CAPT. OWEN BROWN, CHARLES P. TIDD, BARCLAY COPPIC, F. J. MERRIAM, JOHN
E. COOK.
In order to have a proper understanding of the work done at Harper’s
Ferry, I will repeat, in a measure, separately, information concerning
the movements of Capt. O. Brown and company, given in connection with
other matter.
This portion of John Brown’s men was sent to the Maryland side previous
to the battle, except Charles P. Tidd and John E. Cook, who went with
our party to the Ferry on Sunday evening. These two were of the company
who took Col. Washington prisoner, but on Monday morning, they were
ordered to the Kennedy Farm, to assist in moving and guarding arms.
Having heard, through some means, that the conflict was against the
insurgents, they provided themselves with food, blankets, and other
necessaries, and then took to the mountains. They were fourteen days
making the journey to Chambersburg. The weather was extremely bad
the whole time; it rained, snowed, blew, and was freezing cold; but
there was no shelter for the fugitive travellers, one of whom, F. J.
Merriam, was in poor health, lame, and physically slightly formed. He
was, however, greatly relieved by his companions, who did every thing
possible to lessen the fatigue of the journey for him. The bad weather,
and their destitution, made it one of the most trying journeys it is
possible for men to perform. Sometimes they would have to lie over a
day or two for the sick, and when fording streams, as they had to do,
they carried the sick over on their shoulders.
They were a brave band, and any attempt to arrest them in a body would
have been a most serious undertaking, as all were well armed, could
have fired some forty rounds apiece, and would have done it, without
any doubt whatever. The success of the Federal officers consisted in
arresting those unfortunate enough to fall into their clutches singly.
In this manner did poor Hazlett and John E. Cook fall into their power.
Starvation several times stared Owen Brown’s party in the face. They
would search their pockets over and over for some stray crumb that
might have been overlooked in the general search, for something to
appease their gnawing hunger, and pick out carefully, from among the
accumulated dirt and medley, even the smallest crumb, and give it to
the comrade least able to endure the long and biting fast.
John E. Cook became completely overcome by this hungry feeling. A
strong desire to get salt pork took possession of him, and against the
remonstrances of his comrades, he ventured down from the mountains
to Montaldo, a settlement fourteen miles from Chambersburg, in quest
of it. He was arrested by Daniel Logan and Clegget Fitzhugh, and
taken before Justice Reisher. Upon examination, a commission signed
by Captain Brown, marked No. 4, being found upon his person, he was
committed to await a requisition from Governor Wise, and finally, as
is well-known, was surrendered to Virginia, where he was tried, after
a fashion, condemned, and executed. It is not my intention to dwell
upon the failings of John E. Cook. That he departed from the record,
as familiar to John Brown and his men, every one of them “posted” in
the details of their obligations and duties, well-knows; but his very
weakness should excite our compassion. He was brave--none could doubt
that, and life was invested with charms for him, which his new relation
as a man of family tended to intensify; and charity suggests that the
hope of escaping his merciless persecutors, and of being spared to his
friends and associates in reform, rather than treachery to the cause he
had espoused, furnishes the explanation of his peculiar sayings.
Owen Brown, and the other members of the party, becoming impatient at
Cook’s prolonged absence, began to suspect something was wrong, and
moved at once to a more retired and safer position. Afterwards, they
went to Chambersburg, and stopped in the outskirts of the town for
some days, communicating with but one person, directly, while there.
Through revelations made by Cook, it became unsafe in the neighborhood,
and they left, and went some miles from town, when Merriam took the
cars for Philadelphia; thence to Boston, and subsequently to Canada.
The other three travelled on foot to Centre County, Pennsylvania,
when Barclay Coppic separated from them, to take the cars, with the
rifles of the company boxed up in his possession. He stopped at
Salem, Ohio, a few days, and then went to Cleveland; from Cleveland
to Detroit, and over into Canada, where, after remaining for a time,
he proceeded westward. Owen Brown and C. P. Tidd went to Ohio, where
the former spent the winter. The latter, after a sojourn, proceeded to
Massachusetts.