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[Fire sounds and screaming]
[Dramatic music]
Alfred Barbour: Sir, I have reason to apprehend that
some assault will be made upon
the U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry.
I cannot be held responsible for consequences at present,
unless the Government sees to the protection
of its property by placing reliable,
regularly drilled forces to sustain me.
I shall cheerfully abide by any order
or decision made by the Department.
Your obedient servant, Alfred M. Barbour,
Superintendent of the U.S. Armory
at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
Lt. Roger Jones: I have been given orders
by the government to protect the arsenal with my 42 men.
Boys it is our duty to defend this
and the other 22 buildings.
I have heard rumors that the South are
going to try and claim the armory.
Henry Wise: Quiet! Quiet!
Man 1: The Governor is talking.
Wise: I've been thinking.
I think we should secede and go with the South.
Man 2: We need to secede.
We need to be our own people and we need to be independent.
Man 3: We could finally have states' rights.
Man 3: We won't have any high government
all the way up North telling us what to do.
Wise: All in favor of seceding, say yay.
Most men: Yay!
Wise: All opposed.
A few men: Nay!
Wise: It is settled, Virginia is seceding.
Man 1: We are leaving!
Man 2: Yeah!
Newspaper man: Extra! Extra! Virginia has seceded!
Virginia has seceded!
Group: What?!
Newspaper man: Extra! Extra!
Virginia has seceded! Virginia has seceded!
Jones: What?!
Newspaper man: Virginia has seceded!
Jones: We have no choice but to set fire to the arsenal.
Go get the other soldiers.
Narrator 1: On the night of April 18, 1861,
the soldiers decided to blow up the armory
and arsenal buildings using mattresses
filled with black powder.
Jones: Toss them over there.
[Explosion sound]
[Door slam]
Wife: What was that big *** out there?
Armory worker: The soldiers blew up the arsenal
and now I have to go back and save the machinery.
Wife: What do you mean? What about your job?
Armory worker: I don't have one anymore.
Wife: Well you better go and see what you can do!
Armory worker: Okay. Bye.
Narrator 1: Many of the armory buildings were saved that day,
but the arsenal was not so lucky and burned to the ground.
The machines were also saved, but the South soon took them.
Harpers Ferry was never able to make another weapon again.
Woman 1: My husband lost his job.
How am I going to feed my children?
Woman 2: Do you have anything for me to sew this week?
Woman 3: No, we haven't been selling much lately
since everybody's been leaving town.
Man 4: I'm a Union man
and I'm going to Massachusetts to work at the armory there.
Man 5: I'll go whereever the work is.
If Jackson takes it all down South then I'm going with it.
[Coughing]
Dylan: What's wrong with me?
Will: You have to blow harder! You're going pfff.
We have no choice but to set fire to the arsenal.
Now go get the other soldiers.
[Laughter]