Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-11-04

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a with sixteen men he went out to meet Pate,
G aud after a short fight and a few men kill.
f ed and wounded, at Black Jack, near the
, Santa t'e road, Pate and his party surren-
! dered to sold Brown with the exception
), OF Wyandot Indian by the name of Long,
t and the notorious Coleman who had mur-
I dered Dow, These two men, being we'll
, mounted, made their escape.
Il Upon another occasion, body of some
e 220 men were raised and equipped at Jack
son County, Mo, and started into Kunzas
under the command of Gen. Whitfield, to
attack and capture sold Brown" as every
one called lin. Brown, who was always
viglisnt and wary, and was possessed of Sc.
cret means of intelligence, had made full
preparation TO meet the Missourians, and
was encamped with 100 men at a chosen
point near the Santa Fe road whicl, he
knew his enemies would pass. lie had so
men with Sharp's rifles, which would kill at
half a mile. and which could be loaded at
the breech and fired with great rapid Y,
whom he had concealed in a ravine, living
on the ground, and commanding the prairie
for mile before them. The residue of the
party he had concealed in the timber, ready
at the proper moment for an attack on the
flank of those who might reach the ravine
alive. Col. Sumner, with squad of
dragoons, came down from Fort Leaven-
worth and prevented the fght, disbanding
both parties, after which the Colonel was
heard to remark that his interposi,ion was
a fortunate event for the Missourians, as
the arrangements and preparation made by
Brown would have insured their dcstruc-
ton.
1t will be recollected that in 1856, when
Geary came into the Territory, Atchison
and Reid were there with an invading army,
variousiy estimated at from 1000 to 2,700
men, bent on the destruction of several
towns and the determination of the Free
Safe men, and that Geary, with great DIFF
ticulty, negotiated and persuaded them to
retire, and that his success was a matter of
rejoicing over all the North, as there was a
Free State force assembled of not over
800 to resist them, who were but poorly
prepared for the fray. Not so John Brown,
who was greatly vexed at the result, and
who insisted that his friends had lost hap
py chance of putting an end 10 the war, and
covering themselves and their cause with
glory. The odds of FIVE to one he counted
the loss Of this chance with the most ear
nest sincerity "What are five 10 one r
said he, g when our men would be fighting
. for their wives, their children, their homes
'.:heir liberties against party, one half OF
: "whom were mercenary vagaboLds who en-
e g listed for a mere frolic, lured on by the
G 8 whisky and the bacon, and a large portion
+ of the others had gone under the compul-
@ E" sion of public opinion and prescription,
@ g and because they feared being denounced
:. as aboltionists il they refused His taste
q in this matter was very near being gratifcd.
t A vanguard of 800 men rode up from
# Franklin and made a bravado demonstra-
: ton on Lawrence, in order, as they sup
: posed, TO alarm our men and ascertain how
/. far they could CO. Brown eagerly hurried
a out with 100 men to give them fight on the
i open prairie, but the enemy retired. and
n declined the contest, to Browns great dis
: appointment and disgust.
His conduct at the sack of Ossawatamie
!. is well known. John Reid, prominent
e lawyer of Jackson County, and a member
q of the Missouri Legislature, marched npon
3 that town with 800 men and two pieces of
f artillery. The inhabitants were taken by
n surprise, and Brown had barely time to get
4 into the timber which lines the Usage Riy-
+ er, with 80 men and limited supply OF
d ammunition, when the whcle fierce of their
! assailants marched upon the prairie before
f. them With his usual indomitable cour-
n age and unhesitatng confidence in himself,
i he gave no thought to the odds of ten TO
:. one, or to making his escape from the dan
n ger, nor did he wait for the enemy TO COM
= mence the fight. but carefully disposing his
. men, he opened rapid and constant FIRE,
. which was returned of course, but the Mis-
i soarians. not knowing his numbers and
q fearing an ambuscade, would not venture
:. into the woods, and their artillery did little
A harm to men lying on the ground and load
= inc at the breech. The result was that GU
J. or 20 of the Missourians were killed, OF
!. wounded two of Browns men were killed
- and the others he carried off in safety
n through the timber, up the river and across
70 the ford.
In 1857, when the troubles in Southern
! Kansas had somewhat subsidized, 1t is well
=, known that Hamilton, with an armed party
. crossed the Missouri line, and having puck
I ed IN sincly some IS prisoners, carried
y Them into Missouri, set them up in a line
- unarmed, and had them all shot down II
- cold blood. This started the border wal
80 afresh and Brown again took the field IN
- connection with Montgomery for the pro-
40 lection of his own friends and retaliation
of on Missouri. Believing that Slavery and
or the slaveholding interest was The cause o
II all their troubles, he recommended clearing
=. the country along the border, OF all 1t
20 slaves; and his carrying off body OF ne
=, croes. whom he landed safely in Canada II
i spite of all the dangers and difficulties Ina
" surrounded him, is well known TO the coun
$ try. Hostile parties started after him;
large reward was offered for him by lh'
Governor of Missouri, and twtHe or three
h times at least, on the route, he came to ba,
Al and prepared for fight, but he seems neye
H. to have been discouraged for moment
(. nor to have entertained single doubt o
fear. As he was approaching the Kansas
-, line with his party of slaves, word wa
:. brought him that Missouri party, OF su
perior numbers and well armed, we're OF
his track. Instead of hurrying his march