Harper's
Ferry & John Brown
Sandy
Hook is across the river and down a mile from Harper's Ferry.
When they moved to this place August 23rd, the soldiers of
the 13th Mass could not help but think of John
Brown and his famous raid on that town in October, 1859, just
two
years earlier. It was a place worth seeing and writing about
in
letters home. Here is Charles Roundy's account of events.
To
attempt to tell of the causes of the Civil War and why we left our
peaceful homes to become soldiers would be incomplete if we left out
the name of slavery's bitterest enemy - John Brown. In Kansas
he
fought and his sons with him to make Kansas a free state, his
life was devoted to blotting out the curse of slavery
- he
saw one of his sons murdered by ruffians set on by slave-holders.
His schemes to free the slaves were
wild and
without reason, But underlying all, and all laws opposed to
him -
He was Right. he was called a crazy fanatic, and all the
other
names that go to discredit a reformer, willing to give up life itself
for its ideal. -
- So also were our forefathers called
when they
rebelled against the might of Old England - Rebels - Traitors, and
undutiful Children.
In October 1859 he, with a band of
seventeen men -
camping among the mountain caves along the Potomac and in Virginia,
decided to sieze the United States Arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia,
and secure the muskets stored there and arm the slaves and thus have
them help to secure their own freedom, like all such
reformers he
was an intensely religious man and believed what he was doing was Right
in the sight of his God.
There was no sense in the plan for the
Whole
Country was bound hand and foot by laws, to Keep the black man a slave,
and even hunt him down and return him to his owner should he escape.
John Brown would have died in his
tracks before he would uphold or help sustain such a law.
He and his men siezed the Arsenal at
Harper's Ferry.
The brick fire engine house, located in
the yard of
the arsenal had a bell in its belfry, and when the bell was rung it was
to be a signal for the slaves to rise and arm themselves from the
Arsenal, and John Brown was to march at the head of his army and free
the slaves and blot out slavery.
The plan failed utterly - John Brown
and his men
were captured by a company of United States Marines commanded by Robert
E. Lee, they were taken to Charlestown, Virginia, eight miles
distant and John Brown - Cook and some others were hung amidst the
greatest excitement and intense bitterness towards any one who dared
speak against slavery -
In
my Company was a man who knew every secret hiding place in the
mountains around Harper's Ferry and Maryland Heights and it was
whispered that he had beeen one of John Brown's men who had escaped
capture, he would point out places where he had been with
Brown's
band - his name was Ledra Coolidge, a quiet, earnest sort of
man.
The world thought John Brown a
disturber - a crazy
man, a lunatic - but Wendell Phillips when he looked down into John
Brown's grave said "he has abolished slavery."
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The Regiment moves to Sandy Hook
From "Three
Years in the Army" by Charles E. Davis, jr.; Boston, Estes &
Lauriat, 1894:
Friday, Aug. 23. Marched from Broad Run to Sandy Hook,
fifteen
miles, and camped about two miles back from the Potomac
River.
Co. I was detached and sent to the river, opposite Harper’s Ferry, to
guard the ford at that point.
While at Sandy Hook we received the hats
and uniform
coats issued to us by the State, and which were forwarded by
express. The coat was much too heavy, with the thermometer in
the
eighties. It was made with long skirts, and when fitting the
wearer was not a bad-appearing garment; but as very few of them did
fit, our personal appearance was not improved. They were made large in
front, to meet an abnormal expansion of chest. Until we grew to them,
it was a handy place to stow some of the contents of our knapsack. The
hats were neither useful nor ornamental. They were made of black felt,
high-crowned, with a wide rim turned up on one side, and fastened to
the crown by a brass shield representing an eagle with extended wings,
apparently screaming with holy horror at so base an employment. On the
front of he crown was a brass bugle containing the figure 13. Now it so
happened that the person who selected the sizes was under the
impression that every man from Massachusetts had a head like Daniel
Webster – a mistake that caused most of us much trouble, inasmuch as
newspapers were in great demand to lessen the diameter of the
crown. Those of us who failed to procure newspapers made use
of
our ears to prevent its falling on our shoulders. As will be seen later
on, they mysteriously disappeared.
