A standard history of Kansas and Kansans, Volume I, Part 74

Author: Connelley, William Elsey, 1855-1930. cn
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis
Number of Pages: 668


USA > Kansas > A standard history of Kansas and Kansans, Volume I > Part 74


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There is no doubt but the general conditions existing in the Territory had much to do with John Brown's action. What he and his sons had heard in the Georgian eamp also had an influence. The fact that Judge Cato had issued warrants against Free-State settlers about Osawatomie and Dutch Henry's Crossing must also be considered. That these war- rants were in the hands of the Doyles, deputy eonstables, to be served, must be remembered. The fact that many Free-State men had been murdered in the Territory, and that Lawrenee had been sacked, and that there was every reason to believe that the Border-Ruffians would continue their course toward the Free-State settlers of Kansas, must have had weight. In the first accounts written of Kansas Territory will be found many things which it is not possible to set out in this work. In the light of later research a good portion of what is there stated has been disproven.


The question as to whether any of the Free-State leaders were in- volved in John Brown's course on the Pottawatomie, is another which has brought out mueh discussion. On this point the letter of Samuel C. Pomeroy is given for what it may prove to be worth.


I am waiting here quietly to see the progress of Mason's "Investi- gating Committee." They have declined to summon me-or any other man, who dare under oath, defend John Brown !! I don't care what are the consequences to me politically, I will, upon the first occasion, at the Capitol of this country-defend that old man who offered up himself gloriously-from the charge or crime of murder! No blow had been


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struck by anyone of us-up to May 2Ist, 1856. I was in command as Chairman of the "Committee of Public Safety," at Lawrence, upon that memorable occasion.


I insisted-though our Town was threatened with destruction-and the invading army was then within 12 miles of Town and numbered over 1200 men-well armed-that we should give the Government a fair opportunity to protect us. And to this end I applied to those in author- ity. But in the course of that day I found that the Government was yielded to the "border Ruffians."-I still insisted (though against the earnest appeal of John Brown & his men) that the government should commit the first overt act. And I told them, then and there, that so soon as I could demonstrate before this Country that the Government was powerless for protection, Then I was with them, for taking care of our- selves! So we stood still, upon that day and saw our Presses & buildings madly destroyed. The few monuments of our civilization which had been hastily erected, were strewn to the winds, or consumed in the flames!


Upon the morning of the 22ud of May we called a little meeting-of sad but earnest men. Taking each other by the hand we convenanted, each with the other, that what there was left to us in this life, and if need be, all we hoped for in the life to come, should now be offered up, to the FREEDOM OF KANSAS, and the country.


A poorly written badly spelled note, passed round that meeting that Doyl, Wilkinson, Sherman, and others upon the Pottawatomie Creek, had insulted the females of one family, whose head was then present, and warned others under pain of death to leave the Territory by the 25th Inst., that very week! What could I say ? Or do? I had withheld our impatient men, until before us lay the smoking ruins of the home we loved the best, of any spot upon earth.


You know what was said and "did." As the Government afforded no protection to us, even when we placed ourselves under its special pro- tection, it was then and there Resolved-that every man be [we ?] met that invaded or threatened our lives. or homes, or our families & friends, should without delay of law or courts, or officers, be driven to Missouri or to death !!


We separated that morning, each to the great work of life, viz., to do his duty-to himself-to his country & to his God. John Brown did not personly go the whole distance with the party that went down upon the Pottawatomy creek. But he approved of the course decided upon for action,-and So DID I! And I am not now going to repudiate old Brown, or to shrink from the responsibility !


He did not commit the "murders" as they are called, but we all then endorsed them,-and from that hour the invaders fled. That one act struck terror into the hearts of our enemies, and gave us the dawning of success! Those deaths I have no doubt saved a multitude of lives, and was the cheapest sacrifice that could be offered !


