River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-06-24
JOHN BROWNS FORT
The Memorable Old Property Under
the Hammer.
Corr. Baltimore American.


important only as the seat of an inn
portant United States armory and ar
senal. Just previous to the commence
ment of hostilities it gained a world
wide notoriety as the spot where that
enthusiast, John Brown, and his hand
| full OF followers struck the blow that led
to a four years war. During this war 1t
was only known as n stragetlc point OF
some importance, alternately occupied
| by the union and rebel armies. Since
the war it has descended to a mere
junction where two or three trains daily
on the Winchester and Potomac rail-
road connect, or Ill most instances fail
to connect, with two or three more on
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. Stu
ated on the western bank of the Poto-
mac and northern shore of the Shenan-
doah where it rushes into the former
| stream, it possesses natural beauties of
| a striking character. 1t has, however,
evidently never recovered from the eff
| fleets of the war Its glory has depart
| ed The two streets it boasts, and
which run parallel with the two streams
| which form its eastern and southern
| boundaries, are lined with scattered,
roofiess and dilapidated houses. Swine
revel in shady spots i'll its thorough
| fares, and its gorgeous piles of rock,
which tower up like Gibraltar above
the town, are emblazoned with adver-
tisements of liver pills, stomach pads,
and stove polish. The only occupation
apparently followed by the citizens is
vending pies and eggs, and bare-footed
men and boys cry their wares at the car
windows of every train that passes. As
| long ago as Dec. 10, 1868, congress
passed IAN act to provide for the sale of
| the lands, tenements, and water prlvi-
| leges belonging to the United States at
or near Harper's Ferry, Jefferson coun-
ty, w. Va" and in accordance with
that act and subsequent legislation, the
! property was advertised by Judge Ray
ner, solicitor of the treasury, and to-day
offered for sale
That around which old association
clustered and which was considered the
most valuable upon the catalogue not
on this account, however, was lot 1.
Here stood the ruins of the old arlnory
buildings, and upon brick structure
about 40 feet long by twenty wide--as if
to keep the episode fresh in the minds
of the people-was painted in large let
tiers, one word over each of three arched
doors. "John Browns Fort" Here it
was that on the 10th of October, 1859,
after a campaign of nearly year with
an army of score of men, John Brown
was driven after taken possession of the
| United States arsenal and detied the
government of The whole country for
nearly twenty-four hours A short
sketch of the career of this remarkable
man is not out of place just here. His
fort" may be destroyed, and the ruins
of the arsenal, which he so CALAMITY de-
Tended against such fearful odds will, III
all probability, in short time be RACED
to the ground, but the objects and aims
for which he rebelled have been accom-
plished, and his deeds in 1859 led to
greater results than were ever the object
of his widest anticipation. John Brown
was born in Torrington, Conn, May 9,
1900; he was direct descendant from
Peter Brown, who landed from the May
flower His youth and manhood were
spent in Ohio. He was of strong anti
slavery opinions, and instilled the same
into his family of and daughters. In
1855 he went to Kansas, his sons having
already preceded him. Here he, with
his four boys, took part in the border
warfare which marked the history of
that state at that period, and gained a
reputation as partisan leader and hard
| fighter, which brought upon him the
hatred and fear of the pro-slavery ma
rauders. Having kept about score of
his followers together, in 1858 he an
nounced to them that henceforth they
were to serve in Virginia instead of Kan
sas, and that Harper's Ferry would be
| the scene of their operations against the
shareholders. For the furtherance of
his plans Brown relied upon the fugitive
| slaves, and for the purpose of inducing
them to cooperate with him, he called
a convention, of the Sons of Freedom in
Canada, in 1858, where a provisional
constitution. embodying Browns opin-
ions, was adopted. In June he hired
| farm about six miles from Harper's
Ferry, where he made his headquarters,
and to which arms, ammunition, and
other supplies were secretly removed.
His army now numbered twenty-five
men. Seventeen white and five colored.
In selecting Harper's Ferry for the first
attack, Brown had in view the capture
of the United States arsenal, where 200,-
600 stand of arms were usually stored.
This place once in his possession, he
expected the slave population of the
south would at once rally to his support,
when he would retire to the mountains
and inaugrate a general war About 10
o'clock on Sunday night, October 16,
| 1859, Brown and his men entered the
town, and having extinguished the street
| lamps, overcame the three watchmen
who had charge of the arsenal and took
possession. The Waterman on the
bridge was also captured and the east
ward bound train which arrived about
l A. NJ. on the morning of the 18th
stopped Citizens of Harper's Ferry
were made prisoners, confined in the
arsenal and their houses searched for
arms. AT daylight the train was allow
ed to proceed. A negro who refused
to join Browns forces was shot while at
tempting to escape. The citizens dur
ing the morning made desultory attacks
on the arsenal, the fire being returned
and a number ON both sides being killed
and wounded. Up to noon Browns forces
had been increased by only six negroes,
whom he compelled to join him. Armed
Virginia MALTA poured into the town
during the day reduced Browns forces
to three uninjured white men, besides
himself and few negroes. With these
and his wounded he retreated to the en-
CINE house THE building known as his
fort, and here repulsed an attack of
his assailants, with loss to them of two
killed and six wounded. Here a body
of United States marines effected his
capture Oh the morning of October Is,
after battering down the doors with ar
tilery and a desperate hand-to-hand
fight. His trial took place in Charles
town Va, on the 9th to 31st of October,
and he was sentenced to be hanged
and executed at that place Dec. 2. 1859.
The old guard house still bears marks
of the artillery,its walls being pierced
balls, and one of its doors torn away.
On the 18th of April, 1861, the arsenal
buildings were buried by party ofrebel
troops and they have remained in a
ruinOus condition ever since.
The water power of the Potomac and
Shenandoah rivers is considered the
most valuable in the country, and when
it was announced that the government
intended to sell the property it was
hoped that it would be purchased by
some northern capitalist who would uti-
re the power and, by the introduction
of manufacturing industries, build up
the town. Another customer was ex-
,o,tol d. o,NI Ohio Il