Who led the detachment of U.S. Marines that defeated John Brown at Harpers Ferry?

• A. Ulysses S. Grant
• B. Robert E. Lee
• C. William Tecumseh Sherman
• D. George McClellan

Answer: (B)

The correct answer is Robert E. Lee. He commanded the U.S. Army detachment that responded to John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. Lee, who was then a colonel in the U.S. Army, was tasked with suppressing the insurrection after Brown and his followers took control of the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in an attempt to incite a slave revolt. Lee strategically organized the operation to retake the arsenal and apprehend Brown and his men.

His leadership during this critical incident highlighted his military capabilities and ultimately contributed to his reputation leading into the Civil War, where he would become a prominent general for the Confederate Army. The successful response at Harpers Ferry also reflected the growing tensions surrounding the issue of slavery and foreshadowed the conflicts that would erupt in the years to come.