The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-20
Major Anderson Organizing
Brown Encounter Survivors.
These Include Thomas Archer
and John Armstrong.
OTHER TOPEKA MEN.
Party Saw Marshal's Forces
When Panic Stricken.
Not a Shot Fired on Either Side
Of the Forces.

Efforts are being made by Major
Tom J. Anderson to organize the sur
vivors Of 1.-THE Battle of the Spurs"
the last conflict in which John Brown
participated in Kansas. There are be-
lieved to be several of them including
Thomas Archer and John Armstrong
of Topeka Major Thomas w. Scud-
der, another Topekan present, is dead.
Major Anderson and ten or twelve
others, who had taken the oath as
deputy United States marshals. wit
messed the battle in which not one per-
son was killed or a shot fired.
Major AnderSon's party, about a
dozen men and a boy, had no intention
Of joining the marshal's forces SO they
quietly slipped away and started for
the Fuller cabin where Brown was
known to be. Their purpose. so Maj
or Anderson says, was to assist the
fugitives if it became necessary. How
ever, their services were not needed.
greatly enjoyed the flight of the mar
shaPs posse. Major Anderson dis
tinctly remembers the appearance of
Brown. He rode at the head of the
procession and apparently gave no at
tention to the marshars posse. There
was reward of $4,000 for Browns
capture, dead or alive, and this stimu-
lated the marshal but didn't increase
his courage to the sticking point.
Major Anderson does not remember
the names OIL I'LL those WHO QeS6TI6u
the marshal to join the Brown forces.
D. R. McComas, afterward Major An
derSon's brother-in-law, was one, W.
S. Hoagland and Jason Winery were
others. All are now dead. Major An
derson was then less than 20 years old
and he says he greatly enjoyed the
experience though he realized that the
marshal's forces could have killed
every member of the John Brown par
ty if they had not become panic
stricken.
"The Battle Of the Spurs" took place
near Holton in what then was Calhoun
county. (row Jackson county, John
Brown had started to Canada with Mis-
souri, slaves He had been Joined at
Topeka by j. H. Kagi and Aaron
killed in the battle of Harper's Ferry.
The point had been reached after one
stop-at the home of Cyrus Packard.
four miles north Of Topeka
Thirty or 40 men under the leader
ship of John P. Wood, an United
States marshal of Lecompton were on
the lookout for Brown and had been
notified of his whereabouts. Opposed
ates and a few unarmed negroes.
The officers were afraid to attack and
Wood drew up his forces in the shelter
of the timber en- Straight creek and
sent for e-enforcementS. Meanwhile
Brown was not idle. One of the men
crept out of the cabin under the cover
of darkness and went to the home of
a farmer named Wasson. whose anti
slavery sentiments were well known.
WATSON was requested to go to Topeka
at once and tell Col. John Richie that
John Brown was surrounded in the Full
Ter cabin on Straight creek.
Much difficulty was experienced in
finding enough horses, and when the
dozen men left Topeka for Holton some
of them were on foot. The party was
Joined on the way by Major T. ].
Anderson, now of Topeka
When they were within sight of tho
house they saw Kagi. Gill and Stevens
hitching the horses to wagon and
upon their arrival Brown was super
vising the transfer Of the negroes to
the conveyance. Brown appeared utter
ly oblivious TO the presence of Wood
and his forces. On toward the Fuller
crossing went the little party of Kan
sans. AS the advance guard reached
the ford there was commotion in the
rifle pits on the opposite bank. A man
or two sprang up and ran towards the
horses which were tied not far off. In
a few moments the marshalS party was
in a wild manic.
1.-THE Battle Of the Spurs received it's
name from Richard J. Hinton, who be-
longed to the force of eastern cores
pondents IN Kansas. AS spurs were the
most effective weapons used the title is
deemed not altogether inappropriate.
Not a shot was fired on either side.