections

in Hagerstown, the

maps

of

all

— 217 four and

western

Maryland

collections

as

historical

Osborne

the

I have

"I

arch

walked

he

see have

Chesapeake

Anderson

and

crossed

stream.

Mr.

Frye

mountain, flags

that

the

of

Beallair,

the

Washington,

there of

Samuel

terms

Charles

is

of

as

tory.

His

family

John

Brown

Charles

the

Town

doors

between He

spent

rode

his

the

three

years

town,

(the

openings)

barred

to

as

of

We

Colonel

captured the

and

held

they

for

to

Strider

his

his

saw

the

and

knew

cider

him,

him

Charles wagon

the

museum

for

in

the

still an

served

which

Maytag

learned

vats.

engine-

presented

and

execution

had

the

the

to

taken

citizens.

Brown

them

Lewis

to

know

of

donated

tracking

where

who

a fountain

that

of

a descendent

and

undertaker

Mr.

icy

I was

up

local

those

and

with an

trees,

walked

execution

jail

in a nearby

the

We

again.

bravely

from

canal."

cabins.

to

I know

passages

Town,

his

capture

the

to

was

through

the

home

was

response

towpath

Charles

library.

to

tied

documents

went;

from

owned

to

he

under

secret

local

well

escape

his

routes.

Brown

the

dealer,

of

tourist

Strider--"Chiz"

everybody--is

His

me

found

surrender

ance

Frye.

on

who

John

comparable

arch

with

be

man

are

Canal

the

and

unnoted

Strider,

before

Ohio

plantation

by a white

house with

is

none

go

to

under

not

the

where

shared

may

all

exactly

subdivision

past

Of

used

and

hollows

the

pink

to Mr.

description

can

must

the

studied,

resources

Anderson's

electric:

counties.

Town

his-

in which at

the

1974

that

month

existed.

apple

as

appli-

press

ventilators

In the

tradition

218 of his

family

donated

them

a local

to

to

House, Mary

Franklin

Dick of

Voices

with

to West

and

librarians, Particular of

the

original research;

book.

Harpers

Ferry

to

as

daughter

our

during

is

documents Dr.

Ralph

ability,

Clare,

Black is

throughout

Joe

written

to

of gratitude

who

History due

the

by all Libby,

and

in

went

Month.

historians,

country.

to

Pat

Michaelis

Society

for

making

accessible

and

welcoming

extended

Historical

historians

was

well

of unsurpassed

archivists

Anderson

opened

which

in this

Virginia

State

of

appears

appreciation

Kansas

Church,

and

Chambers-

the

to

me

Brown

measure

enormous

Murray

President

is

Ritner

of

to

way

nearby

history

belongs

It

the

whose

librarian

special

me

An

From

secret

its

My hosts

brought

Episcopal

Knapper,

John

people.

a reference a very

Kauffman

Edna

and

Winters

these

(Mr.

Methodist

to Mrs.

Black

boarded.

Heritage)

County

African way

the

Brown

Kauffman

Jane

burg

John

where

has

(with

and

slaves)

escaping

aiding

for

room

docu-

and

group

The

Jail

Old

the

destruction

from

saved

a collabor-

readable

Stake.

Ott

by Virginia

form

mented

1977

In

Inc.

Heritage,

in highly

compiled

research

ative

energetic

an

through

I found

1859.

in

in Chambersburg,

Brown

John

published

they

County

Franklin

group,

white

well

as

welcome

a hospitable

country

a friendly

was

Anderson

Osborne

and

Brown

John

museum.

Pennsylvania

Chambersburg,

then

and

doors

the

acquired

Strider

Mr.

Stephen

B.

Oates

of

the

the

— University

Benjamin

Quarles

more

for

continued

were

their

all

of

John

and

American

the

in

are

and

locktender

material

the

black

Dr.

if

Quarles

press

Allies

as

about

for

I

found

Osborne

Freedom;

wonderful Snyder

work

the

Transportation

Center

for

George

of

maps

Blacks

Los

Society of

the

the

and

Moorland-Spingarn

for

Robbins

City

in

Freeman;

for

this

National

Archives

for

for her in Chatham and

Provincial

Alto

search

researcher

C.

California,

the

Palo

fornia,

Arlie

the

in Ontario

especially at

his

Harmon,

Anderson

the

Altos,

people

National

Mrs.

