1859年10月的一天，美国人被一则新闻所震惊，这则新闻是约翰.布朗领导废除奴隶制主义者对哈珀斯镇发动了袭击。约翰.布朗是一位废除奴隶制的极端分子，许多人还认为他是一个疯子。
约翰.布朗已经宣布，他已经做好为奴隶制战斗而死的准备。他说，上帝已经喻示他去率领一支武装力量进攻维吉尼亚，从而拉开对奴隶制战斗的序幕。即使这次起义失败，他也预言，这次起义将导致美国南北之间的内战。他说，在这样一场内战中，北方将打破黑人奴隶的锁链。布朗决定进攻哈珀斯镇，这是一座距华盛顿只有一百公里左右的小镇，这个小镇在当时属于维吉尼亚州，现在则属于西维吉尼亚州。在这座小镇里，有一家兵工厂，还有一座武器库。布朗需要枪支弹药来组织他的奴隶部队。
哈珀斯镇建在一个狭窄的地带，雪兰多河流经此地进入波托马可河。在雪兰多河和波托马可河上都有一座桥。布朗要从位于马里兰州境内的波托马可河开始发起攻击。本周，我们继续向你讲述约翰.布朗和他进攻哈珀斯的故事。
约翰.布朗带领着他那支不到20人的队伍，乘着夜色悄悄地通过波托马可河大桥，有两个人离开队伍去切断哈珀斯镇东西两侧的电话线。在桥上，布朗的人惊奇地发现一名铁路大桥的守卫，他们对这名守卫说，他是他们的战俘，这名守卫在没有看到他们手中的枪以前还认为是开玩笑呢。布朗带领他的队伍迅速地通过这座铁路大桥，他们在大街上抓捕了一些人，并在政府的武器库的门前抓捕了另一名守卫，他们占领了这座武器库，然后他们穿过大街去占领供给中心，那里存放着数百万美元的军用物资。
在留下几个人看守这些战俘后，布朗带领他的人员去占领镇对面的兵工厂，他们抓捕了兵工厂里的人，并占领了兵工厂。布朗未放一枪就控制了在哈珀斯镇他想控制的三个地方。现在的问题是，他如何继续控制这些地方。布朗知道，他没有多少时间，镇里的人很快就会知道这里所发生的一切，他们将寻求援助。在这一地区有几支民兵力量将会来援助哈珀斯。布朗打算利用他们所抓捕的人作为人质，如果这些人质的生命受到威胁，那么当地民兵就不会发起攻击。他想尽可能多地抓捕人质，以保护他们自己，如果他失败的话，他将利用这些人质来交换他自己的自由和他的队伍的生命。
布朗已经决定去抓捕一个最有价值的人质—刘易斯.华盛顿上校。刘易斯.华盛顿上校是美国第一任总统乔治.华盛顿的后代，他住在哈珀斯镇附近的一座大农场。布朗派遣几个人去抓捕这位老上校，并解放那里的奴隶。在午夜，他们从华盛顿农场返回，他们带回了华盛顿上校和十个奴隶，他们还抓捕了另一位农场主和他的儿子。布朗给这些解放了的奴隶发放长矛，并告诉他们看守这些战俘。接着，在波托马可河铁路大桥的末端响起了此次进攻的第一枪。布朗的儿子沃森和另一个人朝一名铁路看守开枪，因为这名铁路看守拒绝停止他的行动，一颗子弹打中他的头，但伤势却并不严重。这名铁路看守跑回铁路车站，他大声呼叫说，有一群人占领了铁路大桥。
几分钟后，一列从西开过来的火车到达了哈珀斯，这名受伤的看守警告列车员，桥上危险。两名列车员决定下来调查，他们向大桥上走来，就在他们即将到达大桥时，子弹刷刷地从他们身边飞过，他们跑回到列车，随后飞快地远离大桥。在这个火车站工作的一个自由的黑人---哈维德.夏珀(HaywardShepherd)向大桥走去。布朗的人命令他停下来，而他却试图逃跑，于是枪响了，他跑回到车站，但几个小时后死了。
布朗最终同意让火车通过大桥继续开往巴尔的摩，这列火车在天亮时离开了哈珀斯镇。
