News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-07-02

personal danger; they only wanted to
carry me to their captain, John Smith.
/ asked where Captain Smith was. They
answered, cat the guard-house, inside
of the armory inclosure." I told them L
would 60 there, as that was the point for
which first started. My Office was at
this place and I felt uneasy lest the
vault might have been broken open.
Upon reaching the gate I saw what,
indeed, looked like war-negroes armed
with pixies, and sentinels with muskets
all around. When reached the gate
I was turned over to Captain Smith. 2"
He called me by name, and asked if /
knew Colonel Washington and others,
mentioning familiar names. I said I
did, and he then said, "Sir, you will
find them there" motioning me toward
the engine-room.
We were not kept closely confined, but
were allowed to converse with him.
asked him what his object was; he re-
piled, "To free the negroes of Virginia. I"
He added that he was prepared to do
it, and by twelve o'clock would have fif-
teen hundred men with him, ready
armed.
Up to this time the citizens had hardly
begun to move about, and knew nothing
of the raid.
When they learned what was going on,
some came out armed with old shot.
guns, and were themselves shot by con-
cealed men. ALI the stores, as well as
the arsenal, were in the hands of Browns
men, and it was impossible to get either
arms or ammunition, there being hardly
any private arms owned by the citizens.
At last, however, few weapons were
obtained, and body of citizens crossed
the river and advanced from the Mary
land side. They made vigorous attack,
and in few minutes caused all the in
vaders who were not killed to retreat to
Brown inside of the armory gate. Then
he entered the engine-house, carrying his
prisoners along, or rather part of them.
as he made selections among them.
After getting into the engine-house
with his men, he made this speech:
Gentlemen, perhaps you wonder why l
have selected you from the others. 1t
is because believe you to be the most
influential, and I have only to say now
that you will have to share the same fate
that your friends extend to my men. 1"
He began at once to bar the doors and
windows, and to cut portfolios through
the brick wall.
Then commenced a terrible firing
from without, from every point from
which the windows could be seen. and
in a few minutes every window was
shattered, and hundreds of balls came
through the doors. These shots were
answered from within whenever the at
tacking party could be seen. This was
kept up most of the day, and strange to
say, no prisoner was hurt, though thou
sands of balls were imbedded in the
walls, and holes shot in the doors almost
large enough for aman to creep through.
AT night the firing ceased, for we were
in total darkness. and nothing could be
seen in the engine-hous g.
During the day and night I talked
much with John Brown, and found him
as brave as man could be, and sensible
upon all subjects except slavery. Upon
that question he was religious fanatic,
and believed it was his duty to free the
slaves, even if in doing so he lost his
own life.
During sharp fight one of Browns
sons was killed. He fell; then trying to
raise himselfhe said, SIT is all over with
me" and died instantly.
Brown did not leave his post at the
port-hole, but when the fighting ceased
he walked to his sons body, Strengthened
out his limbs, took off his trappings,
then turning to me, said, "This is the
third son have lost in this cause" An
other son had been shot in the morning
and was then dying, having been
brought in from the street. Will
Brown was murderer, yet I was con-
strained to think that he was not vi
cious man, but was, crazed.upon the sub
iect of slavery. Often during the affair
in the engine-house, when his men
would want to fire upon some one who
might be seen passing, Brown would
stop them saying, "Don't shoot; that
man is unarmed." The firing was kept
up by our men all day and 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
propositions pro and. con were made,
looking to Browns surrender and the
release of the prisoners, but without re-
suit.
When Colonel Lee came with the
Government troops, at one o'clock at
night, he at once sent flag of truce by
his aide, J.. E. B. Stuart, to notify
Brown of his arrival, and in the name
of the United States to demand his sur
render, advising him to throw himself
upon the clemency of the Government.
Brown declined to accept Colonel
Lees terms, and determined to await
the attack.
When Stuart was admitted, aud
light brought, he exclaimed: "Why,
aren't you old Ossawatomie Brown, of
Kansas, whom once had there as my
prisoner p eyes" was the answer,
"but you did not keep me-" This was
the first intimation we had as to
Browns true name. He had been en-
gagged in the Kansas border war, and
had come from there to Harper's Ferry.
When Colonel Lee advised Brown to
trust to the clemency of the Govern
he responded that he knew what that
meant-a rope for his men and himself
adding, 81 prefer to die just here"
Stuart told him he would return at
early morning for his final reply, and
left him.
When he had gone, Brown at once
proceeded to barricade the doors, win
dows, etc., endeavoring to make the
place as strong as possible.
During all this time no one OF Browns
men showed the slightest fear, but |
calmly awaited the attack, selecting the
best situations to fire from upon the at
tacking party, and arranging their guns