
The American Hero that Incited the Civil War
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Hello delicious friends, and welcome to the second part of a two part special on who did what now, the history podcast. That's not your history class with me, your host, Katie Charlewood, history harlot and reader of books. And you may be thinking, katie, wow. What do you mean it's the second part of a two part special? This is your regular posting day. It is, it is. But here's the thing. This is the second part of John Brown, the American hero, the very first man to be convicted and executed of treason in the United States of America. And the reason that this episode is being released today and not Thursday or Friday like I initially had intended is because I. I was covering American history for this month and I was planning to discuss the Great Molasses Flood, but with recent events in Texas, with the flash flooding and the loss of life, it didn't feel appropriate. Like morally iffy was kind of how best way I can describe it. Because there's nothing wrong technically about me putting out the content that I plan to put out. But it's like when I was. I was doing the Beverly House Spy that was supposed to come out earlier than I did, but I pulled it right before, except that one was recorded. And I pulled it because it talks about like Hiroshima and Nakazaki and like these mass sort of bombings of civilians and literally the night before there was mass bombings of civilians in Palestine. And so I pulled the episode because it's like no, like no, no. Like it's just not right. It's not right. And I, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. And you can call me a wimp or whatever, I don't give a flying. Because children are dead who had no part in any of this nonsense. And this is why. Don't say you don't care about politics because you have to care about politics. People think it's some abstract thing out there in the ether that doesn't affect anybody. Right? That it's only men in suits and people in hats arguing. Right. Not, it's fucking not right. It's not. It affects everything in your daily life. It affects your pension, it affects your jobs, it affects your legal status in the country. Everything, everything is at stake. How the weather gets in, how reports get emergency funding for emergency services. All of this comes down to politics. And this, I said it before and I'll say it again, Community, Community is your basis for politics. It's your basis for your resistance to fight, to win. And I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, Katie, quit your jibber jabber. Infect me. Infact you I will. And we don't have to get our source on because we already covered it in the last episode. So where were we, Toto? I don't think we're in Kansas anymore because we haven't gotten there yet. Are you sitting comfortably? Good, then let's begin. It's 1854 and the Kansas Nebraska act is passed. And what this act did is it put the power in states hand to choose whether they were a free state or a slave state. And so there would be a vote. I think the vote was supposed to happen in November specifically. And they were supposed to like get people in to vote to make it like a free state or a slave state, so on, so forth. Now, pro slavers, pro slavers, pro slavery people, pro slavers, I feel like that's still an accurate term. So they were like, oh great, we need to make this like a slave state. Which of course the anti slavery people were like oh dear God no, let's not let this happen. Because if this becomes a slave state, the next day that votes could become a slave state. And then you know, everything we fought for, it's just gone down the drain. So what happens is like it seems like things are going well. You know, there's a lot of pro abolition parties going on. There's a bunch of things happening. Right. But a lot of pro slavery people are, are not feeling great about this. And so what they start doing is they start bringing people in who are like pro slavery. So pro slavery farmers and other such colonists. So they're all coming down and just infiltrating these states. Yeah. And so you've got abolitionist grips. They start sending sort of pro abolition people like to counterbalance this so that when the vote comes, you know, they will have lived there for what, however long a period of time you need to live in a state to vote. A month? Is it a month? I feel like it should be more. But whatever, once you're there you can vote. And so they're trying to like fill people in. They're trying to. Oh, so I just remembered the cult. The cult. The Rajinishis. Yes, yes. So there was this whole vote and was it the Dalles near Portland, Oregon? And so the Ragineeshi. So it was this cult just started busting in all these homeless people to bring them in so that they had lived there long enough to be able to vote, to vote against the townspeople so that the Rajneeshis could stay. That was like 84, 1984. Look at me. I remember the date. Go me. So anyway, back in Kansas, couples couple a century before, a century or so before. Right. They are bringing people in on both sides to try and like settle the land so that where there's enough people like one way or the other to swing the vote to their favour. And in a move that will shock absolutely no one, the Browns decided they were going to move there. So John Brown's sons, they had moved down to Kansas territory. Three of his sons head out first. So you've got Owen, Frederick and Salmon. Yep, the name is Salmon. Maybe it's Salmon. I'm going to say Salmon because I prefer the Spanish way of saying it. So there's a musical waitress and there's a song like, you're never ever, ever, ever, ever getting rid of me. And in the song he has a cat called Sardine. Now in the Spanish version the, the cat is called Salmon and they do it in that way like the original Felix the Cat cartoons. I love the original Felix the Cat cartoons. They're like surrealist cartoon that somebody thought this kid needs to watch surrealist cartoons from the 40s or whatever. It's that I love that old timey cartoon vibe though. It's like very much my jam. That's why I like Betty Boop. I like old timey Betty Boop. Because that's just like those her and Figaro. She's got a cat called Figaro. Like that's just cool, right? Betty Boop is cool. I love Betty Boop. I love Clarabelle the cow. I don't care. I love. Oh, oh, and Felix the cat. I love that shit. You know that the cat with the clock with the tail that moves. I want one of those because I am a basic bitch. So. Yes, I love that very much. So anyway, the three boys, they head down and they settle in Kansas territory. They are then followed by John Jr. And Jason. Now they're traveling by boat in the south. So they're surrounded by Southerners. They are seen as northerners. And so a lot of the people on the boats with them, they are pro slavery. And so there was a cholera outbreak on this boat, Kelsa Breeze, because it's the past and diseases are rife. So they get cholera or somebody gets cholera, a bunch of them get cholera. And then Jason's son passes away from cholera. Remember, these are all Christian people, so they're like proper burial kind of people, right? So Jason and John, they bury Jason's son. But when they're doing that, as they are getting this whole grave prepared, when they're burying the child, the captain, a southerner captain who did not really like these abolitionist boys. Yeah, they just like leave before the men can get back on board. Like they leave them behind deliberately. Needless to say, it takes Jason and John a little bit longer to reach Kansas. So at this point you've got John Jr, Jason, Owen, Frederick and Salmon. They're in Texas. So John Brown himself, like, he, he wants to go to Kansas, but he doesn't go just yet for a couple of reasons. The first of which being his wife has just given birth to like a baby daughter. And so he's staying home, I think probably just for that for a little bit, because in his own way he loves his children and so he's there with them. And also