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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3bca9fa --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #55707 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55707) diff --git a/old/55707-0.txt b/old/55707-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c94f06d..0000000 --- a/old/55707-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2306 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of John Brown the Hero, by J. W. Winkley - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: John Brown the Hero - Personal Reminiscences - -Author: J. W. Winkley - -Contributor: Frank B. Sanborn - -Release Date: October 8, 2017 [EBook #55707] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOHN BROWN THE HERO *** - - - - -Produced by David E. Brown and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: BUST OF JOHN BROWN. - -(_See Note._)] - - - - - JOHN BROWN - THE HERO - - Personal Reminiscences - - BY - J. W. WINKLEY, M.D., - - Editor of _Practical Ideals_ and Author of "First - Lessons in the New Thought." - - _WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY - FRANK B. SANBORN_ - - ILLUSTRATED - - [Illustration] - - BOSTON - JAMES H. WEST COMPANY - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1905 - By James H. West Company - - - - -[Illustration] - -PREFACE - - -The sub-title, "Personal Reminiscences," is rightly appended to this -volume. The old saying, "Much of which I saw, and part of which I -was," the author can truthfully apply to himself in connection with -the interesting and stirring occurrences here recorded. He relates the -events because they were, in large measure, personal experiences. And -the narrative is made up, for the most part, of historical matter which -has not been presented heretofore by any writer. In other words, it is -history at first hand. - -Another and more particular reason for the preparation of this little -volume is because it is believed by the writer that these narrations -will serve to throw some especially valuable side-lights upon the -subject of them. John Brown was one of the most unique characters in -all our American history, and an original factor in an important part -of that history. - -The volume will surely be welcome to all admirers of Brown, and it -should be of considerable interest to the general public. - -It hardly needs mentioning here that the standard work on John Brown, -giving very fully his life and letters, is that of the Hon. Frank B. -Sanborn, who kindly contributes the Introduction to the present volume. - - BOSTON, January, 1905. - - - - -[Illustration] - -Contents - -[Illustration] - - - PAGE - INTRODUCTION 9 - - I. A CALL FOR AID 19 - - II. THE PRAIRIE WONDER 24 - - III. THE NIGHT MARCH 29 - - IV. A SIEGE AND ITS HEROINE 35 - - V. THE MARCH RESUMED 43 - - VI. SEEKING THE ENEMY 50 - - VII. THE BATTLE 55 - - VIII. A SCENE FOR A PAINTER 59 - - IX. BROWN'S NIGHT APPOINTMENT 62 - - X. AN INTREPID CHARGE 68 - - XI. BROWN TO OUR PRISONERS 76 - - XII. HARD LINES 82 - - XIII. A GOVERNMENT MUSKET 88 - - XIV. AN UNFAILING GUIDE 94 - - XV. HAZARDOUS JOURNEYS 102 - - XVI. THE OSAWATOMIE BATTLE 111 - - XVII. CONCLUSION 121 - - - - -_NOTE_ - - -The frontispiece to this volume is a representation of a bust of -Captain Brown, conveying in so far a correct idea of the exterior man. - -This excellent bust, the best representation of him extant, was made -from measurements taken by the sculptor in the Charlestown (Va.) -prison, while Brown was awaiting trial there. The photograph was -courteously furnished by the present owner of the bust, Mr. F. P. -Stearns, of Medford, Massachusetts, whose father, Mr. Henry Stearns, a -life-long friend of Brown, caused the bust to be made. - -In other places in the volume are pictures of the log cabin of the -Adair family, one an exterior view of it, the other an interior, for -which we are indebted to Mr. F. B. Sanborn. - -Under this modest roof Brown often sought and never failed to find -welcome resting-place and hospitality. Mrs. Adair was his half-sister; -her husband, a Methodist clergyman, ministered to the spiritual needs -of a scattered flock in the territory. - -The writer, on the occasion of a visit a few years since to Kansas to -view the old familiar spots, found the cabin, almost the last of its -race, not much changed outside or within from what it was in the former -days. It is owned and occupied, as is the farm on which it stands, by a -son of the pioneer minister. - - - - -[Illustration] - -INTRODUCTION - -[Illustration] - - -The interest attaching to this little book demands from me some notice -of its author, and of my indebtedness to him while preparing, twenty -years ago, a "Life and Letters of John Brown," which has since become -the basis of several biographies of that hero. Dr. J. W. Winkley, long -a citizen of Boston, was one of those who, in 1856, became a Free State -colonist of Kansas Territory, then the skirmish-ground of the long -conflict between free labor and Negro slavery. His residence there was -brief (1856 and 1857), as was that of many who went out in the years -1855-'58 to take part on one side or the other of the contest; but -he had the good fortune, as a youth, in the perceptive and receptive -period of life, to come under the influence of a hero; and this book -portrays the incidents of that interesting acquaintance. Nearly -thirty years later he communicated to me this story, and I succinctly -mentioned it in my book. But it required a fuller statement; especially -since it seems largely to have escaped the notice of the chroniclers -of that disturbed and confused period of 1856. The partisan movements -here described came in between two of Brown's famous fights,—that of -Black Jack, in early June, when he captured the Virginian captain, -Pate, and that in the end of August, when he repelled the formidable -attack of the Missourians upon the small settlement of Osawatomie. The -brothers Winkley and their comrades took up arms in the neighborhood -of Osawatomie, after the engagements of the first two weeks in August, -which culminated in the capture of several camps or "forts" of the -Southern invaders of eastern Kansas, August 14 and 16. Fort Saunders, -not far from Lawrence was taken by a Free State force under General -Lane, August 14. On the 16th, another Pro-slavery "fort," garrisoned -by a Colonel Titus, was captured, near Lecompton. The reason for -these attacks was thus given by John Brown, Jr., then a prisoner at -Lecompton, guarded by Captain Sackett with a force of United States -dragoons (August 16, 1856): - - "During the past month the Ruffians have been actively at work, and - have made not less than five intrenched camps, where they have, - in different parts of the Territory, established themselves in - armed bands, well provided with arms, provisions, and ammunition. - From these camps they sally out, steal horses, and rob Free State - settlers (in several cases murdering them), and then slip back into - their camp with their plunder. Last week, a body of our men made - a descent upon Franklin (four miles south of Lawrence) and, after - a skirmishing fight of about three hours, took their barracks and - recovered some sixty guns and a cannon, of which our men had been - robbed some months since, on the road from Westport. Yesterday - our men invested another of their fortified camps, at Washington - Creek.... Towards evening the enemy broke and fled, leaving behind, - to fall into the hands of our men, a lot of provisions and 100 - stand of arms.... This morning our men followed Colonel Titus - closely, and fell upon his camp (near Lecompton), killed two of his - men, liberated his prisoners, took him and ten other prisoners, and - with a lot of arms, tents, provisions, etc., returned, having in - the fight had only one of our men seriously wounded.... This series - of victories has caused the greatest fear among the Pro-slavery - men. Great numbers are leaving for Missouri.... I see by the - Missouri papers that they regard John Brown as the most terrible - foe they have to encounter. He stands very high with the Free State - men who will fight, and the great majority of these have made up - their minds that nothing short of war to the death can save us from - extermination." - -Immediately following the date of this letter of young John Brown -came the adventures which Dr. Winkley so well describes. They may -have had no other chronicler; and it is well that the testimony of -an eye-witness should at last be given, ending with the striking -incident, just following the Osawatomie fight of August 30, when -young Winkley, in the log-cabin of the missionary Adair, husband of -Brown's half-sister, saw John Brown sternly mourning over the body of -his son Frederick, killed on the morning of the fight, on the high -prairie above Osawatomie. I visited Mr. Adair in this cabin, in 1882, -and talked with him on the events of that year of contention, and -the pictures here printed of his prairie home are true to the fact -as I then saw it. Two weeks after the burial of Frederick Brown, as -mentioned by Dr. Winkley (September 14, 1856), Charles Robinson, who -had commissioned John Brown as captain nine months earlier, wrote to -him by that title from Lawrence, and said in his letter: - - "Your course has been such as to merit the highest praise from - every patriot, and I cheerfully accord to you my heartfelt thanks - for your prompt, efficient, and timely action against the invaders - of our rights and the murderers of our citizens. History will give - your name a proud place on her pages, and posterity will pay homage - to your heroism in the cause of God and humanity." - -Robinson was at this time the nominal leader of the Free State -settlers, being their duly chosen State Governor under the Topeka -Constitution; and he became the first actual Free State Governor in -1861, when Kansas was admitted to the Union under another Constitution. -Many years later, at the dedication of a monument commemorating the -Osawatomie fight (August 30, 1877), Charles Robinson said, among other -things: - - "The soul of John Brown was the inspiration of the Union armies in - the emancipation war; and it will be the inspiration of all men in - the present and the distant future who may revolt against tyranny - and oppression; because he dared to be a traitor to the government - that he might be loyal to humanity." - -Dr. Winkley agrees in this statement of Robinson; and his portrayal of -the man as he was in the midst of surprises and responsibilities, but -ever the same intrepid and resourceful leader, will add a new picture -to those we already had of John Brown in action. Active or in chains, -in the battlefield or in his Virginia prison, he always commanded -attention, and received the applause of those who knew him. - -The verdict of the world has confirmed this praise; and of all the -men connected with the dark and bloody story of Kansas, from 1854 -till the close of the Civil War, Brown's name is the most widely -known. Blame has been mingled with praise; but the involuntary tribute -paid, by the natural human heart, to invincible courage and unwearied -self-sacrifice will insure the prevalence of praise over blame. Those -who cannot approve all his acts, as Dr. Winkley cannot, are yet -convinced generally of the high purpose and grand result of his arduous -life. Richard Mendenhall, a Kansas Quaker, who knew him well but "could -not sanction his mode of procedure," yet said, after Brown's death in -Virginia: - - "Men are not always to be judged so much by their actions as by - their motives. I believe John Brown was a good man, and that he - will be remembered for good in time long hence to come." - -Quite recently an English author, William Stevens, writing a history -of slavery and emancipation, has occasion to name John Brown, and the -warmth of his eulogy does not satisfy the cool judgment of that most -reflective journal, the London _Spectator_, which says: - - "Mr. Stevens asks if Brown did not see the forces moving towards - abolition more clearly than did his friends who protested against - the daring of his schemes: yet he emphasizes too much, surely, the - forlorn recklessness of the man's methods. But a more fearless, - resolute, and cooler-headed man never lived. His family life, the - devotion of his own flesh and blood to him, and his tenderness were - indications of a character intensely human, but also of a man who - had counted the cost and knew that the individual must yield to the - race. He lit, not a candle, but a powder-magazine; and his last - words prove that he foresaw, as plainly as man ever saw sunrise - follow dawn, that blood, and blood alone, would loosen the shackles - of the slave." - -Events, in fact, followed the track which Brown pointed out, and with -a swiftness that startled even such as accepted his clear insight of -the national situation. There was something prophetic in his perception -of the future; he could not see well what was _directly_ before him, -but of the consequences of his action, and of that of other men, he -had the most piercing and sagacious view. Such men appear on earth but -rarely; when they come, it is as martyrs and seers. Fatal are their -perceptions, and to themselves as well as to the order of things they -subvert. But it is more fatal to disregard the warning they give. Their -remedy for existing ills, sharp as it must be, is for the healing of -the nations