Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1878-10-26
VIRGINIA FREE PRESS.
4. I. 4 Y. F.D. GALLAHEl. EDITORS
Charlestown, Jefferson Co., w. Va.
OFFICE IN JEFFERSON BUILDING.
Saturday, October 90. 1878.
Jonn Browns Raid Brought to Mind.
From the ChdmLerSJuTg Herdld.

While wAding IN the Potomac River, one
day last week, Charles McCarty ran across
something on the bottom. 1t proved To be a
Snarps carbiue. On Sunday evening, Get. II,
1859. little band of seventeen whites aud
five colored meu entered II Hrrer's Ferry -
They seized the watchman at the UUited
States arsenal aud at the abroad bridge over
the Potomac rte iahAbltaptS ol the town
as they appeared, were arrested aud c1u.ined
in the guard house, aud the trains of the Bal
timore aud ONO road were all stopped On
Monday morning the insurgents had complete
possession OF the town aud all the Government
pr,eerty., ..4.....
At half past y noon, a company Of militia
arrived ON ChaIlestowu, and were placed IN
squads, Commanding every place OF eSl, from
the town. Tiey charged TIE Shczanloah
bridge, killing 81 luSurgeil and captuIlng one
The lille works AT the arsenal were stUrued.
and five insurgents were driven from II /" the
Potomac, They plunged 90 and %Gdei 10 a
rock, where they fought two hundred Virgin
iins, who lined the banks on both sides. A.
the battle ragged twoof them fell killed by the
bullets Of the chiyalry TaH, J9bp Browns
Secretary of War. was nle ol the k.l'ci
William W Lamar, one { Brow : Cap
tains, plunged OIL the rock, ami was followed
10y scores OF the attacking party. He drop
ped his carbine, aud Virgiuian waled after
him Turning to his pur.uerS he threw up
his empty hands aud cried, Don't shoot. "
but the Nrglnan fired 4 revolver right in his
face aud blew his brains ont. The recapture
Of llarpcrs Ferry by the United States forces
i, familiar 10 our readers, and need not be re-
told
The misrepresentation con;Ained in the
above have been corrected almost hundred
times Yet they are, to SubServe political ends,
persevered in, by miserable fanatics. At this
late day, we will not coudeScond 70 correct the
errors of fact in the above from a Chambers
burg, Pennsylvania paper, but we will call at
tention to the spirit Of the article ltsneers at
the "chicahy who opposed The raid Of John
Brown and his murderous crew To this we
call particular attention 4 miserable bri-
gaud from Kansas. who had been guilty Of
numbering, without provoci lou, numerous iu-
offensive citizens u that then territory, trans
ferred his murderous operations to this (Jeffer-
son County, Va.,l aud, at Ilarpers Ferry, en-
tered at the dark hour Of midnight, with a
band of asslSsius. took possession of the town,
imprisoned its citizens as fast as they srose
from their beds, aud at daylight commenced
shooting down every man who presented him
self not known to be friend of the brigands,
aud shot down the mayor Of the town and
some of the best citizens of the Cjunty, in cold
blood. men whom they did not know and who
had never offended them. Yet the fanatics Of the
North. ike the Chamuersburg Herald, snser at
the conduct of the Virginians in resisting such
A murderous raid upon the people The truth
IS. Virginia committed an error in giving such
4 crew tie honor Of trial by jury. All OF
them should have been swung up on the near
Est tree or shot down lie sheep killing dogs
But for the fact that the article in the Cham
oersburs Herald has been copied in the New
York City Sun to our suTprise) aud in mang
,ther papers Of the North, We shcrll not have
leemed it Of sufficient importance to notice,
II this late day, the misrepresentation alluded
10. JUSTICE