The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-01-07
"reminiscences Of John Brown.
HIS EXPERIENCE IN VIRGINIA.
THE EXEUUTlON sUENE.

HIS EXPERIENCE IN VIRGINIA.
THE EXECUTION sUENE.
George Alfred Townsend contributes to the
Chicago Tribune long account OF visit to
the scenes OF John Browns raid in Virginia,
tom which we borrow few paragraphs.
THE NIGHT MARCH.
Twenty-Five men, making the advance of
Slls grand army OF John Brown, broke camp at
kennedy's Farm on Sunday, October 16, 1859,
at 10 O'Clock. There was haze On the noun
tains, and they marched in double file, follow
ed by their one horse wagon, filled with
spears and carbines. Old John Brown, with
b breeches tucked ia his boots, a sabre at
his side, pistol in his belt, and carbine over
his shoulder, led the way. He was thirty
years the senior of anyshiS troops, and his son
Oliver was probably the second in age. They
were all rough mountaineer crowd, the
presence of five negroes adding to their wild
audi bandit appearance, and their clothing
was common and coarse, wearing blankets,
and with boards unshorn. A party of Iro-
quios going on the war-path Icould not have
been mole grotesque. Halt way over the
hills, they came to place where they could
look at Harpers Ferry, a light or two sliding
down swift, broad river. In twenty minutes
more, their tread was on the railroad bridge,
where, on the central pier, old John Brown
commanded bis guard to stop anything from
passing over, from dog to locomotive. The
bridge Waterman, with cracked pistol at lis
nose, was marched down to the armory gate,
where the wagon stopped, and, while the
watchman was struck dumb. with dozen car
blue pointed at him they took Gro Wbar from
the vehicle, and wrenched off the gate chain.
The wagon passed in; the Waterman was
made TO unlock the engine house door; and
there the headquarters OF the first Army OF
the Potomac were definitely established.
"Nuw." said John Brown, with a grim -four
ish, II am John Brown, Ossawattanie
Brown! You know me! from Kansas! This
slave State. aud have come to break the
yoke OF the people. am the possessor. de
fdcto, of the United States armsry. The cit
izeus shall have protection unless they inter-
fere With me; and 1t they do, l shall burn the
town and have blood"
He had the most nasal sort of down-east
twang, and the Waterman saw that the long
taikeu Of abolllionists were coming In truth.
THEY STOP THE TRAIN.
Then Brown sent off two squads of men,
one OF SIX commanded oy Stevens, to country
houses where influential shareholders lived ian
other OF two to Halls rife works. He pro-
ceeded to interrogate the Waterman npon the
contents OF the shops, aud In this act the
whistle of the night express train sounded
along the Potomac.
Tue scene Of all that now occurred Is very
contracted, an a map OF 1t may b. drawn In
paragraph; the two broad brawling rivers
meet at au acute angle; two railroads run on
trestles down both marquis, and unite upon a
bridge, third of a mile long. that crosses the
Potomac. Between the Two railways the
main street winds Oft the bridss,passes hotel
and files between the arsenal and the atmory,
neither OF them a stones throw from The
bridge. The Armory is walled and gated I;
just inside the gate tue little brick engine
house SANDS, two great doors oil iron In 1.-two
fire el Rines on the brick floor within. liyhls
over tue door, but no windows anywhere. and
br,cked off at the end Is a wa;chuan's col,
very narrow, where John Brown had built a
TIRE and was warming himself when the train
came sounding in. The old man paid no at
tsulion to the train, and the cars stopped on
the tIaste platform, with the engine ahead
on the bridge. At this moment The santiuels
OF the Grand Army CHARGED on the engineer
apd fl eman, aud lhade them back off.
"What's the matter?"
'sbAck OF! You can't pass! I'll blow your
head away If you ask any questions"
The whistle blew; train backed on the tres
ties; all the passengers got OF, sIeepily, to de-
maEd the cause OF the delay. Immediately a
carbine cracked on the bridge, and black
watchman, shriekine, ran down to the plat
form, shot through the back MORALLY. He
had goue Gown to look tor tue other watch
mae, whom John Brown had takea, and, be-
Ing challenged to halt and carry one Of free
dom's pixies, had put to his heels. His was
the first blood shed on the Potomac. As be
lay dying at the station, the confusion among
the passengers was intense; some screamed,
some fed, some produced pistols and fired at
large. A "strike" on the road, an emeute in
the Armory, a negro rising, were preached In
turn, aud in the midst of 1t all old John
Brown and his two or three at headquarters
deued the passengers to come in line of their
e1rbtnes.
Shots were Immediately exchanged and the
railway was speedily cleared. This cummo.
ton called up many towuspeople, and death
and absurdlty seemed to be aoout equal In
the night, when the latter triumphed In
Browns nasal command, Let the United
States mail go on!'
Several Rsrper's Ferryans, badly frightened
lett with the cars, and, except steallhy pat
lid citizen or two, peep!ng from some nook
the town was cleared again. The grim Old
commander, flushed with bis success, pro-
ceeded. by the light of a pine torch held by
ore of his staff, to look at the government,
stock and accounts. There was treasury o.
gold coin few feet from Where he sal, OIL
wlchh he, unfortunately was not advised
Had be discr vered this and set up cash re-
cruiting otfica In the village, who knows but
he might have enlisted the whole population.
Directly, the .ound of teams was heard In the
streets, and The trusty sentinels at the armory
gate answered the watchword with dignifed
"Alps wellv'
WARRINGTON IN CUSTODY.
A fine carriage and span entered the GOV
ernplent grounds, followed by four horse
wagon, and Captain Stevens, after filing
about dozen slaves into the enslne-house,
introduced the Commander-in-Ch Chief to Mr..
Lewis Washington and to one of his neigh
bors. The blood OF the Washingtops met in
hand-shake with that OF the Browns
North Elba with Mount Vernon. Old Brown
of Washington, presented to the latter by
Frederick the Gteat OF Prussia, The dress
pistols OF LAFAYETTE soon adorned the same
grizzly figure. and thus houored with testlmo-
mails from all the couquerOrs, be addressed
Lewis Washington with deep nasal gra.
ci0usness:
TT is a trife keool, sir! hev fire in the
watchhouse. must take good care OF you,
sir. The addition OF your name TO my cause
will have its moral effect"
Here Mr.. Washington's negroes appeared,
armed with picks, looking very absurd and
paraiytic. Ossawattamie placed them on
guard with great elaboration, and reminded
them that they were within musket shot.
81 hev concluded that slavery hez gone far
enough, Mr.. Washington he said; "my
cause will not permit its continuance. take
the responsibility, sir! Do you hev an eye 10
yourselves, gentlemen! II there is to be any
fighting You are my hostages. My life Is as
good as yours"
Within, at this critical time, fbe scene was
Browns sons was howing with thirst and
pain, unatic and tossing under the engine
wheels, beside the dead body Of his brother.
Others were rigid around the doors. The
trembling slaves Chartered together in the
rear. The fambeaux, that had burned out