Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-21
The Inccna,.ry A,,emp, a, Harper. FERRY.

The Incrnaisry Attempt nj Harper. Ferry.
ran coSNtNcgNENr ~ uE rtor-rEsr ArAck ~ ran
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coSNEScEp-ARRINAL or rHE BALTIMORE Military
ROTH or rE RSRKLs-ruE rKap ann wouSDKp-sxiz-
URS oT ARNs-LErrEEs IRON ekRRrr SMITH AMI ornxRs
-REroEr cr DISTRICT Arrossvv ouLp, &C., SC.
We continue 20 occupy our columns with details Of The
insane and atrocious attempt of the Abolitionists to ex.
cite a servile Instruction in Virginia and the South. nv
their desperate adventure at Harper Ferry. The fol.
lowing is the most connected narrative OF the affair we
have seen:
From TIC Bdltimorc Amcrcan Of "Wednesday.
IT'S oRIeISAroRs.
The principal originator OF the insurrection, and the
chiefleaderiu its short but bloody existence, was I'M
~doubtcdly Captain John Brown, whose connection with
the scenes OF violence and border warfare IN Kansas
made his name familiarity notorious to the whole country.
Captain Brown made his first appearance in the vicinity
OF Harpers Ferry more than a year ago. accompanied by
two sons, the whole party assuming the name of Smith.
They inquired about land in the vicinity, made investi-
cations as TO the probability OF finding ores, and for
sometime boarded at Sandy Hook, one mile east of Har-
pers Ferry.
After an absence of some months they re-appeared in
the vicinity, and the elder Brown rented or leased a farm
on the Maryland side, about -four miles from Harper's
Ferry. They bought a large number of picks and SHADES.
snd thus confirmed the belief that they intended to mine
for ores. They wec seen frequently in and about Har-
per's Ferry, but no suspicion seems TO have existed that
"Bll Smith" was Captain Brown, or that he intended en-
barking IN a movement so desperate and extraordinary.
Yet the development Of the plot leaves no doubt that his
visits 70 the Ferry and his lease of the farm were all parts
OF his preparation for an Instruction which he supposed
Nasto he successful in DISCRIMINATING slavery in Maryland
and Western Virginia.
Capt Browns chief aid was John E. Cooke, a compsr.
sHveiy Young man, who has resided in and near Harper's
/ Ferry for some years. He was first employed in tending
: lock on the canal. He afterwards taught school on the
MARYLAND side, aud after y brief residence in Kansas,
Where 1t Is supposed he became acquainted with Brown,
returned 20 the Ferry and married there. He was re-
| EAu1gd - a man OF some intelligence. known tO hs anti
slavery, but not so violent in the expression of his opin-
ions - to excite any suspicious. These two men, with
With the Instruction that had been seen about the Fer
~. All were brought by Capt Brown from a distance.
and nearly slhAi been with him IN Kansas.
THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE RESURRECTION.
The first sctive movement in the Instruction was made
shout halfpaS ten O'Clock on Sunday night. VIM. Viii
hams, Waterman on Harpcris Ferry bridge, whilst walk.
ing across towards the MARYLAND side was seized bv A
number of men, who said he Was their prisoner and must
come With them. He recognized Brown and Cooke among
the men, aud knowing them treated the matter a. a Joke,
hnt enforcing silence they conducted him to the Aunory
which he found already in their possession. He was re-
tanned till after daylight aud then discharged. The
watchman who WAS to relieve Williams at midnight.
found the bridge lights all out, and immediately was
seized. ~SuppOSing it an attempt at robbery, he broke
away and hi purSuers stumbling over the track he es-
capped.
house Of col. Lewis Washington, a large farmer and
slave owner, living about four miles from the Ferry. A
party headed by Cooke proceeded there, reused Col W.
and told him he was 4 prisoner. They also seized all the
slaves near the house, took a carriage and horse and 4
large wagon with tao horses. When Col. Washington
saw Cookchc Immediately recognized him as a man who
had called upon him some months previous, TO whom he
had exhibited some valuable arms in his possession, in
GLIDING an antique sword presented by Frederick the
Great 20 General Washington. and 4 pair of pistols pre-
>eniedh y LAFAYETTE TO Washington, both heirloOms in
the family. Before leaving Cook Invited Col. Washington
to = trial Of skill ~ shooting, and exhibited considerable
certainty A. a marksman. When he made his visit on
SUNDAY night hc alluded to his previous visit and the
courtesy with which he had been treated. ragretting the
necessity which made il his duty TO arrest Col. W. lie,
however, took advantage of the knowledge he obtained
by the former visit to carry oil all the Colonies valuable
collection OF arms, which he did not re-Obtain until after
tie final defeat Of the insurrection.
