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The Raid on Harpers Ferry
By James Emery Vigh of profbruno.com
In a sleepy little corner of Virginia (now West Virginia) at the junction of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers is a town by the name of Harpers Ferry. In 1859, Harpers Ferry itself is just a small, otherwise unremarkable town not unlike many others in the country at the time. But it is in a strategic location. In the coming war between the states it will be fought over several times and used as a base by both the Union and the Confederacy. There is also an armory containing 100,000 muskets and rifles. It is this that attracts the attention of one John Brown. Brown is a fanatic abolitionist who advocates, and in fact practices armed insurrection as a means to end slavery in the United States. It was he who was responsible for leading the Pottawatomie massacre in "Bleeding Kansas" in 1856 that killed 5 pro-slavery southerners. Brown is unhappy with the current abolitionist movement and what he feels is their pacifism and inaction. What he wants is action, not talk. He believes that if he can capture the armory at Harpers Ferry, he can ignite the passions of other anti-slavery folk and rally them to his cause. He wishes to ignite a slave revolt, and will start by freeing the local slaves in Harpers Ferry. From there he plans to cut a swath south, freeing and arming the slaves and supporters with the guns from the armory. On October 16th, 1859, John Brown and 19 of his followers, which included 5 blacks (one of these being a freed slave) assaulted and took the armory. But his plan failed. There was no local uprising, and no one rallied to his cause. He was unable to prevent word of his action from reaching federal authorities before he can begin his revolt. Within 36 hours, all of Brown's men were either killed or captured. Ironically, one of the men killed was the freed slave. The armory was re-taken by a detachment of U.S. Marines under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee. Brown is wounded and captured. He is placed on trial for treason, and is convicted and hanged on December 2nd, 1859. Abraham Lincoln considered him to be a misguided fanatic, but the raid electrified the nation. Events and passions accelerate, soon leading to the conflagration known as the American Civil War. It was John Brown's death that many feel was the catalyst.
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I live near the Chickamagua Battlefield. Sometimes when I visit, I imagine Americans killing Americans on that field such a short time ago. My grandmother was born in 1900 and passed away in 1999. I's sure that in her early years, she probably met a Civil War veteran.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
It's hard for me to imagine. But the cultural differences between north and south was like two different worlds.
Another good Intel James. As a Briton I know very little about American history. I look forward to your next story.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks Keith. I do appreciate it very much.
Another illustration of how the best of intentions can be translated into evil deeds. It still surprises me that with civil war still relatively fresh in the minds of many Americans, they see nothing wrong with exporting their own sort of solution to the civil wars of others. It seems no lessons were learnt. After all, if the war had remained 'civil' and the other nations had refused to support either side, it would have been over very quickly and many less people will have killed their neighbours.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Oh, I don't know if it would have been over that much quicker. Until Grant and Sherman arrived in the Eastern theatre to take overall command, Robert E. Lee consistently stomped the Federal forces until Gettysburg, and even then Meade didn't take advantage. It took Grant and Sherman to keep the pressure on and force the issue. The Union had several bad commanders.
I had never heard of this before, thanks for posting. Beautiful photo as well.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks! I appreciate it.
This is a great review on the events at Harpers Ferry and well written. I saw a documentary on Chickamauga and that looked like a really bloody battle. Yet another of the disastrous battles that came late in the war. It's amazing to think that your grandparents most likely knew Civil War veterans, in fact I'm sure most people born before 1940 would have done. I remember growing up and watching the Armistace Day services in London in November, that you used to see veterans from the Boer War. Then it was from the First World War, and now they too are all gone. Time marches on, but the memories remain.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you for your kind comments. I guess that there will always be another war to remember... Unfortunately.
Even though I am English I was always fascinated by the Civil War. It's so sad how much carnage was done. I love this series of battles that you are doing, history, especially military history is of great interest to me. Nice to see you covering events like the Napoleonic Wars as well as the Crimea and Zulu Wars etc.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks! Yep, military history is one of my passions.
Good intel. I shared it with family in WV and I'm looking forward to visiting Harpers Ferry when I visit them.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks. I hope that you enjoy your visit there. Beautiful country...
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