ac and Shenandoah rivers, a party of nineteen
men--fourteen white and five colored. They were not only armed
themselves, but had brought with them a large supply of arms for such
persons as might join them. These men invaded Harper's Ferry, disarmed
the watchman, took possession of the arsenal, rifle-factory, armory
and other government property at that place, arrested and made
prisoners nearly all the prominent citizens of the neighborhood,
collected about fifty slaves, put bayonets into the hands of such as
were able and willing to fight for their liberty, killed three men,
proclaimed general emancipation, held the ground more than thirty
hours, were subsequently overpowered and nearly all killed, wounded or
captured, by a body of United States troops, under command of Colonel
Robert E. Lee, since famous as the rebel Gen. Lee. Three out of the
nineteen invaders were captured whilst fighting, and one of these was
Captain John Brown, the man who originated, planned and commanded the
expedition. At the time of his capture Capt. Brown was supposed to be
mortally wounded, as he had several ugly gashes and bayonet wounds on
his head and body; and apprehending that he might speedily die, or
that he might be rescued by his friends, and thus the opportunity of
making him a signal example of slave-holding vengeance would be lost,
his captors hurried him to Charlestown two miles further within the
border of Virginia, placed him in prison strongly guarded by troops,
and before his wounds were healed he was brought into court, subjected
to a nominal trial, convicted of high treason and inciting slaves to
insurrection, and was executed. His corpse was given to his
woe-stricken widow, and she, assisted by Anti-slavery friends, caused
it to be borne to North Elba, Essex County, N. Y., and there his dust
now reposes, amid the silent, solemn and snowy grandeur of the
Adirondacks.

Such is the story; with no line softened or hardened to my inclining.
It certainly is not a story to please, but to pain. It is not a story
to increase our sense of social safety and security, but to fill the
imagination with wild and troubled fancies of doubt and danger. It was
a sudden and startling surprise to the people of Harper's Ferry, and
it is not easy to conceive of a situation more abundant in all the
elements of horror and consternation. They had retired as usual to
rest, with no suspicion that an enemy lurked in the surrounding
darkness. They ha