USA > Kansas > Anderson County > The history of Anderson County, Kansas, from its first settlement to the Fourth of July, 1876. > Part 3
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"I tell you to mark every scoundrel among you who is
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the least tainted with Abolitionism. or Free-soilism, and ex- terminate him: neither give nor take quarter from the d-d rascals. To those who have quals of conscience as to violating law, State of national, say, the time has come when such imposition must be disregarded. As your rights and property are endangered, I advise one and all to enter every election district in Kansas, in defiance of Reeder and his myrmidons, and vote at the point of the bowie-knife and revolver. Neither take nor give quarter, as the cause demands it. It is enough that the slave hold- ing interest wills it, from which there is no appeal."
This sentiment was reiterated by every Pro-Sla- very paper on the border : and declared by every stump orator in the field throughout the Border Ruffian dominion.
On the 21st of May, 1856, General Atchison, the great Border Ruffian, a U. S. Senator, ex-Vice President of the United States, together with Col. Titus, of Florida, Major Buford, of Georgia, and General Stringfellow, of Missouri, entered Lawrence and sacked the town, burned the Free State hotel, and destroyed the "Herald of Freedom" and "Free State" printing presses. They were there from the slave States, under the pretense of enforcing the law and making arrests.
The Ruffians assumed to be the masters of the whole Territory ; declared their own loyalty and conquest, and assumed to be the protectors of the Governor and the defenders of the bogus laws. They extolled the greatness of their power, and af- fected to deride the disloyalty of the handful of Free State men who appeared under the banners of
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freedom to resist their invasion. The armies of the ruffians seemed, indeed, as numerous as a cloud of summer locusts, who darken the day, flap their wings, and, after a short flight, tumble weary and breath- less to the ground ; like them, sunk after a feeble effort, and were vanquished by their own cowardice, and withdrew from the scene of action to boast of their deeds of crime and infamy.
It was about this time that the Pottowatomie affair happened. In the neighborhood of Dutch Henry crossing of the Pottowatomie lived a Mr. Allen Wilkerson, a member of the bogus Legisla- ture. He and William Sherman, - Doyle and a few other Pro-Slavery men in the neighborhood had always been violent and bad men. Immedi- ately after sacking Lawrence, these men concluded that war had begun, and the Free State people must be driven from the country. Violent party men, of violent disposition and reckless character, covetous
of the claims of the Free State men, commenced the work of persecution. Several Free State men were ordered to leave by letter and verbally. One
man, named Morse, was seized and abused, and threatened with death if he did not leave. Morse was a merchant, and had a small store ; kept such articles as are usually kept in a country store. On the morning of the 21st of May he had sold some powder and lead to John Brown, jr's., men, when they were on the road to Lawrence. These men said they would learn him to sell ammunition to Free 6
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State men. A cabin was burned at the same time. Five of these Pro- Slavery men, Wilkerson, Sherman, Doyle and his two sons, were taken out one night and killed. This act was never fully justified by the Free State men. The government had refused to give protection to the Free State settlers, and it seemed to be the only way for the Free State men to protect themselves. Lynch law was the terrible alternative to which the Free State men were driven, because of the guerrilla warfare to which they were exposed.
About this time Francis Myer, John S. Waitman, David McCammon and George Wilson, having been aiders and abettors in the Pro-Slavery atrocities, fearing that they would meet the same fate, fled the country. Wilson returned again in the winter of 1857, but the two commissioners and sheriff never returned ; so it became necessary to select other commissioners and another sheriff.
At the time the Border Ruffians were marching against the Free State men of Lawrence, John Brown, jr., with his Pottowatomie company, started to their assistance, but before he could reach there he learned that Lawrence had been sacked and burned, and was notified that his presence could do no possible good. He halted and went into camp on Ottawa creek, near Prairie City, where he re- mained for a few days. He had in his company about 20 Anderson county men ; and while he was in camp on Liberty mound, near Prairie City, the
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news of the killing of Wilkerson, Sherman and the Doyles was received.
