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ers, and all such as aid or assist them, to be immediately arrested and proceeded with according to law. "Given under my hand and the seal of this Territory, this 29th day of November, in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and fifty-five.

"[L. S.] "By the Governor.

WILSON SHANNON.

"D. WOODSON, Secretary of the Territory."

Secretary Woodson, understanding the pro-slavery plan to conquer Kansas better than the Governor, and desiring to serve the cause all he could, wrote to Senator Atchison as follows:

"DEAR GENERAL:-The Governor having called out the militia, this is to inform you to order out your division and and proceed forthwith to Lecompton. The Governor not having the power, you can call out the Platte County rifle company, as our neighbors are always ready to help us. Do not implicate the Governor, whatever you do.

"DANIEL WOODSON."

It is doubtful whether the Secretary ever wrote this, but it was penned by somebody, sent to Platte City and read to a large public meeting, and it had the effect to bring over the Platte County Riflemen, with their distinguished leader.

CHAPTER XXI.

WAKARUSA WAR.

The people of Missouri were not long in responding to the call of their fellow-citizen, Mr. Jones, for help. On the 29th of November, only two days after the word had been sent, a company of about fifty, from the neighborhood of Westport and Independence, arrived and encamped at Franklin, about four miles below Lawrence. These were the first reinforcements that came to the relief of the Sheriff. For several days from this time companies almost constantly arrived. In Clay County they seized the arms from the United States arsenal, rifles, swords, revolvers, three 6-pounders, ammunitions, &c. For two or three counties back from the western line of Missouri, troops were sent fully equipped and expecting a fight. In three days more the Sheriff of Douglas County mustered a posse of about fifteen hundred men. Said Governor Shannon, "Missouri sent not only her young men, but her gray-headed citizens were there. The man of seventy winters stood shoulder to shoulder with the youth of sixteen. There were volunteers in that camp who brought with them not only their sons, but their grandsons, to join, if need be, in the expected fray. Every hour added to the excitement, and brought new fuel to the flame."

The main force was encamped near Franklin, in the Wakarusa bottom, and was known as the "Wakarusa En

campment." The other wing of the army was in position near Lecompton, under the joint command of Strickler and Richardson. These forces were chiefly from Platte and Buchanan Counties, Missouri. There were about fifty proslavery residents among them, principally Kickapoo Rangers. At no time in all the encampments of the invading forces were there more than eighty residents of the Territory. Opposite Lawrence, on the north side of the Kansas River, some two hundred riflemen from Platte County were stationed, under the command of Hon. D. R. Atchison, who had come in response to Secretary Woodson's call.

The object of the pro-slavery Generals in thus surrounding the town was to prevent the escape of those for whom the Sheriff had writs to arrest, and to cut off all eommunication with the beleagued city. The intervening country between the encampments, was constantly scoured by mounted patrols.

The editors of the "Squatter Sovereign" both entered upon the crusade and left their press idle. Here are their words when on the eve of the expedition:

"In view of the exciting state of affairs, the Governor of Kansas has called out the Militia to execute the laws. Men are hourly passing our office with their guns on their back, going to the assistance of the officers of the law. A large company with two pieces of artillery have started from Atchison county. As both of the editors of this paper are going to the seat of war, we have no time to enter further particulars. We anticipate blood-shed, and we, the junior, expect to wade waist deep in the blood of the abolitionists."

Meanwhile active preparations were going on at Lawrence for the reception of the armed host. The rescuers. who lived at Hickory Point had returned home. Messrs. S. N. Wood, S. F. Tappan and S. C. Smith, all of whom lived at Lawrence, and who were connected with the rescue, and Branson, remained. When it was ascertained that a force was gathering on the Wakarusa, in order not to jeop

ardize the safety of the town for their protection, all those concerned in the rescue, who lived at Lawrence, were requested to leave. This was evidently a very prudent and judicious measure, as Lawrence had taken no part in the rescue, and was in no way responsible for it; besides it would leave an attack upon the town wholly unjustifiable.

The Committee of Safety first organized the citizens into guards, from fifteen to twenty in a squad, by enrolling them and taking the places of their residence, in order to call them out at any moment. By this measure the people were enabled to pursue their daily engagements, and be ready to fly to arms at a given signal.

The Committee of Safety, as affairs grew more threatening, sent the following call for assistance through the Territory:

"FELLOW-CITIZENS :-We, whose names are annexed hereto, having been appointed a Committee of Public Safety by the citizens of Kansas, assembled at Lawrence, for the purpose of defending it from threatened invasion by armed men now quartered in its vicinity, hereby deem it necessary to call upon you to come to our aid fully prepared for any emergency. [Signed,] COMMITTEE OF SAFETY. LAWRENCE, K. T., December 4, 1855."

The news of the invasion and the designs of the Missourians to destroy Lawrence, spread over the country, and free state men from every quarter, rushed to the assistance. of the threatened people. They came in squads and companies; the one from Topeka, numbering one hundred men, was the largest. On the 2d of December, a delegation from Leavenworth arrived, to expostulate with the citizens and to council peace. But they found that they had entirely misapprehended the position of the assailed-that they were strictly on the defensive. This delegation brought the Governor's proclamation, and fuller accounts of the gathering forces from Missouri. The proclamation, which was filled with gross misrepresentations and misstatements, awakened

deep indignation. A committee was appointed to answer it, in behalf of the people, which reported as follows:

"That the allegations contained in the proclamation aforesaid are false in whole and in part; that no such a state of facts exist in this community; that if such representations were ever made to Governor Shannon, the person or persons who made them have grossly deceived him; that no association of lawless men armed with deadly weapons has been formed in this community for the purpose of restraining the laws of the country, trampling upon the authority of its officers, destroying the property of its peaceable citizens, or molesting any person in this Territory, or elsewhere in the enjoyment of their rights."

The Executive of the United States was invoked to lend protection by the following dispatch:

"To his Excellency, the President of the United States:

"SIR-We, the citizens of Kansas Territory, notify you that the city of Lawrence is besieged by armed men from a neighboring State, committing depredations upon the unoffending citizens of said Territory stopping and arresting persons, and seizing the property of travelers, threatening the destruction of said city and its inhabitants. The lawless assemblage, it is claimed, is here under the authority of Wilson Shannon, Governor of said Territory. We trust you will take such steps as will remove this armed horde from our borders, and restore peace to our people.

"LAWRENCE, December 4, 1855."

"MARCUS J. PARROTT,
"J. H. LANE,
"J. S. EMERY.

The following letter was sent to Colonel Sumner at Fort Leavenworth, signed by the Committee of Safety:

"SIR: We, the Committee of Public Safety, appointed by the citizens of Kansas Territory, assembled at Lawrence, being beleagued by a body of armed who have marched here from a neighboring State, and who are threatening the

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