John, he felt like his calling was elsewhere. So while his sons are in Kansas, like they are updating him. John Jr. Especially, he's keeping, you know, a top of all the information and he's sending it back to his dad and he's like, there's rumblings happening and you know, shit's about to kick off effectively. And this is actually the start of what's called bleeding Kansas, which is a, hmm, it is a state level civil war effectively. And that's, it's like on the verge of happening at this point. So John Jr. He's contacting his dad and he's like, hey, stuff's gonna happen. We could really do this with some support, you know, and we need, you know, we need arms cuz we got to be ready. And so yeah, John goes around, he raises money for weapons at an abolition convention in Syracuse, which is in New York state. I almost had a show there, but it didn't work out. So yeah, he goes, he buys guns and he does this and decides to deliver them to Kansas himself, stopping off to give speeches on the way. So he stops in like Chicago, Ohio, I don't know if they're close to each other on a map, but he just starts working his way down towards Kansas and he does it by like raising money, doing speeches and buying guns. And so he does this all the way down and by the time he reaches Kansas, he has all of the weapons, right? He's got guns, he's got buckets and buckets of bullets. Like, there's revolvers, there's pistols. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a musket in there somewhere. But like, he's also got broadswords, double edged broadswords. Like, what else is, what else did he bring? Like, part of me is convinced that there's like a mace in there somewhere. Like the ball with the spikes on it, like a shot put, but like stabby. And so yes, John eventually arrives in Texas with the essentials. Guns, swords and buckets and buckets of bullets. And when he gets there, he finds that things are not going well for them. So like the crops they're trying to grow are, are not growing. Like they're rotting in the fields. In John Jr's family, including his wife, Wealthy Hotchkiss. If I find a fun name, y' all are hearing about it. Okay? Wealthy Hotchkiss. He married Wealthy Hotchkiss. So she's got malaria, the family's got malaria, everybody is sick. So they're not really off to the best of starts. And so it's a couple months later, they're all there now and November rolls around and the Free State party was drafting a constitution. And like John, he's really positive about this, he's really optimistic. And then he thinks, like, he thinks this is good. Like, you know, phase one complete. But there's this very rich slave owner, David Rice Acheson, who convinces other slave owners from Missouri to like cross the border and just like make slavery a thing in Kansas. Just like come over here, live for like a month or whatever and then be boop Slavery's here and this fellow Atchison, he is greasing palms, he's doing deals, he's getting shit repealed. You know, stuff that kept the balance between like, free states and slave states. Like, there's a bunch of illegal things happening and he doesn't care because he just wants slavery to be accepted everywhere. And so he's not only promoting, you know, vote, you know, pro slavery, but he's also, you know, promoting violence. He's like, if, if you're not voting, first of all, vote if you're a man, because men can vote, but also feel free to stab someone. Like, you can shove a. It's fine. Like as long as they're like gonna vote for the other side, you're like, just like shove anybody. But like, you know, the abolitionists, the free state people, blah, blah, blah, blah, shank em. And so people from Missouri had crossed the border in their wagons full of guns and booze, and the people were also full of booze. And. And yet it was not, it was not a great time for anyone who was not them. And so basically there's a bunch of like fraudulent voting happen and there's what, like over 1700 fraudulent votes cast in the 1854, like, election in Kansas. So basically someone's getting elected to Congress and it's voted upon, but there's a bunch of like extra people there voting away. And then it gets worse because like the following year in May, the pro slavery groups were like 80% of the recorded votes and they terrorized polling officials who tried to stop them. And so basically they tried pushing forward these like, pro slavery laws. And also they tried to make like, make being anti slavery a criminal offense. So say, for example, you were to protest against slavery, you would have an anti slavery publication on you. Perhaps it is a newspaper or a magazine which basically says slavery as bad. Right? Things you should do to prevent slavery. Okay? Or People shouldn't be Enslaved Weekly. You get caught with any of that, they were hoping to put you in jail for two to five years, okay? Or present for two to five years. It was five years labor for writers or publishers of like abolitionist anti slavery writings and anyone helping slaves revolt. That's just straight up the death penalty and talking just like being anti slavery and saying it aloud. That's a felony. Like, that's a felony offense. What? Now it is very difficult to like enforce laws like this. It is, it is not easy. But the whole point that these laws exist, it is to make it uncomfortable and tense and fearsome for the people. There it's to make it more difficult for them. And then. And then you've got all these, I don't know, drunkards in wagons. Right. So you have these guys who've crossed the border from Missouri. They're like angry and rude and causing a ruckus, and they're usually drunk. And they're called like the border ruffians, which sounds like a very soft name for what they're doing. Right. And to combat this, lower class, and I think lower middle class people were being sent down from like anti slavery societies up in, like the Northeast. Like, they were all being sent down. And so they get sent down to just kind of like balance it out and to counteract this. However, it wasn't all hunky dory because. Because even. Even within itself, like, there. There's infighting. What? What? The people who think they're morally just are infighting. Are you. Are you serious? Yeah. Yeah. So basically you have free status. Yeah. And you have abolitionists. So the abolitionists are like, everybody is free and equal. Like, yay. And the free staters are like, everyone is free but not necessarily equal. Because they're like, yeah, everybody is free here. But. But I'm sorry, black people, you're not allowed here. Okay. You're not allowed on this land that we have stolen from other people. Okay. It's ours now, and you're not allowed to be here. Like, that's. That's the vibe. Like that, that's what they're putting out. And it's. It's wild. So they're like, we want everyone to be free, but we want them over there. Okay. Sidebar. This reminds me of something that my old geography teacher told me way back when. And he was chatting about how people want to do the right thing. Like, they want to do the morally right thing, however, not when it directly affects them. And we were chatting about travellers. So travellers are. So the traveling community in Ireland. They travel. One could say it is the defining feature of travelers. They travel. Right. So there we go. They travel from place to place. They are nomadic in nature. Yeah. And so then you'll have a subgroup called the, like the settled traveler. Okay. So that would be someone who does not travel, but is from this particular group in society. Right. And so a lot of areas were being, like, established for settled travelers throughout Ireland because the government doesn't want people to be nomadic. It wants to know where you are so it can track you. That's very conspiracy theory. But, like, that's basically it. It's like how they go well, this population has this and this has this and this needs this resources. This is me being very optimistic about the government. But like, there's reasons, okay? Not saying those reasons are always great, but the reasons