Remained in camp at this place until
September 2d,
with the usual routine of camp duties. The farmers soon discovered we
were flush with money, and raised the price of watermelons from two
cents apiece to twenty-five cents. Butter, eggs, and other
luxuries were displayed before the patriotic sons of Massachusetts, and
many there were who were beguiled of their money, and some there were,
I am afraid, who evened up by forgetting to pay; but, as Mr. Kipling
says, that is another story.
Return to Top
Letters
of James Ramsey, Company E
The March to Sandy Hook
|
Sandy Hook. Aug. 24th 1861
Dear Mother.
I
am very well I am perfectly contented now. When I wrote to you
last I was about 8
miles further up the river but
last Tuesday we had orders to go to Washington we marched to
head-quarters at
Sharpsburg and joined the regiment that afternoon, next evening we
started for
Boonsborough where we encamped till next morning and then marched to
Middletown
a distance of 23 miles from Sharpsburg we encamped about 3 miles from
Middletown at a place called Broad Run on the road to Sandy Hook over
night
next morning we started for Sandy Hook a distance of 12 miles where we
are now
encamped. We
traveled a distance of
about 38 miles to go to a place about 8 miles from where we were
before. When
the regiment started I had a sort of a disentery but now I am entirely
well. We heard that
there was a report
that some of our regiment was taken prisoners but the report is false
we are
all save and well. Yesterday I had a good view of Harpers
Ferry
from across the river. I
saw the
government buildings that were burnt. I do not think that it is much of
a
place. It is quite
small for a town. It
is a splendid view from the mountains. It resembles the picture in the
geography some. We
are encamped where
the twelth was encamped it is a splendid place. I cannot think of
much to write now. I
must bid you good by. Give
my love to all, kiss Bertie for me. I have not received but two
letters
since I
have been from home. Last Monday we were paid 5 dollars
Good
by from your
Son
James.
P.S.
Do you get my letters
with the old postage stamps on write and tell me soon.
P.S.
By the way I
direct most of the letters for the men.
|
Running Messages
|
Sandy Hook Sept. 1st 1861
Dear
Mother
I
am very well. I
thought I would write to
you although I have not received a letter from you since I got the
boxes. I received
Ella’s letter day before yesterday
she wrote that you was a going to write and that you had sent a
paper. I have received no paper. When you write next I wish
that you would
send me some new stamps in the letter. I am all out and cannot buy
any. When I wrote to you last I
was in Pleasant Valley
but our company was sent to
the village
of Sandy Hook
to act as a telegraph between the companies
at Sandy Hook opposite Harpers
ferry
and head quarters. It
takes half of the
company every day. I was on yesterday and last night, we stand at our
posts six
hours at a time, we run with messages from our posts to the next and he
runs to
the next man and so on till the message gets through. I run with
four messages yesterday
morning. I did not
have to run in the
night, about midnight I saw a blue rocket in Virginia towards the south
east
near morning some
sentinels saw a red
one and then a green one towards the south west probably they were
signals of
the rebels. Our
quarters are situated on
the canal at one of the locks, this morning. I had a ride on one of the
canal
boats while it passed through the lock. A canal boat does not
look any thing
like the pictures I have seen of
them. By the way the canal is the Ohio
and Chesapeake
canal. At the time
of writing this letter I am
sitting in the shade of an oak tree between the canal and the Potomac
river on the toe path. In
front is the Virginia bank of he Potomac
the river at
this place is full of rapids. I am near the gap in the mountains, on my
right
hand it Harpers ferry the parts I can see is principally dwelling
houses and
one church that sets on the hill, the river at that place makes a curve
towards
the north west and the mountains in Maryland hide the rest of Harpers
ferry
from my view. I did
not seem to like the
place when I wrote to you before but now I have formed a very different
idea of
the place since I went up the river that night and saw the government
buildings
about half of he works are burnt. I should think they extended about an
eight
of a mile along the bank of the river the parts that remain perfect are
very
handsome, since I
have seen some of Harpers ferry I
call it the handsomest town that I have ever seen. Charles
Gardner and Joseph Halstrick are
both
well. Give my love
to all kiss Hugh for
me.
Good
bye from
Your
son.
James.
Dear sister Ella
I
thought I would answer that letter you sent to me the other day.
