Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-10-27

desultory exchange of shots followed, one of which
struck Mr.. Fontaine Beckham, Mayor OF the town
and agent of the railroad company, in the breast,
passing entirely through his body; the ball was
large elongated slug, making dreadful wound.
He died almost Immediately. Mr.. Beckhsm was
without arms and was exposed only for moment
whilst approaching the water station. His assall-
ant, one of Browns sons, was shot almost lmme-
diately, but managed to get back to the engine
house. where his dead body was found the next
day.
The murderer of Mr.. Beckhsm excited the peo-
pie, and the cry was Immediately made to bring
out the prisoner Thomson He was brought out
on the bridge and shot down; from the bridge he
fell into the water, and some appearance of life
still remaining, he was again ridded with balls.
Sharp Fighting Commenees.-At this time q
general charge was made down the street from
the bridge towards the armory gate by the
Charlestown and Shepherstown troops and the
Ferry people. From behind the armory wall
fuslade was kept up and returned by the insur-
rectionists from the armory buildings. While this
was going on the Martnburg levies arrived atthe
upper end of the town, and entering the armory
grounds by the rear, made an attack upon that
end. This force was largely composed of the
railroad employees gathered from the tonnage
trains at Martinsburg, and their attack was gen.
orally spoken of as showing the greatest amount
of fighting pluck exhibited during the day. Dash-
ing on, firing and cheering, and gallantly led by
Captain Alburtis, they carried the building in
which the armory men were imprisoned, and re-
leased the whole Of them. They were, however,
but poorly armed, some with pistols and others
with shot guns, and when they came within range
of the engine house, where the elite Of the insur.
niofo
their rapid and dexterous use of Sharp's rifles,
they were forced to- far back, suffering pretty
severely Conductor cyan Dorsey, of Baltimore,
was mortally wounded, and Conductor George
Richardson received wound, from which he died
during the day. Several others were wounded,
among them son of DR.. Murphy, Of Harper's
Ferry.
A guerilla warfare was maintained during the
rest of the day, resulting in the killing of three
of the insurgents and the wounding Of fourth.
One of them crawled out through culvert lead
ing into the Potomac, and attempted to cross to
the Maryland side, whether with a view of escap-
ing or of conveying information to Cooks party,
was not known. He was shot whilst crossing the
river, and fell dead on the rocks. An adven-
tuous lad waded out and secured his Sharp's rifle,
and the body was afterward stripped of portion
of its clothing. In one of his pockets was found
captains commission, drawn up in full form,
and declaring the bearer, Captain Lehman, held
that command under Major General Brown! A
light mulatto was also shot just outside the ar
mory gate. The ball went through and through
his throat, tearing away all the great arteries,
and killing him almost instantly. His name was
not known but he was one of the free negroes
who came with Captain Brown. His body was
left exposed in the street up to noon yesterday |;
exposed to every indiguity that could be heaped
upon it by the excited populace. At this time
tall, powerful man, named Aaron Stevens, came
out from the armory, conducting some prisoners,
it was said, and was shot twice, once in the side
of the face, and once in the breast. He was cap
tured and taken into the tavern, and after the
insurrection had been quelled, was turned overin
dying condition to the United States authori-
ties. Another man was shot in the Arsenal yard.
During the afternoon sharp little affair took
place on the Shenandoah side Of the town. The
insurrectionists had also seized Hall rifle works,
and q party Of their assailants found their way
in though the milrace and dislodged them. In
this rencounter it was said that three of the in
surrectionists were killed, but we found but one
body, that of a negro, on the side of the city
Night by this time had come on and active oper-
ations ceased Guards were placed around the
armory, and every precaution taken to prevent
escape.
Statement of one of the Ringleader,.-At 10
o'clock on Monday night, the train with the Bal
timore military and the United States Marines ar
rived at Sandy Hook, where they waited for the
arrival of Col. Lee, deputised by the war Depart
ment to take command The reporters for the
press passed on, leaving the military behind
They found the bridge in possession Of the militia
ry. and entered the beseged and beleaguered town
without difficulty, the occasional report of gun
warming Them that'i was advisable to keep out
of the range of the armory.
Their first visit was to the bedside Of Aaron Ste
vens, one fthe wounded prisoners. They found him
large, exceedingly athletic man, perfect Samp-
son in appearance. He was in small room filled
with excited armed men, who more than cnce
threatened to shoot him where he was, groaning
with pain. but answering with composure and sp-
parent willingness every question in relation to
the foray in which he was engaged. He said he
lived in Kansas, where he knew Captain Brown.
He had also served in the United States army
The sole object of the attempt was to give the
negroes freedom, and Capt Brown had represent
ed that as soon as they seized the armory the ne
groes would flock to them by thousands, and they
would soon have force enough to accomplish their
purposes. He believed that the freeing Of the
negroes was proper purpose, one for which he
would sacrifice his life, but thought that Captain
Brown had been greatly deceived in relation
to the movement. He said preparations had been
making for some months for the movement, but
that the whole force consisted of seventeen white
men and five free negroes. This statement was
repeated without variation by oil the prisoners
with whom we conversed. They all agreed as to
the number in the movement, and as to its objects,
which some of them called the work of phlan-
thropy.
Lewis Leary, the negro shot at the rifle mill,
stated before he died that he enlisted with Cap
tain Brown for the insurrection, at fair held in
Lorraine County, Ohio, and received money from
him to pay his expenses They all came down to
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and from there trav-
eled across the country to Browns farm.
Fort of the Msurgents.-The building in which
the insurgents had made their stand, was the fire
engine house, and no doubt the most defensible
on three sides, and on the fourth, large DOORS
with window sashes above, some some eight feet
from the ground dead stiffness surrounded
the building, and except that now and then man
might be seen peeping from the nearly closed CEN
tire door, or dogs nose slightly protruding there
was no sign of life, much less of hostility, given
Various opinions were given as to the number Of
persons within, and the amount Of resistance they
would be able to offer. Cannon could not be used
without endangering the safety of Col. Washing
ton, Mr.. Dangerfeld, Mr. Ball, and other citizens,
who they still held prisoners The doors and walls
of the building had been pierced for rifles, but it
was evident that from these holes no range could
be had, and that without opening the door they
would be shooting in the dark. The murder of
the prisoners held was thought by many to be de-
termiued upon, and then fight to the death as
an ending of their desperate attempt Whilst
people thus looked and speculated, the door was
thrown open and one of the prisoners was sent out
r;th 90 of truoo ,nd Jo1;uaro1 what onp.