The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-10-29
Col. w ashingtOn's Capture,


Va, on Tuesday, Col. Lewis w. Washington
testified that at one o'clock on the Sunday
night previous to the outlaws he was asleep
in bed at his house six miles from the Ferry
and was awoke by noise, heard bis name
called; went out into the room aad was sur
rounded by six men. Stevens appeared to-
be in command; Cook, Coppee and two ne
gro prison ers were along and another white
man, whom he afterwards recognized as
Kagi. Col Washington then proceeded to
detail particulars of his being taken prisoner
with his negroes to the arsenal, and subse-
queRt events up to the attack OF chs ma
rines and delivery. La previous written
statement made by Col. Washington, and
which is quite interesting, he states that
when he first opened the door in the bail
three Sharp's rifles were levelled and cooked
at him, and in addition Stevens stood with
a revolver in his right hand, and in his left
lighted Aambeau. Col. Washington adds:
al was then told was prisoner, ana one
of them said, don't be frightened" re-
piled. do you see anything that looks like
fright about me?' No. he said, only want
to say that if you surrender, ana CO me with
US freely you are safe | told them IN
derstood that sufficiently, ana there was no
necessity for further explanation. But was
struck with the number of men sent against
me, and asked what need there was of so
many, as there was no danger Of an unarm-
ed man in his night shirt resi>t' ny an armed
force. l was told to put on my clothes, and
OF course complied. Perhaps said l, 'while
am dressing you will be so good as to tell
me what all this means?' / inquired what
the weather was outside,a land one OF them ad-
vised me to put on al overcoat, as it was
rather chilly. Another said they wanted NV
arms, and opened the guu-chest for them
to help themselves. They then explained
their mission, which they represented to be
purely philanthropic-to wit, the emancipa
ton of all the slaves in the country.
CATER was dressed Steven, said to M,
Have you got any money 2 l replied, i
wish | had great DEAL BE careful, sir
said he. told him il had any money /
knew how to take care OF it, and he could
not get it p Said he, Have you a watch 2
My reply was, Il have, but you cannot nave
it. You have set yourselves up as great
noralists and liberators o f slaves =; now it
appears that you are robbers as WELL sBe
careful, sir said he again told them that
l was dressed and ready to 60. They babe
me wait short time, and my carriage would
be at the door. They had ordered my car
riage, and pried open the stable door to get
1t out. My servant, whom they had forced
. along, was driving. suspected they we're
only robb.rs, and was expecting all along
that they would turn off at som, point, bat
they drove directly to the armory. .ssI
"BrOwn came out and invited me ia say
ing there was comfortable fire, and short
ly afterwards met with AIlstait whom thew
had arrested on the way, and brought along
in my buggy wagon Brown told US to make
ourselves comfortable, and added, by and
BY shall require each Of you, gentlemen,
to write to your friends to send a stout ne |
gro in your places. Tais was by way of
ransom. He told Ms ne must see the letter
before it was sent, and ne though. after this
was affected they could makean arrange
ment by which we could returnheme.-
l determined in my own mind not TO
make the required requisition, but he never
made application for il, having other matters
before tae day expired attracting his attec-
ton.
"My swerd, which had been presented sby
Frederick the Great to General Washington,
was taken from my house, with other arms.
This man Cook had been at my house before
and seen the arms, and at that time beat
him at shooting, and he told me was the
best shot he had ever met. Ga the way to
Harper's Ferry he asked me if had shot
any since that time, and said that he owed
me an apology for being with this party after
being SO well-treated by me. told him
that it was OF no consequence about the apoI-
ogy, but would ask one favor of him, which
was to use his influence to have returned t.
nae the old sword and the old pistol " hich.
in the present improved state Of arms, were
only valuable in consideration of their histo-
ry. He promised to attend to it, aud short
ly after reaching the armory 1 found this
sword in old Browns haad. Said Brown,
Il will take especial care OF it, and shall
endeavor to return it to you after you ar.
released He carried the sword in his
hands all day Monday, until after the
arrival of the military. Upon the dcst
announcement of the arrival of militia.
Brown came into the room and picked out
ten of us whom he supposed to be the most
prominent men. He told us we might be as
sured of good treatment; because, 10 case be
got the worst of it in this fight, the posses
sion of US would be OF service ia procuring
good terms; we could exercise great inau-
ence with our telowcitiZ ems; and as for me,
he knew if 1 was out should do my duty,
l should be most dangerous foe. Then we
were taken into the en- CINE aous=, and close
~ confined. Two.of our number went back
wards and forwards repeatedly to confer
with citizens during the various negotiations,
AID finally remained out altogether, leaving
the eight who were inside when the buildiag
was finally assaulted ami captured by tne
marines. !
During Monday various terms of capitu-
lation were proposed and refused, and at
night we requested our trienis to ceas. fir
ing during the night, as, if the place should
be stormed in the dark, friends and foes
would have to share alike. la the morning,
Col. Shriver, of Frederick, announced the !
arrival of the United States Marines. Dur
ing the night ne had brought in DR.. Tyler,
of Frederick, to look at the wounds of old |
man and promised to attend him in the /
morning; if practicable, but about the time
he was expected, hostilities had recommen-
ced.
"Injustice to Brown, l will say that he ad-