Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-29

Enclosed l send you my recent letter. As you
published from Baltimore paper. an erroneous account
OF the affair at Black Jack, request you to give your
H. CLAY PATE
The Battle OF Black Jack---Gross Misrepresen-
tntions ConeerninE It---CsPt. II. clay Patc's
Account.
Capt Pate who is now a resident Of Petersburg furn-
shes the following to TIE Press of Saturday last At
| this time. when Old 0ssawattaine Brown filing
large space in the public mind Capt Ps pos
far than ordinary and will doubt
be universally read:
In the latter part of May 1886. John Brown and bi-
sons murdered hve pro-slavery men on Pottawotanie
Creek IN Kansas, in one night they old Mr. DOYLE
and two sons, Allen Wilkerson a memler of the frst
Legislature of Kansas aud German named VIM Sher-
man. These murders done in cold blood, without
excuse, except that the victims In favor Of
slavery for Kansas; and their only justification Ger
rit Smiths doctrine that Slavery in blood"
took the field with my company Of 20 men, and
joined the u. s. Deputy Marshal, 7. W. Hays, who
in search of Brown and his so them for their
atrocious crimes committed on Pottawottame Creek
Search made for him in the neghborhood Of Paola
his house found but himself In his house
arms and evidences. .of wIessness, like those found
| his place near Harpers Ferry.
On discovering that Brown had left his home and
haunts the Marshal dispatched troops in various dree
tions, in search of the murderers.
was the neighborhood of Prnrie City, point
on the Santa Fe road, about 5iles from the Missouri
line, and Saturday night the last day of May camp
ed at Black Jack. where there is spring. and other
venienees for cooking, TO rest Sunday Squads
had been assured that honest freeStvte all
the Territory woud assist in Browns capture which
was deceived am sorry TO say, however, that some
of transcribed their orders and under the n
huence of liquor perhaps committed some indiscetions
at least. Taking advantage of these Brown, Who
concealed In the neighborhood, excited all the inhab
against command, enlisted them in his service
and in ortyight hours had banded together hun
dred and odd persons TO oVerpower it,
was attacked at rise Monday morning the I'd of
june by company equal in numbers my own, under
the command Of Capt. Shore, whom put fight and
who afterwards et the field and incurred the
Brown, who charged the CIpAin with cowardice in the
\ New York 7ri5aal.
Five of my men were wounded and disabled in the
early part OF the fight many more deserted. and al
resisting the attack for three hours and almost
eKhausing ammunton-seeng rcinforcements 0: the
| enemy arriving every hour-and knowing
rounded, determined to seek interview with the
| mander-not dreaming he was Brown, or should never
have done Ny object was two fold lst. ! looked
for help arrive every moment and wished to gain time
I'd desired apologize for and dsclaim any
ranabe conduct Of scouts, feeling that duty rrqu
ed apology and disclaimer for the same-abOye ALL
wished 10 be right. expected die, and possibly go
down with every gallant fellow who stood by me; and
il would have been consolation that bad done al in
my power avoid bloodshed, and ii honorable
promise could be effected after making proper
SOns, ready and willing to die in defence OF my
country and in the maintenance of the il had
hded 10 my keeping. never harbored the thought
| of surrender. In addition to this NV men had not
eaten anything since the previous afternoon,
| and two OF tho wounded whom ! supposed
dying, needed attention. they begged touching tones
tor and help. Ii under these circumstances
and with the object just stated that out flag Of
truce and asked interview IL granted. | went
out under the flag 10y the request OF Capt Brown who
would hear proposition explanation but demanded
my surrender. told him lac must wait fifteen minutes
for answer and moved with the intention of return
ing the defence, when he told me his pri
| -oner and at that moment his up from the
grass where they concealed and forcby took me
while the white flag still floating my head Not
content With this act of treacheTy, aud my gallant
Henry James, -Hrs Pq In front nl squad of men,
that my company could not fire and prGIec. themselves
without killing US aud seeing alternative but instant
death, being uttery'surronnded they threw down their
arms. never gave the command TO surrender and ne
would have done IT, although IL demanded OF me
under penalty WAS prisoner, and did not intend to
open my mouth, preferring TO die and make no sign"
| did not compliment Browns bravery, for could not
consider him truly brave, who would take treache
ously, when no bad four TO one and every imaginable
advantage on his side, for in n settlement of
reesoilers exclusively with An exception two aud as
il turned ont, thirty forty miles from any assistance
This Is IS eprrept s4toRleHt a. make in brief
there being enough matter IN the aIar for baok which
| am In no spirit TO write now and | would not have
come before the public at this time, but that the mis-
Northern papers have been copied into South
papers Iexpect sander aud injustice from the Abo
ton press as long as live Judging from the past but
when they come home to me- Justly mputc
blame to myself for defending my fair fame which ev.