Soon after the Pottowatomie tragedy the govern- ment ordered a company of dragoons to the neigh- borhood. They camped for several weeks at a spring northeast of Greeley, near the residence of Samuel Staley. They also were stationed in Franklin county, near the line, for some time. This company was recruited in South Carolina, and its Captain, DeSaucer, was a hot-headed advocate of Southern institutions. He made frequent efforts to capture obnoxious Free State men, especially James Townsley. Whenever one of these night incursions was to be made by De Saucer's men, notice would be given to some of the citizens by one or two of his men, who were in sympathy with the Free State cause, so that they might guard against approach- ing danger, and as a consequence thereof not a single arrest was made during the time the company re- mained in the neighborhood. This same De Saucer figured in the first movement on Forts Moultrie and Sumter, showing the sagacity of the administration in sending him to crush freedom in Kansas. De Saucer, when talking, had the negro pronunciation of the South so perfectly that you had to see him to discern that it was not a Southern negro talking.
In the spring of 1856, a company of Maj. Bu- ford's Georgians was camped in the timber near the present residence of Mrs. White, on the line of Franklin county. They were taking all the cattle
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and horses that they could find that belonged to the Free State men. One morning Wilber D. West was riding along near Greeley, when he met one of Bu- ford's men, who rode up to him and asked if he was a Pro-Slavery man, which he answered in the nega- tive, whereupon the Georgian told him to dismount, drawing his revolver, which order West could but obey, when the Pro-Slavery man led his horse quietly away. Ile had not gone far before he met Hardy Warren and I. P. Sutton in a two-horse wagon, going in the direction of the Pro-Slavery camp. On meeting them the first salutation was :
"Are you Free State men?" Mr. Warren said : "I am a Free State man." Then the Georgian rode a short distance, to where John Waitman was, and had a short consultation with him (a notorious Border Ruffian), came on, and overtaking Warren and Sutton demanded their horses and wagon, which Warren told him he could not have. Then the Ruffian drew his revolver, and at the same time an- other of his party emerged from the brush, which rendered resistance vain, and the only alternative was to give up the horses, which were driven to the camp, when Warren informed him that the mare would be useless to him, being heavy with foal, when the Ruffian turned to Sutton, who was a lad, and said : "You may take the d-d old mare," and let him ride her home, but kept the horse and wagon, and detained Warren a prisoner for several days.
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When the Border Ruffians carried Hardy Warren and I. P. Sutton to their camp, Captain Wood, who was then in command of a company of United States soldiers stationed in the neighborhood, was present. Warren asked him if he was a United States officer, and Captain Wood informed him that he was. Warren then appealed to him for protection ; told him that the Ruffians were robbing him and Sutton, and demanded protection as an. American citizen against such outrage. Captain Wood smiled, turned around and quietly walked away.
The troops were kept on the Pottowatomie dur- ing most of the summer, and saw such outrages as these committed against the Free State settlers daily, and refused to give them any protection, but if a Free State man would interfere with a Pro-Slavery man the troops were at once brought to his assist- ance. The administration sent only such tools of the "slave power" to the Territory as sustained the Pro-Slavery party in Kansas, and intimidated the friends of freedom.
CHAPTER V.
Organization of Pottowatomie Guards-Celebra- tion of Fourth of July, 1856-Struggle between Frec State Men and Border Ruffians-Battle of Middle Creek-How a Ruffian Lost his Nose-Raid on Pottowatomic-Robbing Schutte-Battle of Osa- wvatomic-Great Suffering among Settlers.
IN the summer of 1856 the Free State settlers on the Pottowatomies, in order to protect the settle- ments against the invasions of the Border Ruffians, who were then making frequent raids in the southern part of the Territory, robbing the settlers and driv- ing their families from their claims, met at the house of W. L. Frankenberger, on the South Pottowato- mie, organized a military company, and named it the "Pottowatomie Guards," and elected Samuel Anderson captain of the company, which had its drill-ground and place of meeting at the cabin of W. L. Frankenberger. The Pottowatomie guards had about 30 men able for action. The company in- cluded all the able-bodied men on the Pottowatomie above Greeley.
This company participated in many of the expe- ditions against the Border Ruffians in 1856-7-8, and did valuable service in protecting the settlers against
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the depredations of raiding parties from the Slave States. The invasions from Missouri were so frequent in the summer and fall of 1856, that it was unsafe for settlers to remain at home over night with their families ; and for several months the families in the settlement would collect together at night time on the Pottowatomie at Frankenberger's claim, and the women and children would take quarters in the cabin, while the men would keep guard over them. Such was the state of the country for many months, that the men would, part of the time, work on their claims during the day with their rifles and revolvers within their reach, and stand guard at night or be on the march to the defense of some settlement against the approach of the Ruffians.
