Samuel V. Leech

Born in 1837 and later known as Rev. Samuel Vanderlip Leech, he was an American minister and author whose surviving published work is closely tied to Harpers Ferry. His best-known book, The Raid of John Brown at Harper's Ferry as I Saw It, was published in 1909 and presents his own recollection of the 1859 raid.

Records from Project Gutenberg, the Library of Congress, and LibriVox all identify him as the author of that memoir, and LibriVox also describes him as a minister. The book stands out because it is not a distant history but an eyewitness narrative, written by someone who saw the event unfold and later set it down for readers.

Leech died in 1916. Though not a widely known literary figure today, his work remains valuable for listeners interested in Civil War-era America, John Brown, and firsthand historical testimony.