Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-10-29
THE INsUnRECT1ON At HAIR.
pHR'S FERRY.


attempts ut insurrection discovered
IL this country, occurred It Hsrpsr's Fss-
~, Va, on the 18th inst Captain Bro "a
Of Kansas uotoriety, assisted by cosfeder>
ates from different parts x the North,
stsalthily. and with rsnasaAbh Success.
took possession Of the U. 8 Arsenal q
that place, arrested many of the PromineI
citizens, liberated their slaves, placed
weapons IN their hands, and compelled
them to take part in their reasonable
movements. The object was to incite in
surrection araong the slaves, and exter.
inmate slavery in Maryland aud Western
Virginia. II is the opening Of that
irrepre.sible conflict" against slavery in
the States which has become the cardinal
doctrine Of the Republican party, when
in tho language Of Giddiugs the Southern
cities shall be lighted up with tie torch Of
the incendiary, and the slaves, arus nikh
British muskets, and led on BY b ID
officers, shall drive the las. vsstige Of sla-
very from the American continent. s...
We have the following account of the
transaction - ..s.-a ..,..ss .s.1. ,-am
The principal originator of this short
but bloody existence Of this insarreetion
was undoubtedly Capt. john Brown, whose
connection With scenes Of violence in the
border warfare Of Kansas then made bis
name familiarly notorious With the
whole country. .au #,s saa gaHa
Brown made his first appearance 10 the
vicinity Of IIarpers Ferry more than
year ago, accompanied by his two sons,
the whole party assuming the name Of
Smith. He inquired about land in the
vicinity, and made investigations about
the probability Of finding ores, and for
some time boarded at Sandy Point, mile
east Of the Ferry. After On absence Of
some mosths he resppsarsd in the vicin-
ity, and ne elder Brown rented u leased
farm on the Maryland aide about four
miles from the Ferry. They bought a
large number Of picks and spades, and
this confirmed the belief that they intend
ed 70 mine for ores. They were seen fire.
quently in and about Harpers Ferry, but
no suspicion seems to have existed that
Bill Smith was Capt. Brown, Or that be
intended embarking in any movement 80
desperate or extraordinary, yet the devel- ?
opement Of the plot leaves no Doubt that
his visits to the Ferry and his lease Of the
farm were all parts Of his preparation for
the instruction, which he supposed would
be successful in exterminn,ing slavery 10
Maryland and Western Virginia.
The FIRST active movement in tho in.
surrection was made about half-past ten
10 clock Sunday night. VIM. Williamson,
the Waterman on the Hsrper's Ferry
bridge, whilst walking across towards the
Maryland side. was seized by number Of
men, who said that he was their prisoner
and must come with them. He recoe-
nized Brown and Cook among the men,
and knowing them, hs treated the matter
As joke; but, enforcing silence, they con.
Quoted him TO the Armory, which he found
already in their possession. He was re.
tanned till after daylight and then dis
charged. The Waterman who was to re-
heve Williamson at midnight found the
bridge lights all out, and was Immediately
seized. Surprising it an attempt at rob-
berry, he broke away, and his purs, e.s
stumbling over, he escaped.
The next appearance Of tho insurgents
was at the house Of Lewis Washington, q
large farmer and slave owner, living about
four miles from the Ferry. A party head.
cd By Cook proceeded there, aroused Col
w., aud told him be was their prisoner
they also seized all the slaves near the
house, and took a carriage and horses and
large wagon with two horses. When
Col. Washington saw Cook he Immediately
recognized him as man who had called
upon him some months previous, to whom
he had exhibited some valuable arms in
his possession. including an antique sword
presented by Frederick the Great to Gen.
George Washington, aud pair Of pistols
presented by Gen. Lafayette to Washing.
ton, both being heir-looms in the family.
From Col. Washington's the party pro.
ceeded with him, IS prisoner, in his own
carriage and twelve Of his negro es, in the
wagon. to the house of Mr.. Allstadt and
his son, a lad sixteen years Of age, were
taken prisoners, and all the negroes within
reach being forced 10 Join the movement,
they returned to the Armory at the Ferry.
All these movements seem to have been
made without the slightest alarm in the
town, nor did the detention of Capt. |
Phelps train at the upper end Of the town,
attract attention. 1t was not until the
town was fairly walked up, and they found
the bridge guarded by armed men, and a
guard stationed At all the avenues, that
'ha people found that they were prisoners.
A panic appears to have Immediately en-.
sued, and the number Of the instruction
lists At once increased from fifty, which
WAS probably their greatest force. includ-
ing the slaves, who were forced 70 join,
from Eve to six hundred. U.'.
In the mean time, number Of workmen
knowing nothing Of what had occurred,
entered the Armory and were successfully
taken prisoners, until they had at one
time not less than sixty men confined IN
the Armory. Among those thus entrapped
we're Armistead Ball, Chief Draughtsman
Of the Armory; Benjamin Mills, Master OF
the Armory, and J. L. p. Danger6eld,
Paymaster's Clerk. These three gentle.
men were imprisoned in the engine house
which afterwards became the chief fortress
Of the insurgents, and were not released
until after the final assault.
Another account by the train says that
the bridge across the Potomac was filed
with. the insurgents oil armed. Every
light in the town was extinguished, aud
the hotels closed all the streets we're in
the possession Of the mob, and every road
and lane leading thereto barricaded and
guarded. Men we're seen in every quar-.
ter armed with muskets and bayone.s -
They had arrested the citizens and pressed
them into service, including many negroes.
When this was done, the United States
A.sanal and (1nvernmani nau.hon.a 4,