and for the relief of man's estate. - - F. B. SANBORN. - - CONCORD, January, 1905. - - - - -[Illustration] - -JOHN BROWN THE - -HERO - -Personal Reminiscences - - - - -I - -A Call for Aid - -[Illustration] - - -It was of an August morning in that eventful year of Kansas history, -1856, in the gray of the earliest dawn, that a horseman came riding at -full speed up the creek, the south branch of the Pottawatomie, from the -direction of the lower settlements, and halted before our cabin door. - -The animal he rode was all afoam, and gave other signs of having been -urged hard and over a long distance. As the rider dismounted, his -nervous and excited manner told us he was the bearer of ill tidings or -that he was on some errand of unusual importance. - -"What news below?" was asked the stranger. - -"Bad news," he replied quickly. "The Ruffians are over the border upon -us again, in strong force; and they are bent on 'cleaning us out' this -time. If they keep on they won't leave a cornstalk standing to show -where our crops grew." - -There is every reason to conclude that our informant was no other than -James Montgomery, then all unknown to fame, but who was later to -distinguish himself as a leader in the Kansas struggle for freedom. - -As the writer remembers him as he appeared that morning, he gave -evidence of being a man of intelligence and character. He was -tall,—some six feet in height,—rather slender in build, and of dark -complexion. This answers the description given of Montgomery by those -who knew him well. - -Montgomery afterward gained well-earned distinction by leading Free -State settlers, banded together for self-defense, to fire upon United -States troops, putting them to rout. He became, still later, a colonel -in the Northern army at the outbreak of the Civil War. - -The trooper's story was soon told, as it needed to be, for there was -no time to be lost. He was a messenger from the Middle River region, -so-called, dispatched to us by his comrades in distress. He had -come twenty-five miles through the night and darkness, in an almost -incredibly short time, stopping by the way only to arouse the scattered -Free State men to arms. - -He had been sent to ask help. The need was pressing. The invaders were -many, defiant, and reckless. They had encamped in the neighborhood, -were burning haystacks, foraging their horses in the cornfields, -hunting down Free State men, and sending terror to the hearts of women -and children. Detachments of marauders were sent out here and there on -these errands of mischief. They had even penetrated, not twelve hours -before, to within ten miles of the spot where we stood; had made -prisoner and borne away a pronounced Free State man; and, in addition -to that, had besieged other Northerners in their log cabins and -destroyed their property by pillage or fire,—as we shall see further -on in our story. - - - - -[Illustration] - -II - -The Prairie Wonder - -[Illustration] - - -By this recital of the messenger our sympathies were sufficiently -enlisted; but if anything additional were needed, further to gain our -attention, it was given then and there. - -As the speaker drew his narration to a close, all present instinctively -turned their eyes in the direction whence he had come: namely, toward -the south-east. There a sight met our gaze that riveted us to the -spot—a spectacle as marvelous as it was beautiful, and singularly -confirmatory of our informer's words. To our utter astonishment we -looked directly, at that moment, into the enemy's camp twenty miles -away, though seemingly less than a quarter of that distance. It was -one of those peculiar phenomena, rarely seen on the water and less -frequently on the land, and more wonderful in the latter case when it -does thus appear, because more perfect and on a grander scale: the -mirage. - -The prairie mirage is of wondrous beauty. It is usually in the autumn, -when all the atmospheric conditions are favorable, that these strange -illusions take place on the prairie ocean. Along the eastern horizon, -near sunrise, a narrow belt of silver light appears. As it grows -broader the silvery gray of its lower side changes slightly golden. -Fleecy clouds above the belt take on a yellow red. The grayish shadows -of the dawn lift slowly from the earth. Just before the red disk of -the sun peers above the horizon-line, one sees in the sky the landscape -of trees, of waving grasses or grain, of rocks and hills, held together -as it were by threads of yellow and gray and azure. The earth stands -inverted in the air. - -The groundwork of this illusion is a grayish, semi-opaque mist; and the -objects are seen standing or moving along in it. The feet of animals -and of men, the trunks of trees, the rocks and hillocks, are set in -this aqueous soil. When the conditions are perfect, objects far beyond -the range of vision over the prairie are brought near and into plain -view of the beholder. - -That morning was such a time and afforded such a scene. There was the -camp of the enemy,—miles away, as has been said,—mirrored perfectly -and beautifully on the sky, every feature of it traced with the -minuteness of a line-engraving. By the aid of our military field-glass -we could see the early risers moving through the camp-ground; the -horses, standing patiently outside awaiting their morning meal; the -positions of the pickets keeping guard; the tent-doors flapping in -the slight breeze or swaying back and forth as the men made egress or -entrance. Here and there were knots of soldiers,—of two or three or -four men each,—apparently discussing the situation or lighting the -early camp-fires for breakfast. Even the curling smoke of the newly -kindled flame, as it ascended upward, curiously traced itself visibly -to the eye. - -But, what was of yet more interest and practical moment to us, we -beheld the stacks of arms, the rifles and shot-guns, of our foe, -reflecting their burnished steel, and the army-wagons for bearing -their luggage and provisions, stretched along the exposed sides of -their position to serve as barricades for defense in case of attack. -Moreover, there were the evidences on every side of wanton and cruel -destruction,—whole cornfields stripped or trodden into the dust, and -the blackened sites or yet smoking remains of burned houses, corn-bins, -and wheat-stacks, the property of the Northern settlers. - -Here we had, right before our eyes, direct demonstration of the truth -that had just been told us. Deeply impressive was it indeed, and well -calculated to fire us and to spur us to the rescue. - -Surely that effect it had. - - - - -[Illustration] - -III - -The Night March - -[Illustration] - - -It would perhaps suffice here, so far as the main point in our story is -concerned, simply to say: We went to their relief. But I am tempted to -give a brief account of that march, and of the incidents by the way, as -affording the reader some idea of the difficulties and vicissitudes of -that Western-border, Kansas warfare. - -In the settlement of the South Pottawatomie river there were thirty-six -men and boys, all told, capable of bearing arms. They had been -organized into a company, and were officered and drilled ready for -emergencies. But, inasmuch as they were scattered up and down the -creek over a distance of some miles, to inform all, and for each to -make ready, and for all to get together occupied the swift hours of -nearly the entire day. - -Ammunition was to be collected; provisions were to be packed for the -journey; horses were to be gathered up from the prairie and bridled and -saddled. And, withal, preparations were to be made for home defense and -for the care of the women and children to be left behind. These, though -few, were all the more precious. The males who were sick or wounded, -lame or otherwise disabled, constituted the "Home Guard." - -Finally, the leave-taking of wives and little ones, though hastily -made, also consumed time, so that the sun's rim already dipped the -western horizon before we were well under way. - -The march thus taken up was one into a night of terror of which we -little dreamed when we set out. - -We had not gone far before darkness settled down upon us. The sky, -cloudless through the day, became overcast, and one could hardly see -his hand before him. Only with great difficulty could we keep our -direction and follow the trail over the prairie. - -But the possibility of losing our way was the least of our troubles. -In marching at all that dark night we ran fearful risks. Of that fact -we were perhaps only too unduly conscious. Fortunately, however, the -perils we feared we did not encounter. Some of them we escaped by -the merest and luckiest chance. And some of the dangers were wholly -imaginary, though they were none the less harassing on that account. -To our excited minds, a foe lurked behind every bush; in every thicket -and cluster of underbrush was the enemy in ambush. - -Our apprehensions were augmented by the rumor which twice met us -that the "Border Ruffians" had commenced their march up the creek at -nightfall, as we began ours down. The terribly anxious, distracted -state of mind we were in it is difficult to portray to the reader. It -was mainly owing to the doubt and uncertainty as to everything. - -This is the case, naturally, in all such warfare. It is otherwise where -there are regularly organized military operations. In the latter case, -by a proper system of spies and scouts, the general is of course kept -informed of the whereabouts of the enemy, of their numbers, and of -their movements. - -With us it was wholly different. The air was full of rumors,—all -perhaps unreliable; yet it was not safe to let them go unheeded. If we -gave no heed to the reports we might find ourselves attacked wholly -unexpectedly. - -We were not cowards, I will venture to assert, and as the sequel will -abundantly show; but such uncertainty and suspense were terribly trying -to the nerves, especially on such a night, and in such darkness;—ten -times more so than real battle would have been. With open daylight and -a fair field we would not have hesitated a moment to fight double our -own number. But the thought of being mowed down in the darkness by an -ambushed foe, without the chance of striking back in defense, was truly -a harrowing situation. - -On the way we had several lesser or larger streams to ford; and, in -that prairie country, all such were densely wooded. At any of these -points, a dozen men well posted would have been equal to six times -their number, and could have cut us off almost to a man. - -Every unusual noise grated upon our senses. Twice we halted and -prepared to repel an attack. But the alarms were needless: one was -occasioned by a drove of cattle crossing the prairie, the other by a -herd of wild deer startled from their lair. - -Twice we took a vote whether we should continue our march, or intrench -in a good position and await patiently the enemy or the daylight. Once -the ballot was a tie, and only by the casting vote of our commander, -Captain Anderson, was it decided to proceed. - - - - -[Illustration] - -IV - -A Siege and its Heroine - -[Illustration] - - -The population of the region, friends and foes, were now up in alarm. -Reports met us of the outrages of the Ruffians upon Free State settlers -the night previous. - -Here is the story of one of the depredations, detailed to us at one of -our halts. - -It was upon a stanch old German and his family, settled near the -junction of the North and South branches of the Pottawatomie. Old -Kepler, as he was nicknamed, had not taken any leading or even -active part in the "troubles" (as they were termed), but his strong -anti-slavery sentiments had cropped out and were known to the enemy. - -They now made directly for his cabin, evidently resolved, as the -opportunity might offer, to force him to declare himself for one -side or the other. No man, in fact, in those days of the Kansas -conflict,—partisan, bitter, bloody,—could long occupy anything like -neutral ground. If one undertook to "sit on the fence," he soon became -a target for both parties and was relentlessly dislodged. - -It was not the nature of the old German to dissemble, when the trial -came. On the approach of the Ruffians he prepared for the worst, as -he expected no favor. He barricaded his cabin door and refused their -demand for admittance. They burned his wheat and hay stacks, and all -his outbuildings, and then called upon the besieged to surrender. - -It was believed, probably rightly, by the assailants, that the old man -was possessed of considerable money, brought with him from the old -country. This lent incitement to their attack; while, if true, the -fact was undoubtedly an additional motive on his part for keeping the -invaders at a distance. - -Brave old Kepler was quite advanced in years. He was about three score -and ten, but all the old valorous Teutonic blood in his veins was -aroused, and he prepared to resist the spoilers even to the death, if -need be. His wife, partner of his New World adventures and toils, had -succumbed not long before to the frontier hardships and had passed on. -He had one son, a chip of the old block, brave, strong, and inured to -the rough Western life, equally interested with the father in carving -out their fortunes in this new country, and in the making of their -Western prairie home. - -And there was an only daughter, alike the support and solace of both -father and brother;—the light, indeed, of the household and