The murders were generally approved by the Free-State people. Governor Robinson found nothing wrong in them until after the year 1879. He likened John Brown to Jesus Christ, and said that the blow on the Pottawatomie was a great service to the Free-State cause. It was only when the question as to who made Kansas came up at the Old Settlers Meeting, held at Lawrence, September 15 and 16, 1879, was the value and help of the Pottawatomie murders questioned. In order to exalt himself and Eli Thayer, Robinson employed G. W. Brown, for- merly editor of the Herald of Freedom to attack John Brown and his


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course in Kansas. It was his theory that if general condemnation could be heaped upon John Brown's memory, as well as upon that of James H. Lane, that there would be no other person left to have made Kansas than Robinson and Thayer. That is the basis of all the controversial writing on this subject. The campaign inaugurated against the memory of John Brown at that time had its culmination in a work written by Hill P. Wilson, some mention of which may be seen on page 426, Volume 13, Kansas Historical Collections. Such attacks have never yet affected the verdict rendered by posterity in favor of any great historial charac- ter. Their failure in this instance has been notable. The fame of John Brown has constantly increased and will continue to do so.


The same may be said of the fame of James H. Lane. The people of Kansas are becoming more and more appreciative of his great service.


The excuse made by Governor Robinson-that he did not know that John Brown had lead the party that killed the Ruffians at Dutch Henry's Crossing until after Townsley made his first confession-cannot be accepted. It was well known at once who led the band. A courier burst into the camp on Ottawa Creek the next day, so Jason Brown says, cry- ing out that Old John Brown had killed five men on the Pottawatomie. This company was not surprised, for John Brown had told the members of it that he intended to slay these men when he left camp. Full ae- counts of the murders were published in the Report of the Investigating Committee that same year, 1856. That work was widely distributed in Kansas and read by all. John Brown never denied that he was the leader of that party. H. Clay Pate led a Border-Ruffian force into Kan- sas to capture John Brown for the Pottawatomie killing. Brown cap- tured him at Black Jack. Governor Robinson did know that John Brown was the leader of the men who killed the five Ruffians on the Pot- tawatomie. He endorsed the murders fully and unqualifiedly then and long afterwards.


"I never had much doubt that Capt. Brown was the author of the blow at Pottawatomie, for the reason that he was the only man who comprehended the situation, and saw the absolute necessity of some such blow and had the nerve to strike it," wrote Governor Charles Robinson, February 5, 1878, nearly two years before Townsley's confession was published.


Thomas Wentworth Higginson, in his "Cheerful Yesterdays," states :


In regard to the most extreme act of John Brown's Kansas career. the so-called "Pottawatomie massacre" of May 24, 1856, I ean testify that in September of that year, there appeared to be but one way of thinking among the Kansas Free State men. I heard of no one who did not approve of the act, and its beneficial effects were uni- versally asserted-Governor Robinson himself fully endorsing it to me.


The Pottawatomie murders affected both the Free-State and Pro- Slavery interests in Kansas Territory. Many of the Pro-Slavery people left the Pottawatomie country and fled to Missouri. Some of them never


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returned. On the other hand, bands of the Border-Ruffians recently at Lawrence, spread over the Territory and committed many outrages. But the Free-State emigrants continued to come in ever increasing num- bers.


The people in the vicinity of Dutch Henry's Crossing met on the 28th of May and adopted resolutions condemning the murders. The fact that H. H. Williams was Secretary of this meeting is conclusive proof that these resolutions were passed for the purpose of warding off the wrath of the Border-Ruffians who might desire to be revenged on the Free- State settlers for the acts of Brown's company. Even the Border- Ruffians understood that. The Free-State people all over the Territory approved the act.


WHEREAS, An outrage of the darkest and foulest nature has been committed in our midst by some midnight assassius unknown, who have taken five of our citizens at the hour of midnight from their homes and families, and murdered and mangled them in the most awful manner; to prevent a repetition of these deeds, we deem it necessary to adopt some measures for our mutual protection and to aid and assist in bringing these desperadoes to justice. Under these circumstances we propose to act up to the following resolutions :


Resolved, That we will from this time lay aside all sectional and political feelings and act together as men of reason and common sense, determined to oppose all men who are so ultra in their views as to denounce men of opposite opinion.


Resolved, That we will repudiate and discountenance all organized bands of men who leave their homes for the avowed purpose of exciting others to acts of violence, believing it to be the duty of all good disposed citizens to stay at home during these exciting times and protect and if possible restore the peace and harmony of the neighborhood; further- more we will discountenance all armed bodies of men who may come amongst us from any other part of the Territory or from the States unless said parties shall come under the authority of the United States.


Resolved, That we pledge ourselves, individually and collectively, to prevent a recurrence of a similar tragedy and to ferret out and land over to the criminal authorities the perpetrators for punishment.


