The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-08-29
WITH BROWN AT HARPERS FERRY.
Sole Survivor OF the Famous Raid in 1859.
His Name is Jacob Wildner.

ODsCuTo llttle village Ill w lscOnsln is a
man who recently has acknowledged
that he was with John Brown at
Harpers Ferry as one of Osawatomie's
raiders. He escaped at the time of
John Browns capture, but returned
in disguise, and was present at the
execution Of Brown and his compan-
ions.
This man is Jacob Wildner, and
his home is in New Lisbon. So far
as he knows, he is the only survivor
of John Browns party. He lives a
quiet and retired life, because of age
and poor health, and for many years
he concealed the fact of his participa-
ton in the Harpers Ferry raid, fear
ing that it would create a prejudice
against him. His mind is as clear as
to the stirring events of 1859 as it was
at that time, he says, and he gives
from memory this account of the at
tempt to cause rebellion among the
slaves
"On Sunday, October Is, 1859, John
Brown and our men crossed the rail-
road bridge over the Potomac river,
seized the United States arsenal,
stopped the railway trains, captured
a number of citizens, set free such
slaves as they could find and held the
town for more than "a hours.
THE telegraph lines were cut and
arms sent to the slaves, with the ex-
pectation that they would rise at
once, according to their previous
agreement; but this, for some reason
unknown to me, they refused to do.
1.-The situation was thus unexpect-
edly critical fer us, and our leader Or
dered pickets to be established to warn
us of the coming of the citizens, who
were arming against us. They at
tackled the arsenal next day. When
he saw them coming John Brown
gave us positive orders not to begin
hostilities, so we held our fire until
attacked. The first shots were fired
by the mob. We returned the fire, of
course, to the best of our ability, and
succeeded in holding them at bay for
time. 1t soon became apparent to
us, however, that the building could
not be maintained against our assail-
ants, whose numbers were increasing
every minute.
Some of our men lost heart then
and attempted to escape. One leaped
into the river and swan desperately
for the other shore, but before reach
ing it he was wounded. He managed
to scramble out upon a rock in the
river, and threw up his hands in
token of surrender. A Virginian
waded out to him, and while he still
had his hands in the air the Virgin
ian shot him in cold blood. 1t was
cruel deed, and it convinced the rest
of us that no mercy would be shown
to us if we fell into the hands of the
citizens.
''At the suggestion of our leader we
then abandoned the arsenal for an
engine house that stood near by, TAX
ing with us our wounded and the
prisoners. We remained there all of
Monday and Monday night.
ION Tuesday morning We learned
that Col. Robert E. Lee, with force
of marines and some land troops, had
arrived, and that, backed by the Vir-
ginia militia, he was about to attack
us. This information was brought to
us by two negro women, who i'm
plored John Brown to make his es-
cape. One of them offered him her
dress, and suggested that he blacken
his hands and face as disguise, but
he told her that he could not go. The
other made the same offer TO me, and
l had only just put on her gown when
! the attack was made. Brown had
told us to do whatever seemed in our
| judgment to be right, and l did not
care to sacrifice my life without an
effort to save it. When the attack
| was ndu0 Junpcu bAlouSH a IcdI
window and joined the two negro
women, who had preceded me out of
the window.
"They led me to little cave above
the ferry, where l was compelled to
remain for II days, they supplying
me with food. At the end of that
time they said it would be safe for
me to attempt to cross the river and
get away l made the attempt, but
my disguise was discovered on the
other side, and if had not had in
my possession few pieces of gold
with which to ransom myself l would
have been turned over to the Virgin
ians to share the gallows with John
Brown"
Mr.. Wildner returned to Harpers
Ferry disguised as a negro woman,
and was present at the execution on
December go of John Brown and six
of his companions. He could do moth
ing for them, and did not betray his
presence to them.
Mr.. Wildner is emphatic in his de-