The Letter from Harriet Newby

A six inch spike sticks in his throat bleeding

And there Dangerfield Newby lays dead

As not one rose up supporting his cause,

And soon they removed the ears from his head.

First of the fallen from John Brown’s army

The first of thousands to die for his cause

Newby laid out there as food for the hogs

In the joyous Harpers Ferry applause.

Next to his heart, inside his coat pocket

The reason for his passionate fervour

“The children are well”, on her written page.

And for that he so wished he could serve her.

So there he took up arms with old John Brown,

A man would bargain for his wife for sale.

Bargain for the fee, bargain with his life,

Stake his life, to try, should he win or fail.