Osborne

of

a volunteer Sally

Goodridge;

made

Ferry,

Hardy;

Society,

to find

staff

in Harpers

Hahn

photograph

Richard

wonderful

Thomas

Historical

effort

of

Captain

William

Buxton

the

in Balti-

encouragement

for

due

Historical

on

special the

thanks

York

of the

and

Dr.

University

colleague.

research

Canal

the

at

his

State

and

Brown.

Special

for

advice

articles

in

at Amherst

of Morgan

professional

the

Anderson

219

of Massachusetts

art-

volume;

Park

Library

Center

and

Service

Washington

Research

the

in CaliD.

at

C.,

Howard

University.

Researchers debt

to

of copy and

those

of the who

machines

gathered

and

Supplementary

often

in

letters,

Stutler

the

and

statements

association

with

day

for

varied

and

Virginia

Captain

owe

material

microfilm.

material

vast

of West

present

incredible

before

The

Anderson's that

accumulated

Brown.

the

age

corroboration

collection

clippings

John

an

work of

the

in his

was

manuscripts,

late

Boyd

lifelong

221

NOTES

CHATHAM,

CANADA

WEST

1.

Mitchell,

W. M., The

2.

Ibid.

127.

3-

Smedley,

p.

(pp.

R. C., History

5.

Griffith, Bearden,

Times access

Cyril,

of the Underground

The African Dream.

Jim and Butler,

Linda

of Mary Shadd Cary. to

6.

Griffith,

7-

Rollin,

letters

Cyril,

Frank,

69)

Under-ground Railroad.

Pp- 33, 337. 4.

65 -

discovered

The African

Life

and

Jean,

pp.

p. 138.

Railroad.

p. 131, n.5. Shadd:

195-198.

The

in Chatham

in the

Dream.

3.

Public

p.

Services

pp. 51-52.

Life

The authors

and

had

1970s.

of Martin

R. Delany.

8.

Ibid. Chapters IX and X, "Canada--Captain John Brown," and "Canada Convention--Harper's Ferry," pp. 83-95.

9.

Sterling,

10.

Brown, the

Dorothy,

John,

People

The Making

Provisional

of the

United

of an Afro-American.

Constitution States.

and Ordinances

p. 139.

for

222

(pp. 69 - 72) 11.

Ullmann,

Victor,

Martin

12.

Ibid.

13.

Testimony. Richard Realf. of Committees #278." June tion

of the

14.

Quarles,

15.

The

191.

United States Senate, 15, 1860, pp. 109,111. to Brown is in the John Brown

Kansas

Chatham

News,

microfilm

May

5, 1923.

by the

Ohio

John

Frederick,

Life

The

Boyd

73

-

Stutler

Society.

79)

in Chambersburg.

and Times

Collec-

p. 75.

Historical

(pp.

Brown

"Report Realf's

Society.

for Freedom.

PENNSYLVANIA

Virginia,

Douglass,

Historical

Allies

Daily

CHAMBERSBURG, Stake,

State

Benjamin,

Collection,

The

p.

p. 217.

May 31, 1858 letter

p-

R. Delany.

p.

of Frederick

37.

Douglass.

317.

original

Sanborn,

letter

Franklin,

is

in the Boyd

Life

Stutler

and Letters

Collection.

of John Brown.

Pp- 532-533. Hinton,

Richard,

Valley Spirit,

John Brown and His Men. October

in Chambersburg,

Douglass, p. 318.

Interview, Stake,

10.

p.

Virginia,

As cited in John Brown

109.

Frederick,

February

26, 1859.

p. 29.

Life and Times

of Frederick

21, 1978.

John

Brown

in Chambersburg.

Interview with Virginia Stake,

February

farm

of Franklin

is in Beers,

Douglass.

D. G., Atlas

Appendix.

18, 1978. County,

The Fry Pennsylvania.

— #} SAMPLES

MANOR,

MARYLAND

(pp.

81 - 86)

1.

Sanborn,

2.

Sanborn, F. B., "The Virginia Campaign of John Brown." The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 36, December 1875, p. 711.

3.

Villard,

4,

Keeler,

5.

1859 Property Map, Washington

6.

F. B., Recollections

Oswald, Ralph,

78.

John Brown. "Owen Brown's

The Atlantic Monthly, Vol.

Henry,

Maurice,

Maryland.

Oates,

History

pp.

Chambers,

Jennie,

Escape From Harper's Ferry."

