The conquest of Kansas

Front matter

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Preface

The writer deems no apology necessary in submitting the early and unhappy history of Kansas to the public. A conviction of its importance impelled him to the task, and he assumed the duty of historian under the belief that his opportunities for observation, and participation in much of what has occurred, gave him advantages over other writers less conversant with the subject.

It is not the intention of this preface to make an elaborate assertion of impartiality. What is written is offered to the public as the simple truth, and a fair record of the events it chronicles. The writer does not claim to be impartial on the cause of quarrel, nor would he regard such a profession as very creditable in any other person ; yet he believes that his convictions could neither induce him to wrong an enemy, nor do a friend more than justice. The future will fully vindicate the truth of all that is written ; and, if there is one generous mind which, with the lights now before it, would incline to charge the author with i3erversion, let such a doubter know that the author, while he values the good opinion of all good men, would rather thus be suspected, than purchase a doubtful reputation for impartiality at the sacrifice of a truthful record. The common

IV PEEFACE.

trick of authors who lack independence, is, to compound between '' God and mammon,'' and, in steering exactly between two opinions, to claim all the virtues, and exemption from all the vices, of both. Such a course the author does not desire to imitate.

In this narrative there is a faithful record of all the important documents, and the opinions of both sides have been given on many important points, although the design was to have a connected narrative, rather than a collection of statements. In the biographical sketches contained in the work the writer has treated the leaders on both sides with that close scrutiny which is the public right as regards public men. A perusal will probably exonerate from the charge of " puflSng ; '' and if some friends regard their handling as rather "candid,'' let them know that it was, at least, without malice.

In descriptions of the battles, skirmishes, and other striking incidents, great pains has been taken to have the outlines and the facts correct, and to make the picture as true to nature as possible. As it was the design to give a history of the struggle, rather than a condensation or collection of outrages, very many important and outrageous occurrences have been necessarily omitted.

Finally, reader, after having perused it, criticize, and censure it as much as you think you conscientiously can. In the history thus submitted, the privilege of judging men and things has been too freely exercised to be grudged to any careful reader by

The Author.

Chapter I. Introductory Chapter

Kansas before the Passage of the Organic Act — Indians and Indian Reserves

— Santa Fe and California Roads — Religious Missions — Slavery Introduced — Kansas Nebraska Bill — Emigration — Federal Appointments — Indian Treaties — Rival Interests, 11

Chapter II. The First Invasion

Eastern Emigration — Threatened Attack — Border Ruffians — A Warning

— Another — Prudent Valor — A Retreat — A Sharp Joke — Bogus "Nigger Hunter " — " Right on the Records," 27

Chapter III

GOV. REEDER FIRST ELECTION BLUE LODGE.

Federal Appointees — A Missouri View of Reeder — Flenniken — Whitfield

— Wakefield — Fall Election — Blue Lodge operates in Missouri as well as Kansas — Mr. Prince — Having Friends in Missouri — A Cross Examination, 37

Chapter IV. Smart Electioneering Trick

A Resolve — Abstract Democracy — Simon Pure Know-Nothing — Another

— How Electioneering with Indians goes — Slavery Established by Missouri and Territorial Judges — Slavery Vindicated, 53

Chapter V. The March Election

Kind of Population — Old-fashioned Pioneers — Modern Pioneers — Squatter Sovereignty — The Census — The Election — The Men Elected — The Fraud

as certified to, 63

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Chapter VI. What Kansas And Missouri Thought Of It Protest May

ELECTION.

Kansas to be "kept Conquered" — Lynching of Phillips — Death of Clark — Proceedings in Missouri — Free Press and Speech Tabooed — The Pulpit under Censorship — An Original Specimen on the Stand — Parkville Press thrown into the Missouri, 83

Chapter VII. « The Bogus Legislature

Missouri Wars on Reeder — Legislature Meets — Legal Members Ejected, July 4th — Legislation — Laws relative to Slave Property — Election of Local Officers — Bogus Legislature help Themselves — Federal Courts pronounce in Pavor of Bogus Laws in Advance — A Memorial — An Office-seeker on the Stool of Repentance, 98

Chapter VIII. Reeder Dismissed Shannon Appointed Big Springs Conven- Tion

The Excuse — Shannon — His Reception and Speech — The People Murmur — The State Movement — Reeder nominated for Delegate — His Acceptance and Speech — Resolutions — The Platform, 114

Chapter IX. The Topeka Constitution

The First Topeka Convention — A County Seat Election — October Election — The Constitutional Convention — The Constitution — Sketches of the Topeka Delegates, 125

Chapter X. Pat Laughlin Pardee The Martyr Law And Order Con- Vention

Pat's Conversion — His Zeal — His Repentance — Death of Collins — Atchison — Border Ruffian Story — Law and Order in Leavenworth — The Governor as a Popular Delegate — Law and Order Speeches — Bogus Laws to be Enforced, 141

Chapter XI. Rescue Of Branson

Origin of the Difficulty — Murder of Dow — Flight of the Murderer — Meeting at Hickory Point — A Plot — Jones enters the Territory with Coleman — A

CONTENTS. VII

Justice Manufactured — Branson Arrested — Big Threats — The Rescue

Impending War, 151

Chapter XII. Wakarusa War Preparations

Jones Fulminates — The Governor Assists — Military Orders — Proclamation

— Secret Orders — Col. Boone's Despatches — Missouri in the Field, . . 162

Chapter XIII. Wakarusa War Incidents Of The Siege

The First Impulse — A more Prudent Position — Organized Defence — An Alarm — An Expedition — The Invaders — Queries about "Sharpe's" Rifles

— The Fillibuster Flag — An EfiFort to prevent the '< Effusion of Blood" — The Demand for Arms, 174

Chapter XIV. Adventures With The Border Ruffian Chiefs

Expedition — A Free and Easy Guard — A RuflBan Chief — Careful Guard and a Capture — Wakarusa Camp again — A Vermonter — A Journey — Another Arrest — An Odd-Fellow — Gen. Pomeroy — The Return — How we swam the River, 187

Chapter XV. Wakarusa War Death Of Barber

Preparations for Defence — A Patrol Incident — A Spy— Indians offer their Services — The Brass Howitzer — The Ladies of Lawrence — Jones as a Scribe — A Threatening Letter — The Murder of Barber, 203

Chapter XVI. The " Peace-makers."