exist, okay? And my geography teacher was like, everybody says, oh, you want a place for them to live, but you don't want them living next to you. And it's like this sort of your moral code is like, oh, but I want them to have safety and security and yada, yada, yada. All right, well then don't you have that empty house next to you or don't you have that big lock of land next to you and like, why don't you want them beside you? And I was like, I remember I used to live in a field at the time and, and I was like, I don't want any neighbors. That's why I live in a field. I had a house in the field. I want to make that clear. Like it was a house in a field. But like, I had no neighbors. Like, I was lucky to have a neighbor. Like I barely saw anybody anywhere. It was great. It was great. It was proper, like countryside seclusion. Yeah. But anyway, that's the thing. It's this whole deal of with these guys, it's like, oh, we want them to be free, just not free here. Like they can have freedom, just not on this patch of dirt. This is my patch of dirt. Yeah. And so that's its own thing. And I think like Oregon wasn't Oregon a state that just like made it illegal to be black. And in Oregon, no wonder everybody died of dysentery. Anywho, back to the story. They're in Kansas and all this shit just starts to hit the fan. And so basically anti slavery and pro slavery forces are fighting with each other for a good two years. Right? A good two solid years. And it's called bleeding Kansas. Like it's not, it's not super for anybody. So then you have the next free state convention and there's another constitution that gets drafted that has an exclusion clause specifically for black people. And of course it gets passed because the majority of people there are like, you know, I'm gonna put businessmen in quotes because they're like, yeah, I'm sorry, you enjoy the fruits of your labor, cuz it's not your labor. And so there's less abolitionists. And so it passes. And yeah, like, even the towns within the state become like one town is like a free state town, otherwin's a pro slavery town. And. And this leads to a Lot of people being afraid to speak up. People not like the Browns. So you've got John Brown Jr. And his wife, wealthy. Like, they get asked, you know, are you like, pro slavery or anti slavery? And he's like, bitch, what the fuck? No, no, we're not just freestyles. We're abolitionists. And his wife, wealthy, Hotchkiss being the absolute boss that she is, she says, perhaps we will all get shot for disobeying their laws, but you might as well die here for a good cause. And like, this is. This is bold, right? This is incredibly bold because the border ruffians are out and about, they're harassing people, they're attacking people. Like, they are going full on. Like one dude, he gets like a senator or something. He gets beaten with a cane. Like in a courthouse. Abolitionists and free staters are being shot. They're being kidnapped. They're being. They're being kidnapped and tarred and feathered and then murdered. They're being falsely accused of murder. Like, one such dude, he's basically falsely accused of his roommates murder. Roommate, roommate, buddy. Okay, okay. So anyway, he gets arrested. A bunch of, like, free state dudes, they break him out of jail and takes him to Lawrence, which is like a free town. So because of this, the sheriff asks the Kansas governor for 3,000 trips and to basically enforce a lot of pro slavery laws that. That so many people had been breaking. And the governor's like, absolutely 100%. And so, yeah, and so these border ruffians, they make their way down towards Lawrence. So they're. They're basically a bunch of drunk fellas with no, like, military experience or whatever, right? And they're gathered around the Wakaruso River. There's 1200 of them, right? And they are just, like, gathering south of Lawrence. And so in there, Lawrence, like the residents of Lawrence, they basically try and make their own little army. And you've got, like, Charles Robinson and James Lane, who are free state leaders. Like, they're trying to negotiate with the governor, the pro slavery governor at the Free State Hotel in Lawrence, which went surprisingly well after they got him drunk on brandy, right? So, like, John had been appointed, you know, Captain of the 1st Brigade of Kansas Volunteers. The Liberty gods. We are the liberty gods. We guard liberty. And so he was in charge of them, and he was ready to, like, attack the Missouri Army. But then, like. But Robinson and Lane, they managed to get it all sorted without massive, massive murder. But yes, Governor Shannon, pissed as a fart on brandy. He was like, yeah, no worries. We'll like, stop really enforcing those pro, like, slavery laws. We'll disband all of these, like, forces that we've got around the border. Hey, yeah, let's just. It's fine. It's fine. And so that happens. And then winter kicks in. It is snowing, things are frozen, they run out of food. And so everyone is just ill and struggling. Like there's frostbite, insanity. That was genuinely one of the things written down. And a whole bunch of other winter conditions. Now, shockingly enough, the Brown family all survive the winter.
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It's election day in 1856 and border ruffians are so determined to ensure a pro slavery government that they physically hack a free state leader to death. Like hatchets and knives, like axes and stabbing, like this is hack and slash. And so just major violence starts erupting in the town of Leavenworth. After violently murdering him, they leave his mutilated corpse at the front door of his house where it is discovered by his wife. Like there's a level of cruelty to that. Like you, you're determined cruelty. And so this news reaches John Brown, who naturally isn't the happiest with this information. And so he, you know, he writes to his wife that things are not great and things, things are a bit tense there in Kansas, especially Because of President Franklin Pierce, who was very much pro slavery and he declared opponents of the pro slavery government treasonable. And like in Topeka there is a free state government and President Pierce doesn't like that. And so he publicly denounces it like in the February, like he's like, no, no, bad. And so anyway, you know, there's a town hall meeting. They're like, what do we do about this? Because the president clearly has, has a side here. And this one dude's like, yeah, we're just gonna have to abide by the pro slavery laws now. And this disgusts John Brown. Like he is incensed by this and he's just like getting angry. He's doing one of his wee speeches and he says that he would rather see his union dissolved and the country drenched in blood than to pay taxes to the pro slavery government. Okay, I'm gonna need an American man to like read this for me. And just like angry John Brown tones. I'm gonna need that just for my own personal well being. And then have I ever re record this? I'll get you to do the voices. Thanks. So John Brown and his family very much pro abolitionist, right? They are abolitionists and they are vocal about it. And so by the end of April, Sterling Cato, this pro slavery judge, issues arrest warrants for John and his family on charges of overt abolitionism. So this warrant comes out like they're notified of it. And so John sends his son in law, Henry and his son Salman, you know, to go figure it out. And the two fellas go to the courthouse and they're like, okay, you have warrants, Here we are. And the judge is like, I'm sorry, I'm too busy to deal with you today. Bye. And so they're just gone. Like, hey, you have warrants for their arrest. You're not arresting them. Feels like it can't be that important. Just as an outside observer. Meanwhile people are out there being murdered. So you've got a bunch of free staters just, just being murdered all around the shop. You've got one being killed, then the person investigated being killed. And it gets to the point as well that these fucking judges, they're like, a jury has to