The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-30

will aid you all we can by annoying
them on the flank
IT counted off ten men and turned
them into the log fort and barred the
went on the second floor for a better
view of the invaders as they came in
from the west in long lines with two
brass cannons in the center. Most or
all of them were mounted. Their arms
and cannons glistened in the sun. Some
of here, they have cannon and they Wall
blow us to pieces An old man named
Austin said: Stay here and let them
blow US to hell and back again
There We're four hundred men as
well as we could calculate While we
we're here everything seemed SO quiet
below that went down to see the
cause of it, only to find the door open
and all the men gone. 1 called Austin
and we went up the river and Joined
Brown.
Brown Cool in Battle.
Brown had already made the attack
on the enemy We met Captain Cline
going up. Brown displayed remarkable
GOODNESS. e placed the men in one
long line, from rod to thirty feet
apart, and told them to get behind the
trees, stumps, brush, and to lie down
if they could do no better. He walked
back and forth, and would speak to
each man to keep cool and take good
aim.
when the fight began and for some
time after, we were in the timber and
the enemy in the open. AS we were
stationed q. good distance apart, we
made a long battle line, although there
were not over thirty-five men. They
charged upon us in a long line, but
when we shot, or when they themselves
shot. their horses became unmanage-
able, and they had to retire to form
again and to repeat the same tnlng-
Their Artillery Ineffective.
"Al this time we kept busy and
non bothered them more than 1t did
us, for they shot too high. We. stand
ing still on the ground, could take
good aim, and they often being mud
died together in punches, we could NIT
two or three at time. But their
overwhe Ginning numbers began to tell
to their advantage, and they pressed
US back slowly; but when they gained
the timber, they dismounted and made
a steady advance. We fell back one
at time as it got too hot for US, put
we kept in line until we got to the
river bank. Then without any orders
that I heard, we gave way all at once.
Many jumped into the river; L don't
know whether it was swimming deep
or not.
1.-The enemy rushed up to the bank
and did a good deal of shooting. 1t
was here that the most of our men
were killed. I jumped down the bank
and ran along the waters edge, and
was clambering to get up the other
bank when I heard voices crying,
Halt! halt! haiti Several shots were
fred that tore the dirt up right by
me. AS soon as I could gain foot
inr.. 1 turned to fire and saw two
horsemen making off at full speed and
one horse with an empty saddle fol-
lowing. A man was lying kicking on
the ground.
The Other Side Lost Heavily.
1--WE went up the river on the other
side nearly opposite where the other
men had crossed. Here we found
Brown and the most of the men.
Brown sent two men to ascertain
where the enemy were and what they
were doing, but we soon saw the
smoke of the burning town. Twenty
nine houses were burned. after which
they left in the direction of Paola,
taking in wagons two dead and
wounded for every one who went into
the brush with Brown. Where they
only for few minutes there
were pools of blood in the middle of
the road"
Mr.. Parsons afterwards accompan-
led Brown to Canada and then to
West Virginia. After Browns expe-
dition to capture Harper's Ferry Mr..
Parsons enrolled in an expedition to
liberate Brown. The expedition never
started, however.