到现在，布朗进攻的消息已经传到了查尔斯镇，该镇距哈珀斯镇12多公里。当地官员召集民兵，命令查尔斯镇居民准备去支援哈珀斯镇。天亮不久，哈珀斯镇周围的一些镇的人就来到了哈珀斯镇，他们占领武器库的上面位置，并开始向武器库射击。来自查尔斯镇的民兵到达了波托马可河大桥位于马里兰州一端，他们向大桥上冲锋，迫使布朗在桥上的人逃向武器库，只有一个人被击中，这个人很快就死了。
布朗发现他已经被包围了，他唯一的希望是设法与对方进行停火谈判，如果民兵能够让他和他的人离开的话，他就释放他手中30个人质。布朗派了一个人和一名战俘打着白旗走出去要投降。那些兴奋的民兵拒绝他的投降，他们抓住了布朗派去的人，并带走了他。布朗将他的人和最重要的人质带到武器库中一个间很小的砖石结构的房子里，然后，他又派出两人带着一名战俘，想与对方进行停火谈判，这次派去的人中有一个是他的儿子沃森。
这次，民兵们开火了，沃森和另一名袭击者受伤了，而那位战俘则安全地逃跑了，沃森爬回武器库。布朗最小的儿子威廉.李曼(WilliamLeeman)想逃跑，他跑出武器库，并跳入波托马可河，打算游过河去。然而，他没有游出多远，一群民兵看到了他，并向他射击，有两个人离开岩石掩体向他射击。两天后，他的尸体漂在河面上。后来，更多的人被杀，其中一个人是哈珀斯镇的镇长方丹.贝克曼(FontaineBeckham)。
在哈珀斯镇镇长死后，有一伙暴教来到了一座旅馆，这里有一个布朗的人在此守卫，这座旅馆是早晨他占领的。他们将他从旅馆中拖了出来，并将他带到了大桥上。有几名暴徒把枪对准他的头，并开枪，然后他们将他推入河里。在镇的对面，有三个布朗的人被困在兵工厂里，这座兵工厂建在雪兰多河中的一个小岛上。
这座岛现在已经被民兵包围了，40名士兵从三个方向进攻，他们把这三个人挤到了靠近河的一间小房子里，这三个人尽一切可能在坚持战斗，然后他们从一扇窗户跳到了河里，他们想通过游泳安全逃离。有10个持枪的人在等待着他们，子弹像雨一样落在这三个人周围，有一个人被击中，他很快就死了，另一个也受伤了，他被拖上岸，然后慢慢地死去。第三个人逃离了死神，他被抓并将接受审判。
从下午到晚上，位于武器库中的布朗的人继续与当地民兵交火，双方都有死伤，这些死伤中就有布朗的另一个儿子奥利弗，他被击中，受伤很严重。天黑下来了，有一位民兵的军官辛尼(Sinn)上尉来到由布朗控制的小房间前，他对里面的人喊话说，他愿意会谈。布朗把门打开让他进去。在近一个小时里，这两人进行了会谈。他们谈到了奴隶和反抗现在政府的权利。
布朗对早晨他派人举起白旗投降而被拒绝感到非常气愤，他对辛尼说，他的人可以杀死手无寸铁的男女，但他没有这样做。“这并不完全准确，”辛尼上尉说，“贝克曼镇长被枪击时他手中并没有枪。”“当我听到这个消息时，我只能说我感到非常的难过，”布朗说。“任何一个拿起枪对抗政府的人，”辛尼说，“都必须想到将会像狗一样被杀。”
在华盛顿，布坎南总统和战争部长约翰.佛洛伊德一直到第二天上午十点才得到约翰.布朗在哈珀斯镇造反的消息，总统需要立即采取行动。
简评：
以区区不到二十个人，就要进行起义。这明明是不可为的事，他们却为了。他们明明知道有可能会失败，但他们还是坚定地起义了。他们明明知道，这样的起义，等待他们的是死亡，但他们还是起义了。他们知道每个人都只有一次死亡的机会，但他们要将他们的死亡用在对付万恶的奴隶制上，用在奴隶的解放事业上。也许他们的一些做法不为人称道，但他们为奴隶的解放，为人类的平等、为人类的尊严而所奉献的精神，却是永远将为人们所铭记的。
在此，向约翰.布朗致敬!
