Charles Frederick Henningsen was a Belgian writer and filibuster who served with William Walker in Nicaragua. Before serving with Walker in the 1850’s, he served in the First Carlist War in Spain and fought with Hungary against Russian in the Russian-Circassian War. He has written several works on the history of various European countries. The following is a letter that he wrote to Victor Hugo, the French Poet, concerning the then recent raid on Harper’s Ferry from John Brown’s army in 1860 (the same year Walker was executed). He provides an interesting perspective on the changing political landscape of U.S. politics at the time from a foreigner’s perspective.
Henningsen, Charles Frederick. Letter from General C.F. Henningsen in reply to the letter of Victor Hugo on the Harper’s Ferry Invasion, 1860. New York: Davies & Kent Printers.