How did john brown and his men break into the arsenal?

John Brown and his men broke into the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, on October 16, 1859, by seizing the area around the armory and overpowering the small guard force stationed there. They used weapons and surprise to capture the arsenal, aiming to arm enslaved people and spark a larger slave rebellion. Brown's plan involved taking control of the arsenal and then moving south to rally support, but the raid quickly unraveled when local militia and U.S. Marines responded. Brown and his men were ultimately surrounded and captured, leading to his trial and execution.