I am glad that you take an
interest in me to
write to me once and a while and I will try and answer them if I
can. Tell mother I have got all
of he letters and
boxes she has sent to me. I
am sorry to
hear that John McCrillis has run away. I
know if he goes to war he will repent it. Yesterday when I was on guard
I saw
two little boys about four years old playing horse with sticks and it
put me in
mind of Hugh and that they were seeing the happiest days of their
life. Last night some of
companie I’s men went over
to Virginia
and took two men and
three horses. It is
about half after one
when I had written about half of mothers letter I was called to dinner
we had
bean soup and hard bisket for dinner. I expect
to go to meeting this afternoon to hear our chaplain he is a very nice
man he
is liked by all of the men he looks out for their earthly well fare as
well as
their spiritual welfare you must excuse that spelling. The Col.
says we will all be home in three months.
Give my
love to all
Good
bye from your
Brother
James.
|
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Letters printed in the Westboro
Transcript.
The
Westborough
Public Library has copies of the local newspaper, 'The
Westboro Transcript' on microfilm for the dates December 22,
1860
- January 10, 1863. These letter transcriptions come from
that
paper.
Edwin
Smith, Company K, Wounded
|
Westboro
Transcript (date unknown, probably Sept. 4, 1861)
Tuesday, Aug. 20, orders to break camp
and go to
Harper’s Ferry. Some thought the destination was ‘Richmond,’
some
Sandy Hook, some thought the first step forward was back to Boston,
though no one knows why? No order came to start.
Next afternoon Wednesday, 21st we
commenced a long march to Boonesboro, (rain in short skirmishes).
Next morning, 18 miles to Frederick to
join
Banks. Most Mass. boys had never seen such splendid scenery,
(over the Blue Ridge), at Middletown a messenger gave an order to go to
Sandy Hook so they had to retrace their steps! Marched ‘til
evening. Stopped at Broad Run.
Saturday, Co. K ordered to join Co. I
at Sandy Hook
3 miles from camp to guard the fords and prevent supplies from crossing
the river. Stayed in abandoned (town) houses. Co. I
was
earlier fired upon by stray rebel horsemen.
“In the evening (of the day of our
arrival) our
unripe experience led us to mistake the glistening of the moonbeams
upon the windows of church opposite for the camp lights of the
enemy. We fired a volley into it which made work for the
glaziers
according to the report of the startled villagers the next morning.”
“From certain signals seen and
information brought
over by citizens, Capt. Schriber of Co. I was led to expect an attack
and sent to camp for re-inforcements. Accordingly the
remaining
Companies of the regt. with 3 Pa. Companies from Knoxville came down
and were all distributed along the bank of the river to prevent any
possible invasion. A fruitless alarm as this was should have
ended well; but it was attended with a casualty which added fearfully
to the excitement ‘and cast a deep gloom over Co. K. – Private Edwin
Smith ‘of ours’ was sent up to the lookout to learn what observations
he had made. As he approached the sentry in the darkness, the
latter without challenging, discharged successively his rifle and
pistol at him. The rifle ball grazed the wrist and passed
through
the arm near the shoulder. At first amputation was thought to
be
necessary; but the glad tidings now come to us from the hospital that
the patient is out of danger. Vigilant sentinels could
discern no
further signs of the enemy and when morning came the reinforcements
retired.”
On Monday the 26th, a squad of Co. K
men under Lt.
Bacon crossed the river and hoisted an American Flag upon the staff at
the ruined arsenal, where it still waves, to the great wrath of the
remaining secessionist inhabitants of the well-nigh deserted place.
Families are daily moving across the
river with
their goods bound for the interior of Maryland and the north.
They represent the rebels to be exercising dominant power over all the
inhabitants, impressing into the rebel army all who from want of means
are unable to leave and they fear they will soon occupy the place in
strong numbers.
Our companies are now engaged in
putting our
position in the best possible state of defense. Canon are to
be
placed upon the mountains. The fords in the upper river
destroyed, rifle pits dug, and river craft taken possession
of.
Scouting parties daily up and down the river daily for this purpose
adding greatly to the interest and pleasurable excitement of being
stationed here.
