John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry

1. John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry By Dakota Cathcart and William Townsend

2. Harper’s Ferry • The town sits on the fork of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, on the border of Virginia, Maryland, and now West Virginia, in the Appalachian Mountains • It was home to one of two U.S. Armories, and a large rifle manufacturing plant John Brown • Born 1800 • Raised very religiously • Was a strong Abolitionist • Also led Anti-Slavery raids in Bleeding Kansas

3. The Plan • The plan was for John Brown to create a base in the Appalachian Mountains to help slaves and attack slave owners • He needed weapons • He bought a farm across the Potomac from Harper’s Ferry • Harper’s Ferry was the location of the U.S. armory and a rifle manufacturing plant. • Delays caused the raid to be postponed for a year • Many of his followers left, cutting down available men. • Brown had only 21 men, including three free blacks, a freed slave, and a fugitive slave.

4. The Raid • On Sunday, October 16th, Brown’s men slashed the telegraph lines for the town, isolating it. • They captured the Armory without much of a fight, taking 9 hostages. • A train that stopped in Harper’s Ferry on the way to Baltimore was detained, but was allowed to continue. • When the train reached Baltimore on the 17th, Federal troops, led by Robert E. Lee were sent. • Local Militia were used to prevent the raiders from retreating into the Appalachian Mountains.

5. The Raid • By the 18th, Brown moved his troops and his hostages, now about 40, to the fire engine house. • Lee offered Brown the chance to surrender unconditionally. • Brown refused. • Federal troops stormed the fire engine house, killing ten, and capturing seven, including John Brown. • The storming only lasted three minutes. • Four of the raiders escaped, one of which went on to be an Officer in the Union Army.

6. Primary Source • John Brown was convicted of treason, and hanged Dec. 2nd. 1859 • This is the last thing John Brown wrote before he was hanged. • It says that the United States will pay for its sin of slavery through blood, and that it could’ve been averted. It prophesizes the Civil War. • To learn more about this primary source, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:T-john-brown-last-prophecy.jpg • A good secondary source is “John Brown's Raid, 1859" Eye Witness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2004).

7. Aftermath • The Raid led to increased tensions and distrust between the North and South, especially between slave owners and Abolitionists. • Many Abolitionists condemned the raid as a senseless suicide mission. • John Brown still became a martyr for Abolitionists during his trial. • Southerners were afraid of further raids, leading the creation and increased training of local militias, and the eventual militarization of the South in fear of a Northern Invasion

8. Bibliography • Danzer, G, & Et. Al., Initials. (2003). The americans. Evanston Il.: McDougal Littell Inc. • John Brown's Raid. (2004). Eyewitness to history. Retrieved October 20, 2010, from http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/johnbrown.htm • Wikipedia Articles “John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry” and “Harpers Ferry” Retrieved October 20, 2010 from www.wikipedia.org • Wikipedia picture fileshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:T-john-brown-last-prophecy.jpg ” andhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HarpersFerryNPSmap.jpg. Retrieved October 20, 2010