Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-06-15

the AtSfO II tue gutter Win MS neck
cut open by ball shot from a win
dow overhead
also saw Coppio. Stevens aud 9TH
ers: but Judge Of my surprise in see
ing old Brown.--a man who had lived
on the mountain opposite Mr. Unsils.
had met him in the market-house.
He went by the name of Smith 1
was well acquainted with Cook. The
negro, Heyward Shepard, was a por-
ter for Fountain Beekham, and once
belonged to mothers cousin. Miss
Harding Shepard had bought himself
and wife from his ma ter. He was
Killed because he refused to give up
the keys TO Mr. Beckham's Office, and
his master was also shot
Your. uncle, Capt Edmund Cham.
bers. took a company to DR. Kennedy s
farm and captured Browns pixies.
guns and other implements OF war.
Capt Chambers was afterward ar.
rested for commanding company OF
men, taken to Winchester. tried for
/
He was afterwards a member of the
| legislature and is now mayor of Har.
| pers Ferry, He met a company of
Browns men at the bridge crossing
the canal at the Fireworks, but re-
fused TO let them pa :. Some time
previous he had removed the guns to
the second story of the armory on &C
count of a freshet, and they would
have all been taken by Brown had
| Capt Chambers given up the bridge
He was probably known by many of
the negroes, or they would not have
stopped for him alone. Your Aunt
Jane Augur was terribly distressed the
| first day, and kept walking back and
forth from our house to hers. Mrs.
Williams met her on the corner of the
street and said, Don't cry, Mrs Or.
gan, Lieut. Jones will come with h s
mareners (meaning marines) and
'sperse the JohnBBrown men in every
correction"
| After the instruction had been nut
down, the people returned to their
several vocations. although not feel
ing at ease as long as Cook was still
at large, for we did not know but he
would come and burn the town, it be-
ing believed that Brown intended to
do so.
About three weeks later | heard
someone on the next street making a
good deal of noise, but could not I'M
derstand what he was saying. He
was on horseback. The people we're
running to and fro wildly. In a
short time your father came in and
said that the man came from Mary.
land side and reported that Cook, with
a large company of men, was coming
down the mountain, intending to fire
the town and kill the inhabitants. Mr..
Gompf started for the armory, as they
We're giving out guns and he wanted
to get one to defend his family. We
expected him back in a few minutes,
as he requested me to stay where ]
was until his return. This was at !
O'Clock p. m. He did not return at 6
when the citizens formed themselves
into companies of 10 and - families
in houses and locked the doors
There We're two families living in
our vicinity, but they went of with
others and l was left alone with my
six children. When Mr. Gompf failed
to return at / was fearfuIly alarmed
for his and my safety. My brother-in.
law came to the house at ~, request.
ing me to go to his home where there
We're a number OF families, but ] re.
FIJI ed to do so because my husband
had my promise to remain where j
was until his return, which proposed
to do, even though he were brought
back dead, as | thought most probable
He advised me to lower the curtains
and close the windows, which | also
declined to do, feeling that If my
husband were dead ii mattered not
what became OF me 1t is impossible
to describe the agony ! experienced
| during tho long hours, and my hair
was considerably whittier after that
sad watching / sat there tin 4
/ O'clock, when on looking out saw
| the one We had given up for dead com.
ing over the hill After the greeting
he Informed me that the commanding
officer at the armory had detailed him
to guard the works. He told him he
had LETT his wife and children alone,
but 1t ayailed nothing. TWO men
We're sent 10 apprise me of the facts
in the case. but they were too coward
~ 10 deliver the message. This was
our last scare during the raid, but we
had greater ones later on.
When Gen Patterson arrived at Har-
pers Ferry, on his way to Washington
with his three-months' men--being
those who went out at the first call
| for Is 600 men-he found the Potomac
bridge ia ashes, and was oblidge TO
\ find some way to cross the river
/ Your father was about the only man
who knew definitely where the old
| ford across The river was located He,
with number Of armorers, found it
and had it repaired Only one team
could cross at a time. and your father
stood on one side Of the river with the
signal flag and another man on the
other side. This prevented two teams
starting from opposite sides at once,
He crossed with the troops 10 avoid
being taken By the rebels and to get
hfe naw from the eeovarY1 mont He
then proceeded TO Springfield 10 work