Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-05-29
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THE JOHN BROWN RAID ]
SOAE CLIPPINGS FROM OUR (;
OLD FILES OF 1859. /;
Adjourned Public Meeting.
CONTINUED from last week,

Adjourned Public Meeting.
The citizens Of jefferson County, ii
general meeting assembled, deem i
proper to make the following exposi
lions, and to present such suggestions
as the peculiar circumstances in which
they have been placed, seem 70 rendel
expedient.
Surprise has been expressed at oul
delay in doing this The pressure Of
other important and more urgent mat.
tiers upon our attention, and q proper
desire to view and consider the whole
matter calmly, and in the absence ;oi
all disturbing excitements, win sufi.
GENTLY explain this.
Our position, both in respect to local
ity, and the startling events, which
have recently occurred in our midst, il
peculiar one.
This and the adjacent counties, hav-
ing large slave population, rich in the
means Of subsisting troops, together
with the fact that one of the two
National Armories was situated here,
caused it to be long since foreseen and
predicted, that if ever conflict should
arise out of the long continued agrees
sions of the North upon our rights,
the first clash of arms would most
probably be heard in our midst.
This event has occurred; and the
question at once arises, have we met
it as loyal and true hearted Virginians ?
From the nature of the case, much
Misrepresentation has arisen on this point.
Not having the slightest suspicion of
such a daring act at the time it occur
red, the attack of John Brown and his
confederate assassins found US wholly
unp-epared; without military organiza-
ton; almost wholly without arms. and
altogether destitute of proper muni-
tions Of war.
The practised Williams who assailed
US, seized at midnight. and held the
only depository of arms within our
reach. Their number it was utterly
impossible to ascertain until the con-
fiict was ended. and looking from the
stard point we occupied on the morn
ing of the 18th Of October last, it was
to conceive that such an in
vasion could he made by such number
of men, as were ultimately revealed to
our astonished apprehension; if indeed
the true number engaged in the attack,
or near at band to support it, ever h as
been reliably determined, which is
greatly doubted.
The enemy was armed with the most
effective and deadly weapons, the mill
tary and citizens who few to the scene
of action with promptness and alacrity
which has never been surpassed. if
armed at all. for the most part, had
only such arms as was inefficient, and
to be found in times of profound peace.
The day was one of repeated heavy
showers of rain; the invaders having
choice of positions and shelter, while
the effects of such weather upon the
arms they bore was trifing compared
with that upon the unreliable arms in
the bands of the military and citizens
opposed to them; yet with all this, and
many other disadvantages which might
be mentioned; in a few hours and be-
fore the day was over; with the loss of
several valuable lives, and a number
wounded on our part, the whole party
of these miscreants with the exception
of five, SO far as known, were either
killed. wounded, or virtual prisoners in
the notable Engine House, to which
they had been driven.
Why were they not at once assaulted
and destroyed in their stronghold be
fore the arrival, late at night, of the
u. S. Marines? Simply for the double
reason, that the large number of valued
citizens, held as hostages, were mingled
with them in this Engine House, there
by embarrassing at every step, during
the day the operations against them;
and because towards the close of the
day, they offered to parley with a view
to surrender, and negotiations to that
end, which would not have been enter
tanned, but for the sake of the hos
taqes. were continued until darkness
approached and rendered4an assault al
together inadmissiole until the return
of daylight
Thus matters stood on Monday night.
Every one of the invading desperadoes
who was not slain, or had not escaped
early in the day, or during the night
previous, with the exception Of two
prisoners, were then hemmed in beyond
the possibility of escape, and closely
confined in the place Of their retreat.
in the Armory yard, where the U. S
Government claims exclusive jurisdic-
ton.
Continued next week.l
Beginning with June /, the Balti-