Charles Town in Jefferson County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
John Brown Hanging Site
Creation of a Martyr
| | Prelude to War | |
This is where seven men were hanged in December 1859 and March 1860 for their part in John Browns Raid on Harpers Ferry. The scaffold stood here in a large field.
A month after the trial, on December 2, 1859, John Brown was the first to die. He rode here in a wagon, sitting on his casket, with his arms tied. His last message, which he gave to a jail guard, read: I John Brown am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land: will never be purged away; but with Blood. I had as I now think: vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed; it might be done.
Eight hundred militiamen under Col. John T. Gibson stood guard to prevent any attempt to free Brown. Browns body was returned to his wife in Harpers Ferry and taken home to North Elba, New York, for burial. Many Northerners regarded him as a martyr.
Among those present at Browns execution were Thomas J. (later Stonewall) Jackson, then an instructor at Virginia Military Institute, John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, and Edmund Ruffin, who fired one of the first shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter.
On December 16, white raiders John Cook and Edwin Coppic and black raiders Shields Green and John Copeland were hanged here. Raiders Aaron Stevens and Albert Hazlett followed on March 16.
In
this page online
Erected by West Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • Law Enforcement • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the West Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1860.
Location. 39° 17.151′ N, 77° 51.388′ W. Marker is in Charles Town, West Virginia, in Jefferson County. It is on South Samuel Street south of Hunter Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 515 S Samuel St, Charles Town WV 25414, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in the Eastern Panhandle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Green And Copeland Jr. (here, next to this marker); John Brown Scaffold (a few steps from this marker); Site of the Execution of John Brown (within shouting distance of this marker); George Upshur Manning (approx. 0.2 miles away); Samuel Washington House (approx. 0.2 miles away); George Washington Turner (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sergeant Littleton Tazewell Cordell (approx. 0.2 miles away); Zion Episcopal Churchyard (approx. Ό mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charles Town.
More about this marker. Library
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 12, 2011
2. John Brown Hanging Site Marker
This is a previous iteration of the marker. While the inscription is identical, the formatting is different.
The right side of the marker contains a map which highlights significant Civil War Sites in Jefferson County, WV, many of which are interpreted by Civil War Trail signage.
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 12, 2011
4. John Brown Hanging Site Marker
The scaffold used to execute John Brown on December 2, 1859 was located on this ground.
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 12, 2011
5. Marker in Charles Town
The Victorian house built by militia commander Col. John T. Gibson can be seen here behind the marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 20,659 times since then and 795 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 29, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on April 12, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3. submitted on June 29, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4, 5. submitted on April 12, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
