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Beecher's Bible: A Sharps 1853 from John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry (Ad-free)
🕑 Added 2024-01-08 12:00:08 +0000 UTCOn October 16, 1859 John Brown and 19 men left the Kennedy farmhouse and made their way a few miles south to the Harpers Ferry Arsenal. They planned to seize the Arsenal and use its arms - along with 200 Sharps 1853 carbines and 1,000 pikes they had previously purchased - to ignite and arm a slave revolt. Brown was a true fanatic for the abolitionist cause, perfectly willing to spill blood for a just cause. His assault on the Arsenal lasted three days, but failed to incite a rebellion. Instead of attracting local slaves to his banner, he attracted local militia and the US Marines. His force was besieged in the arsenal firehouse, and when the Marines broke through the doors the captured 5 surviving members of the Brown party, including Brown himself. All five were quickly tried and found guilty of murder, treason, and inciting negroes to riot. They were sentenced to death, and hanged on December 2, 1859.
Most of Brown's 200 Sharps carbines were left in the farmhouse hideout, to be distributed when the insurrection took hold. These were found by local militia, among them the Independent Greys, and some were kept as souvenirs - including this example.
There is an intriguing historical question as to whether Brown's raid was ultimately good for the country or not. It was extremely divisive at the time, and it can be argued that the raid was a major factor leading to Lincoln's election and the Civil War. Could slavery have been abolished without the need for a cataclysmic war if John Brown had not fractured the Republican Party? To what extent is killing for a cause justifiable? Do the ends always justify the means? John Brown had no doubts about his answers to these questions...but maybe he should have.
Comments
Matthew Stanchfield
Just what I was going to say- it was the Democrats that splintered, not the Republicans.
Thomas R Burkholder
The Democrats were split in 1860, Stephen Douglas for the Northern Democrats and John C. Breckinridge for the pro-slavery Southern Democrats. There was also a 3rd party moderate candidate who attempted to ignore slavery in an attempt to save the Union. Of the 303 electoral votes, Lincoln won 180, an outright majority.
Douglas Knapp
And Ian, understood that you simply saw an interesting point of perspective in your choice of topics. It's like the exponential explosion. Certainly relates to the actual market value of weapons with certain provenances.
Douglas Knapp
Well put Firetower!. But 500M deaths is important.
firetower
I doubt Ian meant this to be a timely political jab. He's far too wise to dabble in politics. We probably could have dissolved slavery without war. But it wouldn't have ended nearly as soon.
Douglas Knapp
Forgive for getting into the politics of it . . . . . but . . . it was sort of invited!
Douglas Knapp
Howdy! Thanks for the great content and keep it up! Funny you should mention Harper's Ferry now, and I must say it has to have something to do with Nikki Haley's recent gaff. EXCELLENT QUESTION: Could slavery have been abolished without the need for a cataclysmic war if John Brown had not fractured the Republican Party? Of course it could have! That's why everyones' immediate indignance about Haley's response to that question was indicative. Many southerners, and just a few yanks realize that the textbooks, as with all matters, get it wrong. My God! 2,000,000 casualties with 500,000 dead! Thank-yee, thank -yee, thank-yee for setting' the record straight Ian! I happen to have a LOVE AFFAIR with guns, BUT also know that almost every single war we've participated in could have been avoided. But, if my anti-war stance might be offensive to certain NRA-card-carrying members, STATES RIGHTS! STATES RIGHTS! STATES RIGHTS!
Christian D. Orr
Harper’s Ferry is still on my Bucket List. My friend Justin May provides tours for both Harper’s and Antietam. (I can personally vouch for the latter; Justin is damn good and knows his stuff!) https://antietamguides.com/antietam-guides/antietam-battlefield-guides/justin-mayhue/
Richard Joy
The actual commander of the Marines was a Lieutenant of Marines named Israel Greene. In haste to deploy, he grabbed his ceremonial Mameluke sword instead of an issued fighting saber which the mameluke is thinner and not robust enough for combat (obviously). Robert E. Lee just happened to be home on leave in Arlington (current site of Arlington National Cemetery) and he was ordered to Harpers Ferry and was placed in overall command of the expedition that consisted of local militia and the Marines.
Guido Schriewer
some race war? no. enslaving anybody neither. not naive as to think one would be free anymore but enslave one has to be the worst thing one human could do to another.
Forgotten Weapons
Trying to start a race war is never a good idea, nor is it ever successful - one thing John Brown and Dylan Roof have in common.
John Arpin
Harper's Ferry National Park is well worth the visit. On my last visit, it was the anniversary of Brown's raid, and the Marine Historical Company did an excellent re-enactment.
Guido Schriewer
damn nice rifle for the time, isn't it. -though the idea was right the ways brown tried to achieve his goals... mad.
Beccaskye
A series of stories of different Alt-History timelines could be written around this raid.!
firetower
I think the Smithsonian has one of Brown's personal rifles in their US history collection.
Kenneth Marshall
Ironically his raid resulted in the death of a free black man in the armory.