Notwithstanding the many troubles and hardships the settlers encountered they did not forget that the early struggles of the fathers of our country pur- chased our freedom and established a free govern- ment ; and on the Fourth of July, 1856, the few settlers on the Pottowatomie assembled at the cabin of W. L. Frankenberger, about two miles east of Garnett, and there had a good old-fashioned cele- bration. C. E. Dewey read the Declaration of In- dependence, H. H. Williams, Capt. Samuel Anderson and J. Y. Campbell delivered orations, and the ladies sang some patriotic songs to enliven the occasion. These patriotic people were conscious that justice was on their side, which made them fearless in main- taining the right, and asserting that all men are en-
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dowed with the inalienable right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ;" that the primary ob- ject and ulterior design of our federal government was to secure these rights to all persons within its jurisdiction. This was the first celebration of the national birthday in Anderson county.
Although the country was but sparsely settled, and the audience small, a more enthusiastic and pat- riotic gathering never assembled in any State. In a new and wild country these people were like the Pilgrim Fathers, who came to make for themselves and children homes in a free land, to lay the found- ation for a great and prosperous commonwealth, and to make this a country of refuge for the op- pressed of all nations. They performed the work with a christian fortitude that was commendable, and which was finally crowned with the desired success. I
In the month of August, 1856, the struggle be- tween the contending parties was rapidly approach- ing a crisis. It was evident that the Ruffian power was fast encircling the friends of freedom in all the southern portion of the Territory ; it was concentra- ting all its forces ; block-houses were erected, and well supplied with provisions ; and Gihon, pri- vate secretary of Gov. Geary, says in his work on " Geary and Kansas :"
" The Pro-Slavery marauders south of the Kansas river had established and fortified, at the town of Franklin, a fort. thrown up earthworks near Osawatomie. and another
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at Washington creek, 12 miles from Lawrence, and one at Titus' house, near Lecompton."
From these strongholds they made sallies, to cap- ture horses and cattle, intercept mails, rob travelers, plunder stores and dwellings, burn houses and de- stroy crops.
The fort near Osawatomie was garrisoned by Pro- Slavery men from Georgia ; and in consequence of outrages committed in the neighborhood, and at the solicitation of the settlers, was attacked by a com- pany composed of Free State men, who were set- tlers from Douglas, Franklin and Anderson counties, on the 5th of August, 1856. This attack on the Georgian party was, by agreement, to have occurred on the night previous, but the Lawrence party lost their way on the prairie, which caused delay. The signal was to have been given of their approach by . the firing of the prairie south of Stanton, on the north side of the river, to the Free State men who rendezvoused on the prairie, on the claim then occupied by David Baldwin. From this place they could see across the valley and the divide be- tween the Pottowatomie and Marais des Cygnes rivers. The Free State men looked in vain for the sign ; no fire illuminated the north ; the Free State men from the Pottowatomie, who had volunteered to rout this Georgian encampment, returned home- ward, not knowing the cause of failure. A few hours after, intelligence reached the Pottowatomie company that the attack would be made that night ; 7
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and they again set out for the enemy's camp. On the approach of the Free State men the camp was abandoned. The Georgians made a precipitate flight, ere the Free State men reached the place, leaving a large amount of commissary stores and other property. Several barrels of bacon and flour were loaded into wagons, and then the building was burned, with its contents. The Georgians never returned to this neighborhood, but retreated to their fort at Washington creek, where they remained un- til the 15th, when they were again put to flight by Gen. Lane and his forces from Lawrence.
The Anderson county men in this attack were under the command of Dr. Rufus Gilpatrick. Law- rence Brady and others of Anderson county were in Osawatomie during the day preceding the attack, when a Georgian slapped Brady in the face. Such and similar insults were given to our Free State men whenever they met the Pro-Slavery men where they had the advantage.
