Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-02-13


rrses IN A,ns Gesatss PrssariHs u
Fight. "a
I.AwnEscs. K. @ Jau. 70, 10 AZ.
resume nv correspondence 1zsrs Il eissf
rar Ia kaasas. An engagement ~as fought At
Astin, a village twelve miles northeast 81 lsay-
eHwosth, bs moonlight. sbont tao o'clock Fri
aar morning. II lasted about twenty minutes
Several of Tie bosier msn we're wounded, and
two of them we're expected 10 siie eYery mo-
mans. One Free state nau--a son of Mr.. SPARKS
5--was slightly wounded in the forehead and arm,
but not disabled.
This important news was brought here about
midnight by 4 special messenger from Leaven-
worth, from whom received the sabjoined ac-
count of the origin OF the difficulty. and The par
ticlslars of the engagement
After returning from Lawrence without ac-
eomplishidg their openly avowed determination
OF extermnatiDg the northern eTmgranss and
Free State Sq,satters, they avenged themselves
bv destroying the balIos-hox at Leavenworth,
and throwing the press ofthe Territorial Regis
ter into the Missouri river. They threatened al
so to lynch several Of the Free State men, and
hang two obnoxious indiyiiuals-Mr, Warren a
member of the Kansas legion, and another per-
son. whom they called the id correspon-
dent OF the Missouri Democrat"
Since that time rafiianism has ruled Lcaven-
worth. Her Free State men there are unarmed,
and without an experienced leader, whiie their
proximity to Platte county renders an undisci-
plined opposition 10 the mobocrats unavailable
Mr.. Slocunl, the Free State Mayor OF LcareI-
worth. seeing the impossibty OF restoring or
der resigned his Office some time ago. Pro-
Slavery Mayor was elected.
The election for State officers mas to be held
throughout the Territory on Tuesday last. AT
Lcavcnworth. am informed the Mayor issued
proclamation forhiG,ling tine opening of the poles
This despotic mandate excited great indignation.
The Judges adjourned the election till Thursday
and appointed it TO be held at Eastin. This
proclamation viii be fonnd below.
An armed force raise d in Leaveuworth, or
in that vicinity, to seize the ballot box. The
Free State men we're informed of their danger
and prepared to meet it. Spies brought the in
| te,lieence to Leayenworth that the Free State
| men we're arIning They then determined &c
| take them by surprise and therefore postponed
| an attack until the evening, when they expect
| ed to find the Free State men unprepared ant
to seize the ballot box without any difficulty.
| At twilight, the Pro-Savery men made
| n charge. About dozen Free State men stood
| awaiting them-but there were twenty Others
concealed They then halted about one hun
dred yards from the house. They were thirty
! five or forty strong-the majority on horseback
| and all of them well armed.
Some ofthe Free State men in the house go
excited and rushed out to charge on the enemy
! As soon as the Pro-Sayerymen saw their force
they wheeled about and withdrew to some dis
| lance
They then placed picket Guard in the lane
| that led to the house. and disarmed one or tive
| Free State men, who attempted TO pass 1t som'
| time after. -... -,
| Mr.. r. P. Brown, Kentuckian, determined t.
| put a stop TO their nterferances. With an equa
| number of Free State men he marched up to thu
picket guard. Both parties presented arms. Mr.
Brown told them to surrender or be SHOT. The.
| surrendered. Four Of them were disarmed tht
| other, friend OF one of the Free State guard
| was PERMITTED to retain hismrms. f
After this exploit several OF the Free Stat
raen returned to their homes. They though,
that the Pro-Slavery men had left About tw'
| o'clock as Mr. Stephen Sparks, tot Rush county
| Indiana was on his way home in company wit
his son and nephew, they were pursued by
| company of fifteen mounted men, who orderc
them to halt and surrender. They refused to d
SO, retreatcd to fence and prepared 70 deicn
themselves. The nephew, who was on horse
back, ga!lopcd back to Easton and informed MI
Brown of the situation of his trien-s. Nj
Brown, with fifteen men, marched rapidly to res
| cue them and arrived before they were arrested
| BOTH parties moved on 10 IL cTOSS-tOiU, MlIci
the Pro-SlavcrY men were reinforced.
| They parted, out before they had gone far soy
era shots were fred into the ranks OF the Ere
State company. An engagement ensued. vo
| ley after vollpy was rapidly exchanged. Th
combatants then rctfeated to two houses, at ritlc
shot distance, and kept up constant lire for hv
| or ten minutes. Ono Free State man, with
Sharpe's rifle, lay down behind a snow'-bank an
fired at every man of the opposite party VIII
! dared to show himself The firing was kept L
! until both parties were exhausted. when the Ere
| State men withdrew to Easton. The baiio:-ltoS
;nthe meantime had been secured and carrie
out of town by one OF the voters. .
On the following morning, as Mr.. Brown wa
returning alone to Leavenwor;h, he was over
powered by an armed force and arrested. NJ
! Minard another Free State man, wEo had ais
made himself obnoxious by his condact on tn
previous evening. was arrested during the fore
noon. The Pro-Slaycry aIen announced thei
determination to hang both Of them, as soon a
| two men Of their own company, who are NOR
| tally wounded, should die.
Riders were dispatched 10 every part OF ih
| Territory TO announce the danger of the prison
| ers and obtain forces 20 rescue them.
The messenger arrived here at midnight !
| Council OF Safety was held immediately, anC
| horscnen were dispatched in every direction, t'
! collect forces for the defence OF the Free Siatt
men Of Leavenworth, who are threatened viii
| destruction.
The weather is very cold, and an icy wind Is
whlstling through the streets; but blood Is al
| fever heat, and every one is anxious 10 march
without delay, to the ticatc,-ot war The sp'i-
it-s;iring drum is sounding outside; men with
rifles on their shoulders, marching 10 the al-
pointed places of RENDEZVOUS; while me 'ao'eS
nf Lawrence are melting lead and making car
tridges In haste, .. H.
STILL LATER.