John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry — the full case file

John Brown leads his party of raiders across the Potomac bridge into Harpers Ferry, Virginia, capturing the armory watchman and taking hostages including Colonel Lewis Washington. From October 16–18, 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a group of 22 men in an attempt to seize the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to spark a slave uprising. The raid failed after a standoff and an assault by U.S. Marines under Robert E. Lee; ten raiders were killed, seven were later tried and executed, and five escaped. On October 17, 1859, Free Black railroad worker Heyward Shepherd is shot and killed by raiders after failing to halt; local militia companies converge on Harpers Ferry and trap Brown's men in the armory fire engine house; Brown's sons Watson and Oliver are mortally wounded; raider William H. Leeman is shot while attempting to escape. On October 17, 1859, President Buchanan orders U.S. Marines from the Washington Navy Yard to Harpers Ferry; Colonel Robert E. Lee arrives that evening to take command of the operation. On October 18, 1859, Marines under Lieutenant Israel Greene storm the engine house after Brown refuses a surrender offer delivered by Lt. J.E.B. Stuart; Brown is wounded and captured, two raiders are killed, and the raid ends after about three minutes of fighting. On October 19, 1859, Colonel Lee and most of the Marines depart Harpers Ferry for Washington; Lee submits his report on the raid to the War Department; Governor Wise continues investigating the affair. On October 22, 1859, Governor Henry Wise gives a widely reported speech in Richmond describing his interview and impressions of John Brown. The case is recorded as solved. This case file is kept in memory of Oliver Brown, Heyward Shepherd, Watson Brown, and William H. Leeman. The full sourced case file, with every fact cited, is at casepin dot org.

Transcript from the video’s narration track. For every source, open the case file.