New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-11
STATEMENT OF J. GODDARD SMITH.
STATEMENT OF OTHER PRISONERS.


A party Of some five six llnoisans and indiana
ans who had gone out TO Kansas TO settle returned to
this city yesterday morning the steamer Polar Star
having been captured at the battle of Osawatame by
the forces under Gen. Reid and after being detained a
day two in captivity, conducted to Westpor,
and there placed board the steamer to be taken out
of the Ssate of Missouri, and accompanied with the
threat that if they 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 in
terview with its men on board the steamer Baltimore,
on which they had taken passage for Alton, Illinois
Their several accounts agree perfectly that have
condensed and embodied all their statements that we
might present readers with complete and reliable
narrative of the terrible conflict at Osawattame.
The town of Osawattamle was composed Of from 80
to 40 houses, and thriving place before the Kan
sas difficulties, and had population of about 300 1t
IL situated Immediately between the forks OF branch
of the Usage River and the Potawa;tamie River The
distracted state of the country had occasioned an
smost total desertiOn of the town by the families
living in it, and at the time Of the fight it occupied
by about 80 armed Free-State men and a few womed
and children.
At o'clock on last Saturday morning, just after
rse, ProSlavery party of about 400 men, under Gen.
Reid made their appearance before the town hayng
mounted. They had made forced march OF 80 or 10
miles from their camp Bull Creek. As soon as the
Eree-State deserted the Pro-Slavery force, they
put themselves under command of Captains Brown and
UpdegraH, formerly of Ohio, and sought shelter in
growth Of underbush about 300 yards distant from the
town. The ProSlavery force maintained their ground
at about haf.mile, and commenced firing with their
cannon which loaded with grape and canister shot
and slugs They had an advantageous position, and
each discharge Of the gun raked the ambush of the
Free-State force with fearful effect.
One of our infomants states that he saw three Of
hh comrades fall at once still they returned as brisk
FIRE they could and succeeded i'll woundng several
of their enemies After some ten dozen discharges
from the artillery, company Of about eighty of the
Pro-Slavery force dsmouned from their horses, and
having surrounded the place of retreat made charge
and completed the entire route of the FreeStae men,
several Of whom in attempting to the stream
along which the fight ragged were shot in the wster,
and were either instantly killed or so badly wounded
not to be able to save themselves from death by
drowning.
One Of our informants states that he saw the body
Of Capt. Brown in the water. He knew it was him
BY his coat and hat. Seven Of the Free-State men
were captured, after which the town was set on fire
and entirely destroyed.
In marching back to the camp on Bull Creek, the
prisoners subjected to very cruel treatment, and
two of them the named Williams and the other
"Dutch Charley" were taken out OF the camp and
shot BY their Infatuated enemies The latter was
Hungarian who had fought under kossuth, and since
hie removal to this country had lived in Kansas and
taken very active part with the tree-Sate party.
He was present at the battle Of Black Jack and after
the capture of the ProSavery party appointed to
guard the prisoners, one Of whom was a man named
Coleman. This Coleman at the battle of Osawat-
TAME, and after the capture of the Free-State men,
recognised =. Dutch Charley" He demanded that
Dutch Charley be delivered up to him, and taking
him out shot him dead.
Frederick Brown, son of Capt. Brown, was also
Killed. He was one of the picket guards of the Free
State camp at Osawattame, and being surprised he
was shot through the heart by preacher named Mar
tin White. After being killed, and while lying the
ground with the mouth relaxed and open in DEATH
another shot was fred down his throat.
The above is the straightforward tale Of thsparty
men. and bears upon its face the impress of truth