of the -neighborhood. - -I must interpolate a word here, in passing, descriptive of this -daughter,—the worthy heroine of the event, as we shall see. She was a -light-haired, blond-complexioned young girl, with all the proverbial -German fairness,—bright and handsome as a prairie flower. And she had -the German habit of taking a share in the work in the open field. Often -was she seen by the passers up and down the creek, "chopping in corn" -(as they call it in the West),—keeping even step in the row with her -robust brother; or now driving the cattle while he held the plough; -then changing work with him, guiding the share while he drove the oxen. - -Her household duties, however, were not neglected meanwhile. Doubtless -the brother, in return, here gave her a helping hand. Nowhere else -on the road (as the writer can testify from personal experience) did -the weary and hungry traveler find such bread as when thrown upon the -Keplers' hospitality,—bread of this young girl's manufacture. - -Besides all this,—and appropriately to be said in this -connection,—this fair maiden could handle a rifle on occasion, -as we shall presently see. Such ability was often a quite useful -accomplishment for the gentler sex on our wild Western border. It -proved eminently so in the case before us. - -The yelling, hooting, and now drunken mob began at length to fire upon -the cabin at its vulnerable points. The heroic inmates returned the -shots through the holes between the logs in the loft, and not without -effect. One of the assailants was seriously wounded and several others -less so. The battle grew warm, the effusion of blood thus far serving -only to increase the wild fury of the besiegers. - -The father and son stood with their guns at the openings, while the -young girl loaded the pieces for them as fast as they were emptied. -At length the baffled and maddened crowd changed their tactics. They -managed to pile wood, logs, and rubbish against the cabin, hoping -to fire the building. There was danger that the dastardly effort -would prove only too successful. The flames began to crackle. All now -seemed lost, when suddenly the brave daughter unbarred the cabin door -and sprang forth with a bucket of water in her hand to dash out the -newly kindled flames. This was done from the girl's own impulse at -the moment. Had they divined her intention, the father and brother -would not have allowed it. The feat, however, strange to say, was as -successful as it was heroic and perilous. - -The surprised besiegers were not actually cowardly and base enough to -fire upon the unarmed, defenseless girl. However, one of them sprang -from his covert behind a tree to seize her. But the old backwoodsman -father, watching breathlessly the scene below from his post in the -loft,—his hand and eye steadied to perfect accuracy by the imminent -danger,—sent a rifle-bullet straight to the heart of the venturesome -wretch, and he fell forward dead at the maiden's feet. - -The girl regained the door and, with the aid of her brother, who -hastened to her assistance, rebarred it securely. All was now again -safe for the time being,—and permanently, as it proved. The marauders, -overawed by this episode and by the generally unexpected course of -affairs,—one of their number being actually killed and several others -more or less severely wounded,—hastily fell back to a safe distance -and finally beat a retreat from the neighborhood. - - - - -[Illustration] - -V - -The March Resumed - -[Illustration] - - -It did not require the narration of this stirring tale to nerve our -forward movement, but it certainly increased our determination to -proceed at all hazard. - -Our next halt was made at the cabin, some miles further on, from which, -as mentioned in the first chapter, the young man whom we all knew and -counted as one of us had been borne off a prisoner. As soon as it was -made known, by the usual signs, that we were friends, we were joyfully -if tearfully greeted. The family, consisting of aged parents, sister, -brother's wife and little children, were in despair. Dreadful anxiety -filled their minds. It was an illustration of the saying that "to know -the worst is better than suspense." If in the great cause then firing -their hearts this family had seen that son and brother shot down before -their eyes, they would have borne the affliction silently and with -submission. But the terrible uncertainty as to his fate wrought upon -them. A price had previously been set upon the young man's head, and -they had reason to fear the worst for him. - -It must be added, in passing, that his beloved ones never saw him -again alive. The good fortune fell to us to liberate him the next day -from his captors, when we found him bound upon his horse, with his -hands lashed behind him and his feet tied together under the animal; -but, alas! his liberation gave him only a short respite from death. -He fell, only a few days after, heroically fighting at the battle of -Osawatomie. - -Some miles beyond we had to make that ford of the Pottawatomie river -of unenviable fame, and which we looked upon as the danger-point of -all others in our journey; for there our enemy, we thought, would most -likely be in ambush. But we swam the swift, dark, muddy stream, swelled -by recent rains to a flood, with the water up to our horses' backs, -luckily without hindrance or serious mishap. - -That ford was the notorious Dutch Henry's crossing, so-called,—surely -a gloomy, gruesome, and dreaded spot at that dark midnight hour. There, -close by, had been enacted, just two months prior, the rightly named -Pottawatomie tragedy, which made that locality, on account of this -bloody event, verily for the time the "storm center" of the Kansas -conflict. But, terrible as it was, it served a great purpose and was -speedily followed by good. - -The hero of our sketch was the central figure in this tragic act of the -Kansas drama, as he was in most others at this trying period. Brown was -the cyclonic force, the lightning's flash in the darkness, that cleared -and lighted the way for the men of that day. - -Despite all delays on the way, we made our forced night-march of -twenty-two or more miles in remarkably good time, and arrived at our -destination about two o'clock in the morning, as weary, exhausted, and -hungry a set of troopers as ever drew rein and slipped stirrup to seek -rest and refreshment. - -[Illustration: THE ADAIR LOG CABIN.] - -It will be of interest to our readers to learn here that, a couple of -miles from the town,—our halting place,—we passed the log cabin of -the Adair family, which has such historic interest gathered about it, -and which we shall have occasion to mention again later. - -It so happened, as we learned afterward, that the hero of our story -lodged under that roof that night. He was aroused from his slumbers and -watched us from the window as we marched past,—having been reliably -assured, by our advanced guard, that we were no threatening foe, but -his firmest and safest friends. - -A photographic view of the cabin's exterior is given on the opposite -page, as it appears to-day; and nearly the same as it existed at that -early date, now almost fifty years ago. - -The town referred to was Osawatomie, soon to be made famous by the man -who is the principal subject of these sketches. - -We were challenged by friendly pickets on guard, who escorted us to the -old "block-house" reared for town defense, where we were glad to find -shelter, and especially to find food, for hungry we were indeed. - -To what a sumptuous feast were we welcomed on that occasion! And yet, -strange to relate, the recollection of it is not calculated to make -one's mouth water. It so happened that a side of bacon and a barrel of -hardtack were stored there, for just such emergencies as the present -one, and these were now pressed into our service. - -Their edible condition was such as naturally to suggest certain -Scripture phrases as descriptive thereof;—of the bacon, "ancient of -days"; and of the biscuit, "fullness of life." As we crunched the -latter between our teeth, the peculiar, fresh, sweet-and-bitter taste, -commingling at every mouthful, told us too well of the "life" ensconced -therein. No comments were made, however, except the ejaculation -occasionally, by one and another, "Wormy!" " Wormy!" - -However, nothing daunted, we paused not in our eating till our ravenous -hunger was appeased. And then, on the bare floor of boards, rived -roughly out of forest trees,—though it was a little difficult to fit -our forms to their ridges and hollows,—we gained a few hours of as -sweet and refreshing slumber as ever visited mortal eyes. - - - - -[Illustration] - -VI - -Seeking the Enemy - -[Illustration] - - - -It will be asked, perhaps, why we came to this particular place. In -this little town were encamped, at this particular time, Captain John -Brown and his daring and trusty band of men. - -"Old Brown," as he was most often called, was a tower of strength in -time of need. He had become by that time a veritable terror to the -enemy. Tell a Border Ruffian: "John Brown is coming," and he would -shake in his shoes, or would run away had he strength enough left for -locomotion. Missouri mothers frightened their babies to sleep or to -quietude by the sound of his name. - -If our information were correct, the foe we sought largely outnumbered -us. What more natural than that we should, under the circumstances, -desire the counsel of the stanch old man, and his help, if needed. - -He had not looked for an invasion from the direction at present -threatened, but was daily expecting one from another quarter. -He detailed two small companies, Captain Shore's and Captain -Cline's,—two-thirds of his own command,—to join our force; then bade -us seek the enemy, with the direction, if we found them too strong for -us, to send back word to him, whereupon he would come to our aid. -Meanwhile, he said, he would stay with the remainder of his men and -guard the town. - -We set out in the morning, early and hopefully. Scouts with fleet -horses were dispatched in advance, and we rapidly followed after. -Rumors of all wild and exaggerated sorts met us as we went. First, -it was said, there were three hundred of the enemy, well armed and -mounted; then there were five hundred men, strongly intrenched to -receive our attack; later, there were a thousand, coming to meet us. - -At last we began to be a little apprehensive, possibly a grain -frightened. In the uncertainty, a messenger was sent back to Captain -Brown to say that probably we should need his help. - -But we resolutely pushed on, if with somewhat slackened speed. -Presently a scout returned bearing reliable tidings. The position -and strength of the invaders had been quite accurately ascertained. -They were about three hundred in number, quietly encamped, and as yet -unaware of our approach. - -Our officers decided not to wait for Captain Brown to come up, but -to press forward to the attack and by celerity of movement gain what -advantage was possible. - -One point was, nevertheless, taken into consideration. We were but -about sixty in number, all told. We were prepared and determined to do -some hard fighting if necessary; but, it was argued, if we could take -the enemy by surprise, victory would be more fully assured us, and much -needless spilling of blood might be avoided. - -We therefore proceeded cautiously till we arrived within two miles of -the hostile force, where our advanced scouts had taken up position and -were actually looking down with spy-glasses into the enemy's camp and -watching their every movement. The foe seemed wholly unconscious of any -impending danger. - - - - -[Illustration] - -VII - -The Battle - -[Illustration] - - - -In less time than it takes to relate it, the plan of battle was -arranged. - -Our men were divided into three companies. Two divisions were to make -flank movements, one on the right and the other on the left of the foe, -while the third was to assault directly in front. The plan of attack -was well conceived and as successfully executed. - -We had a circuit of some miles to make to gain the flank positions. It -was quickly and silently traveled. In our division, detailed on the -left flank, hardly a word was spoken during a two hours' march. Each -man was busy with his own thoughts. It is said that persons in critical -situations will sometimes have their whole lives pass before them. I -believe that most of us, during this march, recalled nearly all we had -ever done or seen, known or felt. - -We were suddenly awakened, at length, from such reveries, by the crack -of rifles and the clash of musketry, and by bullets actually whizzing -about our ears. So closely had we stolen the march on them that when -we opened fire we were actually more in danger from the guns of our -friends than from those of our foes. - -The enemy were taken completely by surprise. As prisoners whom we took -told us afterward, they thought that "Old Brown" was surely upon them; -and their next and only thought was of escape. They left all, and ran -for dear life, some on foot, shoeless and hatless; others springing to -their horses, and, even without bridle or saddle, desperately making -the trial of flight. Perfectly bewildered, they ran this way and that; -and naturally, as our forces were positioned, many ran directly into -our hands. - -The one thing they did not do well was to fight, except in the case of -a few desperate ones and of the leaders, who called