The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-04

acquaintances. The diary, at this
time, is not without interest. 1t is
filed with accounts of school life of
his studying French, of country lab
ors and pastimes with frequent
references to his sister eE-" who
seemed to be a comrade of her
brothers lines and pleasures.
In volume 81 is an account of the
young mans experience as a laborer
on a railroad which was being con-
structed near his home in 1854. About
| this time he and his sister, along with
their aunt and her husband, caught
The following entry in his diary is
| self explanatory:
Thursday TO- MAY 1859. Got
ready at 8 and started for Kansas.
His accounts of his arrival IN Kan la.
sas are also interesting Extracts
from his diary at that time are as fol-
| lows:
saturday, (May) 26. Cool, clear.
| Started. Came over Big Blue river
1 bet E. a quarter that we would
, lost Saw 2 Indians driving oxen
the first l ever saw. Nooned p. m.
| We came through Westport. (NoW
suburb of Kansas City,. Large place
Doesn't look bad. Came on miles
Two teams for Salt Lake with us:
! Camped Two miles from this side OF
Westport is Kansas on the Indian
reserve.
Reaches City of Lawrence.
Monday, (May) %. Very foggy,
wet grass. Started. 1 saw mound
at distance. (Now called the Blue
mound near Lawrence.) Reached the
far famed Lawrence city situated
Thursday. (May) 8. We left Law
renee. Started off due west Got on
Is miles Nooned. An old Indian
| chief came up with paper OF suppllca-
ton. We gave him a dime around:
Dolph gave his cents. He didn't
like the looks of it. We came on
through Tecumseh to within one mile
| Of Topeka. Camped." The camping
place was site of the present FAR
| grounds.
After their arrival the party decided
that the land was better on the nortn
side of the river and took claims there.
| Young Reader staked out his claim on
| the southeast edge of West lndianola,
July 26, 1855. His sister also took a
| claim.
| A year later, Mr.. Reader served in
the Free State army in the Topeka
regiemnt in Company G against the
pro-slavery men. He took part in the
battle of Hickory Point Captain
Whipple. his commander, was later
hung with John Brown at Harper's
Ferry.
Meeting With John Brown.
| Readers meeting with John Brown
is told in his diary as follows:
Sunday, August 8, 1856. Saw old
man Brown go by with son and with
OK team as surveyors and directed
him to Free State camp" Opposite
this entry is pasted photo of the
painting which Mr.. Reader made to
| Illustrate the scene.
Mr.. Readers next military expert
ence was with the Second Kansas
militia which took part in the battle
of the Big Blue on October 22. This
engagement is fully described and
illustrated by Mr.. Reader The ac-
count was compiled from diary
which he made after the battle and
| during his capture. 1t is considered
one of the best historical accounts of
the affair in existence. 1t also con-
| tainS a map of jackson county, MO-,
where the battle was fought. and the
adjacent territory. The map was
drawn by Mr.. Reader.
The account of the battle tells of the
bravery of Colonel Veale and of other
is described how victory seemed to be
won by the Kansas boys, but after
| wards how the rebel force of nearly
| a whole division under General Price
a terrible cavalry charge in over
whelming numbers. Then comes the
story OF Readers capture by the
rebels, of suffering from hunger and
thirst as the Confederates hurried him
along with them. Afterward is told
how Reader escaped in the darkness
and how he was retaken by his own
men upon suspicion of being a rebel.
He was dressed in CASTOR rebel clothes,
his own having been taken from him
by his captors. Finally the escaped
prisoner convinced the Unionists of his
identity and was allowed to return
home.
few years later, December II,
Y L. "a R0adRE n lad fr