John Brown's Body

One hundred fifty years ago today, abolitionist John Brown led his small group on men to raid the United States Arsenal located at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now located in West Virginia).

Brown planned to remove the weapons and ammunition from the arsenal and provide them to slaves in support of an uprising against slavery. It was ill-planned and turned into a fiasco. The first causality of the raid was Hayward Shepherd, an African-American freedman, who confronted the raiders and was shot and killed by them. Thus a freed slave became the first casualty of the raid.

The townspeople of Harper's Ferry took up arms again the raiders, who took shelter in in a small brick building, the engine house. By the end of the day, eight raiders were dead or dying; five others were cut off. Two had escaped across the river, an escape route subsequently blocked by militia.

On the morning of October 17, Brown and the remaining raiders found that they were surrounded by a company of U.S. Marines, under the command of Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee. (Yes, he was that Robert Edward Lee). Lee send A young lieutenant, J.E.B. Stuart (yes, that James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart), under a white flag to inform Brown and his men that, if the raiders surrendered, their lives would be spared.

Brown refused, so the marines stormed the building and all were captured. Brown was tried and found guilty of treason against Virginia (note that he was not charged with treason against the United States). John Brown was hanged at Charleston on December 2, 1859.

The stately, fearless, unrepentant manner in which he comported himself in court and on the gallows made him a martyr in parts of the North. (Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War. Edited by Patricia L. Faust)

A century and a half after these events, John Brown is still remembered. Was he crazy? Was he a prophet? Was he a villain? Was her a hero? Was he a martyr? Why did he not escape when he could? Why did he not surrender and save his own life? I don't have the answers to these questions.

Whereas, Slavery, throughout its entire existence in the United States is none other than a most barbarous, unprovoked, and unjustifiable War of one portion of its citizens upon another portion; the only conditions of which are perpetual imprisonment, and hopeless servitude or absolute extermination; in utter disregard and violation of those eternal and self-evident truths set forth in our Declaration of Independence. ~ John Brown at his trial, 1858

I want you to understand that I respect the rights of the poorest and weakest of colored people, oppressed by the slave system, just as much as I do those of the most wealthy and powerful. That is the idea that has moved me, and that alone. ~ John Brown at his trial, 1858

I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood. ~ John Brown's last letter, the day he was hanged. December 2, 1859

I do know that long before I read a biography of John Brown, I knew and sang this song about him:

John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.

Chorus:
Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Glory, glory, hallelujah,
His soul goes marching on.

He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord,
His soul goes marching on.
Chorus:

John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
His soul goes marching on.
Chorus:

John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
John Brown died that the slaves might be free,
His soul goes marching on.
Chorus:

The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down,
His soul goes marching on.
Chorus:

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