Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-01-22
Itlisetualeolalss;..
Thrilling Scene in Border Warfare.
ATTACK ON FORT SCOTT BY CAPT. MoNTGoM
cry AND HIS MEN.

The following letter from correspon-
dent of the St. Louis Republican, in rela-
tion to the present excitement in Kansas,
is intensely interesting:
Fort SCorr, K. e., Dec, II. 1858
Southern Kansas is again in condition
bordering upon civil war. Capt. Montgom-
cry, the Free States bandit chief is up :
der arms in the counties of Bourbon and
Linu, ass listed by Capt John Brown, Of
Cssawattomie memory, and other leaders.
Yesterday morning, as daylight was
about dawning, these leaders, with their
companies, numbering from seventy, to one
hundred men, entered the town Of Fort
Scott for the purpose Of rescuing ssBen
Rice" one Of their number, from the custo-
dy Of the sheriff. Yhat officer at the time
was sleeping on his claim" more than a
mile out of to wn, and did not hear the alarm
until it was too late Our townsmen were
the inmates Of the '.Free-State Hotel" in
which the prisoner was kept, knew what
was going on, these guerrillas had posses
sion Of the building and were striking off
the chains Of the prisoner, who was held
under indict1nent for murder and assault
with intent to kill. HEs
Captain Montgomery had fire already
kindled outside, with which to fire the bull
ding in case any one should shoot. Our
town is SO compactly built that one fire
must necessarily destroy at least 500, 900
worth Of property, Deputy Marshal Camp
bell, who kept the house, held one Of the
rooms against them, assisted by some
friends. They tried to get hold Of him to
hang or shoot him. They snapped a
Shapes rife at mir. damon, the jailor Of
Rice. Having rescued Rice, they went to
pillage the rooms. They stole shirts, coats
boots, gloves, and whatever it was profita-
BILE to take. They got a Sharpe's rife
from Mr.. Gallaher, out postmaster, worth
$50, though il was not in his possession at
the time Of their taking it. They took guns
and pistols wherever they could find them.
They were SO doubly armed with revovers
and Sharpes rifles, that the few who had
guns saw nochance to resist them. While
this was going on inside, Capt. Montgome-
ry remained on the public square with at
least half Of his men. He took the precau-
ton to station guards at every house, to
shoot or capture whoever might present
themselves. IA ~g @
Later in the cement, the house and
store of DR.. Blake Little became the scene
Of most intense interest. If the excitement
was intense outside, it was thrilling to the
inmates. There Werein the house the sold
DOCTOR" his son, John IL. Little, who was
recently our depuly marshal, his friend,
George A. Crawford, the president of the
town company, and the black girl and little
black boy. Mr.. c.. informs me that they
were aroused from sleep by the little boy
announcing that the town was full of jay
hawkers,' y who had taken the hotel AS
soon as they could dress and seize their guns
John Little rushed to the door to See wheth-
er the sheriff's posse were rallying, and to
view the position Of Montgomery's men
The guard advancing on him, he told him
to stand back The request not being obey
ed, they both fred SO simultaneously that
Mr.. G. did not ascertain that the guard had
fred until after all was over, and he found
the ball had lodged just above Mr.. L;ttle's
head.
Mr.. t. then closed tile door, rcmarking
that he had shot one of them. The early
hour of the morning precluding the proba-
bility Of any firing by the citizens as pos
Sc, the inmates could only act on the defen-
sive until they should hear that the action
had become general. On the one side Of
them were windows looking out upon the
pointed rifles, from one Of which came a ball
through the window, the stove-pipe and a
partition wall. They could hear steps
about the doors, and momentarily expected
the first firing to be followed up by an on
slaught upon the house Soon John Little
disappeared into the store-room In order to
get view of the hotel and the mob. He
mounted dry goods box, and was rubbing
the dust off the window above the door,
when bali penetrated his forehead, and
felled him to the floor. Covered with blood
and gasping in death, he lay there for two
long hours before our townsmen could know
Of his condition. In almost GREATNESS sus-
pense, ard in this house Of death, DR.. Lit
tie and Mr.. Crawford awaited the inevita-
BILE doom: There was not the remotest
chance to call in'-friendly sympathy for the
dying-nor even to announce the condition
Of their comrade. No prospect Of any Fl