John Brown (1800-1859) was a staunch abolitionist who came to believe that violence and coercion was the only way to stop the scourge of slavery in the United States. Fiercely reli...view moreJohn Brown (1800-1859) was a staunch abolitionist who came to believe that violence and coercion was the only way to stop the scourge of slavery in the United States. Fiercely religious and believing himself to be the instrument of God sent to earth to personally abolish slavery, Brown led a life of activism and violent resistance, finally deciding that the best way to set off a slave liberation movement would be to capture the Federal armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, arm the slaves and then lead a violent rebellion that would sweep through the southern states.
During the raid, in October of 1859, five men were killed and many more injured, but Brown and his forces did indeed take over the armory. Very few slaves joined his revolt, however, and the armory was soon retaken by the local militia and US Marines, the latter led by Robert E. Lee himself. Brown was tried immediately, found guilty and hanged in December of 1859, the first person to be executed for treason in the United States.
John Brown delivered the following speech at the conclusion of his trial on November 2, 1859. He would be executed a month later and become a hero and martyr to the abolitionist cause.view less