The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-10-19
Gifhmanh 9ispatth,'
WEDNESDAY MORNING
NHE INSURRECTION
AT HARPER's FERRY,
THE MOVEMENT HEADED BY ABoI.I
T1oNISTS.
CAPTURE OF THE TOWN.
coNGREGATION OF NEGROES
SKETCH OF THE LE4DER.
Movements Of Large Bodies Of Troops,

full particulars of those facts stated in our
teiegraphie report. Yesterday morning, of the
| fiarper's Ferry instruction. They are of In
tense interest, aud we give them below
STATEMENT OF CONDUCTOR PHELPS AND HIS
| OFFICERS
| The following particulars of the affair have
| been obtained from the officers of the train.
| VIZ: Mr. Andrew J. Phelps. conductor; Mr.
| Jacob Cromwell, baggage master, and Mr.
| VIM. Wooley, engineer. They state that their
| train (the regular passenger train from the
| Westl reached point near the bridge at Har-
| per's Ferry at 30 minutes of one O'Clock this
| morning, when it was stopped.
Conductor Phelps received the following
statement from Mr.. Phillips, one of the
| watchnen at the bridge.
| watchman, about II O'Clock; had not heard
| from the man (named Wiliiamson) who was
| watching the bridge up to that time. Weusu-
ally hear from him every half hour. When
| arrived on the other side of the bridge l was
| suddenly challenged, and commanded to stand
| or die. Four or five white men raised their
rifles and pointed them at me. One of them
| tried to get my lantern. l turned and ran.
| ana they Tired upon me. / escaped without
| injury.
| The other watchman shortly made his ap-
pearance, and stated to Conductor Phelps that
| ne mad been seized about OK O'Clock and
! locked up IN the guard house at the other end
| of the bridge, and that he had just made his
| escape
|
| Cromwell, then entered the bridge, and had
| hardly got half way through when they were
| commanded to stand, and three white men
| leyelled rifles at them. They then retreated
| back and were fired upon, but were not in-
lured
| A colored man named HAYWARD Sheppard
who is employed by the railroad company to
| attend TO the baggage ut Harper's Ferry, took
| off his shoes and made the attempt TO get
| through the bridge TO see what was going on
at the Arnories, but he was discovered about
/ ha fhar plntt frnI
| upon, and they also fired upon the negro. One
| OF the balls took effect in his back. going
| through his body, and coming out Of the nip
| pie of his left breast.
| AT first conductor Phelps was at a loss how
1 10 act, and concluded 10 send over person TO
| the vicinity of the Ferry TO ascertain the cause
| of the proceedings, when the leader of the
| party-a man of rather preposseSslng appear
| ance, and supposed To be nearly sixty years of
| age-appeared, and stated that he preferred
| holding comm unication with the nductor.-
| Phelps went over alone, and was told by the
| same man that he and his party had deter
| mined not to allow another train to pass over
| the road, but that they would give him five to
| ten minutes TO get his train through.
| In the mean time, other persons from the
| train yentured across the bridge above the
| Ferry, and soon coming in contact with the
| rioters, (whO We're reputed as about two hun
| dred in number, half of whom seemed to be
! black,) one of the party passenger, was cap
| tured. The train was delayed by the proceed
| ings until half-pas O'Clock, when steam was
raised and they reached Camden stationat noon
| To-day.
Upon the train leaving, Mr.. Phelps was
| particularly requested by the leader of the
| gang to state to the Superin tendent of the
load, tnat under no circums tances would an
| other train be permitted 10 pass Harper's Fer
| ry. During the nigh, large two horse wag-
| on, laden with wheat, came in from one of the
| neighboring counties of the State. The riot
| ers Immediately seized the driver, took pos
| session of the wheat, and loading the vehicle
with weapons from the Armory, sent it back
| up the country.