August 25, 1856, acting Governor Woodson is- sued a proclamation declaring the Territory in a state of insurrection and rebellion, and calling out the militia. This was the darkest hour, for the Free State men, that Kansas had ever known, and hundreds of them left the Territory. The southern division of the Pro-Slavery militia was under Gen- eral Coffey. About this time a force of Ruffians marched from Missouri and camped on Middle creek, near what is known as Potato mound, then
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known as Battle mound. They numbered about 200 strong, remaining in camp several days, waiting for reinforcements from Missouri, preparatory to a general movement against the Free State settlements along the Pottowatomies.
On the 27th of August they took Geo. Partridge from his bed, sick, and carried him a prisoner to their camp. On the same day they burned the houses of Kilbourne and Cochran, near Greeley. Dr. Rufus Gilpatrick was out on Middle creek to visit a patient, and discovered the encampment of the Pro-Slavery forces, and reported the same to the Free State men on the Pottowatomie. Then Capt. Stewart, of Lawrence, with his company, and Capt. Samuel Anderson, with the Pottowatomie guards, and Capt. Cline, with his company, set out for the enemy's camp on Middle creek. Capt. John Brown, with his company, accompanied them until near the enemy's camp, where he received the in- telligence that a party of raiders was moving up the Pottowatomie, near Greeley, and then he, with his company, went in pursuit of the marauding parties. Brown returned to the main force soon after the rout of the enemy and capture of their camp. The forces of the Free State men did not number more than 100 men.
On the morning of August 28, 1856, the Free State men came in sight of the enemy's camp, when they were put in order for battle, and moved steadily forward to the attack. The enemy were busily
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engaged in preparing their breakfast and did not discover the Free State men until they were within a short distance of the camp, when a sudden rush was made, taking them entirely by surprise, and they became panic-stricken, and many of them fled in confusion ; some of them so precipitately that they left their horses behind. The rout was complete ; the men fled in such confusion that their commanders could not bring them to a stand, nor even check their stampede, until they had reached the interior of Missouri. They reported that they had been at- tacked by 10,000 Jayhawkers, armed with Sharp's rifles, and many cannons. The Free State forces here rescued Geo. Partridge, who had been taken prisoner by the enemy on the preceding day.
The following amusing incident occurred at the Middle creek affair : A. Simons, of Anderson county, was in the advance guard. When near the enemy's camp a Border Ruffian came dashing along. On his near approach Simons brought his gun to bear on him, and cried out at the top of his voice, "Halt !" But the Ruffian paid no attention to the Pottowatomie volunteer. At that moment bang went Simons' gun, and down fell the Ruffian, crying and hallooing, and on inspection his face was found to be covered with blood ; but on closer examination it was ascertained that his only injury consisted in the loss of his nose. It was said of him that he re- turned in a few days after to his Missouri home, a wiser and better man, but not quite so handsome.
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In the battle of Middle creek the Free State forces captured about fifteen prisoners, who were kept over night, then duly admonished by John Brown as to their fate, and released. It is believed that they never again visited Kansas during her troubles. One Pro-Slavery man, named Cline, was severely wounded and soon after died. A large amount of commissaries and other property was captured, and destroyed for want of transportation.
The raiding party that came from the Pro-Slavery camp on the morning of the battle of Middle creek, near Greeley, robbed Zacharia Schutte, and threat- ened to visit Dr. Gilpatrick and hang him, and left Schutte with that intention, but learned the fate of the Middle creek camp, before they reached Gil- patrick's, and made rapid flight to reach their com- rades in Missouri.
The day after the fight on Middle creek, the battle of Osawatomie took place, from which old John Brown received the name of "Osawatomie Brown." Many of those who took part in the Middle creek fight did not participate in the battle of Osawatomie. Not knowing that an enemy was so near at hand, many had left for Lawrence. This circumstance accounts for the small numbers who were engaged with Brown, against the forces of Gen. Reid, whose force was between 300 and 400 men, with one piece of artillery. Dr. Updegraff had a small force under his charge, and those who had joined Brown at Middle creek composed his whole force, between
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thirty and forty men. The fight lasted about three hours. Brown retreated toward the timber, superior forces compelling him to abandon the unequal conflict. In crossing the river Geo. Partridge, who was released as a prisoner from the Ruffian camp on the day before, was shot and killed. Others re- ceived various wounds, but the Ruffians, from the best accounts that could be gathered, lost over thirty men killed, and many wounded.