在这一点上，无论是华盛顿总统(他自己就拥有奴隶)，还是他的子孙，都没有约翰.布朗这种对人类平等、人类尊严精神的无私追求；在这点上，无论是道格拉斯，还是即将成为美国总统的林肯，也没有约翰.布朗这样的认识、这样的勇于献身的精神。美国奴隶的解放，如果不是约翰.布朗以此区区不到20人的队伍进行起义，那么美国的南北战争，美国的奴隶解放战争，美国奴隶的解放也许还将需要等待很长时间。从这点上看，约翰.布朗才是美国奴隶解放真正的救星。
在此，我要向约翰.布朗致敬，向所有为追求人格平等、追求人的尊严、追求人生的自由而付出毕生精力甚至生命的人致敬。
The Story of John Brown's Raid onHarpers Ferry
One day in October ofeighteen fifty-nine, Americans were shocked by news of an attackled by John Brown. He was an antislavery extremist. Many peoplealso considered him a madman.
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John Brown |
John Brown had declared that he was ready to diefighting slavery. He said that God wanted him to fight slavery byinvading Virginia with a military force. And even if the rebellionfailed, he predicted that it would lead to a civil war between theNorth and the South. Should there be a war, he said, the Northwould break the chains of black slaves. Brown decided to strike atHarpers Ferry, a small town about one hundred kilometers fromWashington. It was part of Virginia at that time, but is nowlocated in the state of West Virginia. It had a factory that madeguns for the army and a supply center of valuable militaryequipment. Brown wanted the guns and equipment for the slave armyhe hoped to organize.
Harpers Ferry was built on a narrow finger of landwhere the Shenandoah River flowed into the Potomac. There was abridge across each river. Brown organized his attack from acrossthe Potomac, in Maryland. This week in our series, we continue thestory of John Brown and his raid on Harpers Ferry.
With his force of less than twenty men, John Brownmoved through the darkness down to the bridge that crossed thePotomac River. Two men left the group to cut the telegraph lineseast and west of Harpers Ferry. At the bridge, Brown's mensurprised a railroad guard. They told him he was their prisoner.The guard thought they were joking until he saw their guns. Onceacross the bridge, Brown and his men moved quickly. They captured afew people in the street and another guard at the front gate of thegovernment armory. They seized the armory, then crossed the streetand seized the supply center. Millions of dollars' worth ofmilitary equipment was kept there.
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At left, the armory |
After leaving a few men to guard the prisoners,Brown and the others went to the gun factory across town. Theyseized the few people who were there and captured the factory.Without firing a shot, Brown now controlled the three places hewanted in Harpers Ferry. His problem now was to hold what he hadcaptured. Brown knew he had little time. The people of the townwould soon learn what had happened. They would call for help. Andseveral groups of militia in the area would come to the aid ofHarpers Ferry. Brown planned to use the people he had captured ashostages. The militia would not attack if there was danger ofharming the prisoners. He wanted as many prisoners as possible, toprotect himself. If his plan failed, he could offer them inexchange for his own freedom and that of his men.
Brown had decided to capture, as his best hostage,Colonel Lewis Washington. The Colonel was a descendant of PresidentGeorge Washington. He lived on a big farm near Harpers Ferry. Brownsent some of his men to capture the old colonel and free hisslaves. They returned from the Washington farm after midnight. Theybrought Colonel Washington and ten slaves. They also capturedanother farmer and his son. The slaves were given spears and toldto guard the prisoners. Then, at the far end of the Potomac Riverbridge, the first shots were fired. Brown's son, Watson, andanother man fired at a railroad guard who refused to halt. A bulletstruck his head, but did not hurt him seriously. The guard racedback across the bridge to the railroad station. He cried out that agroup of armed men had seized the bridge.