The 13th Regt. can truly consider it no
small
feather in its cap that to it, is assigned the honor of defending so
important and dangerous a post.
But at this moment the drum rolls out,
the diner
call, sounding so loud in my ears that this lengthy letter must give
way and allow me to subscribe myself.
Yours for the War-
|
Sadly Edwin Smith never recovered from his wound.
Sergeant Austin Stearns wrote in his memoirs Three Years with Company
K,"They
took Smith down to the Regiment, after which he was sent to the
hospital at Baltimore. He lingered about two years, dying
from
the effect of the wound. He was the first man of the Regiment
hit
by a bullet."
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Letter from Company I.
This
letter
alludes to the rivalry between the Boston Companies (The 4th Battalion)
& the companies from the country towns.
|
Westboro
Transcript, Co. I
(Not sure of date ,The
events described would place it about Sept.
3. 1861- B. Forbush)
A
member of Co. I., 13th
Regiment M.V. now at Harper’s Ferry, writes to a friend in Marlboro
relative to
the fare and treatment of Col. Leonard’s command :-
“We are
all well, with one exception, - wounded.
Since the first three or four days we
have
got along finely for food. To
satisfy
you that we are not starving, I assure you that on leaving home I
weighed one
hundred and seventy-four pounds; yesterday I weighted one hundred and
ninety
pounds avorrdapoise ! and can sleep as well now on a pile of rocks as on a feathered bed.
The 4th
Battalion are not used any better than
the other companies, and, perhaps, not as well as Co.
I,
which undoubtedly stands at the head of the Regiment as the best
company.
We like
Capt. Schriber very much. His
men would do anything for him. Col.
Leonard is also liked by our company;
much better than at first. Also
Orderly
Sergeant Whittier.
We are now
situated on the Maryland
side of the Potomac, opposite
Harper’s Ferry. Here
is some of the most romantic and
picturesque scenery imaginable, but which my poor abilities can never
describe. Suffice
it to say that, in my
judgement, the great Jefferson was
right when he said
that it was a sight well worth a journey across the Atlantic
in a sailing vessel to behold.
We were
located a short time since, at the confluence of the
Shenandoah and Potomac, under a
perpendicular cliff
three hundred and seventy-five feet high!
It was here the bridge over the
Shenandoah was built which was burned by
the rebels some two months ago. We
are
now in a very exposed position. The
rebels could clan us out in a few minutes if they had a couple of
cannons and a
little spunk. There
are only two
companies here now, the others being all ready to leave for near Washington,
where a big fight is expected soon.
As to
work, I can give you a specimen in my experience.
A few days ago I was officer of the day,
and,
of course, had to go the “grand rounds” to inspect the guard. To do it I traveled nine
miles! – a very good
walk after midnight
and very dark at
that; but I like it tip top. A
few days
ago a party of us went over the river, - fired into a party of rebel
cavalry,
shot one horse, cut off his tail, marched to the top of a high hill
near the
village of Bolivar, Va., - seccesh – gave three cheers for the Union
and
vamoosed.
Last
Saturday night we went to Loudon county, - started at 9 P.M., took
three horses, two men, and one gun
and returned at 2
A.M. The
night was very dark and it was quite
dangerous; but I like it.
Yesterday
Capt. Schriber took a party of us, - went over to
Harper’s Ferry, were attacked by cavalry, who wounded one of our men –
George
Brown of Southboro, -
but immediately
fled, minus two killed and five severely wounded.
Brown was struck in the fleshy part of
the
arm and in the thigh, but no bones broken.
[This was erroneously printed I. B.
Crowell last week.]
Why don’t
somebody write to us from home? Are
we because ‘out of sight, out of mind’ ? I
have written four letters home but have
received no answer. Your
letter was
thirteen days reaching me, but that need not deter you from writing
again soon,
and in all cases direct to me “Gen. Banks’ Division, 13th
Regiment,
Co. I. M.V. Washington,
D.C.”
|
On
September 1st three companies were detached from the regiment, Company
C was sent to Monocacy Junction, and Companies I & K to
Harper's Ferry. The other seven Companies broke camp
September 3rd and began their march to Darnestown, Maryland to
join Major General Nathaniel Banks Division.
© Bradley M. Forbush, 2008.
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|
