The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-01-19
KANSAS HISTORY.
at.,.er Recalling SEINE very Historical
Incidents.
The following interesting letters
"a ,,a,,srs exuiain themselves:

The following interesting Letters
and papers explain themselves;
SALIVA, Kas., Jan. II, 1888.
Hon. d. ". Wilder. President, Hon.
F.G. adams, Secretary, State n rs
tOricdl Society:
GENTLEMEN-I an In receipt oil
your kind letter Of the 10th, asking
me to be present at the annual meet
ing Of the Kansas Historical Society.
As l have for many years been alb
sent In Washington 81 the time OF
the annual meeting, and thus pre-
vented from being present, l shall
endeavOr to be with sou on this Oc-
easiOn.
/ enclose q few items for your col
lection. which happen to come TO
nv hand. First, an autograph let
ter of Kagi's John Browns seere-
tary Of war. Kagi, you will re-
member. was a Nirginian by birth
an anti-slavery man from principle,
3 Topeka journalist i'm 1856, 1851 and
1875. He was the man ON whom
John Brown chiefly leaned While
John Brown went into the engine
room at Harper's Ferry, he directed
Kagi with a few OF his men To Occupy
the arsenal. Al the close, finding
his position untenable, and being
cut 0fffrOm Brown, kagi attempted
10 save the survivors Of his party.
In the face Of large force near the
bank, another lining the bridge,
from which they kept up a heavy
fire, Kagi attempted to cross the
river at the heavy rapids, clOssly
followed by 3 party firing ON them.
Kagi was wounded, and seeing that
Il would be impossible for all To es-
cape through the rough rapids, Kagi
urged his companions to go on, and
turning with his reyOlyers on the
pursuing party he fired on them,
holding them thus in check until the
others got over the river into Mary
land: and he fell on the edge Of the
water, riddled with bullets.
The other papers ] give you are,
second, a letter written by Redpath,
whom / met in Boston in 1871 third,
a copy Of a war paper issued at my
headquarters at TT. Gibson, and one
Of the special orders or war cireu-
lars. With my best respects, gen.
tlemen, / am very sincerely yours,
w. A. PHILLIPS.
The letter written by Kagi relates
to the fugitive slaves, the last party
escorted by John Brown and his
companions from Missouri through
Kansas. The affair at "the crossing
Of Spring Creek" is otherwise known
as the Battle Of the Spurs" 1t Oe-
Cured between HOltOn and Meta
waka, in Jackson county:
TABOR. Iowa, Feb. Z, 1859.
FRIEND PHILLIPS-We ar here
with the fugltives. After | Joined
John Brown we started north. The
posse thought we were going To at
tack them i'm their quarters, and
took the crossing of Spring creek
and hitehed horses. We came on
and they left and took up another
position and still another. Finally,
finding that we still came on in ut
ter disregard of them, they broke
and ran for Missouri. We caught
five Of them and took from them
their horses and revOlvers, and kept
the men until the next day. They
thought there had been advantages
on both sides-we getting some good
horses and arms, and they some val
liable experience. The United States
deputy marshall was J. n. o. P.
Wood. One of our men chased six
Of theirs eight miles toward Atchi-
son. The deputy marshall for
southern Nebraska, with q small
posse. attempted to take me at my
sisters. but could not do 1t. While
he was raising larger posse | es-
capped. kAGI.
Observation-Disclosures Letter Of
John II, Kagi written after taking
the negroes captured in Missouri,
near the southeast Kansas line.
The last armed exploit Of John
Brown i'm Kansas. w. A. y.