The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-09-10
PARTICULARS OF THE FIGHT
BRUTALITY OF THE v1cToRs, &c.

A party OF some five or six 1llinoisans and
1ndianians, who had gone out to Kansas to set
tie returned TO the city yesterday morning on
the steamer Polar Star, having been captured
at the battle of Ossawatomie by the forces I'M.
der Gen. Reid. and after being detained day
or two in captivity, were conducted to West
port, and there placed on board the steamer to
be taken out of the State of Missouri. and ac
Icompanied with the threat that if they ever
ventured back to the territory of Kansas. and
were caught, they should instantly be hung
|or shot.
Learning of The arrival of this party, we had
an interview with the men on board the steam
er Baltimore, on which they had taken pass
age for Alton, Illinois. Their severeal accounts
agree so perfectly, that we have condensed and
embodied all their statements that we might
present our readers with complete and reli-
able narrative CT the conflict at Ossawatomie.
The town of Ossawatomie was composed of
from thirty to forty houses, and was thriving
place before the Kansas difficulties, and had a
population of about two hundred. 1t is stu
ated Immediately between the forks of a branch
of the Usage river and the Pottawatomie river.
The distracted state of the country had occa-
stoned an almost total deserton of the town
by the families living in it, and at the time of
the fight it was occupied by about fifty armed
free State men and few women and child
rem. ae
At six o'clock on last Saturday morning.
just after sunrise, pro-slavery party of about
400 men under Gen. Reid, made their appear
ance before the town, having in their command
a piece of artillery, and most of them mount
ed. They had made forced march of thirty
or forty miles from their camp on Bull creek.
As soon as the Free State men deserted the
pro-slavery force, they put themselves under
of Capt. Brown and Updegaff, for
merly of Ohio, and sought shelter in growth
Of underbrush about three hundred yards dis
tant from the town. The pro-sIavery force
their ground at about half mile
md commenced firing with their cannon, which
was loaded with grape and canister shot and
'lugs
They have an advantageous position, and
Zach discharge of the gun raked the ambush of 9
he Free State force with fearful effect. One
If our informants states that he saw three of
lis comrads fall at once; still they returned as
brisk fire as they could, and succeeded in
several of their enemies. 81 After ID
some ten or dozen discharges from the artii- q
cry, a company of about eighty Of the pro-
slavery force dismounted from their horses,
md having surrounded the place of retreat
made a charge and completed the entire rout
# the Free State men, several of whom, in at
empting to cross the stream along which the
light ragged, were shot in the water and were
ither instantly killed or SO badly wounded as
lot to be able to save themselves from death
" drowning. a.JlI sr-. ai.s - l-a fe
One of our informants states that he saw
he body of Capt. Brown in the water. He
1new it was him by his coat and hat, He
links there is no doubt of his being killed.
seven of the Free State men were captured
fter which tire town was set on fire and en-
irely DESTROYED. ..a a5 ts5ail5a :.
In marching back to the camp on Bull Creek,
he prisoners were suhjoned to every cruel
reatment. and two of them. the one named
Williams and the other "Dutch Charley, -
we're taken out of the camp and shot by theiS
nfurated enemies. The latter. was Hunga-
ian who had fought under Kossuth, and since
lis removal to this country, had lived in Kan
as and taken very active part with the
Tree State party. He was present at the bat
lie of Black Jack, and after the capture of the
'ro-Slavery party, was appointed to guard
he prisoners. one of whom was man named
coleman. This Coleman was at the battle of
and after the capture of the Free
tate men recognized Dutch Charley. He de- a
handed that Dutch Charley be delivered up to
i'm, and taking him oHt shot him dead.
Frederick Brown, son of Capt. Brown, was
lso killed. He was one of the picket guards
f the Free State camp at Ossawatomie and O.
eing surprised, he was shot through, the heart
" a preacher named Martin White. After
eing killed, and while laying on the ground,
nth the mouth relaxed and open in death. an
ther shot was fired down his throat
The above is the straightforward tale Of this
arty of men, aud bears upon its face the im-
ress of truth.