The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-09-04
A Night Ride in Kansas.

The following Ia an extract of q letter dated
Leavenworth, August nth, from &C w. o." a
srsinian, now In Kansas. 1t Ia good illustration
OF border fighting:"
On Friday evening Gen. Clarke received note
from CoL Iitus, requesting him to bring over as
.nauy mounted men as he could spare, to 90 over
10 assist Col Treadwe ell In defending him self from
an attack, which 1t was understood would be ma de
on MIN that night. We left Col Titus that night
WIN eighteen men; aud, as we had not horses
enough to mount them all, some had to double; but
on the road we managed to mount most of the men
oy pressing horses into service We continued
on the road until we reached the house of Mr Le-
nay, pro-savery man, who lives about eight
miles from Lecomptou, when we learned that
we were too late, as Lane had attacked TreadwelPs
camp mat day and driven him off After resting
ourselvec aud horses a few minutes we started on
the return, and had ridden about four miles with
cut interruption, when it was suggested by Col
TITUS. who was in command, that we should go by
the house OF man by the name of Wakefield, who
had figured to a considerable extent in the Kansas
difficulties and take his horses. After proceeding
on the way about quarter of a mile (Wake.
fields house in full view before u.s. and the moon
shining very brightly,) we observed abort dozen
men at the house, and in few moments we saw
two mounted men start from the house in full gal.
lop, ON the road to Lecompton. The order was
given TO follow them, which we did in style, and
as | happened to be mounted on pretty fleet
horse, with about three others, led the pursuit.
anu CoHLinueu 10 run tneIn, occasionally firing on
them, until we found ourselves slap in party of
about two hundred and fifty of the enemy who
were doubtless on their way to Lecompton, and
until we had gotten up to them, had been hid from
our view by fence.
We hauled off, and joined the rest of our party,
who had by that time, gotten up. We were or
dered to form with view of charging into them,
but after taking full survey of the party it was
decided best to return at once to Lecompton, and
prepare for defence. BY the time that decision
had been come to, they commenced firing into US
and then commenced the race for life. They had
more than double the number of horsemen we
had and had strung themselves all along the road
for the distance of about three hundred yards and
as we passed them we received their volley which
some of our men returned. Then we had it we
running from them and they after US; and for the
distance of about three miles, 1 don't think LIE.
compton in his best days could have caught me-
All of the party, however, were not SO fortunate
when we pulled up and counted noses. We found
two of our men missing and three wounded one
of them had ball put through the calf of his leg
as be was riding by my side another had a ball
through his hand, and the Colonel was slightly
wounded in his finger, to say nothing of the horses
shot and hats shot off the heads of the men,
How any of us escaped is matter of surprise to
me, and can only account for it on the ground,
that they Were thrown into snch CONSERVATION by
our sudden appearance that they could do moth
ing