Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-05


his orders and Colonel Lee In executing
them that the latter reached Harpers
Ferry the evening Of the day the news
of the raid was receIved-that Is. on Mon
day eyering. October 18th. Colonel Lee
Immediately ordered the marines 10 re-
lieye the citizen soldiers In guarding the
engine house. and 1t being then nearly
dark. he decided to defer the attack untii
the rext morning. directing the marines
in the mean time 10 surround the place.
go efYectually IA to render the escape Oh
the raiders impossible. Nothing more was
done that night.
SUMMONED TO SURRENDER.
Soon after daylight next morning COL
onel Lee sent Brown written summons
to surrender Internationally. The ma
znrdous service Of delivering this sum-
mons was performed by Stuart as Lee
aide Stuart advanced alone TOWARDS
Browns stronghold, while 200 spectators
looked on with breathless interest. stuart
being recognized by Brown, his lie was
spared, though every other person APP
proaching the place had been fired NJ as
soon as within rifle range. When stuart
reached the door OF the engine-house ne
inquired for Smith, the reputed leader OF
the band In answer to the inquiry
Brown, with n cooked carbine IN DIS
hand. opened the door about four inches,
placing his body against the crack. ana 10
Stuart's astonshed gaze. who should
stand before him. but his Old
acquaintance, the grisly Ossawato-
mic. Like fash of light. TINS
WAS an Instant revelation OF the signia.
canoe OF the raid. as the vanguard Oh
an army OF Free-Soilers to excite, IN
the language OF the Declaration OF lnde-
pendence. domestic Instruction among
use deluging Virginia in blood. 'and,
repeating. II possible. with intensified
atrocity, the horrors OF San Domingo"
STORMED THE ENGINE-HOUSE.
Brown promptly rejected the summons
TO surrender unconditionally, but, with
great tact, made counter-pgopositlons III
various forms, threatening the lives OF MS
prisoners If they were not acceded TO.
Some OF the prisoners crowded TO the
door and with tears in their eyes, begged
Stuart to save their lives by procuring
an interview between Lee ana Brown'
but Stuart replied that no other terms
would be granted except those already
offered. Brown. however, expected no
doubt. that Stuart would return TO Lee
to make his report, and that some terms
of accommodation would finally be agreed
upon. But the saCaciOus Lee, having an
ticipated this contingency. was not 10 be
! entrapped into a negotiation, which might
render the release of the raiders necessary
| in order TO save the lives OF the prisoners
So Stuart, according TO his instructions.
did nst return TO Lee, but, stepping ASIDE
a short distance, as soon as ne could tear
himself away from the opportunities OIL
| the prisoners he gave the appointed
! signal, by wave of his cap. that the
! terms had been rejected. instantly COL
onel Lee ordered the marines. with Major
| Russell and Lieutenant Greene at thelr
| head to storm the engine-house ana pat
ter down the doors. The marines rushed
forward at the word and before Brown
/ had time to execute his threat against
! the prisoners he and his band had 70
defend themselves. The heavy doors
soon gave way before the ponderous blows
of sledge-hammers. swung by the strong
arms of the marines. who then rushed in
! and bayoneted all who opposed them In
! five minutes the conflict was over. brown
fell wounded and his two sons lay dead
or diving beside him. Two others OF the
! band were wounded and two were cap
tured uninjured One marine was killed
| IN the assault All the prisoners. to theiE
| great Joy, were recaptured uninjured.
! KILLED AND WOUNDED CITIZENS
or the citizens OF Harper's Ferry hv'
| had been killed and eight wounded. 81
! Browns band ten were killed, 1--WE es
| capped, two were captured at the rifle
| factory, and five In the engine-house. ~
! the murdered citizens or Harper hal
been killed on ground outside Of the Jurls
diction of the United States, these sever
prisoners were turned over Tor trlal t'
| the Virginia authorities. Threats beins
! I,nft NAT n
them, Governor Wise. with several regl
ments of troops, proceeded To Charles
| town the place of the trial. near Har
per's Ferry. to prevent IL, but there wa
no disturbance Of any kind. The raiders
| were tried, condemned. and executed &C
| cording to law. without the slightest at
tempt at interruption by free-soiiefs
Brown, in the hour of ailiicton, loun'
hirnsolf deserted by those who had ap
proved and encouraged his mad scheme
| The men who had denounced the Fede
| raj Constitution as "a covenant WIN
| death and an agreement with hell be
| cause IL recognized negro slavery, were
| found wanting in the moment or perm
| Even an investigating committee OF wv
United States Senate could make no dIs
coyery in regard to Browns accompuc's
excepting those who had taken an active
part In his expedition.
Among those hanged was an unfortu
| nate young man OF good family by th'
name of Cook Great eXertions were maze
by his friends 10 save him from ht
gallows. and his eloquent defence by th'
| Hon. u. w. Voorhees, first gave the adVo
| cate from Terre Haute n national repu
| tation. Voorhees, commenced his address
| to the Jury with a magnificent eNordiun
in eulogy of Virginia and her institutions
| and. without attempting 10 palliate In th'
| least the atrocity Of Browns crime, h'
| based his defence of Cook upon MS youti
| and inexeperiencc, which had pernltte'
| the overpowering influence Of Brown:
magnetism and iron will TO warp ah'
subiucate his faculties 10 such an exten
| "a IN dqnrive him of mental and mora
responsibility.
mt Brown was no youthful sentimen
| talist He knew what a negro in5urrec
! tion meant. with iron nerve and lroi
courage he was ready for any atrocl'N
| and any peril" And II no did not swee!
Virginia with a horde OF men convert
by sudden and unrestrained license me
| sayages. burning houses, towns, ciues
outraging women and young girls, an'
| numbering all defenceless "nl'e persons
as In san Domingo, without regard q
ago sex. or condition. 1t was not hi
| intentional fault He calculated that al
soon as the negro Obtained a. taste O.
| bIool no matter how docile he may nave
previously been. his animal nature woui'
nrsdominnte. and his passions increas'
with tho savage excitement Of their graft
| ficatOn.
Browns fierce spirit and savage cour
age never fors0ok him. and so COMMANDED
the respect of Governor Wise mat IN
nonulace were forbidden to insult nm
with their angry cries as he was marche'
/ in manacles through the streets. on Tn
ID Of December, 1859. Brown met his tat
ON the gallows with stolid fortitude An'
tt,. only cry that burst from IN
smothcred passions OF the multitude was
/ "NTav God have mercy on his SOUL I'M
/ affair was General Lees first batti'
against abolutionis;s. ID. IL. PANNlLL.
chatham, Va. July y, 1891.
stuart states that ~ believes That NJ
| ora then present but himself could have
! performed this service.
/ .rhe instigation Of domestic insured
| tion among us"-that IL, slave insurrec-
! tions-hy the emissaries OF the king, was
| assigned as one Of the grounds tustifylng
! the dissolution Of the political connectl n
/ between the Colonies and Great Britain;
/ Thee instructions had been nstiSatei
i'm Virginia by Lord Dunmore, AS st
forth in resolutions for independence
passed by the Virsin Convention, On the
. 18Th OF May, 1875. tGr.gsby's virginia