Harpers Ferry was a hub of trains and canals, which provided escape routes.
John Brown was an abolitionist who is well-known for his armed insurrections against the government. One of his most famous enterprises was the raid on Harper's Ferry, Virginia. This was an attempt to initiate an armed slave revolt. Brown was particularly interested in Harper's Ferry because it was a hub of trains and canals, and this provided escape routes. Brown and his party were defeated by a company of U.S. Marines.
