The Van Buren press., 1859-10-28
Insurrection at Harper'S Ferry.
Intense Excitement in Maryland and
Virginia.
BALTIMORE, October II.

The Western train has just arrived and the Off
GERS confirm the statement first received. They say
the bridge keeper discovered that the lights in the
bridge had been extiDguished and when he went to
ascertain the cause. he was pursued and fired upon
by gang Of blacks and whites. The colored as
sistant baggage master the train shot and
badly wounded conductor Phelps was threatened
and it was stated that the train should not proceed
He waited till daylight, and was then detained six
hours by the mob. He says that the insurrectonsts
number 2'W whites and blacks They have full
possession or the Ar,nory. and are commanded by a
man named Anderson, who lately arrived at Har-
per's Ferry.
The rioters seized wagon Of wheat, loaded it
with quantity Of muskets, and sent it up into
Virginia
The military Of Frederick City had been ordered
out. and President Buchanan has ordered out the
United States truops. special train is get
ting ready to convey the troops from this city.
During the night the mob made demand the
Wager hotel for provisions. and enforced their
claim by body of armed men. The citizens were
in terrible state Of alarm, the insurgents having
threatened % burn the town.
BALTIMORE, Oct. ls
Ancye- witness who has returned from HarIer's
F>rry srri hs SC ne thsr. as follows
The first It ,ck made by detachment Of the
Charl ston Guards, who crpss.l the Potomac river
above HarIers Ferry, and reached the building
the Maryland side. Smart firing occurred and the
rioters were driven from the bridge. One was
killed here and another arrested the latter out
and tried tO escape by swimming the river. DO
shots fired after him and he partially fell
but rose again, threw his gun away drew his pis
tol, both Of which snapped, drew his bowie-knife.
threw oil his heavy acoutrements of. and plunged
into the river. One Of the soldiers was about ten
feet behind The man turned around threw up his
hands aud cried don I shoot don't shoot tn, sol
dier fired and the man fell into the water with his
fac. blown away. His coat skirts cut from his
person. and in his pocket was found captain 5
commission to Capt. F II. Leeman. from the Pro-
visional Government Of the United States The
commission was dated October Is, 1859. and sign
ed hy A. w. Brown, commander in chief of the
Provisional Government of the United States
of America
Capt Browns wounds consis. Of sword cut in
the forehehead and bayonet wound in the kidneys
Another of the rioters killed was named Stewart
Taylor. J. c. Anderson. a ringlcader. who stop
ped Conductor PhelI s, yesterday, killed dur
ing the first attack by the Virginians. Anderson
was fine looking man with flowing whit. beard.
Some of the Maryland volunteers in pursuit
of Capt. Cooks party, and body of forty mounted
left this afternoon for Harpers Ferry to pursue
the rioters 1t is reported that many Of them have
escaped, and are seereted in the mountains. ne
gro who was conspicuous in the fugitive slave riot
at Harrisburg some years ago, was among the in
surgents.
BALTIMORE. Oct. l9.
Several slaves were found in the room with the
insurrectionsts. but it is not believed that they
were there willingly. Indeed Browns expectations
as to the slaves rushing TO him were entirely dis
appointed None seem to have come to him will
ingly. and in most they forced to desert
their masters. But one instance where the slaves
made public appearance with arms in their hands
is related. A negro who had been sharply used
by one of the towns people, when he found he had
. pike in his hand used his brief authority to have
. citizen arrested and taken to the armory. The
citizens imprisoned BY the insursctonsts all tes-
tify to the lenient treatment. They were neither
tied insulted, and beyond the outrage Of resric
ting their liberty. were not iii used.
The position Of the prisoner in the engine house
during the firing ON Mondsy. and At the moment Of
the final attack wae very tryirg ono. Without