33, March 1874, p. 345. County,

of the Church

Monthly

1860 Census,

10.

Schildt,

11.

Hahn, Thomas, Towpath Three. p. 21.

12.

Thompson,

Magazine,

14.

Washington County,

Michael,

A. W.

of the

Interview,

Villard,

104,

Guide

The

Iron

"Historic

Interior, Washington

Oswald,

in

p. 14.

p. 87. Section

Industry

Maryland.

Structures

John Brown.

1902,

to the C & 0 Canal,

National County

January

Maryland.

John, Drums Along the Antietam.

March 26, 1977. 15.

of the Brethren

Vol.

in Western

p. 98.

ment

Maryland.

"What a School-Girl Saw of John Brown's

Harper's

Franzen,

170-182.

pp. 405, 637.

To Purge This Land With Blood.

9.

13.

pp.

365-367.

Stephen,

Raid." p. 312.

of Seventy Years.

Report."

Park Service,

archivist

p. 416.

John

U.S. 1979. C. Frye,

Depart-

aah

» (pp. 87 - 92)

THE COUNTIES OF WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON

p. 274.

To Purge This Land With Blood.

1.

Oates,

Stephen,

2.

Barry,

Joseph,

3.

Ranson, A.R.H., "Reminiscences of the Civil War by a Confederate Staff Officer." Sewanee Review, Vol. 21, 1913,

October

4.

Calderhead, Slave

p.

of Harper's Ferry.

5-

p. 429.

William,

Trade."

Story

Strange

The

"How Extensive Was the Border State War History,

Civil

Vol.

March

XVIII,

1972,

pp. 42-55. Ss

An

original

Center

6.

Thompson, p.

edition

at Howard

is

in the

University

Michael,

The

Moorland-Spingarn

in Washington

Iron Industry

Research

D.C.

in Western

Maryland.

92.

7.

Ibid.

8.

An original edition is in the Western Maryland Room of the Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown, Maryland. Michael Thompson found the sales recorded in the Washington

County

pp. 90-91.

Land Record Book,

Vol.

9.

Featherstonhaugh, Thomas, History Association, Vol.

10.

Gutman,

Herbert,

YY, pp. 281 and 404-105.

"John Brown's Men." 3, 1899, p. 4.

The Black Family

Southern

in Slavery and Freedom.

pe 3511.

Clark,

12.

The p.

13.

Wright,

14.

Ella and Hahn,

& Ohio Canal, 1859. Autobiography 49.

of Rev.

eds.,

Thomas

W.

Life

Henry

James, The Free Negro in Maryland.

Henry, Maurice, Maryland.

Thomas,

p. 34.

p.

History 366.

on the Chesapeake

of the AME

Church.

p. 2h1.

of the Church of the Brethren

in

225

(pp. 92 - 95) 15-

Stampp, Kenneth, The Peculiar

16.

1850 map of Hagerstown,

17-

Gutheim,

Frederick,

Address

at the

Maryland,

"The Potomac--An Historical Resource." County Free

March 6, 1978.

18.

Featherstonhaugh, Thomas, History Association, Vol.

19.

Hahn, Thomas, Towpath Three. p. 5.

20.

Thompson,

Michael,

Merritt,

22.

Ibid.

pp.

23.

Avey,

Elijah,

Rosengarten,

Maxwell, People.

Notes

25-

26.

#23 and

The

to the C & 0 Canal,

Section

Industry

Maryland.

in Western

Ferry Armory and the New Technology.

Capture

John,

and Execution

"John Brown's Raid."

15, June 1865, p. 711. Thomas,

307.

2h all

refer

Cleveland Plain Dealer,

of John Brown.

The Atlantic

West Virginia and Its

to eyewitness

statements.

October 18, 1859.

Letter, Richard Realf to John Brown, May 31, 1858.

Brown Collection, 27.

Iron

Southern

|

Hu and Miller, p.

Hagerstown,

301-304.

Monthly, Vol. 24,

Harpers

Library,

"John Brown's Men." 3, 1899, p. 29h.

Guide

The

pp. 20-26. Smith,

p. 216.

Maryland.

Washington

21.

Institution.

Hinton,

Richard,

Kansas

State

John Brown

Historical

and His Men.

John

Society. pp.

709-711.

p.70.

226

JOHN

John Brown

Richard,

(pp.

97

and His

Men.

