Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-12-18
JOHN BROWNS RAID.
HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED IN
WASHINGTON.

HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED L
WASHINGTON.
Washington Star.
In 1859 the first overt act toward ;
forcible abolition of slavery was at
tempted by the raid of John Brown a
Harper's Ferry. 1t is impossible at thi
day to convey an idea of the excitemen
which prevailed throughout the Who'll,
country. The boldness of the Who'll,
design and the intrepid reckless execu
ton of it at first led to the impression
that large force must be behind this
vanguard advancing into an enemy's
country, for so it was considered by
those whom John Brown represented
1t might be said that this city was ap
palled; for we could not comprehend the
desperate courage of the small band of
fanatics, as we called them, who thus
rushed to certain destruction, cast theii
lives upon the hazard of a die where
there was no chance of winning. The
boldness and the answering directness
of the blow they aimed at slavery con-
vinced us they were supported by some
powerful, unseen unknown element OF
force whose uncertain quantity made it
more formidable.
THE FIRST TELEGRAM.
Col: Berret was Mayor, and on the
morning of October IL, he was at the
Presidents house to see Mr.. Buchana an
on other business, when the first telegram
arrived announcing the capture of the
building at Harper's Ferry on the pre-
ceding night. The President handed it
to the Mayor, and while he was reading
it another came from Capt, John Ritchie
of Frederick, Md, offering his company
of volunteers to the President, and in a
few minutes the Secretary of War, Gov.
John B. Floyd, entered the room with a
hand full of kilograms giving full par
ticulars of the raid. Col. Robt. E. Lee
was summoned from the War Depart
ment and ordered to take what troops
could be raised and proceed at once to
Harper's Ferry. The marines, l think
under the command of of Capt. Israel
Green, and the troops, small body
from the arsenal, left Immediately and
constituted for the time Col. Lees force.
The Secretary of War showed the Presi-
dent and Col. Berret an anonymous
letter he had received, saying an in
cursion would be made on Washington
that night. The Mayor was asked if he
could defend the city. He said he could,
and an order for hundred stand of arms
and amunitio n for the police force was
given him. He was charged with the
duty of protecting the city. The Presi-
dents Mounted Guard, Captain Peck,
was ordered to report to the Mayor.
Capt. John Fl. Goddard, chief of the
police, was sent for the arms, and the
hundred men of the police force and
some dozen citizens the Mayor had
summoned to his office remained all
night awaiting report. The Presidents
Mounte d Guard, under command of
Lieut.. Robert Teel, was ordered to picket
the roads leading into Washington. Mr.
VIM. Teel, now merchant of Pennsyl-
vania avenue, was sergeant of the
mounted troops and was stationed at
the Navy Yard with a dozen men to
repei any invaders who attempted to
cross Anacostia bridge, and like detail
was placed at the different roads. 1t
rained very hard all night, and the in
vaders, if any such ever existed, gave no
evidence of their design on Washington
THE CAPTURE OF JOHN BROWN.
In the meanwhile the marines under |
Capt. Green at Harper's Ferry impro-
vised a battering ram from convenient |
ladder, broke down the door of the
building where John Brown was located
with his force and rushed in. Captain
Green, armed only with a walking cane,
captured John Brown and the force
which had come to liberate the slaves of
The South. The rest is history.
That morning, Tuesday, the 18th,
however, Gov. Wise arrived, and was
met at the steamboat wharf by one of
5he Mayors aide de camps, Major W. 81.
Thomas, now of Louisville, and escorted
20 the Mayors Office, where, after some
and the knowledge of the
situation had been conveyed; the Gov
,rnor left for the scene of action.
1t was known that John Brown had
Lewis Washington, promi
lent citizen of Frederick county and I
elative of the immortal George, and :
leld him as hostage for the safety of
himself and band. Governor Wise was s
approached by some friends of Lewis {
Washington, whom we all knew, and l
Isked to do what he could to save Lewis |
" some concession and his reply was {
hat if it was George Washington him
elf they held as hostage he would make /
10 concession. This night, which we
an look back upon with interest, was a
retty anxious night, The unknown,
he unseen was what we dreaded. The
ext day the excitement had abated, as :
here was no evidence of any attempt =
eing made on Washington. .