John Brown's Raid occurred on October 16-18, 1859, when abolitionist John Brown led a group of 21 men in an attempt to seize the federal armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His goal was to arm enslaved people and incite a rebellion against slavery in the United States. The raid was poorly planned and quickly met with resistance from local militia and U.S. Marines. After two days of fighting, Brown and his men were captured. He was tried for treason and executed on December 2, 1859. The raid heightened tensions between the North and South, contributing to the onset of the American Civil War.