Harpers+Ferry

=Harper's Ferry= toc Harper's Ferry, West Virginia is a historical national park that was seized on the night of October 16, 1859 by an abolitionist named John Brown and many followers. He and the men helping him wanted to help free slaves and attack people who were slave owners. They arrived at Harper's Ferry at around 4am, took over the gun supplier and the federal arsenal, then took 60 citizens as hostages. John Brown and the followers were ambushed under of the command of Robert E. Lee, so ten of the men were killed, seven of them were captured, and the remaining five got away.

The Purpose of the Raid
John Brown was an abolitionist which meant that he was for the freedom of slaves. Harper's Ferry was in the Confederacy and a large arsenal was there, so he attempted to seize the weapons, get an army of African-Americans, and force slave owners to free their slaves. John Brown tried to get a big raid and the even invited Harriet Tubman, but she didn't attend because she had a sleeping spell. But John invited other black men, such as Lewis Sheridan Leary, Shields Green, and John Anthony Copeland Jr.

Lewis Sheridan Leary
Lewis Sheridan Leary was born on March 18, 1835 in Fayetteville, NC. Lewis was a friend of John Brown and a harness-maker. He had a wife and a child, and died at Harper's Ferry when he was 25 years old. .

Shields Green
Shields Green was born into slavery in about 1836 in Charleston, SC. Green was eventually granted his freedom and became friends with Frederick Douglass. At Harper's Ferry, he was captured and charged with treason at a Virginia court. Green was found guilty, therefore on December 16, 1859 he was hanged and became an abolitionist martyr.

John Anthony Copeland Jr.
John Anthony was born as a freedman Raleigh, NC in the year of 1834. He was the nephew of Lewis Sheridan Leary who recruited John into the raid. While he was trying to capture Hall's Rifle Works, Copeland was captured alive. He went to trial, was sentenced to death, and nevertheless, was executed.

The Result of the Raid of Harper's Ferry
In the end, the confederate city, Harper's Ferry, was never conquered by the Union. Though the abolitionists did not win the fight, they can be considered great Civil Rights heroes. They are now honored for their duties at Harper's Ferry and will never be forgotten.