Video: 'U.S. Slavery John Brown Raid'

(Sunday, October 16, 1859, evening local time; during John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry) — Abolitionist John Brown led a group of 21 men in a raid this evening on the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry in western Virginia to initiate an armed slave revolt in Southern states.

Ten of Brown’s men were killed and five escaped.

Brown and six followers were captured; all were executed (Brown executed Dec. 2, 1859, in Charles Town, West Virginia, which was still part of Virginia at the time).

Video: 'Ken Burns’ Civil War, ep1 part 2-3' (John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry at 17:22)