About That John Brown- Part 4: The Attack and Capture

John Brown developed a group of close associates referred to as The Secret Six.  He was definitely a religious fanatic by now.  The year 1859 saw John Brown heading for Harpers Ferry.  On July 3, 1859, he rented a farm across the river from Harpers Ferry.

Then came his attack on the armory at Harpers Ferry on October 16, 1859.  One of the first things he did was have Lewis Washington, a relative of George Washington, arrested.

At this time Brown became a national phenomenon.  Everyone in the South  was against him obviously.  People in the North at first were against him as well, but many soon considered him a hero.  The South became hysterical.

Even so, John Brown's group only numbered 18 men.

After his capture, three charges were brought against him at his trial:  1.  Treason, 2.  Murder,  3.  Inciting a slave rebellion.

For the newspapers it was the Trial of the Century.  To say the least, it captured the nation's attention.

--Old Secesh

Other Burials in Zion Episcopal Church Cemetery, Charles Town, W.Va.

From Find-A Grave.

Lewis William Washington was buried in this cemetery.

Other notable burials:

John Yates Beall (1835-1865)  I have written a lot about him in my Civil War Navy blog.  A very interesting character hanged by the Union as a spy.

Roger Preston Chew  (1843-1921)  Confederate Lt.Col.

William Price Craighill  (1833-1909)  Union officer

Andrea King  (1919-2003)  American movie and TV actress.

William Lucas (1800-1877)  Lawyer, Congress, delegate, horticulturalist.

--Old Secesh

While On the Subject: Some Other George Washington Artifacts In the New York State Library

**  George Washington's Farewell Address written in his own handwriting when he decided not to run for a third term as president.

**  Washington's first career was as a surveyor and the library has  some of his drawing instruments as well as a compass made by David Rittenhouse, a celebrated Philadelphia instrument-maker.

**  An exceedingly rare copy of "Representation of the Clothing of His Majesty's Household and  of all the Forces upon the Establishments of Great Britain and Ireland."  A book of British military uniforms received by Washington in 1847.

**  A bronze bust of Washington

**  A statement of household expenses from 1789.

**   A manuscript "Opinion of  the Surviving Generals of the Revolution" penned by Washington.

The items in this collection were purchased  by the State of New York from Mrs. Lewis  W. Washington in  1871.  Mrs. Washington was the widow of Col. Lewis W. Washington, who was the grandson of Willaim Augustine Washington, who was a nephew of George Washington.

--Old Secesh

George Washington's Pistols

They have a picture of a pistol, with   these words:

"A horseman's  pistol given to George Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette.

"The pistol was one of a pair of heavy horseman's pistols which general Lafayette used during the  the Revolutionary War."

No mention as to what happened to the other pistols.  Perhaps the library never received the second one.

--Old Secesh

Lewis Washington-- Part 4: Buried in Charles Town, West Virginia

From Find-A-Grave.

Major Lewis William Washington

It said he was a major in the Confederate Army.  I could find no mention of his service.

Born 30 November 1812 in Georgetown, District of Columbia.
Died 1 October 1871 (age 58) in Jefferson County, West Virginia

Buried Zion Episcopal Churchyard in Charles Town, West Virginia.

--Old Secesh

Lewis Washington-- Part 3: What Happened At the Trial and the George Washington Artifacts

During John Brown's trial for treason against the State of Virginia, Lewis Washington testified as a witness for the prosecution.  During the cross-examination, Washington testified that Brown had treated his hostages well and gave orders not to harm civilians.

When the Civil War began, Lewis sided with the Confederacy.  On July 17, 1865, he was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson.

Many pieces of the Washington family, including the sword given George Washington by Frederick the Great and the pistols from Lafayette, were donated to the New York State Library by his widow in 1871.

Lewis Washington married twice, and one of his sons was James Barroll Washington, the friend of Custer.  James had one son, William Lanier Washington, who died in 1933, but had sold the rest of the Washington of the family collection of George Washington heirlooms at public auction in 1917.

--Old Secesh

Lewis William Washington-- Part 2: The Harpers Ferry Raid

Lewis Washington inherited several George Washington relics, including a sword allegedly given by Frederick the Great of Prussia and a pair of pistols given by Lafayette.

John Cook, who served in John Brown's advance party before the attack befriended Lewis Washington  and noted these relics as well as the slaves at Beall-Air Mansion.  John Brown was fascinated with George Washington relics. (Kind of surprising since Brown hated slave owners so much.)

During Brown's October 16, 1859, raid on Harpers Ferry, a detachment of his force led by Cook seized the relics along with Lewis Washington and three slaves.  The hostages were taken to Harpers Ferry by way of Allstadt House and Ordinary where more hostages and slaves were taken.

They all went to John Brown's base at the fire engine house of the Harpers Ferry Federal Arsenal.  All survived their captivity and Washington identified Brown to the Marine rescue party.  During the assault on John Brown's Fort, a saber thrust by Marine Lieutenant Green at John Brown was allegedly  deflected by the belt buckle of George Washington's sword.

--Old Secesh

Lewis William Washington-- Part 1: Grand-Nephew of George Washington

From Wikipedia.

November 30, 1812- October 1, 1871

Great grand-nephew of President George Washington and father of Custer's classmate at the USMA, James Barroll Washington.

He is principally known  for being a hostage of abolitionist John Brown during his raid on Harpers Ferry and as a prosecution witness during Brown's trial.

Son of George Corbin Washington, the grandson of William Augustine Washington, half brother of George Washington.

Lewis Washington inherited Beall-Air plantation near Halltown, Virginia (now West Virginia) from his mother and lived there from 1840 to his death in 1871.

--Old Secesh

Confederate Lt. James Washington-- Part 4: People Associated With Him

From FrontierNet.Net

People associated with James Barroll Washington.  All are accompanied by photographs.

COLONEL LEWIS WILLIAM WASHINGTON, Son of George Corbin Washington

Lewis was the great grandnephew of George Washington and father of James Barroll Washington.    He added the front half  of the Beallair Manor house in 1850-1855.  He was captured by John Cook during the John Brown Raid.  He later testified at John Brown's trial and other trials and hearings.

JOHN COOK

John Cook led John Brown's Raiders in their capture of Lewis Washington.  Several months before the raid, he had scouted the area and visited Beallair.

Beallair Mansion still stands in eastern West Virginia.

--Old Secesh