Records of the Senate Select Committee that investigated John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia

On October 16, 1859, John Brown led a group of about 20 men in seizing the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) in an attempt to arm slaves and encourage a violent uprising. Brown was hanged within the year, but his actions strained relations between the North and South in the years leading to the American Civil War. This collection contains the records of the Committee on Military Affairs of the 36th Congress, which investigated the circumstances surrounding Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry. The records include documents like committee papers and reports, investigative files, and correspondence.