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LIFE AND TIMES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS 239

already weakened the bolts of the American Union; when the agitation of the
public mind was at its topmost height; when the two sections were at their
extreme points of difference; when comprehending the perilous situation,
such statesmen of the North as William H. Seward sought to allay the rising
storm by soft, persuasive speech, and when all hope of compromise had
nearly vanished, as if to banish even the last glimmer of hope for peace
between the sections, John Brown came upon the scene. On the night of the
16th of October, 1859, there appeared near the confluence of the Potomac and
Shenandoah rivers, a party of 19 men — 14 white and 5 colored. They were
not only armed themselves, but they brought with them a large supply of arms
for such persons as might join them. These men invaded the town of 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
of nearly all the prominent citizens in the neighborhood, collected about
50 slaves, put bayonets into the hands of such as were able and willing to fight
for their liberty, killed 3 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 Col. Robert E. Lee, since famous as the rebel General Lee. Three out
of the nineteen invaders were captured while fighting, and one of them was
Capt. 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 to make him a signal example
of slaveholding vengeance, would be lost, his captors hurried him to Charles
Town, 10 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 up 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 grandeurs
of the Adirondacks. This raid upon Harper's Ferry was as the last straw to
the camel's back. What in the tone of southern sentiment had been fierce
before became furious and uncontrollable now. A scream for vengeance
came up from all sections of the slave States and from great multitudes in the
North. All who were supposed to have been any way connected with John
Brown were to be hunted down and surrendered to the tender mercies of