load of provision designed for the opposite party. When protection was asked of Secretary Woodson against these robberies, he answered, "submit to the Territorial laws and I will protect you.”

In consequence of being cut off from supplies, and their scanty provisions at home being exhausted, free state men were frequently led by the first law of nature to make raids upon pro-slavery neighborhoods, and gather forage therefrom. For this purpose the Topeka boys visited the settlements at Burlington, Osawkee and Tecumseh, and farms adjoining their town. There was no other resource to obtain food for themselves and friends. Other free state men and towns were in some instances compelled to do likewise.

It was the design of the Border chiefs to delay in some way the arrival of Governor Geary until they had accomplished their purpose in inflicting summary punishment upon the settlers of Kansas. They wished to utterly destroy Lawrence and other free state towns, expel Lane and his force from the Territory, and intimidate all others. It was this scheme which created the commotion along the Missouri river, the mustering and shipment of troops two hundred miles from the Border. Governor Geary, on taking passage in the boat at Jefferson City, was warned by an armed ruffian that if he attempted to interfere with the arrangements of the pro-slavery party in the Territory, he would be assassinated.

But the Missourians, from some cause, failed to delay Governor Geary's approach, and he arrived in the Territory just in time to quash their movements. He reached Fort Leavenworth on the 9th of September. He had not been there but a few hours before a United States sergeant came in with a sad report to General Smith. He had been detailed as safe-guard to conduct Samuel Sutherland, E. B. Whitman and Abraham Wilder from Lawrence to Fort Leavenworth. When within a few miles of the latter place, Emory and his party seized the three men named, and with

their wagons, horses and property, forcibly conveyed them to Leavenworth City. A detachment of United States troops was at once sent to the city to arrest the guilty parties. In a few hours the free state prisoners, Emory and his men, were brought in; after a slight rebuke administered to the insolent offenders they were set at liberty.

The following day Governor Geary addressed a note to Colonel Clarkson, who had command of the Territorial militia, stationed at Leavenworth City, urging him to guard against such occurrences, and take steps to restore the property of the men thus seized. On the same day he set out for Lecompton, where he arrived on the 12th of September. He found the people of that place in a state of great excitement in consequence of the recent visit of Lane. He immediately issued his address to the people of the Territory, setting forth his policy, and urging upon them to drop past differences and leave the result to a peaceable settlement at the ballot box. Subjoined are a few extracts:

"Is there no remedy for these evils? Can not the wounds of Kansas be healed, and peace restored to all her borders?

"Men of the North-men of the South-of the East, and of the West, in Kansas, you, and you alone, have the remedy in your hands. Will you suspend fratricidal strife? Will you not cease to regard each other as enemies, and look upon one another as children of a common mother, and come and reason together?

"In my official action here, I will do justice at all hazards. Influenced by no other consideration than the welfare of the whole people of this Territory, I desire to know no party, no section, no North, no South, no East, no West, nothing but Kansas and my country.

"Let us all begin anew. Let the past be buried in oblivion. Let all strife and bitterness cease."

At the same time he issued orders requiring the commandants of the militia to disband their forces, giving as his reason that he had at his command a sufficient number

of United States soldiers to suppress all disorders. But the real object was to get rid of the armed invaders that were mustered under the specious title of "Territorial Militia." At the same time he issued a proclamation, requiring all free male citizens to enrol themselves as militia, to organize into companies, regiments and brigades, and to hold themselves in readiness for any emergency. He forwarded orders to the commanders of the militia to at once disband their forces.

The Governor was all this time unaware of the designs of the Missourians. He knew not that they meditated war, and were mustering in such large numbers.

On the morning of the 13th, he received a note from Wm. A. Heiskill, Brigadier General of Southern Division of Kansas Militia, stating that in response to the call of Secretary Woodson, he had eight hundred men in the field, armed, “ready for duty and impatient to act." The Governor immediately dispatched orders for their disbandment and return to their homes. Through his special agent which he had sent to Lawrence, he ascertained that a large military force of twenty-five hundred men, under the command of J. W. Reed, Atchison, Stringfellow and others, were threatening the town; that his proclamations 'had not yet been distributed, that the free state men were willing to disband as soon as these invaders should retire.