in vain upon their -men to rally. Then they gave up all for lost, and each looked out for -himself. Many discharged their pieces at the first onslaught, but so -much at random that not a man of our number was fatally injured, though -several were more or less severely wounded. We took many prisoners, and -captured some thirty horses, all the enemy's wagons and luggage, and -much ammunition and arms. The victory was complete. - -Not until all was over did Captain Brown and his reserve come up, -though they had ridden hard to lend us a helping hand. He warmly -congratulated us, however, upon our good success, saying that he could -not have done it better himself, and that he was just as glad and proud -of our victory as though he had won it. - - - - -[Illustration] - -VIII - -A Scene for a Painter - -[Illustration] - - -There were incidents not a few, connected with the day and with the -central figure of our sketch, which would add interest to our pages. -One there was which especially impressed itself upon all witnesses of -it. - -This relates to one of the enemy who was fatally wounded in the battle. -He desired very much, he said, to see "Old Brown" before he died. - -Captain Brown was informed of the wish, whereupon he rode up to the -wagon which served as ambulance, and, with somewhat of sternness in -his manner, said to the prisoner, "You wish to see me. Here I am. -Take a good look at me, and tell your friends, when you get back to -Missouri, what sort of man I am." - -Then he added in a gentler tone, "We wish no harm to you or to your -companions. Stay at home, let us alone, and we shall be friends. I wish -you well." - -The prisoner meanwhile had raised himself with great difficulty, and -viewed the old man from head to foot as if feasting his eyes on a great -curiosity. Then he sank back, pale and exhausted, as he answered, "I -don't see as you are so bad. You don't talk like it." - -The countenance of Brown as he viewed the sufferer had changed to a -look of commiseration. The wounded man saw it, and, reaching out his -hand, said, "I thank you." Brown tenderly clasped it, and replied, "God -bless you," while he turned with tears in his eyes and rode away. - -The present writer was standing within a few feet of Brown at the time, -and naturally drank in the scene with a boy's eager curiosity and -susceptibility to impression. - -It was a scene for a painter, and the artist could with appropriateness -have called his work, "The Conqueror Conquered." - -But it was perfectly illustrative of the man and of the hero. Brown was -as brave as a lion. He seemed absolutely not to know fear. Yet withal -he possessed a heart tender as a child's or as the tenderest woman's. - - - - -[Illustration] - -IX - -Brown's Night Appointment - -[Illustration] - - - -We gathered together the spoils and took up our march on the backward -track toward home, discussing the exciting events of the day and -recounting to each other our individual experiences, adventures, and -"hairbreadth escapes." When we had thus proceeded some three miles, -it was nearing sundown, and we halted for supper and to determine our -course for the night. - -Meanwhile we had learned an important fact from our prisoners, namely: -that we had not met all of our enemies. A part of them, quite a large -force, had gone north that morning, and might be at that very moment -ravaging our own homes which we had left behind the evening before. -Naturally, these unwelcome tidings cast a cloud across our rejoicings. -They might after all be turned to mourning! - -Having nearly finished our meal, and while we were yet speculating -on the situation, Captain Brown hastily rose to his feet and called -upon all those, who were ready to go with him, to mount their horses. -Forty or more men instantly sprang into their saddles, and others were -about to do the same, when the old man cried, "Enough—and too many." -He thanked them for their readiness, and then selected thirty of the -number, tried and trusted men who had followed him before, and without -asking why or whither. In the present instance also they ventured not -a question. - -Brown seldom disclosed his intention or plans to any one. He wished -no man with him who was not absolutely reliable. He required the -implicit confidence of his followers and unquestioning obedience to his -commands. Whoever put himself under his leadership took his life in his -hand and followed whithersoever he was led. - -On this occasion some not acquainted with his habits plied him with -queries as to where he was going and what he would do. He only -answered, characteristically, that he "had an appointment with some -Missourians and must not disappoint them." One ventured jocosely to ask -further, concerning the appointed place of meeting. He replied, they -had not been kind enough to fix upon the precise spot, but he felt -bound, out of courtesy, inasmuch as they came from a distance, to hold -himself in readiness when wanted. This left us, of course, wholly in -the dark as to his movements. - -With some words of advice to those of us remaining,—that we would -better seek our homes, be prepared to defend them, and ready for any -action when needed,—he gave the command, "Ready! Forward!" and, with a -wave of his hand, led his Knights Errant away. - -After they had departed it was decided that it would be advisible for -us to return to the camping-ground of the enemy and pitch our tents -there for the night; because, it was argued, when the detached force -gone north returned, they would naturally seek their friends in the -camp where they left them. - -Accordingly, though weary near to exhaustion, we returned and camped -there, threw out our pickets, and made every preparation to give the -marauders a warm reception should they appear. We slept on our arms, -ready for any emergency, but the night passed and we were undisturbed. - -The next morning dawned on us clear and beautiful. All our -apprehensions of danger had passed with the darkness. Our pickets were -withdrawn. The scouts, who had been sent out to gather news of the -scattered settlers, had come back with no tidings of the foe we had -awaited. Consequently, relieved of all military restraint, we gave -ourselves up for the time to the preparation and enjoyment of an early -breakfast. - -The wagons were unpacked of their provisions. The horses were -picketed, or were turned loose for grazing. The prisoners, disarmed, -were allowed comparative freedom. Fires were lighted here and there -for cooking. And thus we were spread out over a large area, forgetful -of the enemy, without a thought of an attack, and bent only on making -ready to satisfy the cravings of hunger. - - - - -[Illustration] - -X - -An Intrepid Charge - -[Illustration] - - - -Then occurred the scene which gives us one of the glimpses of John -Brown for the sake of which these reminiscences have been written. - -Suddenly, over the hill or rising ground some half or third of a mile -away, two horsemen came up at full speed. - -"Look! look!" was whispered in suppressed voices from one to another of -our party, and all eyes were upturned in that direction. - -Observing us, the horsemen as suddenly turned on their heels, and -disappeared the way they came, leaving us stupefied with doubt and -wonder. - -In a moment more, however, the heads of a whole troop rose in sight, -and the cry, "The Missourians! the Missourians!" rang through our camp -in startling accents. - -We were in dismay, for we were entirely unprepared for attack and there -was no time to make ready. We were apparently caught just as our enemy -had been surprised by ourselves. Men sprang, some for their arms, some -for their horses. Whether to fight or to try to escape was uppermost -in their minds,—each could settle that question only for himself. At -any rate, every one felt that a daring and determined foe, apparently -numbering a hundred, which was double our own number, could, in the -condition in which we were, utterly cut us to pieces and destroy us at -a blow. - -What grave emotions that thought aroused! It is difficult for one, -never thrown into any such situation, to realize or in any degree even -imagine the feelings that may surge through the bosom of men thus -placed. Accounts have been given of what panic-stricken crowds or -armies will sometimes do, but a description of what they _feel_ on such -occasions of disaster was never yet fully penned or painted by man. - -Meanwhile, some of our number, who had been cool enough to observe the -fiercely advancing cavaliers, perceived that they were friends, not -foes. It was old Captain Brown himself and his trusty band. With joy, -this news rang through our ranks. All eyes were then directed toward -them, enchained and enchanted. It was a splendid sight. - -They at first, naturally, took us for enemies, not dreaming but that we -were miles away, where they left us the evening before. They suspected -us to be the force, encamped there, which they had been riding all -night to overtake,—the same force we had awaited. - -They came swiftly up over the brow of the hill, in full view, with -Brown at their head, and, without halting or even slackening their -speed, swung into line of battle. Only thirty men! yet they presented a -truly formidable array. The line was formed two deep, and was stretched -out to give the men full room for action. Brown sprang his horse in -front of the ranks, waving his long broadsword, and on they came, -sweeping down upon us with irresistible fury. - -It was indeed a splendid and fearful sight, never to be forgotten by -the beholders. Only thirty men! yet they seemed a host. In their every -action, in their entire movements, seemed emblazoned, as in their -determined souls it was written, "Victory or death!" - -Their leader looked the very impersonation of Battle. Many of us had -seen John Brown before, some of us a number of times, and under trying -circumstances. But now all felt that the real man we had never before -beheld. The daring, the intrepidity, the large resources of the man, -none of us had imagined till that moment. - -Not a gun was discharged, their commander having given to his men the -same strict orders that were given at Bunker Hill of old, that they -should "reserve their fire till they could see the whites of their -enemy's eyes." But before they had quite gained that very dangerous -proximity to us, we succeeded in making them understand that we were -their friends. - -Then such a glad shout as rent the air from both sides was seldom ever -heard, we believe, on any field even of victory. They were as glad to -find that we were their friends, as we, in our helpless condition, were -glad to learn that they were not our enemies. - -The full intrepidity of Brown and his men, though it appeared to us -astounding, was not fully appreciable till we came to look at it -somewhat from their own view-point. - -We were actually about eighty men, prisoners and all. But, spread out -as we were, with the many horses grazing, the scattered and unpacked -wagons, numerous camp-fires,—widely separated for convenience,—arms -stacked in some places, and men gathered in groups in others, we -presented altogether a formidable appearance. What was more, this -was enhanced by our peculiar position, so that, to them, our numbers -and strength were exaggerated, while our weakness and confusion were -concealed. Brown admitted to us himself, afterward, that he thought he -was undertaking to whip a force of two or three hundred, while his men -declared that they believed they were actually charging upon not less -than a thousand. - -Brown's quick military eye took in, at the first, the supposed -situation; and, as in a flash, he decided what to do. All depended, -he concluded, upon rapidity of action. His only hope lay in striking -a sudden and crushing blow, for which we were unprepared, and from -which we could not recover till he had made victory sure. From the -time Brown's forces came in sight over the hill, till they were within -gunshot of us, hardly thirty seconds elapsed,—a very short notice in -which to prepare for action, even if an attack were expected. - - - - -[Illustration] - -XI - -Brown to Our Prisoners - -[Illustration] - - -After mutual congratulations over the bloodless and happy conclusion of -the adventure, we set our friends down with us to eat the interrupted -breakfast, to which they were prepared to do ample justice. They -had ridden all night, some forty or fifty miles, in pursuit of the -enemy,—had ridden all night, without rest or food, from the time they -left us, at dusk of evening, till they surprised us that morning with -their dauntless charge. - -Another incident in connection with the events described it seems -fitting to mention, as affording a very interesting side-glance at -the character of our hero. After the meal, Captain Brown was asked by -our officers to give a talk to the prisoners taken the day before, who -were now drawn up in line for parole. He responded without an instant's -hesitation or a moment to think what he should say. - -He spoke to them in a plain, simple, unpretentious way, but with -a directness, a force, and an eloquence withal, which doubtless -wonderfully impressed those addressed, as certainly it held spell-bound -all others who listened. Such vivid and indelible impression did this -speech of Brown make on the mind of the present writer that, even after -the lapse of these many years, he is able to reproduce it, not only -in substance, but almost