A few minutes later, a train from the west arrivedat Harpers Ferry. The wounded guard warned the trainmen of thedanger at the bridge. Two of the trainmen decided to investigate.They walked toward the bridge. Before they could reach it, bulletsbegan whizzing past them. They ran back to the train and moved itfarther from the bridge. Then a free Negro man who worked at therailroad station, Hayward Shepherd, walked down to the bridge.Brown's men ordered him to halt. Shepherd tried to run and wasshot. He got back to the station, but died several hours later.
Brown finally agreed to let the train pass over thebridge and continue on to Baltimore. The train left at sunrise.
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An illustration from Harper's Weekly showingarmed citizens marching to Harpers Ferry |
By this time, word of Brown's attack had spread toCharles Town, more than twelve kilometers away. Officials calledout the militia, ordering the men of Charles Town to get ready togo to the aid of Harpers Ferry. Soon after sunrise, men beganarriving at Harpers Ferry from other towns in the area. They tookpositions above the armory and started shooting at it. The militiafrom Charles Town arrived at the Maryland end of the Potomacbridge. They charged across, forcing Brown's men on the bridge toflee to the armory. Only one of Brown's men was hit. He was killedinstantly.
Brown saw that he was surrounded. His only hope wasto try to negotiate a ceasefire and offer to release his thirtyhostages, if the militia would let him and his men go free. Brownsent out one of his men and one of the prisoners with a white flag.The excited crowd refused to recognize the white flag. They seizedBrown's man and carried him away. Brown moved his men and the mostimportant of his hostages into a small brick building at thearmory. Then he sent out two more of his men with a prisoner to tryto negotiate a ceasefire. One of them was his son, Watson.
This time, the crowd opened fire. Watson and theother raider were wounded. Their prisoner escaped to safety. Watsonwas able to crawl back to the armory. One of the youngest ofBrown's men, William Leeman, tried to escape. He ran from thearmory and jumped into the Potomac, planning to swim across theriver. He did not get far. A group of militia saw him and beganshooting. Leeman was forced to hide behind a rock in the middle ofthe river. Two men went out to the rock with guns and shot him. Hisbody lay in the river for two days. Later, more people were killed.One was the mayor of Harpers Ferry, Fontaine Beckham.
After the mayor's death, a mob went to the hotelwhere one of Brown's men had been held since he was seized earlierin the day. They pulled him from the hotel and took him to thebridge over the river. Several members of the mob put guns to hishead and fired. They pushed his body off the bridge and into thewater. Across town, three of Brown's men were in trouble at the gunfactory. The factory was built on an island in the ShenandoahRiver.
The island was now surrounded by militia. Forty ofthe soldiers attacked the factory from three sides. They pushed thethree raiders back to a small building next to the river. The threemen fought as long as possible. Then they jumped through a windowinto the river. They tried to swim to safety. Men with guns werewaiting for them. Bullets fell around the three like rain. One manwas hit. He died instantly. Another was wounded. He was pulled toland and left to die. The third man escaped death. He was capturedand held for trial.
All through the afternoon and evening, Brown's menat the armory continued to exchange shots with the militia. Severalmore on both sides were killed or wounded. One of those was anotherof Brown's sons, Oliver. He was shot and seriously wounded. Nightfell. Then, a militia officer, Captain Sinn, walked up to the smallbuilding held by Brown. He shouted to the men inside that he wishedto talk. Brown opened the door and let him in. For almost an hour,the two men talked. They talked about slavery and the right torebel against the government.
Brown was furious that the crowd outside hadrefused to honor his white flag of truce earlier in the day. Hetold Sinn that his men could have killed unarmed men and women, butdid not do so. "That is not quite correct," Captain Sinn said."Mayor Beckham had no gun when he was shot."
In Washington, President Buchanan and Secretary ofWar John Floyd did not learn of the rebellion at Harpers Ferryuntil after ten o'clock that morning. The president wantedimmediate action.
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