Conversation so far:
What happened at Harpers Ferry?
When the raid on Harpers Ferry took place.
Who was John Brown?
the abolitionist John Brown, an insurgent who advocated the use of violence to destroy slavery in the United States.
Was he part of the raid on Harpers Ferry?
In the autumn of 1859, as Brown and his men prepared to launch the attack.

Question: What happened during the attack?
Self-contained rewrite: What happened during the attack on Harpers Ferry?