SUPPORT

SLAVE

BROWN'S

1.

Hinton,

2.

The Weekly Anglo-African,

3.

Oates,

4.

Hunter, Andrew, "John Brown's Raid." Association, Vol. I, No. 3, 1897.

5.

Berkeley Springs With

Stephen,

minor

A History

Southern History

Williams '

in Thomas

p. 287.

Md.

of Washington County,

1, 1899.

December

News, is also

story

Maryland.

History of Sharpsburg,

Lee and Barbara,

6.

Barron, p. 58.

7.

New York Herald, October 26, 1859.

8.

Hinton,

9.

Ibid.

10.

Boston Traveller,

11.

An original Storer Sentinal, 1908-1909 is in the the National Park Service at Harpers Ferry.

12.

Annie

13.

Conrad, Digest,

14.

Dr. Benjamin

Richard,

Boyd Stutler Collection. p. 712.

John Brown and His Men.

p. 278.

and Martha

Villard,

print,

Oswald,

Brown

Allies

Hunter,

Boyd Stutler

24, 1859.

October

the Kennedy

left

John Brown.

farm

such

Quarles a story

states cannot

for Freedom,

Andrew,

Association,

Vol.

Collection. library

on September

of

29.

p. 420.

Farl, "She Was a Friend of John Brown." Vol. I, 1940, p. 9.

py the rule of credible 15.

327-328.

pp.

With Blood.

Land

West Virginia this

272-273.

pp.

April 28, 1860.

To Purge This

changes

103)

-

that be

"Although appearing

used

evidence,"

Negro World

by those

who

in reference

are

in governed

to Pleasant.

Preface.

"John Brown's

Raid."

Southern

I, No. 3, 1897, p. 177.

History

227

(pp. 16.

103 - 109)

Ranson,

A.R.H.,

Confederate 17.

"Reminiscences

Staff Officer." p. 439.

October

1913,

Hinton,

Richard,

John Brown

Topeka Capital , October

18.

Avey,

19.

Drew, Thomas,

20.

Webb,

Elijah,

Richard,

2k

Sanborn,

22.

Ruchames,

23.

ed.,

F. B.,

The

Hueston,

Life

Louis,

W.C.

War by a

Men.

pp.

and Execution

ed.,

Letters

J.F.,

p. 6.

of Captain

of John Brown.

John Brown.

and Wilson,

269-270.

of John Brown.

Life and Letters

and

21,

Boyd Stutler Collection.

The John Brown Invasion.

p. 163.

Brown.

and His

24, 1882.

The Capture

comp.

of the Civil

Sewanee Review, Vol.

p.

eds.,

John

pp.

571-572.

129.

The John Brown Reader.

Original editions are in the library of the National Park Service in Harpers Ferry and the Western Maryland Room of the Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown, Md.

ah.

Testimony.

Report

25. 26.

Lewis

W. Washington.

of Committees

DeWitt,

Robert,

Captain

John

Testimony.

pub.,

Brown.

John

United

#278, June 15, 1860. The

p.

Life,

Trial

60.

H. Allstadt.

United

of Committees #278, June 15, 1860.

27.

Zittle,

John, A Correct

at Harper s Ferry, town Register.

28.

Daingerfield,

West.

History Va.

States

Senate,

p. 35.

and Execution

States

p. li.

Senate,

of the John Brown ; 7 Compilation

from

Report

Invasion

the

John, "John Brown at Harper's Ferry." Vol. 30, June 1885, p. 265.

Century Magazine,

of

Shepherd-

The

|

228 (pp.

111

-

119)

Quarles,

30.

A handwritten Collection.

31.

Hueston,

32.

Reader.

John Brown

The

eds.,

J.F.,

and Wilson,

W.C.

Stutler

Boyd

in the

is

letter

of this

copy

100.

p-

for Freedom.

Allies

Benjamin,

29.

W. Howard “One of John Brown's Men," statement of Richard "Story of John Brown's from Providence, March 18, 1892. City, Raid," statement of Jacob Wildner statement, Kansas

Both these white Boyd Stutler Collection. September 1901. residents. black local of aid men claimed escape with the

33.

pub.,

The

Robert,

DeWitt,

Brown.

John

of Captain

and Conviction

Trial

Life,

22, 1859.

dated October

report was

Baylor's p. he.

34.

quested

Report

on the

sent

in a message

United

18th.

