The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-10-02
LETTER FROM KANSAS.
CAMP MISSION, Sept. 70, 1

| must excuse my pencil sketch, IN consider
alton of the unf.voraLlo circumstances un-
der which | write.
Within about two weeks of the defeat
and capture of Col. Irrrs and his little
band, the pro-slavery men in various parts
Of the Territory, and Missourians from the
Borders, assembled i'll arms in various pl,-
ces for the purpose of waging regular
warfare against LANE and his army. Gen.
ATCHIsoN, ut the head of 1900 Missouri
ans, marched from Westport Give miles be-
low this place. and in q few days reached
Bull Creek, twelve miles below Lawrence
and thirty miles from Westport. A de-
tacllmcnt Of 250 Of his men under Gen,
REID, defeated BnowN at Ossawattamic,
took the town and killed some fifty of the
enemy. Tho Kansas militia assembled ut
Lcconpton to the number of 700, under
command of Maj. Gen. RIcrrAnpsoN and
Brig. Gen. MARSHALL. Ncaly week was
passed in unnecessary inactivity, while
LANE was increasing his fo,ccs at Lawcncc
and Topeka, collecting all the provisions
that were accessible to him, and fortiryinc
Lawrence. In the meantime, no commu-
nication was established between the two
divisions OF our army, nor were any regu-
lar steps taken to keep our men supplied in
provisions and ammunition. MARSHALL
and RICHARDSON were both known to be
men of no military capacity whatever, want
ing in firmncss as well as the business
qualifications of general. The consc-
qucnce was that about 200 men under Col.
CLAEKsoN, from Leavcnwortl, refused to
cross the Raw and remained in camp on
the other side.
The companies under command were
mostly composed Of South C;.rolnians, un-
der PALMER, FREDERIC, JENKINS, FLEM1xG,
Gen. JOKES, DucnANAN, DAnGAN, ED
WARDS and others. The Lecompton Rifles
under DoNALDsoN, selected me as their
Surgeon, Drill-Mastcr, and subsequently
lat Lieutenant. Most Of the .Atbcyillc
company were in camp. Our first move
was to march to Col. TIrus', where we CHI
campcd two days. We then marched two
miles further to Coon Point (whcrc the AL
olitionist WALKER residcd.) Some dcspcr-
ate men had the day before burned four or
five abolitionists houses, robLing them of
everything that could bc taken, and laying
waste the corn fields. This was cause of
OF great disatfcction in our ranks and sew
er.l Missouri companies left us in consc-
qucncc. The next day, however, the great
est mistake of all WAS committed. Posted
as VIC were OH the California road, between
Lawrence and Topeka, and directly in the
line OF LANES strategic movements, it was
important that we should maintain that
position or take a point near Lawrence.
Instead Of that, we rctrcated two miles
back and away from the road, and cncamp
cd ut Gen. CLAeK's. simultaneously with
this movement, we received intelligence Of
the breaking up Of Arcu1soS's command
on Bull Creek. That afternoon large par
ties Of the enemy, with wagons, were suf-
fcrcd to pass down the road to Lawrence.
and the next morning we had good evil
dcncc of the fact that we and the enemy
had exchanged conditions-LANE was now
on the offensive, we on the defensive. At
daybrcak, disgrccful retreat was ordered,
and we marched back to Lecompton. We
had not arrived there over two hours, Lc
fore LANE appeared before the town with
500 men, and demanded the surrender of
certain prisoners in our charge. Forum
ately, we were saved from further cmbar-
rassment by the prisoners having been re.
leased that morning. We had but 800
men, badly posted, scantily supplied with
ammunition, and with scarcely a passaLlc
officer. LANES men, on tile contrary, were
splendid!y drilled aud flushed with the
moral victory already gained. They were
posted on the side of high hill, overlook
ing the town, and were completely con-
cealcd in the bushes and weeds. We were
totally exposed, and the Rifles, acting as
skrm'shcrs, were within eighty steps of
the enemy's line. I had command of the
left wing of the advance, and ATTEMPTED
to throw them across ravinc, SO as to be
nearer the enemy and more covered but
TO my surprise, found them lying fiat on
tle very ground intended to occupy
Three OF my men disobcyed orders and
Killed three of the enemy. We could dis
t'nct'y hear every command given by their
officers, and were certain that at any mo.
ment that the word fire" was given, 500
Sharp's Rifle balls would be hurled into orr
ranks at close range. The right wing of
our advance, covering the right wing of
the line, were about three hundred yards
from us, and at right angles, and, 1 learned
in an equally perious position. A death