The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-10-29

ter the ASSAULT presenter OIo0uAoA 49,.
Laying on it were two bodies Of men KILLED
on the previous day, and found inside the
house three wounded mon, ons OF them
Just at the last gasp Of life, and others
groaning in pain. One OF the dead was
Browns son. Otteway, the wounded man,
and bis son Watson, were laying on the
grass, the father presenting cory specta-
Gle. lie had severe bayonet wound in bis
side, and his face and hair were clotted with
blood.
A short time after Captain Brown was
brought cut, he revived and talked earnest
~ to those about him, defending bis course,
and avowing be had only done what was
right. He replied to the questions put to
him, substantially as follows: care you
Captain Brown Of Kansas2' 81 am some
times called SOP "Are you Ossawattamie
Brown" al tried to do my duty there"
What was your present object ?" ''To
free the slaves from bondage" "Were any
other persons but those now connected with
you, in the movement" ono. There was
no one connected with the movement but
those who came with me-" "Did you ex-
pect to kill people in order to carry your
point ?" 81 did not wish to dose, butt you
forced US to do it."
Various questions of this kind were put to
Capt. Brown, which he answered clearly
and freely, with seeming anxiety to vindicate
himself.
He urged that he had the town at lis mer-
cy ; that he could have burnt it, and muir
dered the inhabitants, but he did not he
treated the prisoners with courtesy, and
complained that he was hunted down like q
beast. He spoke of the killing of his son,
which he alleged was done while bearing a
flag of truce, and seemed very anxious for
the safety of his wounded son. His CONVEX
sation bore the impression of the conviction
that whatever he had done to free slaves
was right, and that N the warfare in which
he was engaged he was entitled to be
treated with all the respect Of prisoner OF
war.
lie seemed fully convinced that he was
badly treated and had a right to complain.
Although at first considered dying, an ex-
animation of his wounds proved that they
were not necessarily fatal. He expressed a
desire to live and to be tried by his country.
In his pocket nearly 5000 were found in
gold. Several important papers, found in
his possession, were taken charge of by COL
oneI Lee, on behalf of the Government.
Several slaves were found in the room
with the insurrectionists, but it is believed
that they were there unwillingly. Indeed,
Browns expectations as to slaves rushing
to him was entirely disappointed. None
seem to have come to him willingly, and in
most cases were forced to desert their mas
tiers. But one instance in which slaves
made public appearance with arms in their
hands is related. A negro who had been
sharply used by one Of the town people,
when he found that be had pike in his
hand, used his brief authority to arrest the
citizen and have him taken to the Armory.
The citizens imprisoned by the Instruction
lists all testify their lenient treatment. they
were in no way psulted and beyond the out
rage of restricting their liberty, were not i'll
used. Capt. Brown was always courteous
TO them, and at all times assured them that
they should not be injured. He explained
his purposes to them, and while he had them
(the workrnen) in confinement, made ne Alb
clifton speech to them. Col. Washington
speaks of HIM as a man of extraordinary
nerve. lie never blanched during the as
sault though he admitted in the night that
escape was impossible, and that he would
bave to die.
When the door was broken down. one of
his men exclaimed, 81 surrender" The
Captain Immediately cried out, "Therc's
one who snrrender,s give him quarter" and
ut the same moment fred his own rifle at the
door.
During the previous night he spoke freely
with Col. Washington, and referred to his
sons. lie said he had lost one in Kansas,
and two here. lie had not pressed them to
join him in the expedition, but he did not
regret their loss; they had died in glorious
cause.