word for word; and he has no doubt of its -exceptional character. Perhaps it was second only to that immortal -address which the hero made three years later to the court at his trial -in Virginia, which Emerson pronounced one of the three most remarkable -addresses in the world. - -On the latter occasion, however, instead of a few plain, simple, rough -and ready, but intensely admiring followers, he had almost the whole -civilized world eagerly to hear and sacredly to preserve his utterance. - -Brown's speech to the prisoners was probably not over five minutes long -in its delivery, but it lasted those forty trembling men a lifetime. -It was not known that one of them ever afterward ventured over the -Missouri border into the Kansas territory. - -The address was as follows: - -"Men of Missouri, one of your number has asked to see John Brown. Here -he is. Look at him, and hereafter remember that he is the enemy of all -evil-doers. - -"And what of you yourselves, men! You are from a neighboring State. -What are you here for? You are invaders of this territory,—and for -evil purposes, you know as well as we know. You have been killing -our men, terrorizing our women and children, and destroying our -property,—houses, crops, and animals. So you stand here as criminals. - -"You are fighting for slavery. You want to make or keep other people -slaves. Do you not know that your wicked efforts will end in making -slaves of yourselves? You come here to make this a slave State. You are -fighting against liberty, which our Revolutionary fathers fought to -establish in this Republic, where all men should be free and equal, -with the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of -happiness. Therefore, you are traitors to liberty and to your country, -of the worst kind, and deserve to be hung to the nearest tree. - -"But we shall not touch a hair of your heads. Have no fear. You are -deluded men. You have been deceived by men who are your elders but -not your betters. You have been misled into this wrong, by those your -leaders; thus, they are the real criminals and worse than traitors, -and, if we had them here instead of you, they would not find such mercy -at our hands. - -"You we forgive. For, as you yourselves have confessed, we believe it -can be said of you that, as was said of them of old, you being without -knowledge, 'you know not what you do.' But hereafter you will be -without excuse. - -"Go in peace. Go home and tell your neighbors and friends of your -mistake. We deprive you only of your arms, and do that only lest -some of you are not yet converted to the right. We let you go free -of punishment this time; but, do we catch you over the border again -committing depredations, you must not expect, nor will you receive, any -mercy. - -"Go home, and become liberty-loving citizens of your State and country, -and your mistakes and misdeeds, as also the injuries which you have -inflicted upon us, will not have been in vain." - - - - -[Illustration] - -XII - -Hard Lines - -[Illustration] - - -The personal experiences here related are of interest and have a value -mainly as they throw somewhat of fresh light upon the character of the -subject of this work, Captain Brown, and upon the events and times in -which he was the leading actor. - -Those were troublous times,—times that indeed "tried the men's souls" -who experienced them. The hardships were severe. Danger and disease, -death by ruthless hands, and even death from starvation, often stared -us in the face. At one time we lived six weeks solely on Indian-meal -mixed with water and dried before the fire, and that without even a -condiment. This was our common fare in times of scarcity. Bacon and -molasses, and tea without milk or sugar, were our luxuries in times of -plenty. - -For months, in the summer of '56, the men in our settlement never had -their clothes off, day or night, unless torn or worn off. On a trip -early in the summer mentioned, made by a companion and myself to Kansas -City for provisions, we chanced to come across John Brown and his -company encamped in the woods on a river-bank. After we made ourselves -known as friends we were invited into their camp. A more ragged set of -men than we found were rarely, we believe, ever seen,—Brown worst off -of all, for he would not fare better than his men. They had no shirts -to their backs, and their outer clothing was worn or torn to tatters. -While in camp, they were going barefoot to save the remnants of their -worn-out shoes for emergencies. And withal, they were, they said, on -short rations, having no bread, but only Indian-meal and water. They -were glad of the opportunity to engage us to bring them provisions on -our return, but they confessed they were as short of money as they were -of provisions, which simply meant that we must share ours with them. - -The men of our company worked hard by day to raise crops, with their -rifles near at hand, and slept in the "bush" at night to avoid surprise -and capture in their cabins. Only the women and children ran the risk -of remaining in the houses, in their defenselessness trusting to the -mercy of the enemy. That border life invited sickness, especially the -malaria of the low prairie. Our cabins were roughly made, and so open -that when it rained it was about as wet inside of them as outside. - -We had not time to dig wells, and in mid-summer the rivers were low -and the water so stagnant that we had to brush the green scum from the -surface when we dipped the water to drink or for other uses. Every man, -woman, and child of the settlement was ill with the "fever and ague," -so termed. There came near being an exception to the rule. One man kept -so full of whiskey, continuously, that the ague didn't seem to have -even a fighting chance; but at length the liquor fell short, and the -ague then found its opportunity and even made up for lost time. - -As for fire-arms with which to defend ourselves, we were not well off. -The famous Sharpe's rifles—"Beecher's Bibles," so-called, from the -great preacher's contribution of them—won Kansas to freedom in large -measure; but more by their terrible name than by virtue of any large -number of the weapons themselves. The Free State men in Kansas actually -had few of them. - -When my older brother, with whom I went to the territory, and myself -called on Theodore Parker in Boston,—for one thing to ask him if -those going to Kansas would be helped to fire-arms,—he said he was -sorry that his previous contributions had left him "nary red" which he -could give for the purpose, and he referred us to the Aid Society. We -concluded, however, to depend on our own means, though slender, and so -bought, to use between us, one Sharpe's rifle for twenty-five dollars. -We thought it might be useful to bring down prairie hens and wild -turkeys, if not needed for more serious use. - -This was the only Sharpe's rifle owned in our settlement of thirty-six -men and youth able to bear arms. The members of our company, in fact, -at this early period in the Kansas troubles of which we write, were -very slimly accoutered for warfare, and the writer actually went into -the battle of Sugar Mound, described in previous pages, with an old, -worn-out flint-lock rifle, being a boy put off with the poorest weapon, -which, with the greatest care, he could not discharge more than once in -a half-dozen times' trying. And it was the only weapon he had until he -made prisoner a Missourian and possessed himself of better arms. - - - - -[Illustration] - -XIII - -A Government Musket - -[Illustration] - - -What does the reader suppose these arms were? The one of interest was -a United States army musket, altered over from a "flint-lock" to a -modern "percussion-cap,"—a very effective fire-arm. It will be seen -that we had to contend not only with the Border Ruffian, but with the -greater ruffian at that time behind him, the United States Government -itself, which was covertly lending its influence and even its arms on -the side of slavery. Those Government guns were stored at Fort Scott, -on the Missouri border, and the Pro-slavery men were allowed to help -themselves to them. - -That Government musket I intended to keep as a souvenir of Kansas -times; but later, on the occasion of coming down the Missouri river, -when boarding the steamboat with this musket in a common gun-case, I -thoughtlessly, on entering the main saloon, stood it in a conspicuous -corner. It was soon afterward noticed,—"spotted," as the phrase -went,—and I heard some one whisper, "Kansas." A rough-looking -passenger approached the piece, removed its case in examining it, and -inquired in a loud voice for its owner. Everybody was now all interest. -It was a time when the Kansas excitement was at its height, and -passions ran wild. - -The cry, "Yankee! Yankee!" burst from the crowd. "Overboard with him! -Overboard! Overboard!" was howled, and "Yankee! Yankee!" again rang out -in hot, angry tones. - -The subject of these gentle remarks, it goes without saying, was surely -one of the most interested spectators of the scene of all the members -of the crowd, and, as was quite politic, joined in the outcries. The -odds seemed to be decidedly against him, and dissent was surely unwise. -Apparently there was not another Eastern man on board, and this one -felt—as once a Western man said he did when expecting to be lynched -by a howling mob—"a little lonesome." Very fortunately for him, no -one observed that he was in any way connected with the interesting -implement of warfare. Had it been discovered that he was the owner -of that musket,—well! he would probably not be here now to tell -his story. If the possessor of it, on the contrary, had proved to be -a "Pro-slavery" from the territory, he would immediately have been -lionized as a hero. - -"All's well that ends well." The only matter of regret to the owner was -that he lost sight and possession forever, that troublous night, of his -souvenir musket. It was secretly made away with by some one's hands, -under cover of the darkness. - -An incident in the story of the musket we may here relate, on account -of its probable significance, not apparent at that time, but revealed -at a later date. - -As we were making our way leisurely from the battlefield at Sugar -Mound, the opportunity was afforded me to show Captain Brown my share -of the trophies of our recent victory. He seemed rather indifferent as -he looked at the revolvers, the fine powder-horn, the shot-bag, and -the cartridge-pouch; but when he caught sight of the musket he grasped -it eagerly and scrutinized it with intense interest. On the gun-stock -was inscribed: "Made at the U. S. Armory, Harper's Ferry, Va.,"—or -words to that effect. - -When, three years later, occurred that startling episode in our history -at Harper's Ferry, Brown's scrutiny of the musket was recalled by me -and apparently found its explanation. It raises the question, How long -had he contemplated carrying the war into Africa? - -In Brown's view, slavery was war, aggressive and in actual operation. -Therefore, any attack on the institution was virtually defensive -warfare, legitimate and justifiable. He was a worshiper, heart and -soul, at liberty's shrine, and to his mind no sacrifice in its cause -was too great or costly. In that light must be interpreted his hard -saying: "It would be better that a whole generation of men, women, and -children should be sacrificed than have liberty perish from the earth." - - - - -[Illustration] - -XIV - -An Unfailing Guide - -[Illustration] - - -The youngest male member of our Kansas party, hardly more than a boy, -was possessor of a peculiar psychical faculty—very fortunately for -us during all our troublous experiences in the territory. It was a -modest gift, but an exceedingly useful one to us under the exceptional -circumstances in which we often found ourselves, and this not alone to -its owner, but to the whole company. It cannot be better designated, -in brief, than as the faculty of "finding the way," the term usually -employed in speaking of it. - -It probably will not lessen the interest of the reader in the matter if -he is here told that the writer of this account himself was the happy -possessor of this useful power. From a boy, a mere child, he may say, -it was known among his playmates that he could lead them safely and -surely to any place or object, when there was doubt about its locality, -and could also discover the whereabouts of things lost. The shyness of -the boy led him to keep his gift in the background. - -In Kansas it was as suddenly as remarkably made prominent perforce. It -came into use the first day after we set out on our journey over the -prairie. We had not gone far from the borders of civilization,—only -far enough for its objects to be out of view,—when our whole caravan -of travelers, their teams, horses, oxen, and wagons, came to a full -stop. The trail over the prairie branched into two, and all were in -doubt which was the right one to take. The clouds had shut in the sun, -and the boundless prairie stretched out on all sides, with not an -object, house or tree, hill, or even a rock, in view, as a landmark -by which we could aim our course. One of the party, with a little -experience in traveling on the prairie, warned us that an error made -here might mislead us a whole day's journey. - -The situation began to be a little distressing; whereupon the older -brother of the psychic boy said: "Call up my brother. He will tell you -which trail to