(Ken Burns reads.)  In 1859 Robert E. Lee was called upon to lead a force of Marines to end John Brown's raid on the arsenal at this site
[DOC] [TLE] John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry - Wikipedia [PAR] John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry was an effort by white abolitionist John 
Brown to initiate an armed slave revolt in 1859 by taking over a United States 
arsenal at Harpers Ferry, ...