The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-19
FORTY YEARS AGO
Last Tuesday John Browns cels.
brated Raia
WASHADE ONHlRPERSFFRRY.
A Memorable Occasion That Stirred
up the Country just Before the OUT
break Of the civil Wal-A Time Of
Great E1citemeus-FiFst Thought
to DO Great InSurrectiOn.

Baltimore BUM 99ENg gSau eo0 ~
dsy october II, 1859, Baltimore was IN
state Of intense excitement News
had come Of the John Brown raid. at
parper'a Ferry, Va. and over 900 Of the
baltimore military were hurrying to
camden station to take special trains
for the scene Of trouble. while the
streets were crowded with excited peo-
ple Harpsr's Ferry had been captured
by the invaders late the night before.
while John Brown and his raid oc-
cupy a prominent position in American
history, the average man vaguely r9-
CARDS the event as moro remote than It
IL The tremendous happenings Of fol-
lowing years. seem 70 have shouidered
brown further Into the past. to be dealt
with solely by history, yet there are a
number Of men in Baltimore who DO
not acknowledge a burdensome aecumu-
lntlon OF years, either-Who distinctly
remember the stirring events Of octo-
Der, 1853. apd some who participated di-
rectiy in incidents connected with the
raid.
sunday evening, october 1s, 1859,
Brown announced that the time had ar
rived for the attack on Harpers Ferry.
This place had been selected because It
was not far to send freed slaves across
the narrow strip of Maryland into
Pennsylvania, and because Brown knew
the United States arsenal there was not
well guarded. At that time Brown had
with him the following men:
Whites-ollver and Walter Brown, his
aons, Of New York; Aaron c. Stevens,
<-hn E. Cook and Stewart Taylor, Of
uoiineesieut; Edwin coppee, Iowa. AL
bert Haslett, Pennsylvania; William Fl.
Leeman and Charles P. Tidd, Maine;
william Thompson and Dolph Thomp-
SON. New York; John Kagi. Ohio; Jerry
Anderson. Indiana Allen Evans. Con-
nectlcut,l
Negroes Daingeraeld Newly. Ohio;
O. p. Anderson, Pennsylvania; - En-
psror, New York; Lewis L. Leary and
John Copeland, Ohio; Shields Green
Pennsylvania.
Cook was left to guard the Kennedy
farm and the weapons there. The
night OF the start was cold and dark.
ending in rain. The little party march
ed across the bridge and into Harper'a
Ferry at 1880 o'clock. They broke into
the arsenal gate. ovsEpowered the
watchmen on duty and seized the place.
Before midnight the village was quietly
patrolled by Browns men, and six had
been sent to bring In certain neighooE-
ing planters and their slaves.
While they were gone some others Of
the party were busy nrresting proml.
nent citizens Of the town. A small but
strong brick engine house near the rail-
road was selected as headquarters, and
into this the prisoners we're placed.
Eight or ten slaves were seized. given
spears and made to stand guard about
the place. BY midday Monday thirty
or forty Of the leading citizens had been
captured and Imprisoned, as well as
number Of workmen who were seized
while on their way to work early in the
morning.
.UntIl1sss the historic old engine house
was an object OF great interest to tray
elers over the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road. standing near the track, and
bearing in large letters the words John
Browns Fort" The building was re-
moved bodily to the Chicago Exposition,
and, after remaining there for some time
after the Worlds Fair closed. was
brought back to Harpers Ferry and re-
erected, although not on the former site,
which had been covered by a change of
railroad tracks.
News OF the attack on Harper's Ferry
caused Intense excitement throughout
the country. The first report was that
there had been a general uprising of
slaves, headed by $50 abolltlonlsts, and
the exact number Of the raiders was not
definitely known until they were cap
tured early Tuesday morning. The first
Information of the affair was brought
by Conductor Phelps, of a Baltimore s
Ohio train, who was allowed to come
east after having been held up from / to
s o'clock Monday morning. Phelps, who
was Baisimorean. had several confer
ences with Brown, who was then called
Anderson.
.curiously enough their first victim Of
an enterprise Intended to free negroes
was colored employe of the railroad,
named Hayward Sheppard, who was
shot Sunday night because he did not
surrender quickly enough.
Upon receipt Of the news President
Buchanan sent company OF United
States marines from Washington tc
Harpers Ferry, and Maryland and vlr-
Glnia state troops were also ordered
there The marines were in command
of Lieutenant Green, and Col. Robert E.
Lee. who had been living in Baltimore
several years. while experimenting the
construction of Fort Carroll, was sent
to take command OF all military COM
panics Mt HRrper's Ferry. with him,
ms aide. went Lieutenant ]. E. B. Stu
art, aftcrward the famous Confederate
cavalry leader.
Tho Baltimore troops were Joined at
the Relay by the marines from WASH
ington. md about 8 o'clock ali started
for Harper's Ferry. which was reached
shortly after midnight.
It was found that the raiders had
hean slirrnundod In thoi. t-....,,t.,.,i