BIOGRAPHY:
from John Brown: The Conspirators, Univ of Virginia web page "jefferson.village.edu"
Charles Plummer Tidd
1834-1862
Charles Plummer Tidd, known as Charles Plummer, was a captain in Brown's army. He
was born in Palermo, Maine, in 1834, and changed his name after the raid in order to
avoid possible arrest and trial as a Harper's Ferry raider--a precaution of greater
importance when he entered the army in 1861.
He emigrated to Kansas with the party of Dr. Calvin Cutter, of Worcester, in 1856. He
joined John Brown's party at Tabor, in 1857, and thereafter, in Canada and elsewhere, was
one of Brown's closest associates, returning to Kansas in 1858 as a follower of "Shubel
Morgan." He took part in the raid into Missouri. He and Cook were particularly warm
friends. Tidd opposed the attack on Harper's Ferry. After his escape from Virginia, he
visited Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Canada, and was freely consulted in the
plans for rescue of Stevens and Hazlett. "Tidd," wrote Mrs. Annie Brown Adams, "had
not much education, but good common sense. After the raid he began to study, and tried
to repair his deficiencies. He was by no means handsome. He had a quick temper, but was
kind-hearted. His rages soon passed and then he tried all he could to repair damages. He
was a fine singer and of strong family affections."
He died of fever, on the transport Northerner, as a first sergeant of the Twenty-first
Massachusetts Volunteers, on February 8, 1862, with the roar of the battle of Roanoke
Island in his ears. This he had particularly wished to take part in, for ex-Governor Henry
A. Wise was in command of the Confederates, his son, O. Jennings Wise, being killed in
the engagement. Tidd had enlisted July 19, 1861, as a private. His grave is No. 40 in the
New Berne, N. C., National Cemetery.
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John Brown Articles, Valley Spirit, Chambersburg, PA - November 2, 1859, pg. 3a
The Insurgents About...On Thursday morning last, three boys, while hunting in Beatty's Woods, a short distance from this burrough, found three Sharps Rifles and a quantity of ammunition concealed in the bushes. As the boys returning to the spot and made a more thorough search. A large lot of ammunition was picked up, some bloody bandageswere lying round, a book and some other articles were also found. One of the rifles had the name of C. P. Tidd on the mounting. The book is a curiosity - it is one of Col. Forges Manuals for discipline.
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