Comments on: John Brown's Moonlight March http://www.historynet.com/johnbrownmoonlightmarch.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=johnbrownmoonlightmarch From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:24:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Jean Libby http://www.historynet.com/johnbrownmoonlightmarch.htm#comment-124913 Jean Libby Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:46:48 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681202#comment-124913 I posed the question about John Brown allowing the train to pass after stopping it to my U. S. History students a few years back (college age). One, a mature man who worked in a sports and gun shop, said: "John Brown was waiting for someone. If it wasn't the slaves (because they were outnumbered 10 to 1 in the local area near Harpers Ferry), who was it?" The answer came several times in documentation about Brown's friends who were outside the area, but close by. One, James Redpath, spent the night in a hotel in Baltimore on October 15 after his friend Francis Meriam came in to join Brown, and found the raid was ready to go. They expected it a week later. My theory is that Brown wanted word to spread about the raid so his friends in conspiracy with him could hear that it had begun, and take action. They didn't. He had no other way but the train to spread the word. Even so, the engineer refused to leave Harpers Ferry until daylight. He was afraid they had sabatoged the bridge. John Brown obliged him by sending men to walk across the bridge ahead of the train at daylight to prove it was safe. I too believe that John Brown should have left immediately with the arms when he took Harpers Ferry. His staying too long was caused by his single-mindedness and desire to communicate his mission and convert slaveholders. They didn't. I posed the question about John Brown allowing the train to pass after stopping it to my U. S. History students a few years back (college age).

One, a mature man who worked in a sports and gun shop, said: "John Brown was waiting for someone. If it wasn't the slaves (because they were outnumbered 10 to 1 in the local area near Harpers Ferry), who was it?"

The answer came several times in documentation about Brown's friends who were outside the area, but close by. One, James Redpath, spent the night in a hotel in Baltimore on October 15 after his friend Francis Meriam came in to join Brown, and found the raid was ready to go. They expected it a week later.

My theory is that Brown wanted word to spread about the raid so his friends in conspiracy with him could hear that it had begun, and take action. They didn't.

He had no other way but the train to spread the word. Even so, the engineer refused to leave Harpers Ferry until daylight. He was afraid they had sabatoged the bridge. John Brown obliged him by sending men to walk across the bridge ahead of the train at daylight to prove it was safe.

I too believe that John Brown should have left immediately with the arms when he took Harpers Ferry. His staying too long was caused by his single-mindedness and desire to communicate his mission and convert slaveholders. They didn't.

]]> By: John Jones http://www.historynet.com/johnbrownmoonlightmarch.htm#comment-110602 John Jones Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:37:08 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681202#comment-110602 I would say that the seeds of the War Between the States (Civil War is such an oxymoron) were sown in 1619 when the first slaves were brought to this country so that they festered for 242 years!!! Therefore, this conflict basically, essentially and fundamentally began when those slaves arrived here. You would have thought that after 4 years of slaughter the issue would have been resolved. Regrettably, some issues linger even after 144 years. I would say that the seeds of the War Between the States (Civil War is such an oxymoron) were sown in 1619 when the first slaves were brought to this country so that they festered for 242 years!!! Therefore, this conflict basically, essentially and fundamentally began when those slaves arrived here. You would have thought that after 4 years of slaughter the issue would have been resolved. Regrettably, some issues linger even after 144 years.

]]> By: Chris http://www.historynet.com/johnbrownmoonlightmarch.htm#comment-106070 Chris Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:22:08 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13681202#comment-106070 Very interesting article that taght me a lot I didn't know. One suggestion, though: It would be good to provide a link for people to get more information about the 150-year anniversary hike the article mentions. That sounds like something I'd like to do and hotlinks in an article are always appreciated. Very interesting article that taght me a lot I didn't know. One suggestion, though: It would be good to provide a link for people to get more information about the 150-year anniversary hike the article mentions. That sounds like something I'd like to do and hotlinks in an article are always appreciated.

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