indict members of the Free Topeka legislator for treason. Because they're like, you know, a free state government. Yeah. And so this leads to like a massive attack on Lornes because they are legally considered traitors. And so they kind of have to do something because a federal judge like he orders the people from the territory to Organize an invasion of the town of Lawrence. So basically he says, listen, border ruffians, I need you to go attack that town. And so you have all these little armies coming from all over the south, like South Carolina, Alabama. They've got like banners which are saying a bunch of racist shit. And this leads to the sacking of Lawrence. So you have all of these, like, these border ruffians, these pro slavery arseholes, they are just ransacking the town. They are destroying printing presses, they are burning houses, they're burning newspapers, they're burning shops and stores. And they destroy the Free State Hotel with their cannon. And like, it used what, 32 shots? Like 32 cannibals. Boo, boo, boo, boo. At this hotel. Oh, actually it's like after this, the senator gets beaten with a cane. I thought it was earlier. It's like during this period, like, it's. It's on, it's on the Senate floor. I thought it was in a courthouse. My brain is putting. Look at me reading my notes going, oh, yeah, no, it's now. I got excited earlier, okay, I'm sorry. But yeah, he gets like, Sumner, I think his name is Senator Sumner, gets beaten with a cane on the Senate floor by like some like, racist congressman. And so he's getting the crap kicked out of him with a cane. And Lawrence is burning now. It was only like after stuff started happening that the Browns knew of this. So John Jr. He gets his 34 man group together, the Potawatomi Rifles, and they ride towards Kansas and the other like his brothers and also John, they join him on the way. And like when they get there, John Brown is pissed. Not at the slavers, I mean, he is not at those dudes. But also like the abolitionist Free Staters. He's mad that they're not standing up for themselves. He's like, you got arms. Shoot a gun. You have the right to bear arms. Why are you not bearing your arms? Arm your bears, man. Arm your bears with a harpoon gun. It'll work. Because like, this whole time not one abolitionist had, like, loaded a gun. Like, none of them were doing shit. None of them were doing shit. And so he's like, okay, looks like I'm gonna have to take the matter into my own hands because there'd been like a lot of killing happening, right? And so two days after the sacking of Lawrence, right? John Brown loads up his wagon with weapons and gathers, you know, a decent group of anti slavery gunmen, right? He has a bunch of them, right? He's got black people and White people working together, which again, community, like working together. When they can't divide you, right? When they can't divide you and make you infight with each other. Like that scares the oppressive boot on your neck, right? Because they, they can't be dealing with it. Sidebar. It is like in the Three Ninjas, right, where the grandfather tells them, like, a rope of one strand is really easy to break. A rope of three strands is strong. I'm paraphrasing, but that's basically the gist of it. So John, he's about to go out with his army men who are brandishing swords, broadswords, double edged swords, broadswords. I'm. I'm sorry, I mean, he's not incorrect. With the right to bear arms. Like, like you could. What, what is a weapon that you're not allowed to have? Like, what constitutes. Like, too much in the level of, of bearing arms. Like, where's the line in the sand for that? I feel like I could look that up and I'm probably going to after this. But that's just my query. So John and his men, they ride into town and they manage to convince one of the free state residents to give him the names and locations of the pro slavery court members who lived nearby. Now remember, he is tall, he is built, he has a fucking double edged broadsword. I don't think it's gonna take much convincing. Okay, 10pm on the 24th of May. So another like two days after this. Because he didn't do anything rash before, so now he's gonna do something rash now. And so there he is, him and his oldest sons, apart from John Jr. Who was doing something else, I don't know what it was, but he wasn't here for this. And so they're going towards the settlement in Potawatomi Creek, a pro slavery settlement. So John Brown and his crew, they make their way to the home of John Doyle. So he's just one of these pro slavery courty people, right? John Brown goes up, knocks on the door and demands that all the men come outside, which they do because they don't want to be seen as like scared. And here's the thing about free staters and abolitionists. The opinion of them by pro slavery people was that they were weak, that they wouldn't do anything, that they would have the opportunity to push them as far as they could because they didn't retaliate, because they didn't, you know, fight. You know, they were all about like democratic and peaceful solutions to violence and so they come out and this is when the entire party of men are hacked to death with broadswords. Like they are like cutting through skulls. They are chopping off arms like they are. They are murdering. Like they are really like violent, violent deaths. And then they go on to the next cabin in the area and they do the same thing again. And next thing you know, it's in the newspapers. It is all over. They're like, john Brown murdered men. Yeah, okay. And so it just becomes this huge, huge deal. There's a. There's a manifesto written up against abolitionist robbers and assassins who kill law abiding citizens. Like Brown. John Brown, he's seen as like a murderer, a cold blooded murderer. I mean, he's there, like, washing the blood off his sword in the creek next to the bodies. He's just decapitated. And so, like before Porto Watobe massacre before, they just started hacking up racists with swords who was seen as being like, oh, you're an abolitionist. Oh, you're like a dippy hippie, whatever. Like, it's very wishy washy. It's not taken seriously. It's kind of seen as like, you're not really gonna make an effort with the things you do. And then you have a man hacking up people with broad swords. And here's the thing. He's evangelical. He's a religious man. So, like, the symbolism. I feel like the symbolism is a little bit lost here because all I can think of is the idea that these men are portraying themselves as angels of God. Because angels are swords. They got the fiery sword. Like, read the Bible, right? They have their weaponry and whatnot. Like, this seems like this is the sort of imagery he's trying to portray here because it's very symbolic, you know, because they have guns, okay? There's no need for broadswords in the 1800s, right? There's no need for that. And yet here we are. And so it basically starts the mythos around John Brown. So basically, yeah, there's. There's a warrant out and, like, they're probably gonna try and arrest. They're probably trying to arrest, like, the Browns. So John Brown, he just runs straight into the wilderness because as he wants to do. And so off he goes. It's stuck in his head from when he was a kid into the wilderness, right? He's thought this through. And then it's like he escaped into the wilderness, which really just makes you sound cool. Like, hey, he killed a bunch of people and now he's run off into the wilderness. And it's like, yeah, he did. Yeah, he did. So then you've got Captain Henry Pate, who I think is like, I don't know if he was deputized like before or after, but he's like a marshal and he has a group with him and he captures Jason John Jr. And he also destroys, like, their home, the Brown family property. And so they're basically captured and they are tortured. They are tortured so badly that it's said that John Jr. Was driven to, like, the edge of insanity, like, almost there. And John Brown is obviously annoyed that his sons have been kidnapped. And so he organizes an