From Col. WashingtOn's they proceeded, with him a
prisoner in his carriage, and twelve of his negroes in the
wagon, 10 the house OF MI. AllstadL, another large farm
CT on the same road. Mr.. An=tadt and his son. a lad of
sixteen, were taken prisoners, all their negroes within
reach forced 20 Join the movement, and thew returned 10
the Armory az the Ferry. All these movements seem 10
have been made without exciting the slightest alarm in
the town, nor did the detention OF Capt. Phelps train at |
the upper end Of the town attract attention. IL was NOT |
until the town thoroughly walked up and found the bridge
guarded bN armed men, and a guard stationed at an the
avenues, taat the people found they were prisoners. A |
panic appears TO have Immediately ensued, and the num- |
Der OF the Insurrccdousts AZ once magnihed from fnv !
which was probably their greatest force, including the
slaves forced 20 join, 10 from five to six hundred. In the
meantime, a number Of the workmen knowing nothing
Of what had occurred, entered the Armory. and wcr. In. /
siantly taken prisoners, until st one time they had not
less than sixty men confined. Among those thus en-. |
trapped were Armistead Ball, Chief Drauehtsman of ia.
Armory, benjamin MGls. Ha-trr sc ,be Arao.~, I'D j
r. L. Dangerneld. Paymasters Clerk. These three con-.
tlemen were imprisoned in the engine house. which af
forwards became the chief fortress of the insurgent. and
were not released until after the final assault. The work.
men were imprisoned in a building farther down the
yard, and were rescued by the brilliant Zouaye dash made
hy the railroad eompanys men who came down from
MartiuSburg.
TLi- Wa the condition Of things AT DAYLIGHT ,bor,
which time Capt Cooke with two white mea, and accom-.
panied by thirty slaves, and taking with them Col. Wash.
lns'oh large wagon went over the hrige and struck up
The mountain road towards PENNSYLVANIA. Ii va. then
believed that the large wagon was used to convey away
the Paymas'ers safe, containing $1,000 in government
funds, and also that it was filed with MIME rifles taken
out to supply other bands in the mountains who Wer. IN
come down upon Harper's Ferry in overwhelming for,e.
These suppositions both proved untrue as neither money
nor arms were disturbed.
nv hrGiSNiNc OF rTE FIGHT-sHooTISG A PRISONER.
A. the DAY advanced, aud the news spread around and
people came into the Perry, the first demonstrations of
resistance were made TO the in-urrectionists. A guerilla
warfare commenced, chiefly led on by a mau named
Chambers whose house commanded the Armory yard-
The co!ored man named Hayward, railroad porter was
shot early in the morning for refusing TO Join the move.
ment. Next man shot was Joseph Burley, a citizen of
Harper Ferry. lie was shot whilst standing in his oVn
door. About this time also George Turner ESQ was
shot dead. lie was coming into the town on horseback.
carving o gun, when he was shot from the Armory. re-.
c iving a wound Of which he died during the d,v He
was a gradua;e Of West Point, and greatly resnacted in
Tue heighhorhood Tor hs high character and noble quail
The insurrecuoui,t at thi. time finding a di.no.ition IN
resist them had withdrawn nearly aIl within the Armory
grounds, leaving Only a guard on the bridge. About
noon the 'harle-i0Nn troops, under command Of Col
Robert W. Baylor, arrived, crossing the Potomac nyer
some distance up, and mhrchiug down the MARYLAND idle
TO the mouth OF ne bridge, clearing it of the in-urrec.
iioHi-t-, who retreated rapidly down toward the Arnory
In THIS movement one Of the insurrcctionists. named
WIN. Thompson, Was taken prisoner. The Shepherds.
town troops next arrived, marching down the Sheusp-
loah side and joining the Charlestown forces at the
bridge. desuitory exchange Of shots followed. one Of
which struck VT. Fontaine Bcckham, Mayor Of the town
ana agent Tor the railroad company, in the breast. p,ss.
ing entirely through his body. The ball was % large elon.
gated slug, making a dreadful wound. He died almost
Immediately. Mr. Beckham was without arms and was
exposed only Tor a moment whilst approaching the water
station. liz assailani, one Of Browns sons. was hot
almost immediately, but managed 10 get back into
the engine-house, where his dead body was found the
NEXT dav.
The murder Of Mr. Bcckham excited the people and
the cry Wa Immediately made 70 bring ont the prisoner
l~honp-on. He ws brought out on the bridge and sbot
down from the bridge he fell into the water. and .,no
apPearance Of life still remaining he was again riddIsl
with balls.
SHARP FGmGSG COuvEycgD
At THIS time % general charge wa- made down the
street. from the bridge towards the Amory gate by The
'harl"7i"vn and Shepherdstowu troops and the FERRY
people. From behind tie ArmOry wall a fusiIrds was
Kept up and returned BY the insurrectiDnist. from the
Q NNUrru ILL., All a. 49,.