The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-27
THE JOHN BROWN WAR.
"REMINISCENCES OF ONE or The
PARTICIPANTS.

short Time to View the beauties OF
iIarper's Ferry.
The sJohn Brown war;" will probably
never cease 10 excite interest with those
who took any part IN IT, or lived when tha'
uo,e.l event occurred. A newspaper rcle'-
eoce 10 some Of it, incidents has laieil
called up "reminiscences Of the days We
went soldering towards harper's Ferry
and Of what was therein experienced. me
history Of this remarkable occurrence mas
been fully given no differing times and IN
most of ia details. We do not, therefore,
propose to add anything new to the already
familiar story. on the whole, II Is not an
agreeable subject, and what IS 20 be heie
narrafedswiu be almost entirely OF iocal OF
,crsonal Interest. Atthe date OF the seizure
~ Tho United states arsenal by Brown the
writer with many others. bad just become
incipicpt soldiers in comp ny of arlieiA
known as the Richmond llowiizers lately
raised by Captain George Wythc Randolph
STARTLING ANNOUNCEMENT.
Onr organization bad scarcely been com
Melted when Of sudden The startling an
nounccmeut was sent 90 the governor over
The wires that ON the 10th ofOctObcr, 1893,
band Of abolition dcspcradoc- hau tci@cu
upon the governments arms AT harper
Ferry. with the purpose OF putting iheh ih'v
the hands Of the negroes. % Doe used aAAih7,
their masters. This dirciul news came az
The time. like "tocsin in the night send
inc thrill Of excitement and Indignation
throughout the community. II at once o.
cured 70 the men that troops would DE called
ont. and although the company was neither
uniformed nor equipped. they were anxious
Ia 20 into immediate service. Here tntn
was their opportunity The Captain him.
self had ONLY 10 make the suggestion. when
with one consent they clamOred % De- iead
10 the field. The request Of the llowiilers
was granted. Not having yet uccu
equipped or even drilled as W-
tiiiery. rather than mss their opportu-
nity they were willing 20 serve as infantry.
Accordingly. having been provided WIN
pcrcussiOn muskctS crOss-belis. and car
fridge l0xcs. they were prepared. 10 Join the
little army the Governor was ABOUT 10 leao
against the enemies of the state. The UNI
forms had been ordered, but were not yet
made. consequently 10 WAS determined ihai
they should 20 IN their citizen trousers
cans. and red fG0ue shirts. These, under
the white cross belts on the backs OF about
seventy-hNe stalwart young men. presented
quite a picturesque appearance. AZ the
time appointed the company boarded lh,
train on Broad street. near Eighth, % Whlch
poinf the cars were allowed 20 enter the
citv. Governor Wise, bis aides and
troops we're busy with prepara-
lions. Crowds OF anxious friends
and excited people assembled 10 see
The small army depart for the seat OF war.
Iuuumerable kindnesses in the way of pro-
visions. dainiies. tobacco, and the like, were
lavished upon the men. Many "a tear was
dropped. and earnest wishes for safe re-
turns expressed. and here and there things
more pathetic were said. Although these
scenes were calculated 10 chill tho ardof OF
cool the enthusiasm of the men. no such
,nsct followed They were then too young
iu military experience 90 see any other IMAM
the bright side Of the picture. The train
now began to move OF slowly, aud as u gol
under way the troops gave vent 20 their ieei-
ines In LONG and repeated shouts. lhu- %
WIS that while John Brown had but ye~ter-
dav begun the prologue 10 that tremendous
drama soon % be enacted upon broader
stage. today was heard for tho hrst time
tbo KEYNOTE 20 that sony Of battle ere long
10 ring over the land, and 20 become famous
for all time
OPP FOR WASHINGTON.
The train bearing Gov. Wise and his troops
reached Washington early next morning
The tramp Of armed men reused the people
from their -lmber, ANA many were the
cheering words and encouraging smiles from
opened windows and sidewalks. The Relay
House was soon reached. When halt was
called for breakfast. This over, the train
sped away westward towards Harper's
Ferry. TIE nearer they approached The
latter place. be more numerous and conflict
N.I H.
these became more threatening and cNcit-
Ing. some said there WIS severe fighting
going on between the people Of the country
and the insurgents, and-Oispatches were De-
ceiNc1 90 the effect that Brown still held
the town. and had killed many Of the inhdh-
itapts without having lost many of his own
men. lnder the effect of these contradictory
run0rs. the fatigues Of the journey ana the
excitement. consequent upon their sudden
departure from home. the appearance OF tnr
men had changed They had become much
more quiet and thoughtful; and when al
last the train came 20 "a standstill some
len miles from llarpor's Ferry, la
order 10 serve out 10 each soldier so many
rounds of bah cartridge, their demeanor
was very far from being hilarious. mol
that they showed signs of apprehension, or
did not intend TO do their duty. By no
means. II was only that within the past
twcnty-fOur hours the business before them
had assumed a graNer and more important
aspect. Whatever Of anxiety had been oc-
casiOned was soon removed upon their
arrival at Harper's Ferry an hour later.
ON that very morning, Lieuienani-Oolonel
AZ. 4. Lee. with his |. >. marines, had
captured the engiue-houso containing
Brown and some of his followers, who. boy
that time. had been safely lodged i'm the
iai at CharlestOwn. The liOwilzcrs were
AT once assigned quarters i'm one OF the
shops of the arsenal. where, for few days
and NIGHTS. they found beds on naked
benches. and for pillows. blocks Of oak on
lignumvitr. or something still harder.
Tpon their arrival the town seemed over
nun hy crowds Of young men-Worhmen
emplOVed / , the arsenal. The writer. VINO
was then a corporal in the llOWitzers, cNpe-
ripuced. with others. "a sense OF indignation
that these fellows had not been armed and
sci 10 killing Brown and his villains, in
stead of expecting other people hundred, OF
miles away to come and do IL.
ORDERED BACK.
The Howit1ors remained but few days
M llarpcr's Ferry. admiring the beauties
ami grandeur OF the scenery ANA receiving
the lavish hospitality of many of the inhao-
itant-. especially OF those occupying Boil
var Heights There were already troops
euough AT CharlosiOwn. twelve miles oil, 20
Guard the Jail in which the prisoners were
confined. For this reason one or more COM
NAMES. including the HOWiilcrs, were or
dered back 20 Richmond. The latter were
much disappointed at this turn OF affairs.
They had hoped 10 DC ordered 10 Char les
town 10 serve through the campaign. what
ever IL might be. Upon their arrival 40
nome they were received with the great 81
enthusiasm. being already looked upon as
heroes and conquefors.
The excitement consequent upon the sud
den and desperate affair at llarper's Ferry
had been dailN increasing over the entire
country since its occurrence. The public
mind Was nlled with theories and specula-
lions to account Tor 80 strange and sudden
an event at time Of such comparative
Quiet i'm the political world. In Virginia.
the air was fiill OF rlmors, suspicious, ANA
forcbodings. The greatest vigilance and
circumSpectiOn were exercised. The people
were ready 10 listen tO anything relating 20
John Brown. his purposes. bis aniece-
dents. and the strength and number of his
followers and hackers. Some treated the az
fair with comparative leviN. atuibutine IL
30 the folly Of a few dcludcd fanatics, while
others saw In IL the hand of the Abolition
marty al the North. In the midst Of this
condition of things and early one evening
the town bell OF Richmond, which then
hung in the venerable tower in