Jacob's Pen 5

Our favorite diarist, Frederick's own Jacob Engelbrecht, covers the news on this day, one hundred fifty years ago. But first, a final message from Old Man Brown:

Images from: Nelson, Truman. The Old Man: John Brown at Harper's Ferry. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973.

Charlestown, Va. 2nd, December, 1859.


I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with Blood. I had as I now think vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.


Twenty-eight miles east of the gallows, Jacob notes the occasion:

Execution - This day between the hours of 8 o'clock AM & 12 o'clock M [noon], Captain John Brown (commonly called Ossawattamie Brown)is to be hung at Charlestown, Jefferson County, Virginia for insurrection & murder at Harpers Ferry on the 16, 17, & 18 of October 1859. He had his trial & was found guilty October 31 after 5 days of trial. Four others were subsequently found guilty for the same offence (abolitionists, freeing the Negroes)and are to be hung December 16. Their names are Captain John E. Cook & Edwin Coppie - white men, & Shields Green & John Copeland [-] Negroes.

- Friday, December 2d, 1859, 10 minutes till 10 o'clock AM.

PS - 2 1/2 o'clock afternoon. He was hanged 30 minutes after 11 o'clock AM. His body was taken by his widow to North (?) Essex County, New York.

All Engelbrecht photos and diary entries in the "Jacob's Pen" series come directly from The Diary of Jacob Engelbrecht, published by The Historical Society of Frederick County, Inc.

Jacob's Pen 6

Today's post remembers a poignant event through the voice of Frederick, Maryland, diarist Jacob Engelbrecht. If interested in attending Wednesday's commemorations in Charles Town, West Virginia, you will find information here.

Jacob's pen writes:

Execution this day - Captain John Cook & Edwin Coppie (Coppoc)white men and Shields Green & John Copland (John Anthony Copeland, Jr.) Negroes are to be hung at Charlestown, Jefferson County Virginia for treason and murder at Harpers Ferry Virginia on the 16 17 & 18th of October 1859. John Brown the leader of the conspirators was hung on the 2d instant the black men are to be hung this forenoon & the white men this afternoon.

- Friday December 16th 1859 9 o'clock AM

P.S. 2 1/2 o'clock PM December 16 Shields Green, & John Copeland were hung at 15 minutes after 11 o'clock. Cooks Corpse will be taken to Brooklyn New York & buried tomorrow (December 17, 1859). Edwin [Coppoc] corpse was taken to Ohio to be buried.

Edwin Coppoc

http://strattonhouse.com/index.php?section=inn&content=john_browns_raid

John E. Cook

http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/jbrown/jecook.gif

John Anthony Copeland, Jr.

http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/copeland-john-anthony-jr-1836-1859


"Shields Green Under Guard"

http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/~rstephen/livingeaston/local_history/slavery.html

Although events surrounding John Brown's Raid are winding down, the Jacob's Pen series is just under way, as we will continue to witness the Civil War period throughout the sesquicentennial through the eyes of our favorite diarist. For brief summaries and biographies of those events and historical figures covered in the John Brown segments, click here.

All Engelbrecht photos and diary entries in the "Jacob's Pen" series come directly from The Diary of Jacob Engelbrecht, published by The Historical Society of Frederick County, Inc.