Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-02-05
THE CAPTURE OF JOHN BROWN.
BY ISRAEL GREEN.


At noon of Monday. October Is, 1855,
Chief Clerk Walsh. Of the Navy De-
partment, drove rapidly into the Wash
ington Navy-yard, and, meeting me,
asked me how many marines we had
stationed ut the barracks available for
immediate duty. l happened TO be the
senior officer present and in command
that day. | instantly replied TO Mr..
Walsh that we had ninety men availa-
BILE, and then asked him what was the
trouble. He told me that Ossawatomie
Brown, of Kansas, with a number OF
men, had taken the arsenal at Harper 5
Ferry, and was then besieged there by
the Virginia State troops. Mr.. Walsh
returned speedily to the Navy Depart
ment building, and, in the course of an
hour, orders came to me from Secretary
Tousey to proceed at once to Harper's
Ferry and report to the senior officer; ;
and, If there should be no such officer
at the Ferry, to take charge and protect
the government property. With de-
tachment Of ninety marines, | started
for IIarper's Ferry that afternoon on
the $3.50 train, taking with me two how
itzers. 1t was beautiful, clear autumn
day, and the men, exhilarsted by the
excitement of the occasion, after long,
dull season OF confinement in the bar
racks, enjoyed the "trip exceedingly.
At Frederick Junction | received 4
dispatch from Colonel Robert +. Lee,
who turned out to be the army officer to
whom was to report. He directed me
to proceed to Sandy Hook, small place
about mile this side of the Ferry, and
there await his arrival. AT ten o'clock
in the evening he came up on special
train from Washington. His first order
was to form the marines out of the car,
and march from the bridge to Harper's
Ferry. This we did, entering the in
closure of the arsenal grounds through
a back gate. at eleven o'clock Colonel
Lee ordered the volunteers to march
out of the grounds, and gave the control
inside to the marines, with instructions
to see that none of the insurgents es-
capped during the night. There had
been hard fighting all the preceding
day, and Brown aud his men kept quiet
at night. At half-past six in the morn
Ing Colonel Lee gave me orcers to Sc
lect detail of twelve men for Storm
ing party, and place them near the en-
gine-bouse in which Brown and his
men had intrenched themselves. l Sc
lected twelve of my best men, and Il
second twelve TO be employed rs re-
serve. The engine-house was strong
stone building, which is still in good
state Of preservation at the Ferry, in
spite of the three days fighting in the
building by Brown and bis men, and
the ravages OF the recent war between
the States. The building was Of stone,
perhaps thirty feet by thirty-five. In
the front were twolarge double-doOrs,
between which WAS stone abutment.
Within were two old fashioned, heavy
fire-engines, with hose-cart and reel
| standing between them, and just back
of the abutment between the doors.
They were double-battened doors, very
strongly made, with heavy wrought
iron nails. Lieutenant j. E. b. Stewart,
afterward famous as a cavalry cOmmsn-
der on the side OF the South, sccompa-
MED Colonel Lee as volunteer aid. He
was ordered to go with a part OF the
troops to the front Of the engine-house
aud demand the surrender OF the insur-
gent party. Colonel Lee directed him
TO offer protection TO Brown and his
men, but to receive no counter-proposi-
ton from Brown in regard to the sur
render. On the way to the engine
house, Stewart aud myself agreed upon
a signal for attack in the event that
Brown should refuse. 10 surrender. 1t
was simply that Lieutenant Stewart
would wave his hat, which was then, L
believe, one very similar 10 the famous
chapeau which he wore throughout the
war. had my storming party ranged
alongside of the engine-house, and a
number of mer were provided with
sledye hammers with which to batter in
tue doors. I stood In front of the abut-
ment between the doors. Stewart hail
ed Brown and called for his surrender,
but Brown at once began to make 3
proposition that he and his men should
be allowed to come out of the engine
house and be given the length Of the
bridge start. SO that they might escape.
Suddenly Lieutenant Stewart waved
his hat, and gave the order 20 my men
to batter in the door. Those inside fired
rapidly at the point where the blows
were aiveE upon the door. Very little
impression was made with the hammers,
as the doors were tied on the inside with
ropes and braced by the hand-brakes of
the ire-engine, and in few minutes
gave the order TO desist. Just then my
eye caught sight Of ladder, lying 2
few feet from the engine-house, in the