H. II. WILLIAMS, Secretary.


C. II. PRICE, President R. GOLDING, Chairman R. GILPATRICK W. C. McDow S. V. VANDAMAN A CASTELE JOHN BLUNT


Committee.


Andreas, when writing his History of Kansas, gathered much con- cerning this matter. An extract is made from that great work, taken from page 604,-Franklin County :


There can be no doubt that old John Brown was the leader of the party that committed the Pottawatomie massacre. That he, with his own hand, shot James P. Doyle seems almost equally well established. James Townsley has emphatically testified to it over and over again. Brown habitually carried a revolver. and was too brave and consistent a man to influence other men, especially his own sons, to do what he would not do himself. He believed it was a step necessary to prevent a


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similar massaere of the Free-state settlers by their Pro-slavery neighbors, and that it was only a question as to who should strike the first blow. At the time the blow was struck opinion was divided even among the Free-state men as to its necessity, but as time has passed the numbers of those living in the immediate neighborhood who approve of it has increased.


The question as to whether it was justifiable depends primarily on its necessity. And its necessity depends on whether there was a conspiracy among the Pro-slavery settlers to massacre the Free-state men.


James Townsley says that George Wilson, whom Brown hoped to find and kill at Duteh Henry's, "had been notifying Free-State men to leave the Territory. He had received such a notice from him himself."


Judge Hanway, in the same letter from which we have already quoted says : "I was personally acquainted with the Doyles, Wilkinson and Sherman and am fully satisfied, as everybody else is, who lived on the ereek iu 1856, that a base conspiracy was on foot to drive out, burn and kill; in a word, the Pottawatomie Creek from its mouth to its foun- tain head was to be cleared of every man, woman and child who was for Kansas being a free State!"


I will give one item which has never been published. When the party called at the house of the Shermans, Mrs. Harris, who was living there, commenced getting breakfast, believing the party that had arrived were friends who were expected from Missouri to carry out the Border Ruffian plan of elearing the ereek of Abolitionists. This important fact alone is evidence that John Brown was correct in his predictions. This evidence eame through a moderate Pro-slavery man, who was astonished to learn that such a plan was under consideration :


"Threats were made to various persons : 'Squire Morse, John Grant and his family, Mr. Winer and others.


"Old John Brown was at my house at various times in 1858. He asked me how the people on the ereek regarded the killing of Sherman and the others at that time. My remark was that 'I did not know of a settler of '56 but what regarded it as amongst the most fortunate events in the history of Kansas-that this event saved the lives of the Free-State men on the ereek-that those who did the aet were looked upon as deliverers.'


"The old man said, 'The first shock frightened the Free-state men almost as much as the ruffians, but I knew that when the faets were understood a reaction would take place. If the killing of these men was murder, then I was an accessory.' The remark did not surprise me, because I had heard his brother-in-law, Rev. S. L. Adair, say that the old man had said the same to him.


"Take in connection the fact of John Brown running into the Border Ruffian eamp with his surveying instruments, and there hearing the plans on foot to drive out or exterminate the settlers on the ereek, and I think we have sufficient reason to believe that our lives were in danger, and that John Brown and his little band saved us from pre- mature graves."


THE BATTLE OF BLACK JACK


On the 26th of May, John Brown and his company went to the elaim of Jason Brown on Brown's Branch, where they made a camp in the timber. A. O. Carpenter, who lived south of Palmyra, in Douglas County, went to the eamp and requested John Brown to lead his company to the head waters of Ottawa Creek, saying that there were two parties in that


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vicinity, searching for those who had slain the men on the Pottawatomie. That night Brown led his men in the direction of Palmyra. In the party were John Brown, Frederick, Salmon, Owen and Oliver Brown, Henry Thompson, Weiner and Townsley and August Bondi. Carpenter was the guide. A company of soldiers had camped in a lane near the California crossing of the Marais des Cygnes River. The picket challenged with the question, "Who are you ?" John Brown answered that "there are a few of us going toward Lawrence." The sentry said they might pass on. The men immediately rushed through the lane, and were quickly out of sight. Early the next morning they went into a deep wood on the broad bottom of Ottawa Creek and camped near a spring of good water. This camping-place was near one of the crossings later used by the Federal Government in carrying supplies from Leavenworth and Lawrence to Fort Scott. It was at this camp that James Redpath found John Brown on the 30th of May. Redpath was a newspaper correspondent. He was born in Berwick, Scotland. He was in thorough sympathy with the Free- State cause and did it much good service, and later he wrote a biography of John Brown.


