Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-10-19


ted States dated, Oct. 10Th, 1869, signed by
A. W. Brown, Commander.in-Chiefo Of tho
provisional Government Of the United
States. A party Of five Of tho insurgents,
armed with mimic rifles, posted in rife armo-
ry were expelled by the Charleston Guards.
They all ran for the river, and one Of them
being unable 10 swim was drowned.
The other four swan out to the rocks In the
middle ofthe Shenandoah, and fred upon the
citizens and troops assembled on both banks.
This drew upon them the muskets Of be-
tween two and three hundred men, and not
less than four hundred shots were I, fired at
them from Harpers Ferry about two hun
dred yards distant The second negro at
tempted TO jump over the dam, but fell short,
and was not seen Afterwards The third was
badly wounded, and remaining was taken
unharmcd,
The white insurgent wounded and cap
tured, died in few moments in the arms Of
our informant. lie was shot in the breasts
lie declared there were only nineteen whites
engaged in the insurrecton.
For nearly an honr a running and random
firing was kept up by the troops against the
rioters. Several were shot down, while
many managed 10 limp away wounded
During the firing the women and children
ran shrieking in every direction, but when
they learned that tho soldiers were their
protectors, took good courage, and did good
service in preparing refreshments, and at-
tending the wounded. Our informant was
on the hill when the firing was going on,
and says the terrible scene Of the battle
passed in review before him.
Soldiers could be seen pursuing sngly
and in couples, and the crack Of the mus
kets was generally followed by one or two
more Of the insurgents biting tho dust. The
dead lay in the streets where they fell. The
wounded were cared for Capt. Browns
wounds consist Of sword cut in the fore
head and n bayonet wound in the kidneys.
Another Of the deceased rioters was named
Stuart Taylor. Ii. Anderson, the ringleader,
who stopped Conductor Phelps yesterday,
was killed in the first attack. He was a
fine looking man, with a flowing white
beard. Some Of the Maryland volunteers
are in pursuit Of Capt. Cooks party. A
body oiforty mounted men, left for Harper's
Ferry this afternoon, to pursue the rioters.
1t is reported, that many have escaped and
are secreted in the mountains. A negro
named Greene, who was conspicuous in the
fugitive slave riot at Harrisburg, some years
ago, was among the insurgents.
Baltimore IL p. M--The following frag-
mcnt Of letter was found in Capt. Browns
pocket. 1t occupies a page of fine note pa.
per, straw tinted, and is written in pencil,
evidently by person of education, without
date. The freight alluded to was doubtless
the sort usually carried on the underground
railroad:
Capt. Brown, Dear Sir, have been disap-
pointed at not seeing you here ere this, to
take charge Of your freight, they have been
here now two weeks, and as have had to
superintend providing for them, it has impos-
ed upon me no small task; besides and il
not so sorue of them will go back to Missou-
ri. l wish to know definitely what you pro-
pose doing. They cannot be kept here much
longer without risk to them, and if any Of
them conclude to return it will be q bad
termination TO your enterprise.
The following interesting narrative OF the
events at Harpers Ferry, is CLEANED from the
report Of the American, who returned this
this evening. The principal originator of
the short but bloody existence of this insur-
rection was undoubtedly Capt. John Brown
whose connection with scenes of violence in
the bordor warfare of Kansas made his name
notorious. He made his first appearance in
| that vicinity, more than year since. accom-
panied by his two sons, the whole party as
suming thename Of Smith. He inquired about
land in the vicinity, and made investigation
as to the probability of finding ores, and for
some time, boarded at Sandy Hook Point,
mile east of the Ferry.
After an absence of some months he re-
appeared in the vicinity, and the Elder
Brown leased farm about four miles from
the Ferry. They bought large number Of
picks and spades. They were seen frequent.
ly in and about Harper's Ferry, but no sus
\ ipicion existed that Bill Smith was Can't.
Brown, or that he intended any movement
so desperate; yet the development of the
| plot leaves no doubt that his visits to the
Ferry, and his lease of the farm were all
parts of his preparation for the insurrection,
which he supposed would be successful in
exterminating slavery in Maryland and
Western Virginia.
His chief aid was John u. Cook, a COM
paratively young man residing in and about
the ferry for some years. These two men,
with Browns two sons, were the only white
men connected with the insurrection, that
had been seen near the Ferry before the dis
turbance. All were brought by Brown
| from distance, and nearly all had been with
him in Kansas. The first active movement
in the insurrectien was made about 10
O'Clock, Sunday night.
VIM. Williamson, the watchman at the
Ferry bridge, while walking across toward
the Maryland side, was seized by number
of men who said he was their prisoner and
must come with them He recognized Brown
and Cook, and knowing them, he treated the
matter as a joke, but enforcing silence, they
conducted him to the Armory, which was
already in their possession. After daylight
he was discharged. The watchman, who
was to relieve Williamson at midnight, found
the bridge lights all out, and was immedi.
ately seized. Supposing it an attempt at
robbery he broke away, and his pursuers
stumbling over he escaped.
The next appearance of the insurgents
was at the house of Col. Lewis Wash
ington, large farmer and slave owner, about
four miles from the Ferry. A party head
cd by Cook proceeded there, reused Col. w,
and told him he was their prisoner. They also
seized the slaves near the house. and took a
carriage, horse, and large wagon with two
horses, when Col. W, saw Cook he immedi-
ately recognized him as a man who had call
ed upon him some months previous, and to
whom he had exhibited some valuable arms
in his possession. Before leaving Cook wan
ted Col. w, to consent to a trial of skill at
shooting, and exhibited considerable certain.
ty as a marksmen.
From here the party proceeded with him
and twelve Of his negroes as prisoners, to
the house of Mr.. Alstadt, another large
farmer on the same road, who, with his son,