John Brown

re-

States

pp. 40-43.

#278, June 15, 1860.

of Committees Richard,

instructions

19, 1859;

dated October

report was

Lee's

and His Men.

35.

Hinton,

36.

Featherstonhaugh, Thomas, "The Final Burial of the Followers New England Magazine, April 1901,pp. 128-134. of John Brown."

37.

No

other

slave

in the Death ination that who actually

38.

attributable

ed.,

"John Brown's

Virginia

the

raid

are

reported

Register, but this author concludes upon examthe Register cannot be an accurate record of died in the county because of the methods used.

Rayburn,

Moore,

to

deaths

of History

Magazine

and

Raid at Harper's

Biography,

Vol.

67,

Ferry." No.

h,

October 1959, pp. 309-390.

39.

Rosengarten,

Monthly, ho.

Edward

Mrs.

John,

"The John Brown

Raid."

The Atlantic

Vol. 15, June 1865, p. 714. reminiscence

White's

Langley,

in 1887.

by a descendent,

was

dictated

to his

daughter,

This author was kindly shown a copy

Bill White

of Palo Alto,

California

in 1979.

(pps. 196.

229

194)

hi.

Interview

42.

Handwritten,

"Kindle's

with

Mrs.

Allen

undated

Story."

in Harpers

and unsigned

Boyd Stutler

Ferry,

March

interview

28, 1977.

entitled

Collection.

43.

DeWitt, Captain

44.

Oates,

45.

Oral history from a grandparent told the author at the Wainwright Baptist Church, Charles Town, March 20, 1977.

46.

Trial

47.

Robert, pub., The p. John Brown.

Stephen,

To Purge This

testimony

DeWitt,

Robert,

Captain

John

Testimony.

of Armistead

pub.,

Brown.

Lewis

January

1902.

(microfilm),

50.

pp.

DeWitt,:

and

John

73,

United

of

p. 303.

Daingerfield.

19.

States

of OL

Senate,

p. 35.

John

Report,

Robert

pub.,

Brown.

Reminiscence

Republican,

The a Life,

Trial a

United

States

p.

71.

E. Lee.

of of J. W. Conrad.

Boyd

Testimony.

Stutler

Keith, pp.

illegible

and Executi on of of ne execu tion Senate,

Topeka

Report

Capital,

United

States

#278, June 15, 1860. "The Senate

Investigates

Journal of the National Archives,

1976,

of Thomas

date

193-207.

of

February

Collection.

John W. Allstadt.

Sutherland, Winter

Sunday

#278, June 15, 1860, p. 42.

Reminiscence

Prologue,

Lucker.”

Boyd Stutler Collection.

Report of Committees 93-

Ball

#278, June 15, 1860.

"Phil

Robert,

7, 1900.

d¢.

Land With Blood.

W. Washington.

Springfield

Captain

Committees Dl.

and Conviction

"Phil Luckum." Chambers, Jennie, "What a School-Girl Saw of John Brown's Raid." Harper's Monthly Magazine, Vol. 104,

Allstadt.

4g.

Trial

The Life, Trial and Convictio n S e VOR TCGLON

Report of Committees

48.

Life, .

Senate,

p. 43. Harpers

Vol.

Ferry."

8, No. 4 ’

E

230 (pp.

125 - 138)

5h.

Dann,

5D.

Rev.

Charles

P- 82.

ed., The Black Press.

Martin,

stated

White

1883.

in

this

"John Brown's Raid at Harper's Ferry." of History and Biography, Vol. 67, No. p.

As

393.

1954 a descendent

as

recently

Moore,

ed.,

Rayburn,

Virginia Magazine 4, October 1959, of an

old-line

Blackford, stated Virginia slaveholding family, Launcelot about his mother. book 4 Glory, the it in Mine Eyes Have Seen

p. 348.

Negro Slave Revolts.

American

Herbert,

56.

Aptheker,

5%

Harper's Ferry." Keeler, Ralph, "Owen Brown's Escape From pp. 345-347. 1974, March 33, Vol. y, The Atlantic Monthl

58.

Frank

29°

Harper's

Leslie's

February

60. 61.

December

Weekly, execution

Brown's

1955,

November

Illustrated Weekly, was

Strother's

3, 1859.

published

in American

12, 1859.

ends

the

1859 account Conviction

and

of Robert

of Captain

W.C. and Wilson,

Weekly,

Harper's

November

whippings and other insurrection by slaves

A chilling resume of the hangings, reprisals for attempted or rumored

Trial

of

account

Heritage,

4-9.

pp.

of the Conspirators."

