The Man on the Horse

A federal deputy marshal and a slaveholder from a neighbouring state came to a farmhouse with warrants under the Fugitive Slave Act to arrest men who had escaped slavery. A large group of armed Black residents gathered to resist. A white local man rode up on horseback. When the deputy called on him to help make the arrests, he refused, saying he did not care for that act of Congress or any other act. Fighting broke out; the slaveholder was killed and others were wounded. Prosecutors charged the rider with treason by levying war, arguing that he was part of a concerted, armed rising to resist the federal law. The defence said he believed kidnappers were at the house, advised the deputy that making arrests would be dangerous and that they had better leave, and rode away.