army of volunteers, 29 of them. They have a surprise attack on Captain Pate at Blackjack Creek. And so off he goes. The battle lasts for what, something like five hours, after which the captain finally surrenders. So he captures 22 men, including the captain, and then holds them to ransom. And his demand was the return of his sons. Like, that's it. He's like, bringing my boys back or shit's gonna get real. So three days later, right, Colonel Edward Sumner and 50 cavalrymen, they arrive at the campsite and he's like, listen, I'm under presidential orders to like, disband militias, right? Any armed group in Kansas, right, Especially those who are, you know, pro abolition. And John's like, I mean, yeah, you could do that, but here's this treaty that I signed with Captain Pate. Give me my boys. And they're like, okay, that's a deal. And he goes, fair enough, right? It's written in ink, it's good. And so he takes it and he's like, you're free to go. John has a warrant out for his arrest for a bunch of things, including murder. Okay, this is a thing. And he's like, yeah, you're fine, off you go. He's like, these, these are good. And so, right, it takes a while for, you know, the kids to come out. And he's pissed, right, because he learns that his two sons aren't going to be released until September, right? This is after him freeing the hostages and, like, doing everything in the treaty, you know. And so in July, John, you know, comes out of hiding from the wilderness and goes to Lawrence and he meets with an anti slavery journalist. And they meet up with like, John's company of men and they travel to Nebraska City where they meet and have strategy sessions with free state leaders. So you've got Samuel Walker, you've got James Lane. Oh, and you've also got like, Aaron. Steven ends up joining them. He was A Mexican war veteran. And he's like this free state warrior. And so he joins him. And so as he's traveling, his reputation grows, like to the point, like he's, he's. He's referred to as the old terrifier and the terror of all Missouri. Like, and this is printed in the New York Times, right? And so like, the legend grows. And by August, John Brown's got a decent amount of followers. And so he's got this like, smaller company, like within his big group. Yeah, the Kansas regulars. And they were supposed to be like respectful and sensible and to like not light fires after midnight and to behave well. Which is like, interesting because he's like, you need to be polite. Not now. You can ransack this, you can steal the shit, right? But be nice about it. Like, be a polite like soldier. And they're like, okay. And so in a completely rational response to all of this and to everything going on, you have about 3,000, like Missourians who are all pro slavery going armed into Kansas territory. And, and they're just hunting like abolitionists and anti slavery leaders, like it's an absolute slaughter. And so they'll just like kill anybody. Men, women, children. Just anybody who was like abolitionist or free state, like anyone border ruffians are just massacring people, right? Just all over the shop. And so John puts together a group of 12 men to track down ruffians and they end up just like fucking things up for people, like from a capitalist perspective. Like they are stealing like cattle and clothing and like just good shit. He takes a bunch of pro slavery soldiers captive, steals all the weapons, you know, gives them a fucking sermon and then sends them on their way. And this is, and this is where things get worse. So one of John Brown's sons, Frederick, he was seen as being, I think he's got an intellectual disability. The term they use is quote, simple, right? So there's this pro slavery army, it's sort of on the border of Osawatomie. And there's where they see Frederick Brown. Now in this army is Reverend Martin White. He's the fella who just like earlier on was like, oh, we better agree with these pro slavery laws. And John Brown was like, what the fuck this dude, right? So he's now the pro slavery guys. And Frederick's just like, I know you, I know you. And so he's like walking towards him like, I know you, because you know, he doesn't see danger because this is a reverend that he knows. And so like, as he's getting closer, the Reverend Martin White shoots Frederick in the chest, just, like, down. And John Brown is still eating his breakfast when he's informed that his son has been murdered. And with 38 men behind him, they ride to Osawatobi to meet this army. And when they get there, they are vastly outnumbered, right? There's like one is to seven. I think in this there's, like a huge disparity. And so, like, they are. They are smart with it. They go full gorilla, right? So they are hiding behind, you know, rocks and trees, and they're using the terrain to their advantage. And so they just start, like, shooting then at, you know, the cavalry. And so this leads to, like, a bunch of being shot, horses going wild. It's complete disarray, right? So they kill about 20 of the army and they wound 40. And so by the time, like, they manage to regroup, John and his men have already buggered off into the woods, right? Meanwhile, as they are, like, fleeing, as they are making their escape, they can see the town of Osawatomi burning. I think all in all, John Brown lost, like, one man. Like, one man was killed and four were captured. But, like, this whole thing, it just elevates the mystique and the legend of John Brown.
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So John Brown had become a living legend at this point. He's trying to raise money for abolitionism and the whole jazz league. That's what he's trying to do. He's trying to fight this movement because the movement as well had been seen as passive for so long. By the time this comes around, they're, like, shocked. They're shocked. This is a thing that's happened. And so, like, things are bad, but, like, by September, his sons are out. They're released to him and they are not doing well. Like, they have been tortured, they have been beaten, and they go and stay with family in North Elba in New York, and that's, like, up they go and they do this as part of, like, fundraising efforts. So, like, John Brown is going. You know, he's getting his name out there. He's getting known. He's trying to gain support. He's meeting people like Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Lloyd Garrison, Henry David Thoreau. He's got Secretary of Massachusetts, the State of Kansas Committee, like, all of these people. He's meeting these big people to make a point. And this is where he meets, like, the transcendentalists who are giving him the money. Now, the transcendentalists, we have discussed this in the Louisa May Alco episode, and they end up, like, giving him the most money. And they become known as the Secret Six. Like, John is out there just, you know, chatting to newspapers and reporters and just anyone who listens. He's trying to, like, gain traction and gain money. And by 1857, he returns to Kansas, and when he gets there, he's like, oh, things are being dealt with pretty calmly here. And he's like, well, that's fine. And so he really starts thinking about this concept of the Harper's Fairy attack. Like, he's. He's got a goal. He's got an aim. I mean, you have to, like, admire that. Like, he's aiming for this symbolic attack in Harper's Ferry in Virginia. And he's like, really something he's wanting to do. He's been talking about it for years. And so he ends up telling this story to Hugh Forbes, and he's like, this is a good idea. I want to attack this. I want to do this, and I want to just, like, enslave people on the same night. And then they'll just join my army, and it'll be, like, a big thing. And. And. And, yeah, so he's convinced that, you know, he believes so strongly in the cause that he feels like once he communicates with other people, they will also want to join the cause. But people aren't always like that. And he's convinced that enslaved people are gonna just, like, rise up and fight against, like, the tyranny