Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-20

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father at Nor~ich Conn., cav to him thai his son died
ai Harpers Ferry in sttemp, high treason against
the State of Virginia He was alive four O'Clock yes
terday morning
lie il represented n remarkably fine looking man sx
feet six inches high and possessed Of great nerve While
lying in bed number Of the citizens crowded
into the room and attempted Dispatch him. pointing
cooked mu-kets at his head. bur Stevens he lay help
% folded his arms, and looked them calmly in the eye
without utterng n word.
IScIpESrs BATTLE
Our special reporter the scene Of action fur
nishes the following
HARPERs FERKr Oct 49,
The town Of Harpers Ferry throuRed last night
with military and rioters, aud martial law prevailed
throughout the entire community No one could pass
the bridge without arrest, unless permitted by Col Shr-
YER commanding the Frederick military The precar-
on was taken to prevent the possibility the escape of
any of the disiurbcrs of the praee oi the town
Nearly the irst object visible after passing the bridge
Was dead living outside the pavement with an
ugly cash IN his throat, and other wounds No one
seemed To notice him particularly than any other
dead animal The citizens have vet recovered from
their asioniShment at the civil which has suden-
y been engendersd in their peaceful eommunity-nor
their surprise the boidness and atsuiy which char
aotefkes the efforts of the consTrators who ys
erious.y aghted full armed in their midst The nsir-
gents are Gagged, however after their violence
and DEATH and the people With great anxiety awaited the
results OF the events of to-day
At about o'clock yesterday morning the military
companies, part Of which had been on duty at guard
during the night, ordered out The volunteers
took possession Of the streets surrounding the govern
ment buildings, and cleared them Of spectators The
marines were drawn up within the enclosure under the
command of Col Lee. Lieut.. Stewart oi the arrny and
Major Russell with their Dshgeen pound houit.
zers The insurgents in tie engine room of the
armory, small building the of the gov
ernmcnt works. They held their prisoners some half
dozen citizens of wealth and respectabilty and some
half dozen negroes One of the Baltimore companies
the Independent Grays, Lieut. Simpson commandingj
occupied the railroad bridge, directly in front of the
cupied builings
The military companies Of the adjoining towns and the
Baltimore companies presented imposing military dis
NfFpu,a Tha
breatles suspense existed FOR the half which pre-
eeded the attack Death anticipated and the reck
less daring Of the Few bold and foolish fanatics who set al
defiance tie authority of the general government and
the whole military force in their view created an intense
Indignation, and desire for their summary chastiseent
The apprehcuson for the safety Of the gentlemen de-
tanned IN the custody of the insurgents also painful
The marines in the yard commenced manuuyering to-
wards a close pro Kimity the building At length Col
Lee appeared in front of the enclosure with Lieut. Stew
art, Who with citizen d0puied to bear flag OF
truce to the insurgents Every eye upon the two
latter they approached the door Of the building The
conference long, especially between the insurgents
and the citizen, and the patience OF all present
ly exhausted. At length they retired.
Ii was understood that Col Lee, in sumuOnnr them
TO surrender. offered them protection till pleasure Of
the President OF the United States should be made
known, aud that nearly all Of the insurgents in IA
vor OF accepting those conditions, but the powerful viii
OF the leader Brown overrued their wishes and they
refused to surrender Major Russell then ordered Lieut.
Green with file of marines, force the large doubts
doors. They rushed towards them, and attempted with
their bayonets To force them Open hue the strength OF
their fasenings deied the effort. At this time voey
from within increased the excitement the
The marines then tried force the doors with heavy
sledge-hammers, hut they also proved Intellectual.
A double file OF marines then ordered attack
the doors with heavy ladder 4 few powerful efforts
shattered the strong doors of this clubhouse of the Gov
crnment which filed With fire engines and a. they
yielded TO the force of this batierngram aud in
pieces an extra shout from the multitude The
moment the upper part of the doors down. Lieut.
