The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-08-10

we are indebted to Rev. Z. IL. Lovejoy, Of
Milton, loi the following letter written 10y his
son, now preacher in the Kansas Conference.
BALDWIN CRY, Douglas Co., Kansas, }
July Both, 1861.
DEAR PARENTS Safe at home again, with
the Identical g scalp - unframed that bore to
the expected conflict with McCuloch's lawless
hcrdes Now for the ,chole yarn, as have be-
gun to unravel the " history and mystery" of
our late failure to find the traitors, alter making
diligent search. But they had fought, and
passed on for fresh deeds of rapine and murder.
On the 25d inst, our community were star
tied with the intelligence that the Rebels had
invaded johnson County, (Kansas,) and were
already sweeping through the Eastern part of
it, and the cry for " Help" and " 70 Arms .
spread over the praries until the citizens, far
and near, buckled on their arnor, with such
weapons as they could procure, and fell into
" rank and file y with the different military
companies Of the surrounding country, swell
ing the aggregate to number of hundreds Of
bold, defiant men, many OF whom had bitter
and grievous wrongs to be redrcssed from these
8 Missouri blood-hounds " who had been let
loose upon them in former days. " Forward
march ! - and every man is in his place, with
three days rations in his (apoloey tory g haver-
sack and such a motley company, presenting
such grotesquc appearance in the 6 military
line, l doubt has been seen since the Medieval
Ages, or the Crusaders in the Holy War;
We were all mounted men, though not like the
Black Horse Cavalry of the" +. F. "" OF the
sacred soil of Virginia" but some on Indian
ponlcs and others steeds of various metUe-
Some were armed with shot guns others with
United States muskets, Colts revolvers and
Sharpe's rifles, and still others with - Arkansas
tooth-picks " and the only perceptiblc uniform
was each mans striped hickory shirt o, could
you ha7esee the stern determination that eyinced
the same uncowardly spirit that had more than
once refused to bow to Missouri usurpation -
Could you have seen the fires of enthusiasm
that thrilled every nerve, and flashed from every
eye in that patriotic band, that were again
aroused as in SIS, to defend their hard earned
homes, and the homes OF their brethren, from
the dastardly tread of murderous Southrons-
" Forward March - to the sacred soil of
Missouri and the farewell is whispered, the
parting embrace Tor wife and boy" and the
dear loved ones of our g brethren in arms, and
amid patriotic shouts, and the waving of hand
kerchiefs by the " old folks " who stay at home,
and the ladies and children, we are under
" double quick time.
Many refugees, leaving all ,and barely escaping
by the - skin of their teeth were in our ranks
BY my side rode son of Rev A. Bewley, (a
member of the Kansas Conference by late oil
vision of the General Contereuce,) whose father
was hung last year by mob of infuriated de-
mons in Texas. Accessions were constantly
made to our ranks as on We sped until we reached
Gardiner, in johnson County. Here we halted
and camped, Soon - dispatch was received
from Gov. Robinson stating that " more aims,
ammunition, provisions, &C., would be forward
ed immediately - then went up a shout
from our hardy yeomanry metamorphosed into
soldiers, that made the welkin ring Then a
second " dispatch " that we were one day too
late. I" An engagement had taken place the
day previous, in which the Rebels were COM
pletely routed and driven back through two
Counties in Missouri" We are still expecting
" hot times > here, as McCulloch has 25 900