The engineer states that he took particular
notice of the crowd, which he thinks number
| ed at least three hundred persons; that
| amongst them were several strapping negroes,
| who occasionally shouted out that they longed
| for liberty, as they had been in bondage long
enough. The ringleader, who is said to be
| named Anderson, made his appearance at Har
| per's Ferry five six days ago and since that
| time has been driving around the place in
| elegant barouche drawn by two horses.
These officers report that the United States
Armory aud the neighboring country have
been taken possession of by the rioters, all Of
| whom are we'll armed with short rifles and
other United States arms. When the work.
men of the Armory repaired there for the pur-
| pose of reSumiDg work they We're seized by the
parties, forcibly dragged within the gates and
imprisoned
number of the party proceeded to the pro-
| pretors of the hotel near the Armory and in an
authoritive tone ordered breakfast for fifty or
sixty persons, adding that they were deter
mined to keep possession of the place, and live
| IN tne DeSJ manner.
| STATEMENT OF A PASSENGER.
From gentleman we'll known in Baltimore,
who came passenger in the Western train,
| reaching Baltimore about noon yes terday we
have the following account:
The express train in which our informant
| was passenger, reached Harper's Ferry about
| one O'Clock this morning. On arriving, the
clerk of the Wager House informed Captain
| Phelps, conductor of the train, that serious
| froubla pyiStiDp N md tharp We
| great apprehensions of danger.
He stated that large body OF men had mys-
| teriousiy came into town during the evening
| and night from the surrounding country, and
! were about to take possession of the place
that they had already shot one man dead and
| MORALLY wounded another, both of whom
| were connected with the railroad company
| as watchman and baggage agent, or patrol
| watchman.
| Another person was ascertained to have
| been severely wounded, and being missing it
was thought he had been thrown into the river.
| The insurrectonists when they approached
| the conductor of the train were armed with
muskets and notified him in the most peremp-
| tory manner that if he attempted to proceed
| farther ii would be at the risk of his life.
The bridge across the Potomac was filled
| with the insurgents. all of whom We're armed.
| The conductor deemed ii most prudent TO re-
main, as he feared some terrible accident IN
attempting TO cross the bridge, supposing its
| arches or timbers might have been cut
Every light in the town had been previously
eXUpguiSneu Uy the llWieSS 1nOD ne Train,
| therefore, remained stationary, and the pas
sengers, terribly affrighted, remained in the
ears all night.
A countryman who had come into the town
| with wagon load of wheat, was arrested by
| the ins surgents and pressed into their service.
| 1t was stated that 81 large number OF mus
| kets and considerable ammunition were found
| In ms wagon, which they armed themselves
| with 1t is thought this was a blind 10 pro-
| cure arms, aad fully understood by the out
laws as part of their plan
All the streets Were in possession of the
MOB anu every road, lane and avenue leading
TO the town guarded or barricaded by them.
Ihe men We're seen in every quarter with
muskets and bayonets. Ii was thought that
there were not less than from $50 To $40 of the
insurgents. They arrested every citizen they
could find, and upon threats of death pressed
them into their service. This was done with
ont respect TO persons, including many ne
groes.
This done. the United States Arsenal the
government ay-house, in which, it is said. a
large amount of money was deposited on Sat
works, were taken possession of by the mob,
appropriating to themselves arms, ammuni-
tion and other weapons of defence.
Some were Of opinion that the object was
one of plunder, to rob the government of the
funds. full wagon load Of guns We're given
from toe arsenal To beligerents outside.
The Captain Of the outlaw band, or q person
who seemed 10 be prime mover, was q middle
aged man with grey hair, beard and NOUS
tache. His name was signed to paper, OK
note, as Andreas, or something similar thereto.
He assumed TO be the chief Of the insnrrec-
tiouists, and was heard to say, in addressing
the conductor, that ..if you knew me and un-
derst TODD my motives as well as and others
understand them, you would not blame me SO
much.D
This person also announced in bold, deter
mined manner, that II he was interfered with
o. r pae tAd set