Existing comment:
Heyward Shepherd: The First Casualty
Little is known about Heyward Shepherd, a free African-American, or how he felt about John Brown's raid. Shepherd was an ex-slave who worked for the Winchester and Potomac Railroad as a baggage master. His wife and children lived in nearby Winchester.
Ironically, Shepherd was the first townsperson mortally wounded during the Brown raid. Although accounts differ regarding the circumstances of his death, he probably was shot by an insurgent during the first hours of the raid.
Shepherd's innocent death was used by the Southern press to prove local blacks were not prepared to support Brown. Shepherd became a symbol of a submissive servant. Local Virginia militia companies fought for the "honor" to fire a salute over Shepherd's unmarked and now forgotten grave. |