Frederick Brown, son of John Brown, was killed on the public road, near the house of the Rev. J. S. Adair, about one hour before the battle commenced, in the morning. He was shot dead by the Rev. Martin White, who boasted of his exploits the next winter, while a member of the Legislature. Mr. Cutler, of Douglas county, was also shot and left for dead, at the same time and place. Mr. Garri- son was also killed by the Ruffians, early in the morning, before the fight commenced.
The remains of Geo. Partridge, Fred. Brown and Garrison were deposited in a cemetery which the citizens of Osawatomie set apart for this special pur- pose, and we are sorry to know that to this day the unwarranted neglect and want of an adequate pat- riotic zeal for liberty has allowed the hallowed rest- ing place of these early martyrs for human freedom to remain without a proper and merited tablet to mark the deposit of their remains for the last twenty years.
In Judge Hanway's reminiscences of Pottowat- omie township, of Franklin county, he says :
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"After the difficulties passed through in the months of May and June, 1856," to which he had before referred, " we were much annoyed from the lack of almost every article of consumption. for everything had to come through by the way of Westport, from Kansas City. It became at times a serious question with the Free State settlers how to supply our wants. The roads to Missouri were block- aded by the Pro-Slavery party ; Free State men were fre- quently robbed and their teams taken from them on the public highway. Flour, bacon and other necessary articles of consumption became scarce, and brought high figures. Occasionally a team from Kansas City, with these articles. would pay ns a visit, but this did not supply our wants.
"Necessity. it is said, knows no law ; and it was amusing to witness how the most tender-hearted and conscientious among us adopted that proverb. Toward the close of the summer many of the Free State men, in council assembled. concluded that as the enemy would not sell or permit us to obtain provisions, that, rather than suffer, they would live on beef, by 'pressing' it. Many of the most obnox- ious Pro-Slavery men had large herds grazing on the prai- ries, and therefrom, under the circumstances, they had no scruples of conscience in reference to killing a beef when needed. These cattle owners were not long before they advocated the opening of the roads to Kansas City; at least this class of men were permitted to trade in Kansas City and haul provisions to the settlers. The fine-spun theories of ethics did not enter into the programme of '56 ; Free State men were compelled to adapt themselves to sur- rounding circumstances, and retaliation is so natural in man that we have often been surprised that they were so moderate in their proceedings."
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CHAPTER VI.
Arrival of C. E. Dewey and Party from Ohio- First Settlement on South Pottowatomic-Death of Bacr-Survey of Government Land-Location Kansas City Townsite-Selection of Garnett Town- site by Dr. G. W. Cooper and Geo. A. Dunn- Arrival of Louisville Colony, with Steam Mill- Prominent Settlers of Garnett in 1858-9.
IN the spring of 1855 Charles E. Dewey, with several other parties, made the first settlement on the South Pottowatomie above Greeley. C. E. Dewey, with his wife and little girl of seven summers, Daniel Baer, with his wife and little boy, three years of age, left Sandusky county, O., on the 13th day of April, 1855, for Kansas Territory. They were joined by H. H. Williams and four other young men, at Cin- cinnati. They came by steamer down the Ohio river, thence up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to Kansas City, Missouri, arriving there April 31, 1855. Dewey with his party, consisting of ten per- sons, started from Kansas City for the Pottowatomie on the first day of May, and the same day reached Ottawa Jones', a station named for the Ottawa tribe of Indians. On the morning of May 2, 1855, the party, leaving their women and children at Jones',
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set out for the "Eldorado," across the wild and trackless prairies to the south, for the Partridge set- tlement, on the Pottowatomie river. In the after- noon of the same day they reached the Pottowato- mie, a short distance above Dutch Henry crossing, where they found Wilber D. West chopping timber on a claim he had taken. Passing over the bluff to the south, they came to the habitation of David Baldwin, who had squatted there in 1854; then south about one mile they found Waltman Partridge and his family, who had settled in 1854. The party here stopped during the night. The next morning the party engaged George Partridge to guide them up the South Pottowatomie, across the open prairie, without any road ; passing by the present townsite of Greeley, where there was one or two cabins. Still pursuing their journey, about two miles further up the stream they passed the cabin of Charles Baecker, who had just selected a claim and built a cabin of poles thereon. The party still traveled up the south side of the stream until they came to what is now known as the Judy neighborhood.
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