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John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry
On the night of October 16, 1859, John Brown and an armed band of 21 men set out for Harpers Ferry from the Kennedy farmhouse in nearby Maryland. Their goal was to seize the United States government Armory and Arsenal and begin freeing slaves. Thirty-six hours after the attack began, Brown and four of his associates were captured. Ten insurgents lay dead, and seven had escaped, although two of them were arrested later.
Brown and his men were tried for murder, treason and inciting slave rebellion by a Virginia court within weeks of the raid. On December 2, 1859, Brown was executed in Charles Town, Virginia. His six compatriots were hanged over the next four months.
Although Brown's plan to free the slaves had been foiled, his attacks on a federal installation dramatically increased tensions between North and South. Evidence that Brown had financial backing from prestigious Northerners further jeopardized sectional relations.
Brown's raid, his execution, and the controversy surrounding these events significantly contributed to the disintegration of the Union and the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. Even today, over a century after his death, John Brown remains a controversial figure. |