
Years ago in school, I learned about John Brown and the raid on Harper’s Ferry. I thought it was a quick fight with Federal forces taking Brown and his men down quickly. Now, more than two decades later, I realize my memory is fuzzy and, in a few places, wrong. In Horwitz’s book I relearn this piece of history; one of many different events that led to the Civil War. First, Harper’s Ferry did not happen in one day. It really took place over many days with the raider facing off against stationed troops at the Ferry and troops led by Robert E. Lee who took them down.
Also, the Federal government did not try the raiders for treason but Virginia itself did and did so in a hurry. It did not take but a week or a bit less to try the raiders who still lived. Only a small number of them managed to escape capture and remain in freedom.
Although Horwitz’s book is not comprehensive nor long, it is still very informative and grabbed my attention. Also, I enjoyed the narrator Dan Oreskes’s reading of the book as well. I plan to find other books by Horwitz either to purchase online or check out from my local library.