The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1856-12-27
Letter from pr. Gutter.
KAssAs i. T.. Dee. 8, 1856.

Kansas T., Dec. 8, 1856.
EDIToRs HERALD OF FREEDoN:-In
your issue of Nov. 22d. there is a COM
munication signed Chicago" tina.
purports to give an account of the
affair at Hickory Point. It seems
that the object of the writer is to ex- !,
culpate Col. Harvey from fault, and to
attach blame upon Gen. Lane and
myself. l beg the privilege Of giving
a few facts, SO as to render the account
more complete.
Chicago states that They I Har-.
vey's command Iencamped eight miles
from the spot where the engagements
took place. .sf = "a Some
of the company, with Dr., Gutter, kept
ON their way, Again, the writer
says: at is not probable that the
company would have been found, had
DIR. Gutter obeyed the wishes of Col.
Harvey, and remained with them till
morning" In this, it is implied that
I Iscas gully Of disobedienes Of orders;
hence the disaster. "a TO this. l reply:
that stopped.with the company and
remained several hours and whsntI .
learned that they were all TO; remain >
until morning, ! applied to Col. Hsr-
vey to detail an escort, SO that the
wounded men with Baldwinard otifaa
ers) might be taken to Lawrence im-1
nediately, as their wounds needed stts
tention This quest-4-zae3e,-z.ls
the concurrence of DIR. Avery of Rich
mond, Ind. Col. Harvey refused to
detail an escort, but said / might get
any volunteers to so that [ could 6rd
IA sufficient number volunteered ssnd
as speedily as possible, we started for
Lawrence. DR.. Avery and myself felt
and expressed the opinion that the
company were unsafe, and would be
attacked before morning, If they re-
manned in that locality. TO which
Col Harvey replied: "He would be
id if he was afraid to stay, with
only twelve men, @ = s .'sisa
Again, ..Chicago" says: "His Col.
H.is enemies, fearful the charge we
have just noticed Idisobedience of the ,
orders of Lane will not prove enough
to condemn him, represent his men IS
being SO drunk, that they aisregaraed
that prudence which was necessafy--s
viz: stationing no guard. Now the
only recruitment we have to make to
this charge is the fact, that Col. ii.
took this task upon himself, because
the men were so fatigued. He saw
the impossibility of the company es-
Gaping, when the troops approached.
and seeing an opportunity for escaping
himself, improved it's -
1t certainly was oonsiderste In Col
H., to perform himself the duties Of
camp and picket guard, and thus re-
iieye the men. But how did he dis
charge guard dutyg j answer, that
when / sought him, to detail an escort.
that I found him lying beside a log.
wyapped ;a his Ha,akst. He then, /
suppose, was acting as camp gpard.
Again, two men, formerly from Maine,
left the encampment. and went with
their horses to a settlers cabin, about
| one hundred yards from the camp
They report, that immediately after
the escort left with the wounded, for
Lawrence. Col. Harvey came to the
cabin, and remained with them. This
was doing psska gard daty. They
state that Col. H, ss we'll as them
selves, heard and were conscious that
1 the dragons were approaching-
nearly half an hour before they reach
ed the camp. They also say that, st
this crisis. Harvey stood amazed and
trembling, and made no eHsrt to pro-
tect or arouse his men, although he
had ample time, before the troops
reached the encampment:: bat 1ed.
with these two men, TO Lawrence. ses
g I can give ample testimony to con
firm the above statement, and EiH do
so, if required. -
feel-fhat the. sad catastrophe 20
the hundred brave fnen scenEaed At
beeompton. results from tie sisabsdE
enee, incaraeisys sesEslsbsaesk OF stu-
pidity, piers asE -sz
- c3gsIx Cuf7En.
New Kaw zissr psskss aa