, 1885-06-18
AT HARPER'S FERRY.
AN ex-coNFEDERATE's TESTIMONY
AS TO JOHN BROWNS COURAGE.
Fight Of the Raiders Mt the Engine-Houso
Described by One of Brown
Prlsonsrs-why Brown
Was Not Killed.


upon all subjects except slavery. Upon
hat subject he was a religious fanatic,
and believed IL was his duty to free the
,laves. even II In doing so he lost his own
de.
During a sharp fight one of Browns
sons was killed He fell then trying to
iaisc himself, he said. 1T is all over with
ne. - and died instantly.
brown did not leave his post at the port
lole, but when the firing ceased he walked
10 his sons body. Strengthened out his
limbs. took off his t%rappings, then. turn.
ing to me, said: This is The
,hird son have lost in this
,ause - Another son had been shot In
he morning. and was then dying. having
been brought in from the street. While
Brown was a murderer. yet | was con
strained to think that he was not q
vicious man, but was crazed upon the
iub,cct of slavery. Often during the
affair In the engine.house. when his men
would want to fire upon some one who
might be passing. Brown would stop
Them, saying. "Don't shoot; that man is
nnarmed The firing was kept up by
| our men all day until late at night, and
during This time several of his men were
killed but, as | said before, none of the
prisoners were hurt though in great
danger.
During the day and night many PROPOSE.
ions pro and con were made, looking to
Browns surrender and the release of the
prisoners. but without result.
When Col. Lee came with the govern
ment troops, at l o'clock at night. he at
once sent a flag of truce by his aide, j. T.
b.. Stuart, to notify Brown of his arrival,
| and in the name OF the United States to
demand his surrender. advising him to
throw himself upon the clemency Of the
government.
Brown declined to accept Col. Lees
terms. and determined to await the at
tack.
When Stuart was admitted and a light
brought he exclaimed: why, aren't you
/ old Cssawatomie Brown, of Kansas, whom
| once had there as my prisoner" So \ es, >"
was the answer, but YOU did not keep
me. This was the first intimation we
had rs TO Browns true name. He had
been engaged in the Kansas border war.
and had come from there TO Harper's
Ferry. When Col. Lee advised Brown
to trust TO the clemency of the govern
ment. he responded that he knew what
that meant-a rope for his mon and him
self-adding, 81 prefer 10 die. just here. /"
Stuart told him he would return Mt
early morning for his final reply, and left
him. When he had gone. Brown at once
proceeded TO barricade the doors, win
lows, Cue, cuuchNOTlnB 10 Hahc Lht llhtc
as strong as possible.
During ali this time no one of Browns
men showed the slightest fear. but calmly
waited the attack, selecting the best stu
atoms To fire from upon the attacking
party, and arranging their guns and pls-
tolls so that a fresh one could be taken up
as soon as one was discharged. During
the night | had a long talk with Brown,
and told him that he and his men were
committing treason against the state and
the United States. Two of his men. hear
ing the conversation, said to their leader;
Are we committing treason against our
country by being here1" Brown an-
swered. Certainly. " Both said. ~If that
is so We don want to fight any more. We
thought we came to libcrate the slaves.
and did not know that wa committing
treason. "
Roth Of these men were killed in tho
attack on the engine house when Brown
was taken.
When Lieut.. Stuart came in the morn
ing for the inal reply to the demand to
surrender | got up and went to Browns
side to hear his answer.
Stuart asked Arc you ready TO sur.
render and trust to the mercy Of the
government
Brown answered promptly, NO |
prefer TO die here.
His manner did not betray the least
fear. Stuart stepped aside and made the
signal for the attack. which was Instantly
begun with sledge-hammers to break down
the door.
Finding il would not yield. the soldiers
seized a long ladder for u battering-ram.
and commenced beating the door with
that, the party within firing inc ssantly.
j had assisted in the barricading. fixing
tho faufautnUa IN that could rnmOvQ
them upon the first effort 10 get in But
l was not at the door when the battering
began. and could moi get to the fastenings
until the ladder was used ! then quickly
removed the %fastenings. and after two oil
three strokes Of the ladder the engine
rolled partially back. making a sinai
aperture through which Lieut.. Green, OF
the marines. forced himself. jumped on
top of the engine. and stood a second in
the midst of a shower of balls looking fol
John Brown. When he saw Brown he
sprang about twelve feet at him, and gave
an underthrust of his sword. striking him
about midway Of the body and raising
him completely from the ground
Brown fell forward with his head be
tween his knees. and Green struck him
several times upon the head. and, as
then supposed. split his skull at every
stroke.
was not two feet from Brown at tina
time. OF course. | got out of the build
ing as soon as possible. and did not know
till some time later that Brown was no
killed 1t seems That In making The
thrust Green's sword struck Browns bel
and did not penetrate he body. TIL
sword was bent double. The reason that
Brown was not killed when struck on tn,
head was that Green was holding hi
sword In the middle, striking with TIT
hilt and making only scalp wounds
When Governor Wise came and was OK
aiming Brown heard the questions ant
answers, and no lawyer could have uset
more careful reserve, while at the sam
time he showed no disrespect GOyerno
Wise Was asfonished at the answers he re
Gel we'd from Brown.
A ter some controversy between tn
United States aud the state of Nirginil
as TO which hal jurisdiction over the pris
oners, Brown was carried to Charleston
Jail. and after a fair trial was hanged
OF course / was a witness at the trial
and must say that / have never seen an,
man display more courage and fortitud
thai John Brown showed under the try
ing circumstances in which he Was placed
/ cou d not go to sec him hanged lie ha'
made me q prisoner. but had spared m
lite and that of other gentlemen In hi
power. and when his sons were sho
down be8idc him almost any other maj
similarly sithntcd would at least ave "a
acted life for life
A fncline of furnishing goods, hats an
caps. etc cheap at Hellman's.