Governor Geary immediately set out for Lawrence, in company with Colonel Cook and three hundred dragoons. He found the city well fortified, but only about three hundred men in it, and the dangers surrounding it not so great as he expected. He was cordially received, made a speech to the inhabitants urging forbearance, and then returned to Lecompton.

Here he found the people stricken with a panic and filled with terror, which the mere mention of Lane's presence would always occasion. A few persons had come in from the neighborhood of Osawkee, with the sad and startling

intelligence that Lane and his men were in their vicinity, laying waste the country, robbing, killing and driving off pro-slavery men. The facts in the case are as follows:

Upon the arrival of Governor Geary in the Territory, General Lane determined to retire from it. He left by way of Topeka. Here he started out on the 11th of August, with about thirty men, and, on arriving at Osawkee, learned that there was an armed body of Ruffians in the neighborhood of Hickory Point, about five miles distant, who had been committing depredations for some time in that neighborhood, and had that day entered Grasshopper Falls and robbed its stores. At the earnest solicitation of the citizens, he decided to attack them. He sent back messengers to Topeka for reinforcements. About dusk that evening, a company of fifty men, under command of Captain Whipple,* left Topeka on foot, who reached Osawkee about daylight, and joined Lane's command. The free state forces then marched to Hickory Point, where they arrived about eleven o'clock, and found the enemy strongly fortified in three houses, one of which was log, under the command of Captains Lowe and Robertson. They formed a line of battle,

"Captain Whipple has rather a singular history. He was born in Lisbon, Conn., in 1830. He was a bold, fearless boy, but kind-hearted and agreeable. At the age of fifteen he left home as a volunteer for the Mexican war. He was so shifted about from one command to another as to be in most all the hard fought battles, and distinguished himself as a soldier of undaunted courage. After the hostilities were over his command started for home across the plains. They had not proceeded far when a superior officer most grossly abused a private soldier. Whipple, who witnessed the brutal outrage for a short time, unable to restrain his indignation, pounced upon the officer and chastised him within an inch of his life. For this offense he was placed under guard, and when the troops arrived at Fort Leavenworth, was tried and sentenced to be shot. But, in consequence of his meritorious services as a soldier in the war, this sentence was commuted to three years of hard labor in the guard-house and shops, with a ball and chain attached to his ankle. He was thus serving out his time. when he effected his escape in January, 1856. After remaining for some time concealed in the wilds of the Delaware Reserve, he made his appearance at Topeka. Here he soon became familiar with the boys, was elected their Captain, and served with them during the troubles of that year. From his military knowledge and experience he was a great acquisition to the free state men. From the time of his escape from Fort Leavenworth, he went under the assumed name of Whipple, whereas his real name was Aaron Dwight Stephens.

He was with John Brown during the troubles in Lower Kansas, accompanied him to Harper's Ferry, took part in the raid, and perished on the gallows.

challenged the pro-slavery forces to an open field conflict, which was declined. Being unable to dislodge the enemy without artillery, Lane dispatched a runner to Lawrence for reinforcements and artillery, with instructions for them to come by way of Topeka and Osawkee. Retiring to the latter place himself, he encamped with his command. He there received the Governor's proclamation, ordering all armed forces to disband, and concluded to observe it. He sent word to Topeka to notify the Lawrence company of his determination, and for them to return. His command divided, the Topeka boys returned home, while he continued his journey North.

The Lawrence boys, instead of obeying the directions of General Lane, marched directly across the prairie to Hickory Point, where they arrived about ten o'clock on the following day, and commenced bombarding the houses with a twelve pounder, which had been taken by Colonel Doniphan, at Sacramento, and which the free state men had secured in the last engagement at Franklin. The contest lasted six hours, during which one or two were killed and several wounded. The party in the houses were allowed to capitulate upon the most honorable terms, and retire to their homes.

Rumors becoming more rife of difficulties in the vicinity of Osawkee and Hickory Point, the Governor on the following day, September 14, dispatched Colonel Cook an order to send a company of troops to that place. Accordingly about sunset eighty-one dragoons crossed the Kaw River, and proceeded to the scene of disturbances. About 11 o'clock that night they came suddenly upon a party of Colonel Harvey's command, consisting of twenty-five men and three wagons, whom they arrested. Continuing their journey, when within about four miles of Hickory Point they discovered the encampment of the main body of Harvey's men, whom they surprised and captured. They then returned with "one hundred and one prisoners, one brass