Astonished by the intrusion, Washington asked many questions, but received few answers. Soon, the men who had seized his house set free several of his slaves and brought Washington outside, saying they would take him to Harpers Ferry. Not knowing what John Brown had yet accomplished, Washington marveled at this, wondering how it would help their cause. But soon enough, they pushed him into his own carriage and headed for the Ferry (previous to this they had taken his sword).

On the way to the Ferry, Washington still continued to think that the whole thing might be a joke, but on arriving, he found that the gate was open and other accomplices were standing guard. The whole business was still strange to him, and it was only when they brought him in to meet John Brown that any of it began to make sense. Like many other people, Lewis Washington found John Brown, in person, both more compelling and sane than he was portrayed in the newspapers.