The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-24
AT HICKORY POINT
Story of a Battle That Has Be-
come Historic.
Clash Between Free State and
Pro- Slavery Men.
LITTLE BLOOD SPILLED
There Was no End OF Excite
ment, However.
s. j. Reader OF Topeka GlVes
= Graphic Description.
LITTLEBLOOD SPILLED

by a participant
Forty-eight years ago. two days
battle was fought at Hickory Point
(near what is now Valley Falls),
locality some 35 miles northeast of
Topeka
Friday morning. September 18TH
1856. Gen. Jas. H. Lane, with the
mounted portion Of the Second regi-
ment, Free-state army, under the I'M
mediate command of Col Whipple.
crossed the Kaw river from Topeka
and took up his line of march east
ward on the old military road he
reached Osawkee that afternoon where
he learned that a party of IS Kicka-
poo Rangers and other pro-slavery
men were encamped or fortified at
Hickory Point, Is miles distant, on
the Fort Leavenworth road He
promptly decided to capture or dis
lodge these people. and, calling upon
creek for recruits, he sent Orderly
Sergeant Guilford Dudley back to To-
peka for re-enforcements-
Dudley arrived at Topeka before
nightfall, and towards midnight had
collected about 80 men, Being infant
~ for the most part, four or five farm
wagons were pressed into service, TO
haul the outfit 1t was commanded
by Capt. VIM Creitz, company Q, Sec
ond regiment, and First Lieutenant
Charles A Sexton, acting quarter
Il
~. and assisted in getting them across
the river, and as q reward for my SER
vices. QuartermaSter Sexton allowed
me to squeeze myself into a wagon
that was already over-crowded- The
night was warm, with bright moon
light. and the trip turned out to be
pleasant enough, considering the lack
of elbow room.
After sunrise, Saturday, Sept. 18th,
We reached Osawkee, and uniting with
Lanes party ana the Grasshopper boys.
started for the front BY half past
ten o'clock. we were in line of battle,
less than 500 yards west of Hickory
Point
The stronghold consisted of a double
log house, and log blacksmith shop,
and was situated Eorth of the mill
Jary read and west % a small stream
fringe1 with bushes and a few scat
teriGg trees.
Our mounted men were formed on
the right hand side of the road. and
at right angles With il, end the in
fa"try wrrc Ia the lef:. Capt. Creitz
c'flnlnaade the latter. 1t was Swelled
b. recruits t. seine 81 or 20 men,
white the cavalry numbered about the
Sarae
My place was near the right flank
OF the infantry line, where 1 had
good opportunity of seeing and hear
ing much that was going on. The first
thing l noticed was a horseman leav-
our position at full gallop down the
road, and waving a white handkerchief
that was tied to the end of a ramrod
As he neared the blacksmith shop,
three men slOuched out to meet him
IT'S a summons to surrender"
heard some one remark.
A brief parley, and our messenger
came dashing back to General Lane,
who sat on his clay-bank horse not 20
setps from where stood.
The report was verbal:
Take this dirty sheet back to your
leader. and tell him we will fight him
and all the hired northern cut-tnroats
ne can bring against u.s.
The three border ruffians' returned
70 the SHOP l intently watched the
pulldings, but not sign of life could
be detected Silent and ominous. they
seemed to stand out, in grim defiance.
captain Creltz, our company command
81. was a German and an old soldier.
His keep black eyes, swarthy features
and eager activity reminded me of a
description OF the old historic Huns.
Rerhaps the euemy'S insulting reDlv
fingered him At any rate, he now
seemed determined to precipitate mat
terS- Before / we'll knew what was ND
our infantry line was marching down
tne MIL TO assault the pro-slavery posi-
ton at right shoulder shift -
Maybe I wouldn't be here today. writ
ang TINS account had not Jim Lane or
some other good soul ordered a hair
Captain Creitz then received ordefs to
Try them with Sharpe's rifles A man
near me stepped to the front dropped
on one knee. and fired. Then other
snots followed, and across the stream
70 the southeast of the buildings. a
nanlxing party of our men under Can
tain Mitchell and Charley Lenhart
commenced firing For minute or two.
there was no response. Then a puff of
smoke issued from the grimy shop. fol-
lowed BY spat of dust in the road to
our front, and a most uncannv xUhiz Of
lead. as the bullet glanced and nassed
over our heads. was startled. and In
company with not a few of nv conn
rades, backed several steps out of ranks.
after all the danger was over aptain
Creitz came to our assistance, and his
language as ne Strengthened out our
shaken line. was a caution. We Offend
ed no more in this particular but he
couldn't keep our heads from dod1ing
when the noisy Mississippi rifle siuEs
seemed to be right at our ears
Finally the Rangers ceased firing, and
our line followed suit. For wonder no
one of our party was hit. We were a
fair mark out on the open prairie, and
I wondered at our escape.
Our officers consulted.
An assault would cost the lives of
40 or so men," said Lane, I'VE must have
artillery and more help
Gil Dudley was the possessor of a big
flint lock horse pistol
Here's artillery for you. general, -
he cried. as he held the weapon up TO
view. 1t was not utilized however IT
and then give the border runrians a
dose they would not soon forget.
Captain Creitz received orders to
withdraw, and we were zig-zagged OF
the field by the flank Perhaps this
evolution was intended to astonish OF
dismay the enemy, but / don't know
whether it had that effect or not. ]
guess we didn't perform very well. for
our fiery little captain scolded us round
" for our awkwardness, as he marched
us to the rear.
After We had broken ranks, mount
ed an old gray horse that a comrade
had loaned me. and remained on the
field: while the wagon train with the
infantry started on the back track tic
Osawkee. This retrograde movement