take." Accordingly, the boy was summoned to the front; -and to the older heads, waiting there with amused smiles on their faces -for the decision, he pointed out what, in his belief, was the right -trail. Being wholly in doubt, they, with their smiles deepening to -laughter, said they might as well follow the trail he indicated. It -turned out to be the correct one. - -During the following ten or a dozen days' journey, as many times at -least the youth was summoned to the front, and his psychical faculty -put to the test. Its possessor was made happy, and his companions were -equally gratified, that his power in no instance failed him. - -These trails, mere wagon-tracks across the country, ran in almost all -directions, crosswise, parallel, and at all angles, and were enough -to puzzle the very elect,—the elect being in this instance the -psychic youth. The earnest wish to find the way in any case—and the -stronger and more earnest the wish the better—seemed to be a sort of -mainspring to the action of the power to insure its success. - -This gift was brought into play many times during the two years -of Kansas events sketched here, and served us well; was often -invaluable. The fact just mentioned, that the strong wish insured its -effectiveness, was often clearly shown. For instance, on the occasion -referred to in a previous chapter, of our happening upon Captain -Brown's camp in an out-of-the-way spot on our trip for provisions, -there was a strong desire on our part, excited, perhaps, much by -curiosity, to see Brown and his men at that particular time in their -temporary hiding-place; and seemingly by this intense desire inciting -the psychic power, we were led to the spot,—for it had taken us, as we -found afterward, quite a number of miles out of our direct course. - -In passing, we will here digress a little from our story to say that, -at this time of our visit, Brown was being hunted down, like a criminal -or a wild beast, by the Government military as well as by his other -enemies, and was all the time liable to betrayal into their hands. - -I remember well, in this connection, how we found him armed that day. -He carried about his person not less than twenty shots with which to -defend himself did it become necessary: a Remington repeater—six -shots; a brace of revolvers—six-shooters; and a pair of pistols. He -had also a long knife or dirk, and his usual trusty old broadsword. -Most of these arms, he seemed to take pains to inform us, were -presented to him by his friends. Particularly did the old man impress -me, while showing us the weapons, when he quietly remarked: "Our -enemies would like much, no doubt, to get hold of me; but," he added -with sternness, "I will never be taken alive, and I warn them I shall -punish them to the extent of my power if they attempt my capture." - -To return from this digression, it was a perilous thing in those -days for one to venture out alone on the prairie. It was perilous to -life, and perhaps still more dangerous to the property of him who -ventured,—at least in some ways. For one thing, we did not dare to -risk our horses. Horses were valuable, and the enemy considered them -as legitimate contraband of war. The luckless horseman caught abroad -by his foes was simply ordered to dismount. His horse, saddled and -bridled, was led off, and the owner was left to make his way on -foot, no matter how far the distance. When a team without a load was -overtaken by our opponents, the horses were appropriated and the wagon -left standing on the prairie. Were the wagon loaded with valuables, -both animals and wagon were confiscated, and their owner was told, -very likely with rifles pointed at him, to run for life till out of -sight. In such cases, were one found with money or other valuables on -his person, he was summarily relieved of them. Sometimes we sewed our -money within the lining of our clothes, for safety; but that device for -concealment had its risks. One was liable to be stripped, and to have -his clothing cut or torn to shreds in the hurried search for the money. - - - - -[Illustration] - -XV - -Hazardous Journeys - -[Illustration] - - -Such were some of the hazards of travel at that time, when the new -territory was indeed "bleeding Kansas." - -Journeys, nevertheless, had to be made, and long ones, and many of them -from sheer necessity. We were obliged to buy in a distant market all -the food we ate, with all other necessaries of life. Shipment of goods -must be made by ox-teams—the use of horses being out of the question, -for the reasons mentioned; and the ox-team was rather a slow means of -transportation. Some ten days were necessary to make the journey from -our settlement to the nearest good market, Kansas City, and return. - -There was another matter we had to consider. The journeys were -hazardous to men as well as to horses. Men were valuable and scarce. -Not more than two at most were ever allowed to go on these dangerous -errands, and usually one only. - -It is not strange, as will readily be understood, that the boy who -could "find his way" was for that reason chosen to make these trips, -and he generally went alone. Another reason for this choice was that -the settlers would not run the risk of sacrificing their mature, strong -male members in this service, could it be avoided. This youth—because -a youth, with no one, wife or children, dependent upon him—would -not be so great a loss to the community if capture, imprisonment, or -death befell him! He was, however, inspired by, and felt not a little -pride because of, the confidence reposed in his ability to perform the -difficult and dangerous task assigned him. - -Quite a number of these trips I made alone, and in not one did I -lose my way. On one occasion the guiding faculty was put to a severe -test. At the end of a day's travel the oxen were freed as usual from -the wagon for two or three hours, in order that they might graze. -Meanwhile, strict watch of them was necessary, lest they should wander -away. That night, through much exhaustion and lack of rest, it was -my misfortune to fall asleep. When I awoke, long past midnight, the -cattle were gone. The full moon shone brightly overhead, lighting up -the horizon far away on all sides; but, far and wide as the eye could -reach, no sight or sign of the animals was visible on that prairie -ocean. - -A serious state of things this appeared to be, at first thought, -and it awakened serious apprehensions. Far from home, I was left -with my valuables on the prairie, bereft of all means of taking them -to their destination. But upon second thought, often the better, I -calmly fell back, for rescue, on my humble psychic faculty. Humble and -inconsequential I had held it, but, if it served me true this time, it -never again should be lightly valued. - -It proved as true as the needle to the pole. - -It seemed to me that the cattle had gone in a certain direction; and -in that direction I went, in a straight line over the prairie, three or -four miles, directly to them. There they were, quietly feeding, close -to a stream at which they had evidently quenched their thirst. They -were led, doubtless, to find this water, in their need that night, by -an instinct similar to, and equally as unerring as, that possessed by -their owner which he had used to find them. - -Whether the same instinct that "found the way" in the instances related -served to secure successful avoidance of the enemy on these journeys -will not be asserted; but this interesting fact can be affirmed, -namely, that, happily for the lone teamster and for the settlers whose -property, whether money or purchases, was intrusted to his care, not -once were dangerous foes encountered on these trips, and only in one -instance was there a near approach to it. - -One day three horsemen appeared on the horizon in the rear, bearing -down upon me. When we have not strength sufficient, we are prone to -resort to strategy for protection or to extricate ourselves from -difficulty. On board my wagon, the usual large "prairie-schooner," -covered with canvas, was a box of firearms which, with foolhardiness, I -had undertaken to deliver in Osawatomie. For one to transport arms was -to invite the services of the executioner. - -I had reason that day, however, to thank my foolhardiness. At first -sight of the approaching horsemen I sprang into the cart, forced off -the box-cover, and stuck several of the gun-muzzles out under the sides -of the wagon-canopy. - -And another reason I had for thankfulness that day. It had been my good -fortune that summer, while lying ill of the ague, to learn a little of -the ventriloquist's art from a half-breed Indian. The accomplishment -served me well now. As the strange horsemen closely approached, I was -busy carrying on a conversation, ventriloquist-wise, with my imaginary -companions inside the covered wagon. - -"Lie still and make up your sleep. Lie still. No danger." - -"Who is it?" (from the wagon.) - -"They are travelers," was answered; "friendly, no doubt. Lie still and -get your sleep." - -(From inside the wagon) "Whistle if you want us." - -Answer: "O yes, I will. Lie still. No danger,—they're friends." - -By this time the troopers were alongside. They looked hard at me, but -harder at the gun-muzzles, made the usual "good-day" greeting, asked a -few questions, and rode on. My little artifice had worked like a charm. -My visitors, I felt little doubt, had planned and meant mischief; had -probably been in search of my team, possibly for days, incited by hope -of rich plunder. - -This record of personal experiences will serve the main purpose for -which it is written if it lays bare to the reader in some degree the -difficulties and dangers, the trials and sacrifices, of the Free State -settlers whom John Brown led at last to victory in the Kansas struggle -for freedom. - -In closing this chapter, I will give my readers the only explanation -I am able to proffer of the strange faculty of localization which has -been mentioned. No voice is heard, nothing like an impression is felt, -there is no experience of any occult power of vision. Indeed, I have -already stated all that I am conscious of, in the words, "it seems to -me" that the object of quest, or the locality sought, lies in a certain -direction or place, whenever this faculty is brought into play to find -it. - - - - -[Illustration] - -XVI - -The Osawatomie Battle - -[Illustration] - - -The engagement at Sugar Mound (also called Middle Creek) took place on -Monday, the 25th of August. Five days later, on Saturday, August 30th, -was fought the really famous battle of Osawatomie, the Bunker Hill of -the Kansas struggle. - -In the early dawn of that day some four hundred of the enemy, well -mounted and equipped,—with their bayonets glistening in the morning -sun,—bore down upon the devoted town and its stanch defenders. There, -in that day's notable battle, John Brown showed that he possessed -real military talent. In this case he was acting on the defensive, and -manifested coolness and caution equal in effectiveness to the dash and -daring displayed on other occasions. - -To our settlement on the South Pottawatomie, the same thing occurred -on this memorable occasion as on the earlier one already described. A -rider came up the creek twenty miles, asking for our aid. - -This time the messenger was sent by Brown himself, and there was a -similar ready and willing response to the call, even though we had -so lately arrived home. There was the same eager hurrying to and -fro to get our force together, the same quick preparations, hasty -leave-taking, setting out at dusk, and the like night-march. We made -all possible haste to the rescue. - -Before midnight, however, when we had covered only half the distance to -our friends in distress, a scout met us with unwelcome news, which, to -our dismay, ran: "Battle at Osawatomie, John Brown killed, Free State -men defeated, and the town burned to ashes." Moreover, our informant -thought it probable that the victors were on their way to lay waste our -settlement. - -The only thing now to be done was to return to our homes, and to make -ready, if the need came, to defend them. One prior thing it was decided -it would surely be well to do, namely: dispatch two scouts to our -friends at the scene of disaster and get accurate information of their -fate or fortune. - -The choice fell upon the two brothers, the writer and his older -brother, and for the reason (comforting to them) that, being the -youngest men, with none dependent upon them, their loss, were they -killed, would be less to the community than the loss of older men. And -besides, one of them was good at "finding the way" and the other had -won a reputation for extra courage and trustiness in emergencies. We -were assigned, to say the least, a rather delicate and hazardous duty, -and probably there were few men in the company that night anxious or -willing to undertake it. - -Bidding our comrades adieu, we mounted two of our best horses and -proceeded on through the night. Being obliged, for safety, to avoid -both the "open" and the main road, we could make our way but slowly, -and so did not reach the vicinity of Osawatomie till daylight. We kept -in hiding during the day, spying around the city of desolation and -trying to learn of the presence of foes or if any of our friends were -still alive. After nightfall we cautiously approached the log-cabin on -the outskirts of the town, where, if anywhere, we knew we should most -likely find friends. It