West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-10-10

and | am here to free the negroes
and / am going to do it if we have
to wade through blood"
"Of course the news Of the ar
rest soon began to spread and
create great excitement. At first
the people were intimidated and
were afraid to go about much, but
IN n little while men began to arm
themselves and the militia as
sembled, The pickets put out by the
raiders were either driven in or
scattered.over the country. Before
the citizens drove Brown and his
men into the engine house, one of
the arresting squads killed an in
offensive free negro named Hay
ward because he refused to JOIN
them. Hayward was q very thrifty
and respectable man, and was
known and liked by every body,
white and black, in the neighbor-
hood. His death more than any
thing else frightened the negroes
and prevented them from taking
sides with the raiders. About s or
9 O'Clock on that eventful Monday
the citizens and militia began fir
on the engine house. The raiders,
h o viewer, had made port holes
through the walls of the building
and speedily drove their assailants
back. A desultory firing, however,
was kept up during the day. In
one OF the lulls in this fighting
Fontaine Beckham, the Mayor of
Harper's Ferry, was seen walking
down the railroad track. One of
Browns men who stood near me
put his gun through a port-hole
and shot Beckham.
"The raiders in the engine.house
were well armed and having barri-
caded the door by means of the
heavy engine were well nigh invinci
BILE. Then, too, the citizens were
afraid to use cannon against them,
for fear of killing the prisoners
who were detained in the engine
house still.
Late that night we heard that
Col. Robert e. Lee, Of the regular
army, and the United States una
rines, had come to re-enforce the
militia. Early the next morning
Col. Lee himself came down to in
spect the raiders fort, as they now
called the engine house. As he
walked toward the building one Of
Browns men put his gun through
a port hole and took deliberate
aim at Col. Lee.
"Don'U shoot that man." Mills
called, che is Colonel in the
United States army" But just
then Col. Lee cody stepped to one
side and the narrowness of the port
hole allowed him to keep out
Of range. He continued his re-
connoissance and then retired.
Shortly arterward flag of truce
came up calling on Brown TO sur
render. This he consented TO do
If they allowed him to proceed with
his prisoners to the edge Of town,
whele he promised to free the pris
oners and then rely on fighting his
own way out.
"Col. Lee declined the conditions
and demanded unconditional sur.
render. Brown refused to do this,
declaring he would fight to the
death. A few minutes later--It
was then about $3.50 O'Clock on
Tuesday, October 18-Lieut. Green
and fourteen picket marines made a
dash for the engIne-house door. As
there was no PORTFOLIOS at the door
they were out of range Of the raid.
ers' rifles there. After making in
effectual efforts to break down the
door with slodge hammers, a
heavy ladder was brought and used
as a battering ram. Meanwhile
Browns men were trying to shoot
the marines through the door, and
the engine-house was so full OF
smoke we could hardly recognize
each other. The marines were put
seven on each side Of the ladder,
and at the first rush split the door.
The second rush broke an opening
In the lower part on the left. Ac-
cOrding 10 orders the marine near
est seIzed his rifle and entered the
opening. lie was promptly shot
through the body and killed, but
hardly had lie been pulled back be-
fore the second marine entered
lie was shot through the cheek and
as he was pulled out, his comrades
seemed to falter q moment at that
death trap; then Lieut. Green. him
self sprang through the opening.
lie probably escaped with his life
by remaining in a crouched attitude
IN front Of The engine. While here
he saw inc wedged in next to the
door and was about to stab me with
his sword, when ] called ont:
81 hayen'tany thing TO do with
this; there is the man"
INSTANTLY the Lieut.. straight.
eDed up, lifting the tongue Of the
engine as he rose. Brown raised
his sword to strike the Lieutenant.
but the trained soldier was too
quick for him, and with a swift
stroke he cut Brown down. As