1918 KANSAS AND KANSANS | Chapter 28 | Part 5 |
On Friday there appeared at Lawrence a lumbering wagon containing five men. The leader was gray-haired, close shaven, spare and tall. He had gray eyes. His lips were thin and compressed. He bore the aspect of grim determination. In his belt were two revolving pistols, and he carried a rifle. The others were his sons, armed as was their father. In the wagon were their supplies and more weapons, and at the front stood a staff from which floated an American Flag. The father was the commander of the party. He was OLD JOHN BROWN. He had been in the Territory since October. He had come to fight slavery. The notice of the arrival of John Brown is taken from the Herald of Freedom:
About noon (December 7), Mr. John Brown, an aged gentleman from Essex County, N. Y., who has been a resident of the Territory for several months, arrived with four of his sons - leaving several others at home sick - bringing a quantity of arms with him which were placed in his hands by Eastern friends for the defense of the cause of freedom. Having more than he could use to advantage, a portion of them were placed in the hands of those more destitute. A company was organized and the command given to Mr. Brown for the zeal he had exhibited in the cause of freedom both before and since his arrival in the Territory. |
The Muster roll of the Company of Brown organized at Lawrence on the 7th of December is as follows:
Muster roll of Capt. John Brown's company in the Fifth Regiment of the First Brigade of Kansas Volunteers, commanded by Col. George W. Smith, called into the service of the people of Kansas to defend the city of Lawrence, in the Territory of Kansas, from threatened demolition by foreign invaders, enrolled at Osawatomie K. T., called into service from the 27th day of November. A. D. 1855. when mustered to the 12th day of December, when discharged. Service sixteen days. |
Name and Rank. | Age. |
John Brown, Sen., Captain........................ | 55 |
Wm. W. Updegraff, 1st Lieutenant................. | 34 |
Henry H. Williams, 2d Lieutenant................. | 27 |
James.J. Holbrook. 3d Lieutenant................. | 23 |
Ephraim Reynolds, 1st Sergeant................... | 25 |
R. N. Wood, 2d Sergeant.......................... | 20 |
Frederick Brown, 3d Sergeant..................... | 25 |
John Yetton, 4th Sergeant........................ | 26 |
Henry Alderman, 1st Corporal..................... | 55 |
H. Harrison Updegraff, 2d Corporal............... | 23 |
Daniel W. Collis, 3d Corporal.................... | 27 |
William Partridge, 4th Corporal.................. | 32 |
Amos D. Alderman ................................ | 20 |
Owen Brown ...................................... | 31 |
Salmon Brown .................................... | 19 |
John Brown, Jr................................... | 34 |
Francis Brennen ................................. | 29 |
William W. Caine ................................ | 19 |
Benjamin L. Cochran ............................. | 34 |
Jeremiah Harrison ............................... | 22 |
(Endorsed.) |
Muster roll of Capt. John Brown's company, Kansas Volunteers:
Old John Brown was displeased when the Free-State men were dismissed. He mounted an improvised platform and began to address the crowd when he was pulled down and not permitted to finish his speech. He wanted to fight. He was not deceived. He knew that conditions were such at that time that slavery would have to be shot to death. While he was suppressed and sent back home with his message undelivered, he bided his time. We shall hear of him later.
On the 16th of December, Brown wrote his family a letter in which he described the conditions in the Territory, and how he came to go to Lawrence. This letter is set down here:
The Wakarusa War gave James H. Lane the ascendency over Robinson with the Free-State men. After that war, Lane was supreme in Kansas political affairs. He had met most of the strong men of the Territory in the ranks of the defenders of Lawrence. They were Western men, like himself. His views were their views. His language was their language. They understood him. There was a common feeling between Lane and these strong men assembled to fight for freedom. Lane was in personal command of the troops and superintended the construction of the defences of the town. His services in the Mexican War eminently fitted him for this work. The excitement of the times kept his magnificent personality on the keenest tension. The men under arms relied implicitly on his judgment. The bonds cemented there between Lane and the Free-State men of Kansas ended only with death. While he was in the trenches day and night, Robinson was in his office and out of sight. He conducted the negotiations. The men wanted to fight the Border-Ruffians, but Robinson did not want to fight. The men were displeased with the temporizing of Robinson. They knew as well as did Atchison that the treaty of peace was no settlement of the differences between the parties. This treaty was the beginning of the decadence of Robinson's influence. It was also the proof that the Emigrant Aid Company would accomplish nothing for Kansas. From that day it was dead beyond any possible revival. The Free-State men realized its true status and intentions. They never relied on it again for anything. They saw it was speculative, and for the sole use and benefit of its officers.
Salmon Brown was in Lawrence with his father. In his communication to this author, dated May 28, 1913, he had this to say of the closing scenes of the Wakarusa War:
1918 Kansas and Kansans | Previous Section | Next Section |
A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans , written and compiled by William E. Connelley, transcribed by Carolyn Ward, 1998.