was the home of the Adairs, relatives of John -Brown. - -There we learned from them the story of recent events. Captain Brown -had not been killed, as was reported, though he was wounded; but there -in that humble cottage, folded in the embrace of death, lay one of his -sons, the tall, handsome Frederick Brown, as noble-looking as he was -noble of soul, the fourth of that now historic band of six hero-sons, -worthy scions of their hero-father. - -As the Pro-slavery invaders were marching into Osawatomie, two -of their scouts, at some distance from the town, met this son of -Brown with a companion named Garrison, and in cold blood, without -provocation, shot down the unarmed men. Their whole force of four -hundred or more horsemen then trampled over the bodies, leaving them to -lie there all day in the hot August sun. - -Late that same night, Sunday evening, as we lingered in conversation -with the family, the old father, having learned of the death of his -son, returned to take a last look at his remains. Here again, surely, -was a scene for a painter, in that lowly cabin that night. If a picture -of it, as those bright young eyes saw it in all its realistic setting -and color, could have been faithfully depicted on the artist's canvas, -and thus preserved for us to-day, it could not fail to be of more than -common historic interest. - -[Illustration: INTERIOR OF THE ADAIR LOG CABIN.] - -As Brown bent over the lifeless form of his boy, there was not a word -of complaint from his lips, nor any look of revenge on his face,—only -deep, silent grief, and falling tears, and humble submission to the -Almighty will. Then he hurried away to the morrow's duty, after -expressing his wishes as to the disposal of the remains of his son. - -Yes, one thing more, doubtless. He carried away in his heart that night -a deeper abhorrence of the institution which had virtually inspired the -blow and aimed the bullet that had ended that young life. The scene in -that lowly cabin that night was to remain, at any rate, ineffaceable in -the memory of the few who were witnesses to it. - -On the opposite page is given an interior view of the Adair log-cabin, -taken while Mr. Adair was still living, and representing him sitting -in his accustomed chair in the main room of the house,—the room where -lay the body of Brown's son, Frederick, and where the father sadly -viewed it. - - * * * * * - -The battle of Osawatomie was surely a remarkable engagement. Brown, -with a handful of men hastily gathered together and placed in position, -kept long at bay more than ten times their number. The stand was made -in the edge of the timber, on the near bank of the river. "There," -said Brown modestly in his account of the battle, "we had exceptional -opportunity to annoy the enemy." - -The first onslaught of their foes, who marched gaily as if to sure -victory, was met by a steady, determined fire from Brown and his men, -so destructive as to make the ranks of their assailants reel, break, -and then hastily retreat. Again and yet again they re-formed their -broken lines, and renewed the attack, suffering terrible punishment -each time, till their leaders could rally them no longer. - -At that time the gallant little band of defenders, out of ammunition -and with their ranks sadly thinned, thought it wise to retire across -the river. Their foes, crippled and shattered, had no heart to follow, -and the battle ended. It only remained for spite and revenge to find -vent in the burning of the town. - -We need not recite details here; they are matters of history. And yet -some uncertainty has hung over that engagement. The invaders, in the -chagrin and shame of their more than failure, proceeded to conceal -or falsify the facts. And never was there greater temptation to -falsification. The certainty of Brown's annihilation at their hands -they had loudly trumpeted beforehand, but their own defeat had occurred -instead. - -The account of the battle written soon after by Brown to his family was -near to the truth, and is borne out by all reliable testimony. About -thirty of the assailants were killed, and the usual ratio of wounded -would be some seventy-five or eighty. - - - - -[Illustration] - -XVII - -Conclusion - -[Illustration] - - -In concluding these reminiscences it only remains to be said, of the -subject of them, that in the writer's opinion John Brown was a great -man; and he believes that this will be the verdict of the future upon -him when misconceptions and prejudice are blown to the winds. John -Brown is one of the most unique characters in all our history. In a -way, he stands almost alone, and deserves, if only for that reason, a -place in the Hall of Fame far more than many a one who has been given a -niche therein. - -John Brown was a hero. Our country has brought forth no greater one. He -was of the very substance and essence of self-sacrifice. What higher -can be said of any one of our humankind? Everything, possessions, -reputation, life, he was ready to throw into the scales against wrong -and for the cause of human liberty, human rights, and justice, which -were to him as sacred, as divine, as the God he worshiped. Love of them -was the consuming passion of his soul, and to fight for them, to live -and die for them, was to him the highest duty of man. - -The ablest minds have been the most appreciative of the high qualities -of John Brown,—for example, Ralph Waldo Emerson, of our own country, -and Victor Hugo, of France. It is Edward Everett Hale who has -pronounced him "our great American martyr." Nothing could be finer -than Thomas Wentworth Higginson's tribute: "It must be conceded that -John Brown was the most eloquent of all our great Abolitionists, for -his was the eloquence of a life." - -Let not our readers conclude that we are attempting to glorify Brown's -militant course, or that we would inspire the spirit of war. We -celebrate the great soul. - -John A. Andrew said: "Whatever might be thought of John Brown's acts, -John Brown himself was right." That sentiment so touched the popular -heart at the time that it went far to make Andrew governor. - -We may accept fully and wholly the man, though we approve not his -methods. Brown derived his ideal, in its spirit, so to speak, from -the New Testament; but his ideal of action was rooted in the Old -Dispensation. The one is wholly worthy our following, the other is not. - -One can allow that this is true, though he hold that the old or past -was inevitable, and that Brown did the best possible at the time -and under the circumstances. That is no reason why we should go on -imitating his example; but we cannot be enough filled with his spirit. - -The truth, we think, may be told in a word: John Brown belonged to the -"old order," which is passing away. Heaven speed its end! He was a man -of war, whatever else he might be; though it seems surely to be shown -that he was much besides. While we would do him full justice, while we -glorify the spirit he was of, we must turn to our higher ideal,—those -of the "new order," the men of peace. The spirit of both may be the -same, their methods are as opposite as the poles. - -Tolstoi has given us the key that opens to us the coming ideal: "It is -better to suffer wrong, even without limit, than to do wrong even in -the least." - -This represents the meaning of Tolstoi, though it may not be expressed -in just his words. That ideal is far in advance of mankind in general -to-day, but the world is moving surely if slowly toward it. The spirit -that actuated John Brown—that of self-sacrifice for what he believed -to be the good and true, and his entire devotion to liberty and -right—is to be more and more alive, and more truly than ever "marching -on." - -The North will more and more appreciate and honor John Brown, as time -goes on; and we shall not wonder very much if even the South some day -builds a monument to his memory. For it is simple justice, and not -flattery, to say that no men ever lived who possessed higher courage or -had a finer sense of what is heroic than the true Southerner. - - - -TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: - - - Text in italics is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been retained from - the original. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of John Brown the Hero, by J. W. Winkley - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOHN BROWN THE HERO *** - -***** This file should be named 55707-0.txt or 55707-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/5/7/0/55707/ - -Produced by David E. 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Winkley, M.D. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -.ph1 {text-align: center; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;} -.ph2 {text-align: center; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -p.drop-cap { - text-indent: -0.25em; -} - -p.drop-cap2 { - text-indent: -0.5em; -} -p.drop-cap:first-letter, p.drop-cap2:first-letter -{ - float: left; - margin: 0.1em 0.1em 0em 0em; - font-size: 250%; - line-height:0.65em; -text-indent: 0em; -} -@media handheld -{ - p.drop-cap, p.drop-cap2 { - text-indent: 0em; /* restore default */ - } - p.drop-cap:first-letter, p.drop-cap2:first-letter - { - float: none; - margin: 0; - font-size: 100%; - } -} - -table { - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; -} - -.pagenum { - position: absolute; - left: 92%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; -} - -div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} -h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} - - - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.right {text-align: right;} - -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - -.caption {font-weight: bold; text-align: center} - -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -.indent {padding-left: 2em;} - - -div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; page-break-after: always;} -div.titlepage p {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 3em;} -.topspace {margin-top: 3em;} - -.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; - color: black; - font-size:smaller; - padding:0.5em; - margin-bottom:5em; - font-family:sans-serif, serif; } - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of John Brown the Hero, by J. W. Winkley - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: John Brown the Hero - Personal Reminiscences - -Author: J. W. Winkley - -Contributor: Frank B. Sanborn - -Release Date: October 8, 2017 [EBook #55707] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOHN BROWN THE HERO *** - - - - -Produced by David E. Brown and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - - -<div class="transnote"> -<p class="center"><span class="ph1">TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:</span></p> - -<p>The cover image has been created by the transcriber from the title page of the original.</p> - -<p>Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.</p> - -<p>Inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been retained from the original.</p></div> - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i002.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Bust of John Brown.</span></p> - -<p class="center">(<i>See Note.</i>)</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> -<h1>JOHN BROWN<br /> -THE HERO</h1> - -<p class="ph1">Personal Reminiscences</p> - -<p class="ph2">BY<br /> -J. W. WINKLEY, M.D.,<br /> -<br /> -Editor of <i>Practical Ideals</i> and Author of "First<br /> -Lessons in the New Thought."</p> - -<p class="topspace"><i>WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY<br /> -FRANK B. SANBORN</i></p> - -<p class="topspace">ILLUSTRATED</p> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i003.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<p class="topspace">BOSTON<br /> -JAMES H. WEST COMPANY</p> -</div> - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1905</span><br /> -By James H. West Company</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i005.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">PREFACE</h2></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">THE sub-title, "Personal Reminiscences," -is rightly appended -to this volume. The old saying, -"Much of which I saw, and part -of which I was," the author can truthfully -apply to himself in connection -with the interesting and stirring occurrences -here recorded. He relates -the events because they were, in large -measure, personal experiences. And -the narrative is made up, for the most -part, of historical matter which has -not been presented heretofore by any -writer. In other words, it is history -at first hand.</p> - -<p>Another and more particular reason<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> -for the preparation of this little volume -is because it is believed by the -writer that these narrations will serve -to throw some especially valuable -side-lights upon the subject of them. -John Brown was one of the most -unique characters in all our American -history, and an original factor in an -important part of that history.</p> - -<p>The volume will surely be welcome -to all admirers of Brown, and it should -be of considerable interest to the general -public.</p> - -<p>It hardly needs mentioning here -that the standard work on John Brown, -giving very fully his life and letters, -is that of the Hon. Frank B. Sanborn, -who kindly contributes the Introduction -to the present volume.</p> - -<p class="indent"> -<span class="smcap">Boston</span>, January, 1905.