The Foreword to the Civil War

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The Civil War is one of the darkest chapters in America’s history. That book, however, couldn’t have been written without the foreword that was Harper’s Ferry. Although the war didn’t start there, the controversies surrounding the aftermath put America on a collision course with the war that began in 1861. John Brown’s religious convictions made him more and more opposed to the slavery in the south. Eventually he decided he was going to take action. Enlisting the help of like-minded individuals, Brown decided to attack Harper’s Ferry, located at that time in Virginia (now in West Virginia with the creation of that state in 1863). The story of his failed raid is chronicled and preserved at Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park. Harper’s Ferry wasn’t the most strategic location on the map; however, it did house a number of military armories as well as manufacturing weapons. Brown’s rationale was simple: raid the armories, get the guns, arm the slaves, and that’ll end slavery. As they say, the best-laid plans of mice and men…. Actually, Brown’s plan wasn’t that well-laid to begin with. Frederick Douglass begged Brown to not go through with it when Brown tried to get Douglass’ help. Brown didn’t listen. Brown and his men began their attack on Sunday, October 16, 1859, at about 10:30 in the evening. That was an appropriate time, they reckoned, given that most people would be in bed after the day of rest. At first, they met no resistance at all. That, however, was short-lived. Two major issued contributed to Brown’s failed raid. First, the Army was quick to send reinforcements to squelch the raid. None other than then-colonel Robert E. Lee led the charge to put down the rebellion. Secondly, Brown’s hope that countless slaves and abolitionists alike would join him never came to fruition. By October 18 the “revolt” was put down, with only one soldier dying from Lee’s army (the top right photo is a monument to him). Brown was tried, convicted, and hanged for treason against the Commonwealth of Virginia. Brown’s dying words were, “I, John Brown, am certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away, but with blood.” The aftermath showed the deepening divisions in the country. To the North, Brown died a martyr. In the South (where some actually campaigned against his execution for fear of making him the martyr he became), the actions proved to them that their rights as individual states to continue with slave ownership would only be secured if they left the Union. Just over a year after Brown’s hanging the secession began, with war following four months later in 1861. Being the Civil War buff that I am this was an important missing link in my history travels. I completed that chain today. PHOTO COLLAGE: *Marker showing the original location of “John Brown’s fort,” a firehouse where the attackers met and planned. *Memorial to Luke Quinn, the only government soldier killed by Brown’s raiders. (In contrast, 11 of Brown’s group were killed in the battle, with seven more being hanged for their crimes.) *A view of the town of Harper’s Ferry in the national park. *The ground where one of the destroyed armories had stood.