The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1864-04-21
General r. E. Lee and J ohm Efown.

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The following, extract from d Hafper'6
Ferry letter to the Pittsbnrg Chronicles is-
believed to be in the main Correct: taav9
1t was not known to m until YESTERDAY.
and may possible be unknown TO You. that
CoL. =. Lee, United States, Armv. now
General Lee, Confederate forces, was one of
the Chief actors in the prologue to the
tragic national drama, the different aet6 of
which the whole country has been watching
with such exciting interest for the past three
years: 1t is nevertheless, the fact. bowev.
er. Let mo tell you about it briefiy. iOld
John Brown, had not only worked at the
arsenal at Harpet's Ferry, but was inti-
mately acquainted with the details of tba
works, aud knew, besides, what b1ildind
among the ruins of some fifty now ren1aine
ing was the strongest for defense.
This was the engine houss, and aftef
m aking little raid to Halltown, and cap-
turing Colonel Lewis Washington, among
other slave owners of the Shenandoah VAL
ley, be moved back to the Ferry. and an
sconced himself with hfs twenty followers fn
the engine house. The alarm throughouE
Harpef's Ferry that night was terrible: and
during the whole of the following Iive.loug
day Brown held his position, and having
made PORTFOLIOS through the brick walls:
shot several citizens who had the temeritv
to show themselves about the building:
The lockers on were terror-stricket, and
two thousand Virginia mititianen, with
their captains, colonels, and generals. WIN
had assembled in the vicinity of John
Browns stronghold; not Knowing the fotes
thatThe really had, were com pleteiy rotis
piussed, and waited anxiously for the gov
ernment troops from Washington, who had
been sent for 1
By three O'Clock the following morning
sixty marines under, the immediate COM
mand of Lieut.. Green, but directed By Col:
Robert Il. Lee, reached the ferry bv cars
from the capital. Colonel Lee ordered his
detail to stand under arms in the public
street until sunrise, when he Conduct the
men, he himself leading them, to the front
of the building fortified and occupied by
Brown. The lockers on viewed this sol:
dieriy movemsnt with astonishmeut and
awe, expecting to see Colonel Lee shot down
as others had been. But not shot was firad
Lieut. Green was ordered to demand sur
render. He knocked at the door of the en-
gine house. John Brown asked Who goes
there?' Lieut.. Green5 United States Ma
rines, who, by the authority of Colonel Lee!
demands an immediate surrender Il refuse
it, said Brown, unless I, with my men, are
allowed to cross the bridge into MARYLAND!
unmoested, after which you can take us
prisoners if you can.'
Lee refused to allow this; and ordered
Lieut.. Green to renew his demand for an
immediate and unconditional sur-ender.-
John Brown refused those terms: and four
of the marines, who had got tremendous
sledge hammers from the works, began bat
tering at the door of the engine house.
The engine had been moved against the
door, and it would not yield. Ten of you,'
said Lee, take that ladder and break down
the door, Five on each side, the soidierS
drove the ladder against the door. and at the
third stroke it yielded and fell back. Col.
Lee and the marines jumped fn-one man
John Brown shot through the heart-aud
then was overpowered and surrendered.-
Col. Washington, with other citizans, was
released, and John Brown handed over to-
th civil authorities. after which Col. Les
took the train to Washington again.
And such is the historical episode which
I listened to last night from citizen who
was himself witness to it. Who knows
how much it may have influenced Robert
E. Lee 10 forSake the flag of the United
States and become chieftain in the rebel
cause? s-&