The Kanzas news., 1858-01-30

The Late DifdeuItie Report of Major
= = General Lane. - T7K1
HEAD QgAREERs KAszAs MILITIA,l
Lawrence, Jan. Is, 1858.
To His EzceReney, tie Aefing Governor g
Ranzas Territory, ae President Of he
GomReis,i and Speaker Of the House g
Representatives Of the Legislative As-
sena5ly: g o 'E..zss-5,s' siat sshs 2. EFs
GEsTlEMks-In the discharge of duty ]
submit the following report on a subject
which has excited much interest and COM
ment. - 4-ss..s
At the time of my election by yeur hon
orable body as Major General of the Mill
TIA, rumors were rife, as you viii remember,
of disturbance in Bourbon County. 2
Immediately after the adjeur- nment of your
Special Session. repaired to the scene of
action, sending Gen'ls Phillips and Plumb
| in advance to inform tb>e people that force
of o. S. troops were moving in that diIec-
ton. Aeeompanie by Gen'ls Strattou,
Whitman, Shore and Leonhardt, l arrived
at Sugar Mound where the people were en-
canped under the command of Col. j. B.
Abbott, shortly after the messengers.
On lnq'Iiry ascertained that the people
had BEEN impelled to take up arms for
these causes and reasons:
Two years ago, or thereabouts, man
n3.med Geo. w. Clark, notorious for his con-
nection with the murder of the lamented
Barber, organized company of marauders
in Missouri, who invaded that district of the
Territory, laying waste the country, driving
off the Free State settlers, plundering and
, insulting them and their families, and then
!. .n1a ctr
which they were compelled to leave.
During the present Summer and Autumn
number of the settlers thus expelled from
, that district returned, and endeavored by
peaceable means to recover their rights and
property. They were met by writs from
unscrupulous and unjust officials, many OF
them arrested on pretended charges for Of
fences which were never committed, and i'm
+ prisoned at Fort Scott in cells unfit even
for felons to occupy.
In several cases their property was sold
at nominal prices, and driven out of the
Territory to defray expenses not yet accrued,
| aud other outrages perpetrated similar to
those which drove the people to arms IN
former periods of our history. a..
During the perpetration of these outra-
ges, COL Abbott, DR.. Gilpatrick and Rev.
j, E. Stewart, who had been ordered there
F arrived, and proceeded to establish Squat
: ters' Court for the redress of grievances
, and restoration of peace. 's
About the time they closed their sittings,
, having decided all the cases on the Little
Usage, they were assaulted by an armed
, mob FIVE times their number pretending to
, act under the authority of U. S. Marshall.
E The assault was successfully resisted, sew
eral of the assailants killed and wounded
, and the marauders driven back to their dens
on the borders.
1t was Immediately after this conflict that
arrived at Sugar Mound, and proceeded
. at once to enroll the people under your act
. tof Dec. IL, and send out scouting parties in
all directions, informing the people that we
were there to protect all actual settlers with
, out reference to their political opinions
We were kindly received by all, and our au-
thority eheerfully recognized.
On the evening the companies were to be
disbanded, our scouts brought news that a
company of u S. troops were moving upon
US, with the aHowed purpose of attacking
US. We Immediately took position, intend
ling, If possible with honor to, avoid con-
tfiict, but prepared to meet it successfully il
forced upon us. We remained in the posi-
ton thus taken until we ascertained that the
y .. S. troops had marched to Fort Scott, and
had received written assurances from Judge
: Williams that the Free State prisoners would
e be protected and kindly treated, and peace
e being fully restored, we disbanded the com
: mand, retaining two companies in the field
;. some thirty men-with orders to protec
b the inhabitants. ,Ere9 .arL
t On my return to Lawrence, writ from
S Judge Miller, Probate Judge of this county
!. was placed in the hands of Capt. Willet, o.
4 my command, for the arrest of the Judges
and Clerks of the election in Johnson coun-
r ty, who had participated in the frauds com
( mitted at the election held on the 21st o.
= December. AS the prompt service of the
writ was deemed important, thought it in
j cumbent to go in person with the command
t The duty was discharged and the command
e disbanded. -
: These expeditions have ebeen attended
5 with some expense full and correct ac
5 count of which have been kept, and will bt
s transmitted, with the vouchers, to you from
t the Quarter Master and Commissary de-
J, dartments. a4tdH
S As the object of the organization provi
u ded for in the law of Dec. 17th, was the
: protection of the people of Kanzas, and a:
s. the action had was indispensable in that di
rection, it is hoped it viii NEE. your heart,
$ approval. Respectfully,
n J. II. LANE,
e Major General.