The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-11-17

ting anxious to reach the camp, I refused to
listen to him until he took me to his father.
He then quietly filed his pail with water !;
and, after many strange turnings, led me
into camp As we approached it, we were
twice challenged by sentries, who suddenly
appeared before trees and as suddenly disap-
peared behind them.
! 1sa Browns CAMP.
shall not soon forget The scene that here
opened to my view, Near the edge of the
creek a dozen horses were tied--all ready
saddled for ride for life, or hunt after the
Southern invaders A dozen rifles and sa-
bres were stacked against trees. nthe open
space amid the shady and lofty woods, there
was great fire with pot on it; woman
was picking berries from the bushes; three
or four men were lying on red blankets on
the grass; and two fine looking youths were
standing, leaning on their srms, on guard.
One was the youngest son of Brown, and the
other was the Charley who was subse-
lquently murdered at Ossawattomie.
Old Brown himself stood near the fire, with
his shirt sleeves rolled up, and large piece
of pork in his hand He was engaged in
cooking q whole pig. He was poorly clad !;
his toes protruded from his boots. The old
man received me with great cordiality, and
the little band soon gathered about me. But
it was for moment only, for the captain Or
dered them to renew their work. He re-
spectfnlly but firmly forbade conversation on
the Pottawattomie affair; and said that, if I
desired any information from the company
in relation to their conduct or Intentions, he
---as their captain would answer for them
whatever twas proper to communicate.
\ | remained in their camp about an hour,
AMI went away with far higher respect for
the Great Struggle, and the men engaged in
it, than ever had felt before.
BROWNS FIRST FIGHT.
A few days after this visit, Mr.. Henry Clay
Pate--a highwayrnan, horse thief and bur
giar in Kansas; postmaster, Democratic
politician, and correspondent Of the St. Louis
Repubtic,m in Missouri his appear
ance near Palmyra, at a creek called Black
Jack, for the purpose, boastingly avowed, Of
bringing Old Brown prisoner to Westport.
He had thirty men. Brown, after a few tioz-
en- yolleys, took them captive with eleven
men, sg sga
Brown afterwards delivered up these pris-
oners to Col. Summer. cousin Of the Illus
trious Senator from Massachusetts,. Amin
cident Of this event is deserving of passing
record, as an illustration Of tie fearless char
actcr of old Brown. Learning that Col.
Sumner, with his company, was in the neigh
borhood, the Captain determined to pay him
visit, and offered to give up the prisoners,
to stand trial, il the Government wished it.
for the crime Of sacking free state store,
and repeated rcbberies on the highway. e
The Colonel told him that the United States
Marshal was in his camp, with a writ for
Browns arrest, and thati would be his duty
to detain him as prisoner Brown answer
ed that if the United States Marshal attempt
ed to serve the writ, he would shoot him
dead on The spot. The Colonel replied that
if the Marshal produced the writ, he would
serve it at every hazard.
But the Marshal, although surrounded by
a hundred armed soldiers, cowed before the
fearless guerilla chief --funbled, trcmblingly,
among his papers, and pretended that he had
lost the writ IS. !, -s.ts I. sa saFs
Brown left the camp unharmel!
,ai JAMES REDpATH