The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1884-11-19
An HIstorlc spot at Auction.

It is ninety years since the government
purchased Harper's Ferry, and with it GAG
acres oflaud from the State of Virginia, to,be
used for the manufacture of arms. It is to
be sold at public auction by the govern
meut shortly. In 177i, during the admin
istratiou of Cen Washington, sHarpers
Ferry was chosen as the site of O. national
armory. It is said that this selection was
made by the Tgther of his Country he hay
ing visited the place in person. The water
power is immense, some supposing it to be
the finest in the world In 1894 Congress
applied to the General Assembly of Virgin
ia for permission to buy this property, and
Of course permission was granted but not
to exceed $40 acres. One hundred and
twenty acres we're purchased from the heirs
Of Harper. A subsequent purchase was
made of 80 acres from o Mr.. Rutherford.
The government, desiring to secure the val
liable timber Of London Heights. leased in
perpetuity 1 1886 acres from Lord Fairfax,
Immediately adjoining Harper's Ferry
Thus prepared, the government at once
set to work the erection Of shops. In 1893.
during the administration of John Adams,
in anticipation of war with France, the gov
ernment organized a considerable army for
defense. A portion of the forces was sent
under Gen. Pinckney into camp at this
place, and the ridge ON which they were
stationed has ever since been known as
Camp Hill When the war closed many of
the soldiers settled at this place. The spirits
Of those buried here are said to be regular
visitors to the old inhabitants, causing these
houses to remain teuantless and known as
the haunted houses. The negroes, who APP
pear to be especially favored with spiritual
manifestations, bear unanimous testimony
to these reports. The more recent history
of the place is best known. Here John
Brown struck his blow for the freedom of
the slaves capturing the arsenal on the
night of October 16, 1853, fighting all day
on the 18th, seeing his sons and near
friends shot down about him, and finally on
that evening returning to the little engine
house as a last stronghold where the forces
gathered against him the next morning
capturing him and his two remaining men,
killing one outright wOundiug the other,
and, after piercing the leader of the band
with their bayOnets, reserving him for the
hangman, who did his work on the follow
ing December 2, at Charleston, turning the
remains over TO the sOrr0wing widow at
Harpers Ferry the same day. Less than
two years later the echo of John Browns
blow was heard at this very spot, when the
al 9NLAll ll.l lla
for the manufacture of more arms. were
captured 10y the Confederates without a
blow. The place was recaptured by the
Union troops afterward, but not until the
more valuable machinery had been carried
off to Richmond for use by the Confederate
| Government in the manufacture of arms.
1t was recaptured by SJonewall Jackson in
| 1862 just before the battle of Antietam,
| later by the Union forces again. The for
tunes of war left it a wreck the buildings
| burned and demolished, and nothing is now
| left to remind the visitor of the many tragic
| scenes enacted there except the foundation
of the old building and the little engine
house where John Brown made his last
stand, which, by some means, escaped the
| general destruction about it, aud now
stands near the railroad station labeled in
large letters, John Browns fort. Cor
resD0ndcnce Ne10 Y0r5 Telegram.