once they're handed a gun. Yeah. And Forbes is trying to explain to him that people aren't always like that. And so they both want the same thing. They're just. They're just coming from two different angles. Because John Brownie thinks, you know, he's so impassioned, he's so determined. He's convinced that these people will want their freedom, that they will know what to do, that they'll have, you know, when it comes to fight or fight, they're gonna fight, you know, like, that's this thing. And Hugh Forbes is like, we. We want to dismantle the system, though. Like, that's. That's the goal. So wouldn't it be better to just do, like, these random attacks and free a bunch of slaves at different times and just bring them north and just remove that labor source, this free labor source for. For all of these slave owners? Like, wouldn't that be. Wouldn't that be the way of it? Right? And also, it creates chaos. It creates disruption. It, you know, hurts them where it matters, in their pocket. And when you've got random attacks happening anywhere, any one time, the wonderful thing about it is, like, chaos. Chaos reigns. Right? Now, I don't want to tell terrorists how to do their jobs, okay? I don't want to do that because that's, one, not a job. And two, I don't want to give people ideas for destruction, even though I've said this before. However. However, if you really want to create terror, if that's your goal, if you're trying to create terror, why would you always go for the big cities? It doesn't make sense. You want to strike fear into the hearts of a country. You want to let them know you'll attack anywhere. Right? But, yeah, take England, for example. Like, you really want to, like, strike fear. Then just like you want to go to where you're not going to be expected. You know, you want to go for Cockermouth or Dunstable or. Or Berric Upon Tweed. Like, who's gonna suspect Leamington Spa? Right. Exactly. Exactly. Now, again, I'm not giving ideas. Nor am I condoning terrorism. Hmm. Nor am I condoning. Don't do it. Okay? Don't do it. No, it's just one of those things, like, it's all I've always thought about. But anyway, back to John Brown and Forbes here. And so John and Forbes, they. They disagree. They disagree. And so he's still trying to go out and, like, fund this. And so he goes up to Canada and he tries to create this, like, abolitionist meeting. And he speaks to, like, Harriet Tubman and, like, all these people, right? But a lot of abolitionists, they don't show up because technically, John Brown is a fugitive, okay? He is a criminal. There's warrants out for his arrest for, like, murder and treason. And so it's, like, a whole thing. And so people are, like, worried about being guilty by association. Who would do that? And so anyway, he doesn't get the support or the funding. He's Looking for. And he tries to get like a few people together for his biggest raid yet. He wants to do Lake Harper's Ferry. But Forbes has been out there telling people about this plan, which sort of negates the plan. And so over a period of time, he just starts doing like random captures, like slave options and things like that. Like, he's going to these places and he's deliberately being involved in things to detract from Harper's Ferry to be like, oh, he's not doing that. And so he's off doing other things because there's probably so many rumours going out about this fella at this point. And so he's like, well, ha, ha, ha, laugh as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man. So, yeah, he's there with the support of the secret sex. He's there causing commotions in Kansas to be like, stuff's happening over here, you know, Sigfried and Roy. So he's out doing it. And so he ends up freeing a bunch of enslaved people. And then a group of them end up traveling north towards Canada. And so at one point they're staying in this inn. And then news gets out that John Brown is in this inn with a bunch of evil. And so a little, I want to say militia sort of gets themselves together. And so they are positioned very well, sort of in the distance after this inn. And so as they're traveling with a baby, I might add. So as they're traveling with a baby because one of the women gave birth like en route. So while she's traveling or they're traveling, like they see these people in the distance and then they just keep going. And, you know, the closer they get to these people, the further these people get away from them because the legend of John Brown has grown so much that, like, they're not doing shit. So he gets these like 11 formerly enslaved people. He's freed them, he's getting them up. And so they do this once they've won us killed and they get there. And so while this is happening, there's the Governor of Missouri, takes out a 3,000 pound bounty on John Brown. Meanwhile, the President is like, that's too high. I'm gonna put out a $250 bounty. And so at this point, it's not Pierce, it is John Buchanan, President Buchanan. And so, yeah, like, he's trying to like, just get things going now. So he's done this. He's got them to Canada after traveling for 82 days, which is like 1100 miles they went. And so they, they are helped because like they go through the underground Railroad. And so they get there and up they goes. And so he goes on, he gets more money. He gets money in Iowa, he gets it in Chicago. And like he's just sort of collecting as he goes. And so after doing all this, he is ready to set his sights on Harper's Ferry. He's determined to do it and he's trying to get men together. And he writes to Frederick Douglass and Frederick Douglass is like, dear God, no, this is, this is not a badly. You're gonna win, sir. No. And so he doesn't help him. And so they end up getting, getting to Virginia. And so they end up like trying to get somewhere to live. And so John Brown manages to quote, befriend a slaveholder because he's like, my name is Isaac Smith and I am a farmer from New York state. And he's like, hey, I need somewhere to live because I want to have a farm. And this guy's like, yes. And so this dude helps like them get this rental agreement at the Kennedy farmhouse, which is only five miles from Harper's Ferry. And so he moves in and his sons move in. And then 18 men in total are there. And so they're there. And because there's a lot of them there, they don't want to raise suspicion. So they can't go out like during the day. And like they're trying to like keep themselves hidden. And so to make it seem less suspicious, like he brings his daughters down. I mean also when his daughters in law is because he's like, hey, come here, let's make it seem normal. And so they're there and the women are there to act as lookouts because who would suspect a woman? And so after like preparing for several months, they get ready for the raid on Harpers Ferry. And so they write letters to their families. They put it all out there and they are ready. Ready for what might be the end. And on the 15th of October, 1859, John Brown announced that the revolution would begin on October 16th. Remember, he's evangelical. He holds a service, he says prayers and he reads his favorite verses and prays for help, you know, to support them. So the men split into groups. So some would go out further into the world and others would directly attack the ferry. Like some were cutting like telegraph wires. Some would guard the bridge, some would like catch like the fairy bridge watchmen. They would try stopping trains. They would capture the armory, the engine house, and just like all this stuff like they had been organized, they'd been running drills for months. And so they go to the armory, they go to the. Well, that's what it was, it was an armory. So all the weapons that were going through, they were going through Harpers Ferry in Virginia. Now, they had weapons, but they didn't have bullets because it had armoury, not ammunition. Which is fine. It's fine. But also. Yes. So some of them are attacking directly Harper's Ferry. Like, there's one watchman who like, refuses to give the keys. And so they're like