MONT ALTO – The Army of Liberation may not be as well known as their leader, John Brown, but many of them shared his fate for following in his beliefs. On Oct. 16, 1859, Brown and his forces became legends for freedom when they took control of the United States Armory in Harpers Ferry, at that time in the state of Virginia. Their reasons were to cause an uprising against slavery by setting slaves free.
The legend is well known, Brown and many of his men were captured and killed after a standoff with military forces, but not all of the insurrectionists were caught that day. Some managed to escape and flee north.
One such man was Capt. John E. Cook, who had known John Brown since their days in Kansas when they fought for the freedom of slaves. A lifelong abolitionist, Cook was not afraid to use violence to support his cause, which made him valuable to Brown, who needed men who would fight.
Described as a dashing, handsome, fit man, who was charming and intelligent, Cook captured the attention of both those who opposed him and fought beside him. By many accounts, he was a very likable man, but he was passionate in his dislike for the practice of slavery.
Cook was born on May 12, 1829, in Haddam, Connecticut, to parents Nathaniel Cook and Mary Hazleton. He was educated at Brainard Academy and even studied law at Yale University, although he did not complete his studies. His adventurous nature, evident even at a young age, foretold a man who was destined for more than a life found in books.
He was a schoolteacher, a businessman and a clerk in New York. But it was when he met John Brown that his abilities really came to light. His sophisticated nature made him a good spy for the legendary abolitionist, but his outgoing personality often would get him in trouble. He was known to be an avid storyteller, even at times when it was best to keep quiet.
No matter what his shortcomings were when it came to talking too much, he was faithful to Brown and his cause. In Harpers Ferry, he functioned as a spy in the streets and would feed information to Brown who was holed up in a boarding house in Chambersburg.
After the insurrection was halted by marines, which included Col. Robert E. Lee, Brown was arrested, while Cook escaped capture. Cook wasn’t actually at the armory when the fighting commenced. He was waiting at a schoolhouse. When he finally decided to help, it was too late. Upon approach, he saw that defeat was imminent. He tried to create a diversion by firing on the army from a hill above the armory, but it was all for naught. He fled north where he would later meet up with other members who had escaped.
Cook had become a wanted man and was on the run. Making their way through Maryland, the small group of men made their way to Pennsylvania. After coming down off the mountain, Cook’s group passed through Washington Township on Old Forge Road. It has been documented that the men did not get along and even broke into fist fights.
Bad fortune fell upon Cook when he parted from the group at the Iron Forge in Mont Alto and met up with a fugitive slave hunter named Daniel Logan, who was there meeting with the manager of the iron works. He recognized Cook, and when the ragged fugitive asked for some food, the two men seized him. Cook was then taken to Chambersburg where he was locked up in the Franklin County Jail.
Cook was then transported back to Virginia, where he stood trial for crimes against the United States. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. He attempted to escape from his prison on Dec. 15, 1859, but was caught before he could get away. On Dec. 16, 1859, he was hanged in Charlestown, Virginia.
Like John Brown, Capt. John Cook died a villain against America. He had fired weapons and helped stage a revolt, but time has a way of changing things. Brown and Cook fought and died for a cause that they believed in, one that would come to a head in just a few more years, driving a wedge between the North and South. Today, both men are seen as unsung heroes — men who fought for those who could not fight for themselves.