Captain Shore lived only a little way to the north of John Brown's camp. On the 31st of May he visited Brown, bearing some provisions, and said that a large party of Missourians were then camped at Black Jack, a point on the Santa Fe Trail, five miles east of Palmyra. It is well to say here that there were two places on the Santa Fe Trail known as Black Jack. They were some seven miles apart. The Black Jack at which the Missourians were camped was sometimes known as Black Jack Springs. The Black Jack famous in the annals of the old Santa Fe Trail was locally known as Black Jack Point. It was the place where the Trail reached the greatest elevation in going from Palmyra to Willow Springs. It is probably the highest point in that country, and the view from it is magnificent.


After a discussion of the conditions prevailing about Palmyra, it was decided to make some show of resistance to the Missourians encamped at Black Jack. Captain Shore was to assemble his company and repair to Prairie City, where John Brown was to meet him before 10 o'clock on the 1st of June. When they arrived there it was found that church services were to be held. So many people assembled that only the women could be admitted to the church. The men, bearing their guns, stood about the door. Three horsemen went by the church at a rapid pace, headed for Black Jack. The horse of one of them fell, and he was captured, as were his companions, who held up to see if he had been injured in the fall. They were carried before John Brown, who questioned them closely. They said they belonged to the company of H. Clay Pate, who had been made a deputy United States Marshal. Pate lived at that time at West- port, and had been at the sacking of Lawrence, where his horse was gaily decorated in ribbons in honor of the destruction of that city. Upon hearing of the death of the Pro-Slavery men on the Pottawatomie, he had immediately set out to search for the Browns, stopping first at Paola. These prisoners told Brown that Pate had captured a preacher


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named Moore. Two of Moore's sons were in Captain Shore's company, and they urged that the combined force of Captain Shore and John Brown immediately attack Pate and attempt to rescue their father. This, however, could not be done. Pate's men had committed robberies about Palmyra on the 31st of May. It was decided by Brown and Shore to attack Pate the next morning. The total force of the two companies was about forty men. They started that night for Black Jack. Many of them fell out of the ranks and did not get there. On the march, John Brown, who at that time had been given the title of Captain, led the advance. Near midnight the Free-State men halted at a grove some two miles west of Black Jack. The plan of battle was there agreed to. Brown was to be in command. The horses were left in the grove under the care of Fred Brown. Five men were detailed by Captain Shore to remain with Fred Brown to watch their horses. John Brown's company was to be in the center of the line with Captain Shore's men thrown out as skirmishers on the flanks. In this formation they were to charge the camp of Pate. These arrangements consumed much time. It was day- light when the Free-State men again took up the march toward Pate's camp. Brown's company had received some reinforcements and con- sisted at that time of Captain John Brown, Owen, Frederick, Watson, Salmon and Oliver Brown, Henry Thompson, Charles Kaiser, Theodore Weiner, Carpenter, the two Moore boys, Dr. Westfall, Benjamin Coch- rane, August Bondi and James Townsley.


The summit of the hill or roll in the prairie was reached within about half a mile. From that the Free-State men looked down on the camp of Pate and his Missourians. After studying the position of the enemy for a moment, Jolın Brown called out, "Now, follow me," and he and his company started down the slope on a run. When they had gone half a mile, the Missourians began to fire at them. Brown's men did not fire, as the distance was too great, but Shore's men, who were behind, returned the fire of the Missouri pickets. As soon as the alarm was sounded, Pate's men ran to arms and began to fire volleys at the ap- proaching enemy. Coming to the Santa Fe Road, Brown's men jumped into deep gulleys washed in the Trail, and began to fire on the Missouri- ans. Shore's company had not followed Brown down the hill. Shore himself was there, but none of his men, who yet remained on the hill, wasting their ammunition. They fired for a time but soon left the field. John Brown got into the channel of the west prong of Captain's Creek, which gave him a sheltered position. Pate and his men took position in the bed of the other fork of Captain's Creek. The two hostile bodies were separated then by a distance of about one-eighth of a mile. But these little valleys or channels in which the combatants were sheltered united only a very short distance below.


