The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-09-13
Correspondence Of the Missouri Republican
NEWS FROM II ANSAS.
The Attack on OssawatOm ;e.

CAMP AT INDIAN REEk, ~. L., fept :.
\ number of different reports Having no
doubt reached you concerning the battle of
Ossawatomie, propose to give correct &C
count of the doings of the Pro and Anti
Slavery parties in tn beautiful Territory of
Kansas.
On Saturday, the 23d OF August, we left
our camp at Wcstport and took up our line
of march for New Santa Fe, at which place
we arrived the same day. We found about
lG0 pro.slavcry men encamped. On the
9Th we formed a regiment, and selected
Col. =. H. Rosser. of Virginia, aS temporary
Com,nandcr-in Chief. GA the 25th, our
forces had increased 10 / $50, rank and file.
We then went into a permanent organIZa-
ton, and selected AtchisOn as MajOrGcnc-
raj, Reid as Brigadicr-Gcncral, Brown as
Colonel of the lsi, and Rcszcr Of the 2d re-
cimcnt, and gave the name of our forces
"the Army Of Law and Order of Kansas
Territory" On the Goth, we took up a line
of march for Ossawatoniic, and cncampcd
that night at Cedar Greek On the 9th,
we resumed our march and encamped at
Bull Greek. On the evening of the 2Sth,
General Reid selected go men and one piece
of artillery and moved on to attack Ossa-
watone. On the morning Of the 29th, he
arrived near that place and was attacked by
200 Abolitonists under the command of the
notorious Captain John Brown who COM
inenccd firing upon Reid from a thick chap
parcl four hundred Yards Oft General Reid
then formed his men in an Opcn prairie, and
Major Bell fired upon the ibOitionistS with
the artillery loaded with grape. General
Reid then made n successful charge upon
them, killing thirty-onc and took seven pr-
soners, amongst the killed was Frederick
Brown.
Among the prisoners taken is the sen Of
o. {. Brown, of Lawrence notoricty; he
will be humanely treated, and set at liberty
when the war i over
The other prisoners taken were shipped
on the Polar Star, and n pledge cXa, tc i Of
them never to return again TO Kansas.
The pro-slavcry party had five wounded,
none believed to bc dangerous. Capt Royce
received wound in the left wrist; Frank
Gordon in the left shoulder; Jackson in the
mouth Juo Gordon n the thigh, and Par
kcr in the leg.
The pro-slavery men, contrary to the or
deIS Of Gen. Reid, burnt nearly al. the
houses in OsSawatomic.
GA The same day, Capt. Hays, with forty
men, attacked the house Of the notorious
Ottawa Jones burnt his house and Killed two
.
was shot at by iirys, and is believed . b.
Ge5l
About 6 2. u, the 2g.h, the Abolition
lists, numbering about 2jU men, came in
about thrcc-quartcrs Of MI. of our camp,
and attempted to surprise Us, they 10 doubt
thinking that our forces had been 50 .uuch
weakened by Reds march or Ossawatomic,
that we would retreat and leave our bag-
gage; but not so; the drum beat, and soon
cyery man in camp was ready for bat'l-.
Seeing that We were ready 10 meet thea,
they fed. The most Of the m,n were III
favor of pursuing them, but were prevented
from doing so by Ger. Atchs>oa
On th- 3l>t. the army took NJ the Inc @.
march a.d e.caEyed ~ Cedar Creek for the
night.
On the l., Of September, General i.chi-
son resigned his commission, and GyupraI
Red wa, selected in ais stead.
Der army. which had consisted of 300
had ROW been reduced 70 half that amount
are ROW stationed at Indian Cryok-aGa
from the last Information that | could get
the pro slavery panty only number about
$50 men III the territory, Of which mum.
Der 600 are ouca'nped at Indian Creek, and
LOCO on the north side Of the Kansas river,
near LecomptoH.
The abolition forces in the Territory 10
not exceed 1900 men; ,hcy are Wen dri led,
and each one Of them IS armed with a
nugchcr Bible and Gilijn.s PRAYER Book
They have tSo pieces Of artillery. one that
they took 81 Franklin and the other they
got at Lccom,t0n, ia cxchnnge Tor tie brave
Titus, Donaldson and others
Ammunition and provisions are needed.
ana . number Of infantry men tLat VII. ca
list for the war-thusc that are willing - 10