"The Trial

26, 1859.

DeWitt,

John

The

publisher,

Life,

Brown.

p. 67.

J.F., The John Brown Reader.

62.

Hueston,

63.

Evy, Cecil, ed., A Virginia Yankee Diaries of David Hunter Strother.

64.

Shackleton, Robert, "What Support Did John Brown Rely Upon?" Magazine of History, April 1893, p. 350.

65.

Testimony.

66.

Hinton,

Terence

Byrne.

United

Committees #278, June 15, 1860. Richard,

John Brown

in the

States

p. 16.

and His Men.

Civil

War;

Senate,

The

Report

of

231

(pp. 139 - 146) 67.

Virginia October

Index,

October

20, 1859.

Boyd Stutler

18, 1859

Boston

(dateline).

Traveller,

Testimony. Committees

John C. Unseld. United States #278, June 15, 1860. pp. 7-9.

69.

Higginson,

Thomas,

70.

Wheeling

7l-

DeWitt, Captain

72.

Shepherdstown

73-

Barry,

74.

Bashinsky,

75-

Cheerful

Intelligencer,

Yesterdays.

undated.

Robert, pub., The Life, John Brown. p. 41.

Register,

Joseph,

The

November

Strange

S.K.,

Story

and Historical

Vol. XXX, July 1921, pp. 310-311. The Weekly Anglo-African,

OSBORNE

ANDERSON'S

als

Life

2.

Sanborn,

3.

Conrad,

4.

Villard,

Oswald,

De

Sanborn,

F.

and

Times

(pp.

of Frederick

Collection.

and Conviction

of

12, 1859. of Harper's

Ferry.

Confederate

p.

53.

Veteran,

Ferry and Charlestown."

Society

147

John Brown. Recollections

-

Douglass.

and Letters

Earl, Harriet Tubman.

B.,

of

Publications,

April 28, 1860.

RAID

F. B., The Life

Report

229.

Stutler

"John Brown at Harper's

Ohio Archeological

76.

Boyd

Trial

Senate,

p.

M.L.M., "Hayward Shepherd." 39, November 1931, pp. 411-414.

Donovan,

22, 1859.

Collection.

68.

Vol.

The Independent,

October

148) p.

321.

of John Brown.

p- 468.

p. 126. p. 323. of Seventy

Years.

pp.

153-154.

232

(pp. 148 - 156) F.

Sanborn,

Recollections

B.,

13.

Robert,

John

Report,

Robert

Baylor

DeWitt, Captain

Robert,pub., John Brown.

p. 685, see also pp. LY5-L6. 370.

p.-

Brown.

Warren,

October

Wise,

to Governor

The

Joseph,

15. Barry,

16. DeWitt,

Robert,

Ibid.

pub.,

The p-

Life,

Trial

Senate,

p. 32.

Ferry.

of Harper's

Annals

Brown.

John

Captain

States

#278, June 15, 1860.

of Committees

Report

of

Abbot Shotwell, A factually simi-

United

W. Washington.

Lewis

1859.

22,

Conviction

and

Trial

The Life, Dp. Hl.

Hamilton, J., ed., The Papers of Randolph Boyd Stutler Collection. Vol. I, p. 22. Tar account is also in Harper's Weekly.

14. Testimony.

17.

John Brown.

Oswald,

Villard,

1860.

Virginia,

County

Jefferson

Census,

Society.

Historical

State

Virginia,

West

Ferry,

Harpers

182-183.

Dpp-

Years.

of Seventy

in the John Brown Collection,

Original

July 29, 1882.

Kansas

Chambers,

of Edmond

Statement

229.

p-

Yesterdays.

Cheerful

Thomas,

Higginson,

pp-

50,56.

and Execution

of

The route

of the

56.

p. 70.

18. Virginia pistol

Free

can

Press,

be traced

Collection,

Kansas

October in the

State

25, 1860. papers

Historical

of the

Thaddeus

Hyatt

Society.

19. Sunday News, July 7, 1940. (location unidentified). 20.

Collection.

Boyd

Stutler

This who

author got the story from a descendent of Samuel Strider, presented the local militia's surrender terms to John Brow:

233

(pp. al.

