The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-10-19
THE LATE REBELLION.
FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.

FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.
The following detailed and circumstantial ac-
count of the late insurrection at Harper's Ferry,
is from our own Reporter, who accompanied the
detachment of volunteers from this place on Mon
! day afternoon.
After sending my despatch from Monocacy, |
resumed my seat in the car, and the train
proceeded slowly, stopping at the different stations
Tor the purpose of getting news from the Ferry
on arriving at Weaverton, I learned that the
soldiers from the neighboring towns and the citi-
zens OF the surrounding country, who had gathered
In large numbers, armed, had driven the insur-
gents from the armory and that the latter had taken
refuge in building used as n ireengine house.
The train proceeded and stopped at Sandy Hook
one mile distant from the Ferry A despatch had
been received by Major Russell from Col. Lee, com
mander of the U. S. Marines, ordering the entire
military force to stop at that place and await his
arrival.
This order was obeyed. Here we found great
many men, citizens, with all styles of fire arms on
their shoulders, some of whom had just returned
from the Ferry, where they had participated in the
fight. We also met a number of women several of
whom were residents of the Ferry, but they had
fed for security. Some were weeping, whilst
Others were rehearsng to the eager listening crowd
the outrages which had been committed by the in
surgents
The train containing Col. Lee not arriving and as
it was uncertain when it would arrive being anxious
to reach the Ferry, and familiar with the road, l
concluded to walk, one companion volunteering to
accompany me. 1t had ceased raining and the
heavy clouds were breaking away. The rays of
the moon occasionally struggled through the
clouds, lighting the mountain sides, and giving
beautiful view of the confluence of the rivers and
the rugged sides of the pass The rain which had
fallen during the day made tn. u ..Miac bl l. bu
no difficulty was experienced, and we reached the
bridge in safety. Here we thought we would be
compelled to remain for some time, for we found
strong guard of soldiers at the mouth of the bridge
On approaching them, however, 1 found the Cap
tain of the guard to be my friend Capt Butler, of
ShepherdstOwn, and after a shake of the hand he
ordered two of his men to act as guard and escort
us across the bridge. At intervals guards were
placed on the bridge while the streets leading
thereto on the Ferry side were all guarded.
On gaining the Virginia side 1 found Colonel
r. W. Baylor in chief command, and after
hearing from him short account of the
state of affairs, he took me to a room where Law
one of the insurgents, who had been shot and cap
tured during the afternoon. He was stretched out
on bed, and surrounded by more than 20 persons,
some demanding that he should be shot where he
lay, others that he should be dragged from his bed
and hung The mans name was Stevens, and he
appeared to be suffering severely from his wounds,
there being two, in the head, and the other in
the abdomen, both having been made by small rifle
balls. | approached him and had the following
conversations
"What is your name?'
'Stevens," he replied.
''Where you from?"
"From the State of Connecticut"
"Tell me how many there arc of you, who are
the leaders, and what your intention was.''
'"There were twenty-five of US, and we were all
under Capt. John Brown. We came here to free
the negroes. Brown made us believe that we had
only to strike the blow and thousands of negroes
would join l have found that he deceived u.s.
and if had known what know now | would not
have been here. We were not to receive any
money for this work, and we had no design to rob
the paymaster's department feel very bad and
it hurts me too much to talk"
left this man still surrounded BY the crowd
many of whom were clamorous for his life. The
telegraph wires which had been cut were mended
by the operator who had accompanied the train,
and were working successfully east of the
Ferry, and sent you the second despatch.
met several prominent citizens of the place, who
gave the following information relative to the nsur
gents and the attack the town. The two principal
men were Brown and Cook. The latter came to
the Ferry about fifteen months ago. He deported
himself in a respectable manner, and during that
time courted young woman named Kennedy and
married her. He was a school teacher a man of
more than ordinary intelligence. Cook is about
five feet six inches high, delicate Frame with light
hair and fair complexion. Capt. Brown came to
the neighborhood of the Ferry about seven months
since. He rented small farm three and half
miles from Sandy Hook, in Maryland, ostensibly
for the purpose of cultivation but failing to turn
furrow, on inquiry of the neighbors he informed
them that he thought he could make more money
by hunting for minerals in the mountains, and that
he was making extensive preparations to work
considerable number of men. Accordingly he
ranged the country over, without exciting any sus-
picion, and received number of spades, picks and
shovels to be used in his proposed enter prise
About four months since his two sons, Oliver
and Watson Brown arrived. They accom-
pdnleu tner laInef through the mountains,
and it is supposed the three conversed
with the negroes, melting them to rebellion, and
made arrangements for the intended insurrecton
They were at the Ferry almost daily. The old
was a subscriber to Baltimore paper, which
he called for regularly, and although he conversed
Freely with citizens whose acquaintance he made,
yet he never by any word created the slightest
suspicion. He was intimate with the man Cook
and they were frequently seen talking together
Within the last two months several others of those
who composed the gang, were observed about the
Ferry. They all had the appearance of hard-work-
ing men, were quiet and well behaved, and while
they not employed at any time in any particu-
lar business or labor, they were known as friends
of Brown, and it was supposed they were men he
had employed in searching for minerals.
On Sunday evening Harpers Ferry was more
than ordinarily quiet, and long before eleven
O'Clock its citizens had retired to rest. At that
hour, Brown, with his twenty two men, (the true
number-of whom five were free negeoes,) entered
the railroad bridge from the Maryland side, and the
watchman at the bridge seized and made pri-
soner. They had one-horse covered wagon, such
as country people use for attending markets, with
them, in which were stored their guns, pixies, picks,
&c. Sixteen of the number went Immediately and
TOOK possession or the arsenal and the armory,
while six of them passed through the town, along
the turnpike road which leads to Charestown,
and went Immediately to the residence of
Lewis Washington, Esq.,, five miles from the city.
They entered his dwelling with false keys, and the
first information Mr.. Washington had of their pres
ence gentle rap at his chamber door,-with
the call washington" Mr.. Washington sprung
from his bed lit was now one o'clock and thinking
it was some friend, Immediately opened the door,
when to his surprise there stood four men, one of
whom holding a torch and the other three
Sharp's rifles, with the hammers raised. One of
them remarked, "M-. Washington, you have moth
ing to fear. We do not Intend njuring you, but
you must go with We have taken Harper's
Ferry, and it is our intention to free all
the slaves We want you as hostage
only Mr.. w. found that remonstrance
would be vain, and he accordingly dressed himself
and accompanied them On gaining the front of his
they had reused the servants for the purpose of
compelling them to join in the rebellion. They
also took Mr.. Washington's carriage and horses,
and then left for the Ferry. On the road back they
stopped at Mr.. John H. Alstadt's reused him from
his bed, and also his servants took his horses and
| wagon, and proceeded to the Ferry, where they
confined masters and servants in the arsenal the
latter refusing to bear arms. When daylight came
the most intense excitement prevailed. Extrava-
giant reports in regard to the number of the nsur-
AVID fbar IL IL.