Green and his marines fired Voley into the iusrrgen
with deadly aim. Major Russell then sprang upon the
Tlfa Hstv
in Few minutes. One of the marines, private Qunn
was borne OIL fatally wounded 10y shot in the abdomen
and another private, Rupert received flesh wound ia
the upper lip and had one of his upper teeth
knocked out
The imprisoned citizens whose have been men
toned then rushed and leaving tie enclosure were
greeted most warmly by their friends OF them hav-
ing been confined since Sunday evening last Two white
insurgents were brought out prisoners named
Watson Browna Of the leader of the insurgents
in very helpless condition from wounds received
on Monday, and another named Edwin Coppee of Iowa
who was unnjured free negro from Harrisburg named
Shields Green, somewhat notorious character also
arrested. -Four five other negroes also taken
out of the engine-house who known TO be slaves
belonging the neighborhood and supposed 10 have
been foFciby detained But several OF the insurgents
had been killed in the assault by the marines aud the
most painful and exciting in the tragedy was the
bringing out Of the dead bodies Five Of them lay upon
the grass named j. c. Anderson in the last agonies
of dissolution; another, the leader the older Brown
with heavy cash upon his forehead, and three other
wounds upon his body, supposed be mortal but still
calm and collected and converting nteigently without
indication emotion of pan aud answering all the
questions Of the crowd about him.
Another son Of the leader, named Brown was taken
stark aud cold he having been killed the day preyi.
GUS stewart Taylor, also killed instantly by a ball
through biz head and one through his body aud Albert
Hasliit, killed instantly. The wounds shocking to
behold, and all welterug in blood The writer had
conversation with the dying man, Anderson lie said
that the elder Brown had been their leader and he had
alSays looked up to him great man letter was
found in his pocket from his brother j. j. Anderson of
Chcothe stating that the contents Of his last letter up
on the question of slavery devoured with eager
ness Upon the body OF Haslt found lock OF his
Wites hair and piece of her dress
Upon the person of the leader, the notorious "Ossa-
woitamie Brown" of Kansas was found bv one of the
volunteer surgeons Of the division Dr. David MIangbin
the sum of 1905 in gold, which handed by him over
10 Major RUSSELL of the marine corps Ia conversation
with the writer he lay wcleng in his blood he sta.
ted that he had figured in Kansas and was known As
"O'sawotame Brown or "Od Brown He had had a
son Killed IN kansas (as vel, 1No herel lie hated
slavery, and he desired to avcnge his sons death His
roniederatcs desired surrender when they were sum.
moned by Col Lee; but he refused because he did not
believe that the general government would slaughter
his companions for the sake OF killing him. He bad al
ways treated his prisoners with courtesy lie hoped
that his nterogators wOud put words in his mouth
but permit him TO his declarations. He hopcd
Major Russell would permit him TO die in peace aud
would treat him humsncly. Major Russell suggested
that he had better not make any declarations calculated
70 compromise him in law and also requested the gen.
emen present 20 withdraw from the in order that
he might not be disturbed has been stated subsequent.
that he wounds arc not mortal unfortunately perhaps
j l lot nun-ells
c The prisoner Edwin Corree upoa bling a.sed what
he expected w0ad be his fate iid that be only asked
is country 10 give him fair dal and he would abide
the consequences lie manifested no concern or sprrc.
henion with respect his punishment The prisoner
Brown, OF the leader too debitated from his
wounds 10 realize his situation.
The wounded have been removed 10 the hospital OF
the Arsenal including the riotcr A. u. stevens Such
was the excitement Monday night that Stevens would
have been shot in his bed bad u been Tor the ~.
straint exercised by Others upon thos who permitted
ru4Hr f.s.a. 4
man stated biz willingness 90 go in the morning and
be shot upon hs coffin but begged them not 90 shoot
him IN h bed lie is reported 60 be ,aiy wounded
but Il s thought by that bis four wounds are not
fatal
During the deep suspense pending the attack Of the
marines upon the usurgeuts IN The engine house party
Of Baltimore "RoughS' recognized a members of the
clubs, numbcrinE twcnty more were seen right up
at The safe of the public ludugs esch with musket
or rifle In hand eager for the irsy" Their snSiev 10
participate IN thc engagement manifest that Colo.
mel Shut called out 10 them not 10 Grc b'cause there