John Brown (abolitionist)

John Brown (May 9, 1800 – December 2, 1859) was an American abolitionist who played a major part in the history of slavery in the United States leading up to the American Civil War. Brown took part in the violence during the Bleeding Kansas crisis, but his most famous action was his leadership of the raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (in modern-day West Virginia). The killings that followed, Brown's subsequent capture by Robert E. Lee, his trial, and execution by hanging are generally considered an important part of the origins of the Civil War.

Putting his Virginia plan together

By November 1856, Brown had returned to the East to solicit more funds. He spent the next two years travelling New England raising funds. Amos Adams Lawrence, a prominent Boston merchant, contributed a large amount of capital. Franklin Sanborn, secretary for the Massachusetts State Kansas Committee, introduced Brown to several influential abolitionists in the Boston area in January of 1857. They included William Lloyd Garrison, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Theodore Parker and George Luther Stearns. This group was later called the Secret Six and the Committee of Six. It remains unclear how much of Brown's scheme the Secret Six were aware of.

Related Topics:
Amos Adams Lawrence - Boston - 1857 - William Lloyd Garrison - Thomas Wentworth Higginson - Theodore Parker - George Luther Stearns - Secret Six

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On January 7, 1858, the Massachusetts Committee pledged to Brown 200 Sharp's rifles and ammunition, which was being stored at Tabor, Iowa.

Related Topics:
January 7 - 1858 - Sharp's rifles - Tabor, Iowa

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the following months, Brown continued to raise funds, visiting Worcester, Springfield, New Haven, Syracuse and Boston. In Boston he met Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. He received many pledges but little cash. In March, while in New York City, he was introduced to High Forbes. Forbes, an English mercenary, had experience as a military tactician gained while fighting with Giuseppe Garibaldi in Italy in 1848. Brown hired him to be the drillmaster for his men and to write their tactical handbook. They agreed to meet in Tabor that summer.

Related Topics:
Worcester - New Haven - Syracuse - Henry David Thoreau - Ralph Waldo Emerson - New York City - High Forbes - Giuseppe Garibaldi - Italy - Drillmaster

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In March, Brown contracted Charles Blair of Collinsville, Connecticut for 1,000 pikes.

Related Topics:
Charles Blair - Collinsville, Connecticut - Pikes

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Using the alias Nelson Hawkins, Brown traveled through the Northeast and then went to visit his family in Hudson, Ohio. On August 7, he arrived in Tabor. Forbes arrived two days later. Over a number of weeks, the two men put together a "Well-Matured Plan" for fighting slavery in the South. The men quarreled over many of the details. In November, their troops left for Kansas. Forbes had not received his salary and was still feuding with Brown, so he returned to the East instead of venturing into Kansas. He would soon threaten to expose the plot to the government.

Related Topics:
Hudson, Ohio - August 7 - Well-Matured Plan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Because the October elections saw a free-state victory, Kansas was quiet. Brown made his men return to Iowa, where he fed them tidbits of his Virginia scheme. In January 1858, Brown left his men in Springdale, Iowa, and set off to visit Frederick Douglass in Rochester, New York. There he discussed his plans with Douglass, and reconsidered Forbes' criticisms. Brown wrote a Provisional Constitution that would create a government for a new state in the region of his invasion. Brown then traveled to Peterboro, New York and Boston to discuss matters with the Secret Six. In letters to them he indicated that, along with recruits, he would go into the South equipped with weapons to do "Kansas work."

Related Topics:
1858 - Springdale, Iowa - Rochester, New York - Provisional Constitution - Peterboro, New York

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Brown and twelve of his followers, including his son Owen, traveled to Chatham, Ontario where he convened on April 27 a Constitutional Convention. The convention was put together with the help of Dr. Martin Delany. One-third of Chatham's 6,000 residents were fugitive slaves. The convention assembled 34 blacks and 12 whites to adopt Brown's Provisional Constitution. During the convention, Brown illuminated his plans to make Kansas rather than Canada the end of the Underground Railroad. This would be the Subterranean Pass Way. He never mentioned or hinted at the idea of Harpers Ferry.

Related Topics:
Chatham - Ontario - April 27 - Constitutional Convention - Martin Delany - Underground Railroad

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Although nearly all of the delegates signed the Constitution, very few volunteered to join Brown's forces. Brown was elected commander-in-chief and he named John Henrie Kagi as Secretary of War. Richard Realf was named Secretary of State. Elder Monroe, a black minister, was to act as president until another was chosen. A.M. Chapman was the acting vice president; Delany, the corresponding secretary. Either during this time or shortly after, the Declaration of the Slave Population of the U.S.A. was written.

Related Topics:
Commander-in-chief - John Henrie Kagi - Secretary of War - Richard Realf - Secretary of State - President - Vice president - Corresponding secretary - Declaration of the Slave Population of the U.S.A.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At this time, Forbes began to expose the plans to Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson and others. The Secret Six feared their names would be made public. Howe and Higginson wanted no delays in Brown's progress, while Parker, Stearns, Smith and Sanborn insisted on postponement. Stearn and Smith were the major sources of funds, and their words carried more weight.

Related Topics:
Senator - Henry Wilson

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To throw Forbes off the trail and to invalidate his assertions Brown returned to Kansas in June, and he remained in that vicinity for six months. There he joined forces with James Montgomery, who was leading raids into Missouri. On December 20, Brown led his own raid, in which he liberated eleven slaves, took captive two white men, and stole horses and wagons. On January 20, 1859, he embarked on a lengthy journey to take the eleven liberated slaves to Detroit, Michigan and then on a ferry to Canada.

Related Topics:
James Montgomery - December 20 - January 20 - 1859 - Detroit, Michigan - Canada

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Over the course of the next few months he traveled again through Ohio, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts to draw up more support for the cause. On May 9, he delivered a lecture in Concord, Massachusetts. In attendance were Bronson Alcott, Rockwell Hoar, Emerson and Thoreau. Brown also reconnoitered with the Secret Six. In June he paid his last visit to his family in North Elba, before he departed for Harpers Ferry.

Related Topics:
May 9 - Concord, Massachusetts - Bronson Alcott - Rockwell Hoar

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~