John Brown^s Raid, 1859. 321 expectations of aid from the black as well as white population, both in the southern and northern States. The blacks whom he forced from their homes in this neighborhood, as far as I could learn, gave him no voluntary assistance. The servants of Messrs. Washington and Allstadt, retained at the armory, took no part in the conflict, and those carried to Maryland returned to their homes as soon as released. The result proves that the plan was the attempt of a fanatic or madman, which could only end in failure ; and its temporary success was owing to the panic and confusion he succeeded in creating by magni- fying his numbeirs. I append a list of the insurgents (marked B.) Gooke is the only man known to have escaped. The other survivors of the expedition, viz. : John Brown, A. C. Stevens, Edwin Coppee, and Green Shields (alias S. Emperor), I have delivered into the hands of the marshal of the western district of Virginia and the sheriff of Jefferson county. They were escorted to Gharlestown by a detachment of marines, under Lieutenant Green. About 9 o'clock this evening I re- ceived a report from Mr. Moore, from Pleasant Valley, Mary- land, that a body of men had, about sunset, descended from the mountains, attacked the house of Mr. Genett, and from the cries of murder and the screams of the women and children, he believed the residents of the valley were being massacred. The alarm and excitement in the village of Harper's Ferry was increased by the arrival of families from Sandy Hook fleeing for safety. The report was, however, so improbable that I could give no credence to it, yet I thought it possible that some atrocity might have been committed, and I started with twenty-five marines, under Lieutenant Green, accompanied by Lieutenant Stewart, for the scene of the alleged outrage, about 4% miles distant. I was happy to find it a false alarm. The inhabitants of Pleasant Valley were quiet and unharmed, and Mr. Genett and his family safe and asleep. I will now, in obedience to your dispatch of this date, direct the detachment of marines to return to the navy yard at Wash-
ington, in the train that passes here at 114 a- tonight, and----