er inieEd 70 do without favor or affection"
Horace Gfceiey, IN ~ recent tour through Kansas
visited Black Jack and wf1te tGs biggest lie shout the
battle yet penned. lie says my company consisted Of
fy-four aud that of Brown numbered tWenty-siI aud
other false things. Some fellow, writing letter from
Fort Lesvenworth, June IL 1886, which published
ana befGre me- states that there % feesoilers and
80 pro slavery peaT iG ihe fight, and adds Sumner
(COl Sumnerl vent doSb apd released thea WTself and
eompAny When released one Captain said ~ another
Well now let shake hands and make up tbern is no
enmity between US 'wen,' eaid the otheF ri make
up with you, but you damned old rascal Brown /
YOU deceived me with that parley.' might be
excused for sSeSsing under such circumstances but /
protest did not swear as repeIied lie concludes by
saying that this Is true history of Black jack with
out any vanishing
&c NJ A." in the ST. Louis Democrat from Council
Grove, Oct sh, 1856, says that browns party by his
0gp version consisted of47, and mine Of 25 This
an kboilog -yiter, and after detailing many false
hoods there are veras il ;he communication he says
that another account makes i cut tbat brown ony had
Seven men,, and scared Rates party Into pneondi-
tioual surrender"
The New York Herald Of tho 10th Inst saws that
Brown only had nine the battle Of Black Jack
aud had thirty might hll your whole paper With such
contradictory extracts from abolition documents In nv
scrap book; but enough have been given show that
their authors liars, and the truth is in them
DE- Gihgn IN his book called 'Geary aud Kansas
heads Of bis chapters fne oaBkcs y! Capt Pse st
Ossawaome when Is as true as lt il notoous the
West that was never at ossawatoEe, there in
my life.
In letter 10 the Aleyapdria Gd-ef, dated Piattsburg
No, june 9sd lsbs, ". n. Rrswu, young gentleman
from AeHandria, Of high character Says gteg denying
the charge Of surrendering, made against me
I'll was one under Capt. Pate's command, who Is ss
brave an officer a. ever nnshcathed sword well
all Of his ohcersand men who educated to
surrender TO equal numbors pronounce the statement
copied from the Chicago papers Of July 10Th be en-.
trcly incorrect"
AZ to Old Brown he has been an outlaw all his life
Protesting to be zoalous Christian he fanatcal hyp-
ocrite. Living at different times in almost every State
in the pPi9n he has been everything by and h.
ing long, except ~ Wean man q horse thief
can be- and a' rcacherous hs e hell and joint
heir Of the devil.
said Of Brown in the ST. Louis Rep,bNcan in 1856
Gle told me he would take the life Of a man a. quick
as be would that Of dog Il he thought Il ncccssafy-
He said u man stood between him aud what he consid
cred right, snd be considered AboIitonism right he
would tske bis Vie eQoly % bp would hs break
fast HE actions show what be l.. Aisays rcFess he
seems never to sleep With eye like snake be looks
Ike demon. Apparently miserable outlaw he prefers
war 70 peace that pillage and plumber may the more
safely be carried And this sslcadcr Of the Free state
party n Kansas
There y no reason why should change my opinion Of
John Brown IN 1883
II what have said i' enoagb ths pnbIc need ~.
pect from me nothing Of defence With the pen
Three year. ago thrarhed one coward Who said sur
rendered and when he called on Coz satisfaction
would not acccpt challenge am Just as able TO DO
The same thing in 1859 as vas IN $50. and possibly q
little alffy. Al a. ~ p,rr
| prvuya.reo ~. A-t or-t f.-a w