Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-08-28
TUR WAR INkAN~AS-fiIl. AC1ot NJ
oF TIE hattie OF FRANKLIN.

g. with various UfCpNil- 81 NV gu 'Ht'''e'
The following account # tie battle OF frahk.in
i furnished by eofres pondent Of the New York
Times ubs writes from Lawrence under dale oi
18th in-taats'
Ia.f night a party Il about sixty assembled
and marched u franklin. The night was calm.
The heavy dew on the long prairie grass lna"f
their march anything tut pleasant. Arriving
within quarter Of "a mil" OF Frank liDdbe camPi-
nv ,gus halted. 4 detachment Of ten picked men
ouler command Of Lieut.. George Earle,
were sent down the mnin street Of the town. to
TAKE IA positiun opposite the ratification oi squire
Crane aud attract the attention 81 his m"h IN
order thet the main body 81 Free state men, who
were under the immediate charge of Capt Crack
lin, might without discovery take an advantage.
Gus position in the rear.
Lieut. Earle first took possession Of "A store &C
cnpied by some of the pro slavery party. These
men were driven from The store and rrireat"d Ia
the log house Earle thcn took position "n tho
prairie Immediately IN Front OF the log house aud
within close rifle shot of it. y person was then
sent to drrand the surrender OF the log house
aud the arms and ammunition contained therein.
They refused To surrender. Firing then com
inenced between Earle's party and those IN the
log HOUSE. In the meantime Captain Cfackn
had formed his company into two divisions, til"
second Of which he stationed Immediately III thr
rear of the place 10 be attacked and about forty
wards from IT, whore they were somewhat pro.
tcctcd by II rail fence. Those men were ordered
to lie down aud await the action oi Lieut.. Eailr's
uurtY. The other division were stationed be-
hind n fence to the south east Of the house. and
about the same distance from it the second
division. Soon the firing commenced. Those
| in the biockhuuse fired at the nssahng parties
from portfolios made in IL wall. The ns>ailants
fired upon the binding directing their aim by
Tho la-h of their opponents guns. Earle party
dirccfrdfheir fire nj n window which was swaziland
=. a e l. L. 10. .lr Il
feather beds in order 10 protect themselves from
the bullets ef Earles men.
This firing lasted until EarleS men bad dis
charged twenty five rounds, which in the bands of
cSprri,nc men with Shapes rifles cnu be done
with some dispatch. Whilo til, firing lasted vol
Icy nfIer vplley was fired from the log. house ut
the st and ID divisions of Captain Craclin com
pany, who were stationed at the rear and 10 the
southeast Of the building. This firing
turned with grent spirit. The bullets whLslled
over the heads of the men IN showers they
struck the rails Of the fence just above their heads
they struck the ground in front OF lhemthrow.
ing The dirt into the faces of the men, and once
in while an unlucky shot would wound man.
After firing their twenty five rounds Lieut..
Earle ordered his men Ia cease their fire. he find
ing that thy were subjected II IA useless expo
sure. He had two men severely wounded, and
one slightly. The second division of Cruckns
company had one man killed named Sackett from
Michigan, aud one wounded. While thc Free
State men suffered thus scvcrcy,thc l'ro-slnyerv
putty, secure behind their entertainments, hPd
suffered ne injury. 1t was found that another
plan must ho adopted in order 10 succeed. The
free STATE men hadno artillery, nor could they
curry ll.e building by assault. After consultn
ton The following Ian was adopted; A wagon
Wa londrd with hay and drnwn directly Ia tho
front Of the building adjoining the log housrand
then set on fire. Those who went with the hay
hadt pass up the street in very exposed stu
afion IL the building they designed burning, and
thrrr hrcame exposed to CALLING fire from the
enrmv posted in unfinished frame building nd
Joining The log house on the west, and connected
herewith
The second division of Cracklin's company
were ordered to accompany tho wagon. 1t was
'ticklish' pnce for those who had never
''>melled' cnrnest gunpowder before; but they
marched bravcy up. As good luck would have
it, the moon. now nearly down, was inst shut in
by a cloud thus favorng them with darkness;
and the fire from the lst division Of Cracklin's
eompany,then posted in the rear, Rlrew the attcn-
ton Of the pro slavery men in that direction, and
gave those withItho hoyInn opportunity to draw it
where they intended, without discovery. The
hny was fired; soon the forked flames rose high,
and higher. casting IA glaring light far over thu
prailie and the town. The firing ceased upon
the pro slavery side hnt now and then random
shot from Sharpr's rifle warned them that the
| Free State party were there. soon the cry of
Quarter! Quarter heard. The Free State
mon rushed up. drew away the burning hay and
took possession of the buildings. Not wishing to
take prisoners, they permitted all 10 escape cX-
ccpt Squire Crane. whom they detained fora short
time They took possession of the cannon,uear-
4 ~ one hundred stand Of arms, aud quantities of
ammunition and provision. Squire Crane open
ed the postotlcc building and by order few
were selected to search the place for arms and am
nmtion Crane was then permitted to go His
wife. while he was in custody, chung to him with
/ true devotion, and wildly implared them 10 save
/ his life
L. $. Crane. writing II the "Bnrder R1liln,"
! in relation To the attack upon franklin, by tho
| Aho,itionists snys
They first demanded the key of thc post Office
of samuel Crane,whjch he gave them. They hun
! ted from top II bottom for arms, taking what was
| there Then robbed the postoilice of about SO
worth Of stamped envelopes and Other valuable
papers. They then proceeded 10 $. franc. .lr's
dwelling, and took from there about thirty L. $.
,>eis and one piece of artillery. six pnuuler.
From Mr.. $. Ruokles they took Si25 a gold watch
worth el25 and about $3.50 worth of clothing;
| from Il. :. Crane they took between 5000 and
! $l,20O worth of accounts and notes. and about
Sl25 worth of clothing, Ne; from Judge Fame they
took fine horse"
Remember it Is abolition account
EXCITEMENT ~ SAN Antonio \ MAN Klll.
III by THE MAyoR-Ihe san Antonn Texan,
of the 81 stult., gve.a long account of an ex-
cltcment in that place. which threatened to lead
to lot and beod,hed, but which had mostly sub
sided ut that date. 1t grew out of political as
peIites:
.''fhe Democratic County Convention of HeN.
ar split and part of the body. mostly that Of
Mexican origin. Withdrew and nominat,d a >cpa-
rate ticket. and secured the support of tho Spun
ISL paper. III Bcjareno. The other part of the
ro,t, .t.rf., , nnnnr IL, u,,,r,l;,.,