The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-10-29

dreadful wound. Mr.. Beckham dleo al
most Immediately. He was without fire
arms. and was exposed for only moment
while approaching water station. His
asgailant, one Of Browns sons, was shot al
most immediately, but managed to get back
to the engine house, where his body was
found next day.
The murder Of Mr.. Beckham greatly ex-
cited the populace, who Immediately raised
a cry to bring out the prisoner, Thompson;
He was brought out on the bridge, and
there shot down. He fell into the water,
and some appearance of life still remaining,
he was riddled with balls.
At this time the general charge was
made down the street from the bridge to-
ward the armory gate, by the Charlestown
and Shepherdstown troops and Ferry peo-
pie. From behind the armory wall tu-
Shade was kept up, and returned by the
insurrectionists from the armory buildings.
While this was going on, the Martins
burg levies arrived at the upper end Of the
town, and entering the armory grounds
from the rear, made an attack from that
side. This force was largely composed of
railroad employees, gathered from the tun-
mage trains at Martinsburg, and their at
tack was generally spoken Of as showing
the greatest amount of fighting pluck ex-
hibited during the day. Dashing on, fir
ing and cheering, and gallantly led by
Capt Alburtis, they carried the build
ing which the armory men were imprlson-
cd, and released 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
insurrectionists were gathered, and were
exposed to the rapid and dexterous use OF
Sharp's rifles, they were forced to fall back
suffering pretty severely. Conductor Ev-
ans Dorsey, of Baltimore, was killed in
stantly, and Conductor George Richardson
received wound from which he died dur
ing the day Several others were wound
ed, among them son of DIR. Hammond, of
Martinsburg.
A guerilla warfare was maintained dur
ing the rest of the day, resulting in the
killing of two Of the insurrectionists and
the wounding Of third. One crawled
out through culvert leading into the Po-
tomac, and attempted to cross to the Mary
land side, whether with the view Of escap-
ing or conveying information to Cook, is
not known.
He was shot while crossing the river,
and fell dead on the rocks. An adyentur-
Gus lad waded out and secured his Sharp's
rife The body was afterwards stripped
of a part of its clothing. In one of his
pockets was found captains commission,
drawn up in full form, and declaring that
the bearer, Capt. Lehman, held that COM
mission under Mai. Gen. Brown. A light
mulatto was shot just outside the armory
gate. The ball went through the throat,
tearing away the principal arteries, and
killing him instantly. His name is not
known, but he is one of the free negroes
who came with Brown. His body was left
in the street until noon yesterday, exposed
to every indignity that could be heaped
upon it by the excited populace.
AT this time tall, powerful man, named
Aaron. Stevens, came out from the armory.,
\ as ftSyI &c sn0I, once IN the head and once
in the breast. He was then captured and
taken to a tavern, and after the Insured
ton was quelled was turned over to the
United Strtes authorities in dying condi-
ton. During the afternoon a sharp little
affair took place on the Shenandoah side
of the town. The insumectionists had al
SO seized the halls of the rifle works, and a
party of their assailants found their way in
through mill-race and dislodged them.
In this rencontre, it was said, three in
surrectionists were killed, but we found
but one dead body-that of negro-on
that side of the town. Night by this time
had set in, and operations ceased. Guards
were placed around the armory, and every
prccaution taken to prevent escapes
At II o'clock, the Monday night train,
with Baltimore military and marines, arriv-
ed at Sandy Hook, where they waited for
the arrival Of Col. Lee, deputized by the
war department to take command.
The reporters pressed on, leaving their
military allies behind. They found the
bridge in the possession of the military,
and entered the besieged town without
difficulty, the occasional report ola gun or
singing motion of Sharp's rile-ball warn
ing them that it was advisable to keep
themselves out Of the range of the armo-
ry. The first visit was made to the bed
side of Aaron Stevens, the wounded pris-
oner. They found him to be large, ex-
athletic mana perfect Samp-
son in appearance. He was in small
room filed with excited armed men, who
more than once threatened to shoot him
where he was, grooming with pain, but ans
wering with comppsure and apparent will
lingness every question in relation to the
fray in which he was engaged.
He said he was-a native Of Connecticut,
but had lately lived in Kansas, where he
knew Capt Brown, He had also served
IN the United States army. The sole OBJ
ject Of his attempt was to give the negroes
freedom, and Brown had represented that
as soon as they seized the armory the ne
groes would flock to them by thousands,
and they would soon have force enough for
their purpose-one for which he would sac
rifce bis life; but he said he thought Brown
lad been greatly deceived. He said that
,ranars+ions had hpen making for some