Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-10-26
The Hharper's Ferry 1nsurreetion.


count We have seen, of the instruction.
which occurred on Sunday night the 10th
inst:
On Sunday night at IL o'clock, the TWEEN
tY-twO-ivc being free nesrOes-scized the
watch-man at the railroad bridge and con-
fined him. Sixteen then took possession
of the arsenal and armory; six passed
through the town. went five miles and too<
Mr.. Washington and his slaves prisoners
and brought them to the Ferry. At day
light the country was aroused and horsemcn
dispatched everywhere. A number of cit
izcns were seized by the insurgents and
imprisoned in the armory; the train was
stopped; an insurgent guard was at the
arsenal now and then a man was shot by
the guard or from the arsenal; the people
shut and barricaded their houses; seven
insurgents attempted to ta.e possession of
the rifle worAs on the Shenandoah side.
but some three hundred armed men had
gathered armed with rifles. and six out of
the seven insurgents were killed from the
heights. Along in the day of Monday the
INSURGENTS moved from the armOry to the
Fire Engine House. Military was con-
stantly arriving from thie country around.
and the insurgent guard at the bridge were
driven to the armory rounds.-ThiS engine
house is in the armOry grounds, near the
arsenal.
One of the rebels, named Tagg, was Ia
ken prisoner and confined in the hotel -
At 9 o'clock Monday, F. Bcchham, Esq,
Mayor of the town, and Ticket Agent Of
the Ohio & Baltimore railroad. stepped out
on the platform of the railroad and was
shot. He fell and died instantly. He laid
on the platform for over an hour, no per-
son daring to 60 near him, as the position
was commanded from the engine house.
As soon as Mr.. Beckham was shot a pro-
position was made to kill Tagg, which pre-
vailed. and he was brought out on the bridge
and shot. and thown into the river. and a
volley of bullets sent into his body as it
Law on the roc s where it lodged.
A charge was then made by the railroad
men on the fire engine house, led by Mr..
Alburtis, Editor of the Martinsburg Re
publican and Mr.. Murphy, Prosecuting At
torney of that county.
Two of the attacking party were killed
and five wounded. but although some of the
prisoners were rescued. the attack was not
successful. the brave fellows who led it not
being properly sustained. Monday closed
in that manner. During the evening and
night several of the citizens and Colonel
Shriver visited the engine house under flags
of truce, and conferred with Brown. for the
purpose of inducing him to capitulate. but
he would listen to no terms except that lie
and his men should be allowed a free and
protected pass to the mountains. This the
citizens refused to grant, and Brown assured
them that he would die fighting. At ~
o clock Col. Shriver visited Brown and of
fered him protection from the wrath of the
people and safe conduct to Jail, but he
sc%ornfully refused it. saying he knew his
fate, and he preferred to meet it with his
rife in his hands. to dying for tbs amusc-
ment Of a crowd.
The L. S. Marines arrived from Wash
incton before day break, Tuesday morning.
took possession Of the Armory grounds. and
the Maryland troops took possession Of the
streets of the town; at seven A. NJ. the
streets we're cleared of all except the militia
ry. After the futile attempt to get Brown
to surrender. the Marines. under Maj. Rus
sell. attacked and took the Engine House,
mot the Armory as previous accounts have
had it,
The engine house contained two fire en-
gines and a hose carriage. which incommo-
ded the marines greatly on entering. The
who were prisoners separated from
the insurgents and were recognized by the
Marines. and mont were injured. After
the Marines entered they were compelled
to fire at the rebels. A son of Browns
was Killed. ball passing through his
bDly near the left nipple. J.P. Anderson
was shot in the abdomen and mortally
,unded. Old Brown was cut to the floor
By the sabre of Lieut.. Green of the Marines,
who acted in a fearless 4 An in
surgent, named Edward Copie, one of
Browns sons, who had been seriously
wounded during Monday, and a negro,
named Gains, were taken prisoners. Two
dead bodies were lying in the engine house,
one of which was that of James Hazi.tt of
Ohio, and the other that Of. G. Johns IN.
of Connecticut. The bodies Of the dead and
dying men were brought out and laid on
the grass, and it was impossible to keep the
crowd back. Capt. Brown told the crowd
not to maltIeat him, that he was dying, and
that soon he would be beyond all injury.
Major Russ,ll had him conveyed into a
room of one Of the Departments. and kind
ordered all attention to be paid him
Brown looked up, and recognizing Major
Russell. said, You entered first. | could
have killed you. but l spared you" In
reply to which the Major bowed and said,
"a thank you"
The reporter of the Baltimore Exchange
ri res an account of his interview with Capt.
In answer to questions, Capt. B.
M, name il John Brown. 1 I'M well
known. Ihave been known as Old Brown
Kansas. I'm from Litchfeld, Connec-
lieut., and have lived iii divers places,
Two of my sons were killed here to-day,
md I'm dying too. cane here "a Hberatc
slaves, and was to receive no reward. Ii
AVE acted from a sense of duty, and am
content to await my fate. but L thiLk the
,rowd have treated me badly. I'm an old
nan and yesterday l could have killed
whom | chose, but | had no desire to kill
my person, and would not have killed a
nan had they not tried to kill me and my
men. 1 could have sacked and burnt the
own, but id not; l have treated the per-
ons whom l took as hostages kindly. and
appeal to them for the truth of what l
ay. l am 63 years old.
REPRESENTATION did you 6ras conceive
his movc?!"
Broun.-"While in Kansas. After
ny property was destroyed, one of my sons
Tiled and my happiness destroyed by the