The John Brown Raid Research

The Harpers Ferry Raid

The Harpers Ferry attack by John Brown took place on October 16, 1859. Abolitionist John Brown organized and conducted a small-scale raid in which his men searched the American military arsenal and rifle manufacturing facility in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Brown’s goal was to spark a slave uprising that would ideally end the South’s practice of slavery. (Timmons). He intended to seize and take possession of the military arsenal’s arsenal of weapons before fleeing and using the weapons to establish a stronghold in the nearby Appalachian Mountains. From there, Brown planned to launch attacks against the slaveholders and having the liberated slaves join their mission (Eye Witness to History)

Preparations and Execution of the Raid

In the planning of the raid he had bought a farm across the Potomac River, about five miles north of Harpers Ferry. The plan would however delay by a year and a departure of many of his followers left him with only 21 men on the day of the raid (Danzel and Krieger).

The Raid on Harpers Ferry

To begin with, Brown and his men left his farmhouse on Sunday, October 16, 1859 after sunset and headed for Harpers Ferry. They reached there at about four in the morning, drenched as it had been raining overnight. He left three men to stand on guard while he and the rest of his men proceeded into the grounds of the arsenal (Timmons). Brown and his men then cut the telephone wires, in an effort aimed at cutting off any communication from the town to the outside world. With little resistance the men made capture of the armory, arsenal and rifle manufacturing plant. Thereafter they took hostage sixty people from the nearby farms. Unfortunately however, word broke out about the raid and the town residents alongside the militia surrounded the Harpers Ferry grounds. (Eye Witness to History) Brown and his men then moved into the engine house which was much smaller. Following an exchange of fire between Brown\u2019s men and the people of the town brown sent out his son, Watson waving a white flag but he was shot dead onsite. (Timmons)

The Aftermath and Trial

The following day, the morning of October 18, U.S marines led by Colonel Robert E. Lee arrived and took charge. Colonel Lee offered Brown an unconditional surrender but Brown refused. The marines then stormed the engine house and captured Brown and seven others. In total, ten of Brown\u2019s men were killed. (Danzel and Krieger) Brown was thereafter handed over to the Virginia authorities for trial on counts of treason. He was convicted and sentenced to hang, a sentence that was executed on December 2, 1859 while federal troops and people observed.

Impact and Significance

In conclusion therefore, the unsuccessful raid by Brown and his men, His subsequent capture, trial and eventual execution further heightened the tension between the pro-slavery group and the abolitionist group, further causing a hard lining of the split between the south and the north. (Eye Witness to History)

Works Cited

Danzel, A.,Gerald and S.,Larry Krieger. The American. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, n.d.

Eye Witness to History. 2004. 12 September 2017 .

Timmons, Greg. “History and Culture.” 16 October 2015. Biography.com. 12 September 2017 .