The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-10-25

in his possession, including antique sword present
ed by Frederick the Great to Gen Washington, and
pair of pistols presented by Lafayette to Washington
When he made his visit Sunday night he carried off
all the Cooners valuable arms which he did not re-
obtain till after the final defeat of the instruction.
From Col Washngtons they proceeded, with him
prisoner in his carriage and IL of his negroes in his
wagon the house of Mr. Astadt, another large far
mer on the same road. Mr. Alstadt and his son. lad
years old, taken prisoners, all their negroes
within reach forced join the movement, and then
returned to the Armory All these movements seem to
have been made without exciting the slightest alarm
in the town, nor did the detention of Capt Phelps
the upper end of the attract attention. 1t
until the town thoroughly walked and found
the bridge guarded by armed men, and guard station
ed at all the avenues that the people found they were
prisoners A panic appears to have Immediately en-
sued and the number of the nsurrectionsts at once
magnifed from fifty, which probably their greatest
force including the slaves forced to jon to from five to
six hundred. In the meantime, number of the work
men knowing nothing of what had occurred, entered
the Armory and were Immediately taken prisoners
til at time they had not less than sixty men
fined Among those thus entrapped were Armstead
Ball. Chief Craftsman of the Armory; Benz MILL Master
of the Armory; and J. E. p Dangerfeld Paymaster's
clerk These three gentlemen were imprisoned in the
engine house. which afterwards became the chief fort
of the insurgents and not released until after
the final assault. The workmen were imprisoned in
building farther down the yard, and rescued by
the brilliant Zouave dash made by the Railroad COM
pany's men who came down from Martnsburg.
This the condition of things at daylight about
which time Capt. Cook with two white men and thirty
wagon went over the bridge and struck up the noun
tain road towards Pennsylvania.
Fighting Commenced-As the day advanced and peo
pie commenced coming into the town, the first acts
of resistance made to the insurrectioniss. A
guerilla warfare commenced, chiefly led by
man named Chambers, whose house commanded the
Armory yard. The colored man, named Haywood,
railroad porter, shot early in the morning for re-
fusng to join the movement. Next shot Jo
seph Burnley, citizen of Harpers Ferry. About this
time also Saml. p. Young Esq., shot dead. He
was riding into town, carrying a gun, when he was
shot from the Armory, receiving wound from which
he died during the day.
The insurrectonists at this time finding disposition
resist them, had withdrawn nearly all within the Ar
mory grounds. leaving only guard on the Bridge At
the Charestown troops arrived crossing the 20
tomac river some distance up and marching down the
Maryland side to the mouth of the bridge Firing a
vOlley they made gallant dash across the bridge,
clearing of the nsurrecOnists who retreated rapidly
toward the Armory One of the inSurrectonists was
taken prisoner. The Shepherdstown troops next ar
rived A desultory exchange of shots followed one
striking Mr. Beckham mayor of the town and agent of
the Railroad company, killing him Immediately. His
assailan of Browns sons, shot almost Instant
ly. The murder OF Mr. Beckham greatly excited the
people, and they demanded that Thompson, Of the
insurrectioniss who held prisoner should be
broug hit OUT when he shot down and thrown into
the river. AT this time general charge made
down the street towards the Armory gate by the troops
and the people. The insurrectonists in the Armory
buildings fired briskly. While this going on, the
railroad men from Martinsburg arrived, armed with
pistols guns and sticks and entering the Armory yard
in the rear, they made vigorous attack the Armory
building, capturing it and releasing the prisoners the
inSurrectioniss had confined therein. They suffered
considerably from the rifles in the hands of the nsur
gents
A guerilla warfare was maintained during the rest
of the day. resulting in the killing of three of the
insurgents and the wOunding of the fonrth. One of
them crawled out through u cuvert leading into the
Potomac, and attempted to the Maryland side,
whether with a view of escaping or of Inveying
information to Cooks party, was not known. He was
shot whilst crossing the river and fell dead on the
rocks An adventurous lad waded out and secured his
Sharps rife and the body afterwards stripped of
portion of its clothing In Of his pockets
found a captains commission. drawn up in full form;
and declaring the bearer Captain Lehman, held that
command under Major General Brown Alght mulatto
also shot just outside the Armory gate. The ball
went through and through his threat tearing away all
the great arteries, and killing him almost instantly.
His name was not known, but he of the free
negroes who came with Captain Brown. His body was
left exposed in the street up to noon yesterday exposed
to every indgnity that could be heaped upon it by the
excited populace. AT this time TALL powerful man,
named Aaron Stevens, out from the Armory
conducting prisoners it said, and vas shot
twice, in the side of the face, and once in the
breast He captured and taken into the tavern,
and after the instruction had been queed turned
in dying condition to the United States authorities
Another man was shot in the Arsenal yard.
During the afternoon sharp little affair took place
the Shenandoah side of the town. The insurrec-
tionsts had also seized Halls rifle works and party
of their assaants found their way in through the
millrace and disodged them. In this rencontre it
was lnree OF inc lnSurrectlOnlSS were kc0
but we found but dead body, that of a negro,
that side of the city-Nght by this time had come
and active operations ceased Guards placed
around the Armory and every precauton taken to
prevent escape.
Statement Of one Of the Rngleaders-At 10 o'clock on
Monday night the train with the Baltimore military
and the United States Marines arrived Sandy Hook
where they waited for the arrival of Col Lee deputised
by the War Department take command The reporters
for the press passed leaving the military behind
They found the bridge in possession of the military
Al I,o,in 4 l., .
difficulty, the occasional report of gun warning them
that it advisable to keep of the range Of the
ArmOry.
Their first visit the bedside of Aaron Stevens
the wounded prisoner They found him a large, ex-
ceedingly athletic man, perfect Sampson in appear
ancc. He in small room, filled with excited
armed men, who more than once threatened to shoot
him where he was, grooming with pain but answering
with composure every question He said he was a ma
tive of Connecticut, but had lately lived in Kansas
where he knew Capt Brown. He had also served in
the United States army The sole object of the at
tempt was to give the negroes freedom and Captain
Brown had represented that they seized the
ArmCry the negroes would flock to them by thousands
and that they would have force enough accom-
psh their object He believed that the freeing of the
negroes was proper purpose, for which he would
sacrifice his life, but thought that Capt. Brown had
been greatly deceived in relation the movement He
said preparations had been making for some months
for the but that the whole consisted of
II white men and free negroes. Lewis Learv the
negro shot at the rifle MILL stated before he died that
he enlisted with Brown at Fair in Lorraine county,
Ohio and received money from him pay his expenses
They all came to Chambersburg Pa and then travelled
across the country to Browns farm.
Fort Of the Hnsurgents--The building in which the
insurgents had made their stand he