What happened at Harper's Ferry?

Answer 1

In October 1859, an abolitionist named John Brown tried to seize weapons from the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now Harpers Ferry West Virginia).

He and 21 men, one a fugitive slave, attacked the armory, intending to start a full scale slave rebellion in the South. Some were killed, along with one of the US Marines sent to stop them. John Brown was tried for treason, convicted, and hanged on December 2.

The officer in charge of capturing Brown was US Army Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee, who 2 years later would resign his commission and become a leader of the Confederate Army in the Civil War.

Answer 2

Harpers Ferry was the place where John Brown divided to hold a raid to launch attacks on slaveholders and assist runaway slaves.

Brown set out for Harpers Ferry with 21 men on October 16. He and his crew crossed th Potomac in heavy rain, at 4 am they cut telegraph wires and made their assault. They captured the federal armory and arsernal, anc Hall's Rifle Works. They rounded up 60 citizens and held them as hostages expecting the slaves to run and join the fight. None came. Brown and his men were pinned and Browns son was shot and killed. Ten others were killed, seven captured and five escaped. John brown and the other captives were tried in Charlestwn, Virginia, sentenced and executed.