Brown had planned to set up a base in the Blue Ridge Mountains. From there he and his followers would help runaway slaves and launch attacks on slaveholders. He described this plan to abolitionists who might fund this plan. But the plan changed. By 1858, with the money and men to proceed, a follower revealed Brown's plan. He was forced to go into hiding. After a year, Brown was ready to go again. He rented a farm in Maryland across the river from Harpers Ferry. But many of his followers had changed their minds or didn't believe the plan would work. He did have 21 men and on October 16, they set out for Harpers Ferry.