156 - 157)

Webb,

Richard,

Brown. 22.

Testimony.

Report

The Life and e Letters of Captain e ee

John OF veplain Joon

Lewis

W. Washington.

of Committees

ANDERSON 1.

ed.,

p. 163.

AND

Interview, 10, 1978.

HAZLETT

Washington

DeWitt,

Robert,

Captain

John

Interview,

United

pub.,

Brown.

ESCAPE County

The p.

Washington

(pp. archivist

Life,

he,

Trial

Report

County

F.

Testimony.

B.,

Hinton,

165)

John

Frye,

United

John Brown

Years. tears

States

of

Baylor.

John Frye,

p. 58.

and His

February

and Conviction

Recollec tions of Seventy e NS e OF eventy

Lind F. Currie.

Richard,

-

of Colonel

archivist

of Committees #278, June 15, 1860.

Senate,

p. 33.

159

25, 1978. Sanborn,

States

#278, June 15, 1860.

February

p.

Senate,

177.

Report

Men.

Captain Thomas Hahn found George Hardy in the C & O Canal Company Proceedings, K, 405 for this author. The Proceedings state that Hardy was drafted into the Union Army in 186] and

his wife [Margaret]

took his place as locktender.

Redpath,

Public

pp.

James,

The

269-270.

Life

of Captain

John Brown.

A photograph in the Hinton Collection at the Kansas State Historical Society is identified as the schoolh ouse by Hinton. The photograph, however, is of the Dunker Church in Maryland

where

10. DuBois,

John Brown was

W.E.B.,

said to have

John Brown.

ri

preached

as

"Isaac

Smith."

p. 27h.

(itis

234 (pp.

166

-

167)

ll. Villard, Oswald, John Brown. 12, Ibid.

p. #19.

15.

Oates,

Stephen,

14.

Barry,

Joseph,

Story

Strange

15. Annie Brown's reminiscence.

YORK,

PENNSYLVANIA

York Directory, Prowell,

Betz,

(pp.

History

of York

"Some Historic

Houses

R.C.,

History

of the Underground

to

edition

I.H.,

1969

"Some Historic

York,

Sanborn,

F. B.,

Pa.,

5,

5,

Recollections

p.

The

edited

Railroad.

by Mr.

pp.

45-6,

Katz.

of York County."

The

1912.

of Seventy

Years.

p. 178.

Keeler, Ralph, "Owen Brown's Escape From Harper's Ferry.” The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 33, March 1874, p. 362.

Hinton,

Richard,

CHARLES TOWN,

John Brown

VIRGINIA

595.

1912.

Houses

October

Pennsylvania.

of York County."

Smedley,

Preface

October

County,

Pa.,

Gazette,

p. 86.

169 - 173)

York,

Betz,

p. 419.

John Brown.

Gazette,

Ibid.

18:

p.

1856.

George,

I.H.,

Villard,

Civil War Battles.

16. Johnson and Mclaughlin,

Ferry.

of Harper's

caption,

portrait

Land With Blood.

This

To Purge The

p. 682.

and His Men.

pp.

(pp. 175 - 181)

564-565.

235 1.

Holdredge,

2.

Sanborn,

of John Brown.

p. 344.

3.

"The Black Strings of 1859." The Indianapolis August 20, 1893. Boyd Stutler Collection.

Journal,

4.

Villard,

5.

Hinton,

6.

Helen,

F.B.,

Mammy

Pleasant.

Life and Letters

Oswald,

Acknowledgement.

John Brown.

Richard,

John

The Autobiography

Brown

and

His

Men.

p.

553.

of Rev. Thomas W. Henry of the AME Church.

An original edition is in the Moorland-Spingarn Center at Howard University in Washington D.C.

Research

7.

Letter, "C.C." to Governor Wise, Collection, Library of Congress.

November

11,

8.

John Brown

The name

is spelled

9.

and His Men,

in F.

B.

Mason

to Governor

Library

10.

Steiner,

11.

Oates,

12.

Villard,

Sanborn's

Wise,

Bernard, Stephen,

Life To

Oswald,

Benjamin,

14. Villard,

Oswald,

Letters

November

of John

10,

Richard,

of Reverdy

Purge

John

This

Brown.

Allies

1859.

Brown,

Wise

Johnson.

"Henry"

pp.

Land

p.

With

50.

Blood.

p.

337.

571.

p. 135.

p. 578.

