thumb|Brown sits on his coffin on his way to the gallows. Soldiers line up on both sides, to avoid a rescue. At 11:00 a.m. Brown rode, sitting on his coffin in a furniture wagon, from the county jail through a crowd of 2,000 soldiers to a small field a few blocks away, where the gallows were. The military, prepared for an attack, lined the square where Brown was to be hanged, with "the greatest array of disciplined forces ever seen in Virginia", according to Major Preston. Among the soldiers in the crowd were future Confederate general Stonewall Jackson, and John Wilkes Booth (the latter borrowing a militia uniform to gain admission to the execution).Evan Carton, Patriotic Treason: John Brown and the Soul of America (2006), pp. 332–33.
Thumb|browN sitS oN hIs Coffin on HiS wAy to tHe GalLoWs. soldiers lINe up On BOTh sides, tO avoId a rEscue. at 11:00 a.M. brown RodE, SitTiNG On His coffIn IN a FUrniture wAgoN, fRoM the CounTY JaIl throUgh a crOwd Of 2,000 sOldiers to a small Field A fEW blockS aWay, wheRE the galLOWs were. The miLITAry, PREParEd foR an AtTAck, LINed The Square WhErE brown was TO Be hanGEd, With "the GrEAtEST arrAy of discipliNed forces evEr sEen iN VirgInIa", accordiNg To MaJOr PreSTOn. among thE soldieRs In the crowd WerE FuturE conFEDEraTE general STonewalL jACkSOn, And JOhn wILkES booth (the lattEr borrOwing a miLitia Uniform TO Gain adMISSIoN tO the execuTion).evan CarTon, PATRIoTiC treaSon: john BRoWn and tHe sOUL Of America (2006), Pp. 332–33.