The first wounded was Henry Thompson. He was shot through the lungs, and was lead away by Dr. Westfall. Carpenter had the end of his nose shot off, and the same bullet lodged in his shoulder. He had to be taken from the field. John Brown was passing up and down the ravine, sometimes viewing the enemy through his field glasses, and


THE BATTLE-FIELD OF BLACK JACK


Drawn by :- William Elsey Connelley


Douglas Co., Kans. Ter.


Oct. 10, 1908.


North


PRAIRIE


tilli .


CAPTAIN'S


HIGH PRAIRIE


HIGH


FREE-STATE FORCES


PRO- SLAVERY FORCES


11


7


PEARSON HOME


Fought June 2, 1856. Free-State Forces commanded by :- Old John Brown and Captain Shore. Pro-Slavery Forces commanded by :- H. Clay Pate.


CREEK


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always eautioning the men, saying "be careful to save your ammuni- tion." Captain Shore squatted himself on the ground and said to John Brown that he was very hungry, to which John Brown made no reply. As Brown went up the ravine to elose up the gaps left by the wounding of Carpenter and Thompson, Captain Shore said, "Boys I have to leave you to hunt up some breakfast." He then left the field. Townsley, at that time, requested that he be sent for ammunition, to which John Brown made no reply. Townsley then departed. IIe was not seen again on the battle-field until after Pate had surrendered. About nine o'eloek John Brown surveyed the lines of the Missourians through the glass, and said to Weiner and Bondi, "It seems the Missourians have also suf- fered from our fire. They are leaving one by one. We must never allow this. We must try and surround them. We must compel them to sur- render." He then took the two Moores, Weiner, and Bondi, and ascended a rise south of the Missouri eamp. There Brown told the Moores to shoot at the horses and mules exelusively and not to shoot at any men. The Moore boys with four shots killed two mules and two horses. This alarmed the Border-Ruffians, and several of them rushed from the battle-line and mounted their horses, leaving for Westport. Brown then advanced toward the enemy about sixty feet, when he waved his hat, which was a signal for Weiner and Bondi to come up; and the Moore boys were to advanee also, but at a slower pace. Upon Captain Brown's advanee, those of his men yet in the trenehes eame out, and all of them advaneed toward Pate's line. Frederick Brown would no longer remain with the horses. He was anxious to engage in the battle. He mounted a horse and charged down the Santa Fe Road. He was accompanied by Colonel W. A. Phillips, correspondent of the New York Tribune. Frederick Brown went on beyond the Border-Ruffian eamp, and ealled to his father that the Missourians were surrounded. He was fired at repeatedly, but never hit. Captain Pate, supposing Frederiek Brown was leading reinforcements, saw no hope of being able to escape, and he sent out a flag of truee. John Brown inquired of the bearer if he was the Captain of the company. Upon being assured that he was not, he ordered a Mr. Lymer, a Free-State prisoner who had been sent with the flag of truee, to return and eall the commander. It is said that a Mr. James carried the flag of truee, and some claim that it was Lientenant Broeket. Whoever the man, he remained with Captain Brown while Mr. Lymer returned for Captain Pate, who went over to the Free-State position with some misgivings. This was about one o'eloek. Upon being asked whether he had a proposition to make, he hesitated and said he believed he had not. Ile then entered upon a long explanation of his authority. John Brown eut this short, saying that he wanted to hear no more about it, ending with the words, "I know exactly what you are. sir. I have a proposition to make to you-that is, your unconditional surrender." As Captain Brown held a large revolver elose to Pate's head, there was little that he could do. Brown ordered his men to go to the Ruffian branch of the ravine to prevent the escape of the Missourians. while he went to the eamp with Pate. Broeket objeeted to surrender,


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and talked defiantly, but Brown demanded of Pate that he order Brocket and his men to lay down their arms and surrender. And as the large revolver was thrust a little nearer, Pate ordered them to comply, which they did. Twenty-two Pro-Slavery men surrendered to nine Free-State men. The losses of Captain Pate were as follows: twenty-one surrend- ered, twenty-seven wounded and escaped. The Free-State men secured a large quantity of arms and ammunition, and recovered much property the Missourians had stolen from the settlers. They got four wagons fairly-well loaded with provisions.




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