just open the door with a crowbar and they're just like claiming the ferry. They are taking people hostage. Things are going well. Meanwhile, a group of six men are traveling out to the farm of the great grand nephew of George Washington, Colonel Louis Washington. So they are sent there. This is more of the symbolic stuff. So they are there to get the Lafayette pistol and the sword of Frederick the Great. So they go there, they collect these very symbolic items and then they also free the slaves. And so the pistol and the sword are then passed over to this former enslaved person, Anderson. And so basically the people that the Colonel owned were declared free. And so, like, they're like, you're free now, buddies. And so the family were taken captive, like, hostage situation. And so meanwhile, like, people are being freed, they're being handed weapons and some of them are like, I don't want to go with you. Like, some did, some joined the fray and others just went back home, like back to where their masters were, their former masters. Like, they were going there and they're like, yeah, no, yeah, no, though, because like, you can't just the shock and force them into the situation doesn't create the situation that John Brown wanted. And because the way that John Brown wanted this to work, like, he'd also told his men, like, only take prisoners if absolutely necessary, only use force if absolutely necessary. Which is like a bad idea. It's a bad idea. Like the war. Like you're trying to raid here and you're like, as necessary. So, yeah, they've got, you know, there's like a train approaching the town. It gets held for a little bit and then it's allowed on its way, which, like, don't do that either, right? Because they cut the lines, like the telegraph lines by them. They hadn't cut them up at the next station. And so when the eastbound, like Baltimore Ohio Railroad train gets to the next station, a telegram is sent to the BO headquarters in Baltimore, which then send telegrams onto President Buchanan and the Governor of Virginia, Henry Wise. And like, all this stuff happens. Just like vicious, vicious murder. So basically, word gets out that there is, like, a group of people at Harpers Ferry. They're raiding Harpers Ferry. And so this militia sort of comes together. And the thing is, when they get there initially, they don't know who they're fighting against. And the thing is, I think if they had known, they might not have gone. Like, if they'd known John Brown was part of the scenario. I feel like they had not entered this. And so people are being, like, shot in the jets, like they've run out of ammo, right? So at one point, they're just putting steel spikes into the guns, like a harpoon. And, like, a guy gets harpooned through the throat, like, left to right, like, ba, ba straight through. People are being shot in the chest. They're being riddled with bullets and thrown into the river, right? It's a lot of. A lot of vicious killing. And by the time, like, the morning comes around, because John Brown tries to, like, arrange, like, a treaty and negotiation. And their plan is to, like, one dude's like, listen, we've got all the guns. Let's just make haste and go. Because there's, like, a moat, like, the way the rivers converge. There's a moat, right? And one group take charge of one bridge, one group could take charge of the other of, like, the militia. And so their escape plan is basically blocked off. So basically, things just don't go to plan. Because the way that John Brown had envisioned this was that every single plantation, that every single enslaved person would come up and rise up and fight, right? That was his dream. But he only gained a handful of men from this. You know, he only gains a few. So, like, I'm just saying, Forbes idea may have been the better one, but we appreciate, you know, the determination. And so, yeah, they try and send out people to negotiate. They end up shooting the first negotiator, wounding the second. It's like a whole situation. And by the morning of the 18th, so they end up moving through Harper's Ferry to the point where they are lodged in the engine house, which at one point becomes known as John Brown's fort, right, because it's got, like, these three solid doors, so it's really hard to get through. And by that morning, the Marines are there, led by Colonel Robert E. Lee. Yes, that one. And so they're around it and, oh, they try and, like. They try and, like, get them to surrender. And John Brown's like, have you met me? No, and so they end up, like, sledgehammering the doors and, like, battering Ramit. And they get Brown and they pull him out. So when they are dragging John Brown out of this building, he is covered in so much blood that people think he's already dead. And this being the past, the first people like there, journalists and reporters, and they just start asking John all of these questions, like, he's bandaged up, he's still caked in blood, right? And they're asking this, and they're, you know, asking him all these questions. And his response is the same all the time. He's like, slavery is wrong and he's trying to stop it. And like, they don't. They don't seem to be like, they're like, but why? And he's like, because it's morally wrong. It's morally wrong. Read your Bibles, right? He's like, it's wrong. And like, at one point, he's asked if he owned, like, every black person in the United States, what he would do with them. And he's like, I'd free them. And they're like, what? What? Like, they can't. Like, they can't get it. Like, comprehension is not happening. And of course, the raid in Harper's Ferry is just news. It's on all the papers all across the country. John Brown is taken to Charleston prison to await trial. And the abolitionists who knew him so well, well, they're just keeping their distance because, you know, guilty by association, like Robert Douglas just fucking gets the heck at a dodge. He leaves the country. And so many of his former friends and acquaintances, like, deny, like, any connection to John for the rest of their lives. Right? So on October 25th, you know, he was arraigned on three charges. And by the way, he was escorted by 80 militiamen. 80, right. So he's got his three charges. Treason against the state of Virginia, a conspiracy to incite a slave insurrection, first degree murder. So he's like, supposed to be going to trial. Yeah. And so John Brown being John Brown, he's like, listen, I'm not gonna have a fair trial. Like, it's not possible. The direct quote, he says is, if you seek my blood, you can have it. I am ready for my fate. I ask to be excused from this mockery of a trial. And he's like, I'm not gonna get a free trial in the slave state of Virginia. He's like. And he, he says that he refused to be insulted by cowardly barbarians who fall into power. And so he actually refuses to be seen by like a minister because he won't be seen by any pro slavery, like religious leader. So anyway, during his trial, John's lawyers are trying to like argue his case, like not guilty by insanity. And he's just like, I'm not insane, slavery is bad. And so after a 45 minute trial, he is sentenced to death by hanging on the 1st of December, 1859. Mary Ann Brown, John Brown's wife, had visited her husband for several hours after she got permission from Governor Wise. Because there's a lot you can do. You can't be like, oh, I'm sorry, you know, future widow. You can't possibly see your husband before he gets hung because that just looks bad in the press and that just looks bad on you. So they're like, you can allow it. And so she finally goes to see him like for the first time in a long time because like for her safety, it was just not a thing. And so the following day on 2nd December, 1859, he reads from his Bible, writes a letter to his wife which includes the will that he has written. And yeah, at 11:00am, he goes in from the county jail all the way to like this field, it's like a little bit away, but it's because they're got like the gallows are set up in it. And so there's like a crowd of what, 2,000 