Book Review Of Midnight Rising: John Brown And The Raid That Sparked The Civil War

by Tony Horwitz Midnight Rising: John Brown And The Raid That Sparked The Civil War, written by Tony Horwitz, is a historical book about civil war, which released in 2011. In his book, Tony Horwitz presents the exciting story of John Brown, who attacked the U.S. armory in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and it might be known as the first salvo of the U.S. Civil War. Tony Horwitz wants to bring a fresh viewpoint on one of the most important event that helps lead to the Civil War. Mr. Horwitz explores the suffering soul of Brown, the desperate passion of his follower, and most important – the spirit of a newborn nation. Remarkably well investigated and written, the author makes this attractive book to become a must-read for any reader who interested

In Horwitz ‘s describing, the road to become an social activist was set from the day he born. His parents were Calvinist who raised him to believe that life is a continuous road to fight against sin and inequality. When grow up, he believed that there is no greater sin than a society of slavery. So that he also raised his son to become a passionate abolitionist. The facts that slavery existence side by side with free people extremely affected Brown, it encourage him to speak out against slavery and do anything he can to help African American as well as Native American. In his life, Brown have made contact with many popular person who also share his beliefs about slavery, from Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and Henry David Thoreau. He also is successfully gain financial support from partisans in the North. The author show Brown’s History though his tough time, the way he did to promote Abolitionist movement while dealing with the economy growth of Southern. Brown’s military strategy seems to be not existent. His very first abolition action was a campaign about a free man being killed by armed white for not follow the orders. For that campaign Brown and his follow would be captured and killed. Horwitz’s step by step show us what leaded Brown to the story that we all know from history books about Harpers

In the South, he was seen as a terrorist, an evil enemy comes from the North. In the North, at first, they saw Brown attacked Harpers Ferry as dumb and naive. But popular northerners like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau have a different view, they call him a hero who have die to fight against slavery. When the Union finally starts a war with Confederate States Army, along with the operation is the song that troops sing about Brown’s legendary: "John Brown's body lies a-moldering in the grave, / But his soul goes marching