John Brown and His Men.

p.

526.

(p. 183)

and 2. Both letters are in the Chicago Historical Society.

John

Brown

Papers

532-533.

Collection,

p.

for Freedom.

John Brown.

JANUARY - JUNE 1860 1.

and

Wise

of Congress.

13. Quarles,

15. Hinton,

p. 247.

Life

1859.

at

the

_,

a

236 (pp.

-

184

191)

The Life and Times Bearden, Jim and Butler, Linda Jean, Shadd: such sources of st earlie The D- 203. of Mary Shadd Cary. un Heroines Homesp s Brown' Q. Hallie is by this author seen

3.

and

h.

Quarles,

5.

Letter,

of Distinction,

Women

Other

|John Kagi August 22, 1859.

J.D.H. to J. Henrie, Plain Dealer,

Cleveland

November

Quarles,

7.

Hinton,

Richard,

8.

Letter,

Ruth Brown

1, 1859.

John Brown Thompson

and His

195.

p.

for Freedom.

Allies

Benjamin,

6.

1926.

p. 72.

for Freedom.

Allies

Benjamin,

in

published

Men. Featherstonhaugh,

to Thomas

Henry November 9, 1894. A handwritten copy is in the al Park Nation the of e) Colleg r (Store tion Collec ld McDona Harpers

Service,

The Liberator,

9.

Ferry.

July @7, 1860.

193 - 200)

(pp.

THE WARS

BETWEEN 1.

Keeler, Ralph, "Owen Brown's Escape From Harper's Ferry." 347. The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 33, March 1874, p.

2.

Quarles,

3.

American Institute of Rosenberg, Daniel, "Mary Brown." p. 43. #17, 1975. Paper nal Occasio , Marxist Studies

Allies

Benjamin,

Descriptions 4. and 5. Hyatt Papers at the

6.

Griffith,

7.

Bearden, Times

Cyril,

8.

Quarles.

9.

The

of drought conditions are in the Kansas State Historical Society.

The African Dream. Linda

Jim and Butler,

of Mary

Shadd

Benjamin,

original

at the Kansas

letter

State

p- 148.

for Freedom.

Jean,

pp.

Thaddeus

58-81.

Shadd:

The

Life

and

Cary.

Allies is

for Freedom.

in the

Historical

James

p- 171,

Montgomery

Society.

n.2. Collection

237

WASHINGTON

D. C.

1.

The

2.

Hinton,

3-

Villard's

4,

original

letter

Richard,

James,

Luther

Frank,

Victor,

7-

Conrad,

Earl,

Bearden,

9.

Lewis).

Washington

Thomas

Collection.

p.

505.

Featherstonhaugh.

301.

p.

The Life and Public p.

Services

of George

291.

Martin

Harriet

R. Delany. Tubman.

Jim and Butler,

of Mary

Deborah Service

apparently

M.

Stearns.

Ullman,

Times

Stutler

ed., Notable American Women 1607-1950. (Shadd

6.

8.

- 209)

is in the Boyd

was

by Elsie

Stearns,

201

John Brown and His Men.

source

Edward,

article

5.

(pp.

Shadd

170.

Linda Jean,

Cary.

Directory,

p.

p. 295.

pp.

1872.

Shadd:

The Life and

231-232. In answer

to an

inquiry,

T. Jones, an interpreter for the National Park at the Frederick Douglass Memorial Home in

Washington D.C. replied that either address been correct. There was no correspondance from Anderson or Green to Douglass.

10. Washington 11. Sanborn,

Directory,

12. Quarles,

Interview,

1870.

Franklin,

Recollections

Benjamin,

Allies

232.

might have in their files

March 18, 1977.

of Seventy

for Freedom,

p.

Years.

172.

pp.

Telephone

231-

238

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cited.

for books

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Narrative A Voice From Harper's Ferry; & Anderson, Osborne P. Subseand Prior Incidents of Events at Harper's Ferry with n: Bosto Men. His and Brown in quent to its Capture py Capta J.D. by d edite 2nd edition, printed for the author, 1861.

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Jim and Butler, of Mary

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1802

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Brown,

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_—_—____ _ —_—__—_

——m———————————__ tr

2ho The Washington Homes of Jefferson County, Fairbairn, Charlotte. Ranson, West by William D. Eubank. rated Illust ; West Virginia Whitney & White, undated. Va.:

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