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

Lee and His Generals-- Part 4: About Robert E. Lee

From the July McHenry County Civil War Round Table.

ROBERT E. LEE

His father was famed American Revolution officer "Light Horse" Harry Lee.  He was the one who said of General Washington that he was:  "First in War, First in Peace and First in the Hearts of his Countrymen."

He graduated #2 in his class at West Point.  (Didn't say who was #1.)

He was an engineer and the best West Point grads were appointed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  However, it was pointed ut that he made the statement that Fort Pulaski, guarding Savannah, could never be taken.  Of course that was before rifled cannons.

Lee had no demerits when he graduated from West Point.  The same can not be said for George Armstrong Custer.

During the Mexican War, Lee was in the 2nd U.S. Cavalry and served under Gerneral Winfield Scott.  Scott admired him and was sure Lee was destined for glory.

--Old Secesh

U.S. Presidents with Union Ties

Same source as the presidents with Confederate ties.

Some of the ex-presidents still alive during the Civil War, including Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan, were vocal supporters of Lincoln and the Union cause.

Charles Francis Adams was the son of one president and grandson of another and was minister of Great Britain under Lincoln.  (John Quincy Adams and John Adams)

Lincoln's second vice president, Andrew Johnson, was a Tennessee senator who had remained loyal to the Union.  This helped present a united ticket in the 1864 election.  Johnson became president after Lincoln's assassination.

Five future U.S. presidents:  Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Harrison and McKinley, all fought for the Union.

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Not a Union Tie

Robert E. Lee's wife Mary was the granddaughter of George Washington's stepson.

--Old Secesh

Battle of Shepherdstown (Civil War) and Battle of Princeton (American Revolution)

I must admit that I was entirely unaware of this Battle before I wrote about it in this blog.  On the scale of the Battles of Antietam and Gettysburg, it was not a huge battle, but important in the Maryland Campaign.

The two commanders were Fitz John Porter for the Union and  William N. Pendleton on the Confederate side.

Casualties for the North were 366 (73 killed, 163 wounded and 132 captured or missing).  For the Confederacy 307 (36 killed,  267 wounded and 6 missing or captured).

From what I've read, this was not William Pendleton's proudest moment.

Of course, learning new stuff is a big reason I started this blog.

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BATTLE OF PRINCETON

This was a key battle during the American Revolution and, like with the case of the Battle of Shepherdstown, one that I was unaware of.  It was a follow up to George Washington's much more famous crossing of the Delaware River and surprising the British at Trenton the day after Christmas, December 26, 1776.  The Battle of Princeton took place January 3, 1777.

I have been writing about this one in my Cooter's History Thing blog.

Like I Said, I Do These Blogs to Learn Stuff.  --Old Secesh

Capt. Harley Wayne a Descendant of Gen. 'Mad' Anthony Wayne of American Revolution

From the May 30, 1987, Northwest Herald "Descendant of 'Mad' A.W.."

Captain Harley Wayne was the descendant of an illustrious military forbear.

"Mad" Anthony Wayne, chief of staff for Gen. George Washington, was Captain Wayne's grandfather.

"Mad" Anthony Wayne fought Indians after helping defeat the British during the American Revolution.

Fort Wayne, Indiana, is named after him.

Connie Parenti gave this information.  After looking into Harley Wayne's life, she also became interested in the Wayne genealogy.

--Old Secesh

Beall Was First Spy Execution in Area Since Major Andre in the Revolution

From the February 25, 1865, New York Times.

On the execution of John Yates Beall.

"As far as we recall, this is the first execution of a spy in this department since the hanging of Maj. ANDRE, of the British Army, by order of GEORGE WASHINGTON."

Major Andre of the British Army was involved with the Benedict Arnold traitor situation.

John Andre was not hanged at Fort Columbus, though, but in Tappan, New York.

--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

George Washington's Sword

From the NYSED site

The George Washing Collection at the New York State Library.

In an earlier post I mentioned Lewis Washington's George Washington's Frederick the Great's sword and the pistols given him by Lafayette having been given by Lewis' widow to the New York State Library.  I decided to see if they still have them.

They do.

There is a picture of the sword and these words:  This is one of George Washington's swords, alleged to have been given to him by Frederick the Great of Germany.  It was frequently worn by Washington on dress occasions and is represented in the portrait painted in 1834 by Vanderlyn for the United States House of Representatives.

The Pistol (S) Next.  --Old Secesh
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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

How Arlington National Cemetery Was Acquired-- Part 1

From the May 28, 2012, History "Arlington National Cemetery: 8 Surprising Facts" by Christopher Klein.

As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of this, the best-known of all National Cemeteries.  The rest of the eight facts are being listed in my Cooter's History Thing Blog this week.

Robert E. Lee married Mary Custis and lived at the house and plantation for 30 years, except when on duty for the U.S. Army.    After he sided with the Confederacy, he left it and never returned.
Robert
On May 23, 1861, Union troops crossed the Potomac and occupied the 200 acre property and house that had been built by George Washington Parke Custis, Mary's father and step-son of George Washington.--

--Old Secesh

Mount Vernon During the War

From the August 7th Washington Times "Tour shows Mount Vernon's role in Civil War" by Meredith Somers.

Exactly whose side was George Washington's home Mount Vernon on during the conflict? Neither. It was neutral.

A new tour offered at the place relates the Civil War history of Mount Vernon. The crumbling estate at the time had thousands of soldiers visit during the war from both the North and South. The Mount Vernon Ladies Association kept the plantation as neutral as possible. After all, Washington was the Father of His Country for both sides.

A year before the start of the war, Pamela Cunningham, the woman who was aghast at how badly the old mansion and grounds had deteriorated and started the Ladies Association to preserve it, had returned to her home in South Carolina because of a death in the family.

She left her secretary, Sarah Tracey, of New York and a Northerner and Upton Herbert, the plantation's overseer and a Southerner, in charge of it.

They decided that since Mt. Vernon was between the two sides, it should be an "island of neutrality."

Visiting soldiers were asked to check their weapons and were offered blankets to cover their uniforms. The article didn't mention how successful this was.

Soldiers, many of whom had never been more than ten miles from home, looked at and touched everything.

The neutrality of the site saved it from the devastation brought upon the surrounding area.

Postscript, the Northerner Sarah Tracey eventually married Southerner Upton Herbert.

True Love and Saving a Historic Site. --Old B-R'er