The Deputation — Shannon comes up — In Trouble — A Cautious Colonel — The Governor and his Friends — The Ghost of Banquo — Negotiations — Speeches — The Treaty — What they treated about — " Militia " Disbanded

— A Row — A Storm — Breaking up of the Invading Camp — The Governor << when you know him," 216

Chapter XVII. Mobbing The Ballot-boxes

Prisoners of War — Fruits of the War — The Peace Banquet — Volunteers Disbanded — Vote on the State Constitution — "Emigration" on the "Squatter Sovereignty" Plan — Two Heroes — An Attack — Successful — Further Threats — "Militia" Disbanded — Law and Order Speeches — Fears for a Night Attack, 229

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Chapter XVIII. Skirmish At Easton

Election Forbidden in Leavenworth — Held at Easton — Voters Molested and Polls Threatened — An Attack — A Rescue — A Fight — Taken Prisoner — Death of Capt. Brown — Nominating Convention Election, 240

Chapter XIX. State Legislature Dragoons Sheriff Jones Shot

Treason — President's Poclamation — Response to it — Assemblage of the Legislature — Governor's Speech — Committee of Congress — Attempted Arrests — Dragoons under Orders of Jones — Military Correspondence — Arrests — The " Assassin " — " Passin' Resolutions " — A Trick Suspected — Missouri Indignant — Outrages not mentioned by Authority — The War Begun, . 248

Chapter XX. Marshal Donaldson Declares War

Missouri receives Allies — A Couple of Deputies — A Marshal — A Federal Court in Kansas — An Indictment against Mortar, Iron, and Paper — Attempt to arrest Reeder — Gov. Robinson starts for the East — His Capture

— Reeder's Flight — Committee leave Lawrence — Proclamation — Protests

— Proposals for Defence Overruled — A New Committee of Safety — A Threatening Letter — Adventures of Free-State Men — Further Correspondence — Arms Taken — Murder of Jones — Death of Stewart, .... 264

Chapter XXI. Sacking Of Lawrence

The Advanced Guard — Arrests — Reinforcements — Another Appeal — A Demand — A Surrender — Law and Order Speeches — The Allied Army enter Lawrence — Printing Offices Destroyed — Hotel Bombarded and Burned — Wholesale Plunder — Pro-slavery Version, 289

Chapter XXII. Guerilla War — The Dragoons Law And Order In Leaven- Worth

Atchison passes through Lawrence — The Box Hoax — Pro-slavery Testimony

— Guerilla War — "Burning" of Bernhardt — The Governor Victimized — Dragoons called out — Potawattomio AflFairs — A Notice — Law and Order Arrests, 310

Chapter XXIII

CAPT. WALKER THE GOVERNOR ON SHARPE'S RIFLES.

Price on a Free-State Man's Head — The Alarm — The Muster — The Attack

CONTENTS. IX

— The Repulse — A Peace-Maker — The "Right of Search" — A "Law and Order" Governor — A Brave Little Girl — The Gallant Dragoons get in Trouble by Mistake — Another Alarm — A Capture — Prisoners Liberated, . 320

Chapter XXIV. Battle Of Black Jack

Capt. Pate's Expedition — Houses Burned and Prisoners Taken — Alliance between the RufEans and Dragoons — Brutal Treatment of the Prisoners — Palmyra Plundered — A Preacher Outraged — Prisoners — Attack on Prairie City — Religion and War — A Boy Hero — The Reconnoitre — The Battle

— The Surrender, 331

Chapter XXV. Battle Of Franklin

State Prisoners — Franklin a Military Point — The Plan, or the "Want of One — The Attack — Major Redpath — The "Music of the Spheres" — Evacuation of the Guard House — The Wakarusa Boys — The Retreat — Lawless Arrests

— Indictments, 343

Chapter XXVI. Nimrod Whitfield Death Of Cantral Campaigning In The

WAR OF FREEDOM.

A New Proclamation — The Troops after Capt. Brown — Whitfield's Invasion

— The Fx-ee-State Forces — The Young Guerillas — The March on Hickory Point — The Troops enter Brown's Camp — Pate and his Fellow-prisoners Released — The Border Rufiians Dispersed "upon their honor" — Cantral taken Prisoner — Reconnoitring — A Capture — The Dragoons — The Topeka Boys at Willow Springs -r- Death of Cantral, 356

Chapter XXVII. Sacking Of Osawattomie

An Appeal — A Visit to the Dragoons — What the Dragoons Did — Attack on Osawattomie — A Masterly Retreat — " Holding Out " against the Abolitionists, 370

Chapter XXVIII. A Chapter Of Outrages

The Governor gets Alarmed — A Warning — Law and Order Operations on the Indians — A Letter of Invitation — Mr. Bailey's Statement — C. H. Barlow's Statement — Mr. Baldwin's Statement — A Fearful Letter — Missouri River Piracy, 377

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Chapter XXIX. Dispersion Of The Legislature

Preparations for the Fourth — Fecleral Troops supersede the Euffians — A Proclamation — Legislature Convenes — Military Correspondence — A Resolution — A String of Proclamations — Troops enter Topeka — Both Branches of the Legislature Dispersed — Troops Retire, 392