In the summer of 1859, John Brown led a group of twenty-one followers to Harpers Ferry Virginia. They raided a federal arsenal. Brown thought that many slaves would come to the arsenal. He was planning to give them weapons, and lead them in a revolt. He quickly gained control of the arsenal but there was no slave uprising because there were not that many slaves at Harpers Ferry. Instead, troops led by Robert E. Lee killed ten of the raiders and captured the rest, including John Brown. John Brown was hung and he became an abolitionist martyr.
Because he had showed dignity during his trial, he became a hero to many northerners. They sang songs for him after his execution and even though his plan failed, he stirred more people into action and sparked more violence. The South was convinced that the North wanted to destroy slavery, even if it meant destroying the South with it.
Elements of the First Light Division participated ...
English: Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, USA. This i...
Salt print, three quarter length portrait of John ...The enmity between the North and South further increased and now both were at the brink of war with each other.
Abolitionist John Brown, bust-length. Engraving fr...
English: Bridge leading from Maryland into Harpers...
English: The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's new Col...