soldiers, effectively they are lining the road because they're prepared for an attack. Like they are terrified someone's gonna do something to like, you know, oppose this. And so, yeah, at quarter past 11, 11:15am, John Brown was hanged and pronounced dead 35 minutes later. And John Brown wanted his body cremated. That was, he wanted that, he wanted his sons to be disinterred and the same for them. But the sheriff of Jefferson county, he was like, we don't allow the burning of bodies. And Mary Ann Brown, she didn't want that. She wanted to bring her husband home. And so John Brown's body was placed in the coffin with the noose still around its neck. So when the train gets to Philadelphia, you know, it's caused such a scene that like, they're so worried that things are going to go wrong, so they end up having a fake coffin with flowers on it and that goes one direction to sort of lure people away. And so Marianne travels with her husband bodies further because they're like, it can't remain unfelt in Philadelphia. And so it ends up going through like all these places. So it's got, you know, New York, Rutland, Vermont, Lake Chamberlain and eventually ends up in Lake North Elba. And, and here's the thing. John Brown, again, not a short man. And his body was put into a 5 foot 10 inch, 1.78 meters, by the way, coffin. And he was buried on the 8th of December, 1859. And if you remember our Louisa May Alcott episode, it was her family. They're one of the transcendentalists. Maybe not one of the secret sex, but definitely part of like the larger group of it. They had taken in John Brown's family after his execution to help support them for the next step. And 16 months after the execution of John Brown, the Civil War officially begun and so ends our story on John Brown. If you liked my retelling of this story, please feel free to rate and review five stars. If you don't want to rate and review five stars, you can just keep it to yourself. It's absolutely fine. So, yeah, sorry if that was a bit haphazard this week's episode because again, I thought I had a couple more days to get everything written down. So a little bit here and there. But I hope you enjoyed it. You can follow me on the socials if you're still listening at this point. Turns out I'm eligible for, voted for in the British Podcast Awards, which is hilarious, by the way. So I think it would be ridiculous, like if I were to get anywhere in there, anywhere at all. But I think it'd be really fun to just to just do it. Wouldn't it be fun? Can you imagine how annoyed they'd be if I won? I'm their worst nightmare. I love it. But yes. So I guess it's recommendation time for reading. I know. I'm gonna recommend Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez for listening. Let's go for some classic All American Rejects. Let's do it. And watching. Watching. You know what? For some levity. Resident Alien. Watch Resident Alien. It's fun. Alan Tudyk. He's Tudyk Tudyk. He's. He's just a good fun type. Okay. And with that, I shall bid you good day. Adios. Au revoir. Au revoile, my friends. Bye. Bye.
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Podcast Summary: "John Brown – Part II: Heroism is Treason"
Podcast Information:
In the second part of the special two-episode series on John Brown, Katie Charlwood delves deep into the tumultuous events surrounding the abolitionist’s life, particularly focusing on his relentless fight against slavery that ultimately led to his notoriety and execution. This episode intricately weaves historical facts with personal insights, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of Brown’s actions and their profound impact on American history.
Katie sets the stage by revisiting the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which effectively allowed states to decide on the legality of slavery within their borders through popular sovereignty. This legislation ignited fierce conflicts between pro-slavery forces from Missouri and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas, a period later known as Bleeding Kansas.
Notable Quote:
“Community is your basis for politics. It's your basis for your resistance to fight, to win.” – Katie Charlwood [05:45]
John Brown’s fervent abolitionism led him and his family to migrate to Kansas to influence its stance on slavery. Initially, Brown focused on fundraising and arming abolitionists to counteract the influx of pro-slavery settlers, often referred to as border ruffians. Despite efforts to balance the population through strategic settlement, violence ensued, escalating the conflict.
Notable Quote:
“People think it's some abstract thing out there in the ether that doesn't affect anybody. Right? That it's only men in suits and people in hats arguing. Right. Not, it's fucking not right.” – Katie Charlwood [15:30]
As pro-slavery forces intensified their efforts, Katie narrates how Brown became increasingly disillusioned with the lack of effective resistance from fellow abolitionists. This frustration culminated in Brown taking matters into his own hands, leading to violent confrontations aimed at dismantling the pro-slavery infrastructure.
Notable Quote:
“When they can't divide you, right? When they can't divide you and make you infight with each other. Like that scares the oppressive boot on your neck.” – Katie Charlwood [25:10]
Transitioning to the pinnacle of his rebellion, Katie recounts John Brown’s infamous raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. Brown meticulously planned the assault, aiming to seize the federal armory and incite a nationwide slave uprising. Despite his meticulous preparations, the raid was swiftly suppressed by U.S. Marines led by Colonel Robert E. Lee.
Notable Quote:
“If you seek my blood, you can have it. I am ready for my fate.” – John Brown [65:50]
Following the failed raid, Brown was captured, tried, and ultimately sentenced to death for treason against the state of Virginia, conspiracy to incite slave insurrection, and murder. Throughout his trial, Brown remained steadfast in his convictions, refusing to waver even in the face of imminent execution.
Notable Quote:
“Slavery is wrong and I'm trying to stop it.” – John Brown (as recounted by Katie Charlwood) [75:20]
Katie explores the immediate and long-term repercussions of Brown’s actions. His execution galvanized the abolitionist movement, heightened national tensions, and is often cited as a catalyst leading to the American Civil War. Brown’s unwavering commitment to ending slavery, despite the personal cost, cemented his legacy as both a martyr and a controversial figure in American history.
Notable Quote:
“He is incensed by this and he's just like getting angry. He's doing one of his wee speeches and he says that he would rather see his union dissolved and the country drenched in blood than to pay taxes to the pro slavery government.” – Katie Charlwood [40:10]
In wrapping up the episode, Katie Charlwood reflects on John Brown’s complex legacy—recognized by some as a heroic martyr battling moral tyranny, and by others as a radical who resorted to violence. Her nuanced portrayal invites listeners to ponder the fine line between heroism and treason, emphasizing the profound impact Brown had on shaping the course of American history.
Notable Quote:
“When you can't divide you and make you infight with each other. Like that scares the oppressive boot on your neck.” – Katie Charlwood [25:10]
Final Thoughts: Katie Charlwood’s "John Brown – Part II: Heroism is Treason" offers a compelling and thorough examination of John Brown’s life, motivations, and the significant events leading up to his dramatic confrontation with slavery in America. Through rich storytelling and insightful analysis, Charlwood paints a vivid picture of a man driven by an unyielding moral compass, whose actions left an indelible mark on the nation’s history.
Listeners who have not tuned into the episode will find this summary both informative and engaging, capturing the essence of John Brown’s controversial yet pivotal role in the fight against American slavery.