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007a.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">Contents</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" summary="table"> - -<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td align="right">PAGE</td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Introduction</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">I.</td><td> <span class="smcap">A Call for Aid</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">II.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Prairie Wonder</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">III.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Night March</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">IV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">A Siege and its Heroine</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">V.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The March Resumed</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_43">43</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">VI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Seeking the Enemy</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">VII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Battle</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_55">55</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">A Scene for a Painter</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">IX.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Brown's Night Appointment</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">X.</td><td> <span class="smcap">An Intrepid Charge</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_68">68</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Brown to Our Prisoners</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Hard Lines</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XIII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">A Government Musket</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XIV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">An Unfailing Guide</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Hazardous Journeys</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XVI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Osawatomie Battle</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_111">111</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right">XVII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Conclusion</span></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td></tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><i>NOTE</i></h2></div> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> frontispiece to this volume is a representation -of a bust of Captain Brown, conveying in -so far a correct idea of the exterior man.</p> - -<p>This excellent bust, the best representation of -him extant, was made from measurements taken -by the sculptor in the Charlestown (Va.) prison, -while Brown was awaiting trial there. The -photograph was courteously furnished by the -present owner of the bust, Mr. F. P. Stearns, -of Medford, Massachusetts, whose father, Mr. -Henry Stearns, a life-long friend of Brown, -caused the bust to be made.</p> - -<p>In other places in the volume are pictures -of the log cabin of the Adair family, one an -exterior view of it, the other an interior, for -which we are indebted to Mr. F. B. Sanborn.</p> - -<p>Under this modest roof Brown often sought -and never failed to find welcome resting-place -and hospitality. Mrs. Adair was his half-sister; -her husband, a Methodist clergyman, ministered -to the spiritual needs of a scattered flock in the -territory.</p> - -<p>The writer, on the occasion of a visit a few -years since to Kansas to view the old familiar -spots, found the cabin, almost the last of its -race, not much changed outside or within from -what it was in the former days. It is owned -and occupied, as is the farm on which it stands, -by a son of the pioneer minister.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i009.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">INTRODUCTION</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">THE interest attaching to this -little book demands from me -some notice of its author, and -of my indebtedness to him while preparing, -twenty years ago, a "Life and -Letters of John Brown," which has -since become the basis of several -biographies of that hero. Dr. J. W. -Winkley, long a citizen of Boston, -was one of those who, in 1856, became -a Free State colonist of Kansas Territory, -then the skirmish-ground of the -long conflict between free labor and -Negro slavery. His residence there -was brief (1856 and 1857), as was -that of many who went out in the years -1855-'58 to take part on one side or the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> -other of the contest; but he had the -good fortune, as a youth, in the perceptive -and receptive period of life, to come -under the influence of a hero; and -this book portrays the incidents of -that interesting acquaintance. Nearly -thirty years later he communicated -to me this story, and I succinctly -mentioned it in my book. But it -required a fuller statement; especially -since it seems largely to have escaped -the notice of the chroniclers of that disturbed -and confused period of 1856. -The partisan movements here described -came in between two of -Brown's famous fights,—that of -Black Jack, in early June, when he -captured the Virginian captain, Pate, -and that in the end of August, when -he repelled the formidable attack of -the Missourians upon the small settlement -of Osawatomie. The brothers -Winkley and their comrades took up -arms in the neighborhood of Osawatomie, -after the engagements of the -first two weeks in August, which culminated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> -in the capture of several -camps or "forts" of the Southern -invaders of eastern Kansas, August -14 and 16. Fort Saunders, not far -from Lawrence was taken by a Free -State force under General Lane, -August 14. On the 16th, another -Pro-slavery "fort," garrisoned by a -Colonel Titus, was captured, near -Lecompton. The reason for these -attacks was thus given by John -Brown, Jr., then a prisoner at Lecompton, -guarded by Captain Sackett -with a force of United States dragoons -(August 16, 1856):</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"During the past month the Ruffians -have been actively at work, and -have made not less than five intrenched -camps, where they have, in -different parts of the Territory, established -themselves in armed bands, -well provided with arms, provisions, -and ammunition. From these camps -they sally out, steal horses, and rob -Free State settlers (in several cases -murdering them), and then slip back -into their camp with their plunder.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> -Last week, a body of our men made -a descent upon Franklin (four miles -south of Lawrence) and, after a skirmishing -fight of about three hours, -took their barracks and recovered -some sixty guns and a cannon, of -which our men had been robbed some -months since, on the road from Westport. -Yesterday our men invested -another of their fortified camps, at -Washington Creek.... Towards -evening the enemy broke and fled, -leaving behind, to fall into the hands -of our men, a lot of provisions and -100 stand of arms.... This morning -our men followed Colonel Titus -closely, and fell upon his camp (near -Lecompton), killed two of his men, -liberated his prisoners, took him and -ten other prisoners, and with a lot of -arms, tents, provisions, etc., returned, -having in the fight had only one of -our men seriously wounded.... -This series of victories has caused -the greatest fear among the Pro-slavery -men. Great numbers are -leaving for Missouri.... I see by -the Missouri papers that they regard -John Brown as the most terrible foe -they have to encounter. He stands -very high with the Free State men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> -who will fight, and the great majority -of these have made up their minds -that nothing short of war to the death -can save us from extermination."</p></blockquote> - -<p>Immediately following the date of -this letter of young John Brown came -the adventures which Dr. Winkley so -well describes. They may have had -no other chronicler; and it is well -that the testimony of an eye-witness -should at last be given, ending with -the striking incident, just following -the Osawatomie fight of August 30, -when young Winkley, in the log-cabin -of the missionary Adair, husband of -Brown's half-sister, saw John Brown -sternly mourning over the body of his -son Frederick, killed on the morning -of the fight, on the high prairie above -Osawatomie. I visited Mr. Adair in -this cabin, in 1882, and talked with -him on the events of that year of contention, -and the pictures here printed -of his prairie home are true to the -fact as I then saw it. Two weeks -after the burial of Frederick Brown, as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> -mentioned by Dr. Winkley (September -14, 1856), Charles Robinson, who had -commissioned John Brown as captain -nine months earlier, wrote to him by -that title from Lawrence, and said in -his letter:</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"Your course has been such as to -merit the highest praise from every -patriot, and I cheerfully accord to you -my heartfelt thanks for your prompt, -efficient, and timely action against the -invaders of our rights and the murderers -of our citizens. History will -give your name a proud place on her -pages, and posterity will pay homage -to your heroism in the cause of God -and humanity."</p></blockquote> - -<p>Robinson was at this time the nominal -leader of the Free State settlers, -being their duly chosen State Governor -under the Topeka Constitution; -and he became the first actual Free -State Governor in 1861, when Kansas -was admitted to the Union under -another Constitution. Many years -later, at the dedication of a monument<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> -commemorating the Osawatomie fight -(August 30, 1877), Charles Robinson -said, among other things:</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"The soul of John Brown was the -inspiration of the Union armies in the -emancipation war; and it will be the -inspiration of all men in the present -and the distant future who may revolt -against tyranny and oppression; because -he dared to be a traitor to the -government that he might be loyal to -humanity."</p></blockquote> - -<p>Dr. Winkley agrees in this statement -of Robinson; and his portrayal -of the man as he was in the midst of -surprises and responsibilities, but ever -the same intrepid and resourceful -leader, will add a new picture to those -we already had of John Brown in -action. Active or in chains, in the -battlefield or in his Virginia prison, he -always commanded attention, and received -the applause of those who -knew him.</p> - -<p>The verdict of the world has confirmed -this praise; and of all the men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> -connected with the dark and bloody -story of Kansas, from 1854 till the -close of the Civil War, Brown's name -is the most widely known. Blame -has been mingled with praise; but -the involuntary tribute paid, by the -natural human heart, to invincible -courage and unwearied self-sacrifice -will insure the prevalence of praise -over blame. Those who cannot approve -all his acts, as Dr. Winkley -cannot, are yet convinced generally -of the high purpose and grand result -of his arduous life. Richard Mendenhall, -a Kansas Quaker, who knew him -well but "could not sanction his mode -of procedure," yet said, after Brown's -death in Virginia:</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"Men are not always to be judged -so much by their actions as by their -motives. I believe John Brown was -a good man, and that he will be remembered -for good in time long hence -to come."</p></blockquote> - -<p>Quite recently an English author, -William Stevens, writing a history of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> -slavery and emancipation, has occasion -to name John Brown, and the warmth -of his eulogy does not satisfy the cool -judgment of that most reflective journal, -the London <i>Spectator</i>, which says:</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"Mr. Stevens asks if Brown did -not see the forces moving towards -abolition more clearly than did his -friends who protested against the -daring of his schemes: yet he emphasizes -too much, surely, the forlorn -recklessness of the man's methods. -But a more fearless, resolute, and -cooler-headed man never lived. His -family life, the devotion of his own -flesh and blood to him, and his tenderness -were indications of a character -intensely human, but also of a man -who had counted the cost and knew -that the individual must yield to the -race. He lit, not a candle, but a -powder-magazine; and his last words -prove that he foresaw, as plainly as -man ever saw sunrise follow dawn, -that blood, and blood alone, would -loosen the shackles of the slave."</p></blockquote> - -<p>Events, in fact, followed the track -which Brown pointed out, and with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> -swiftness that startled even such as -accepted his clear insight of the -national situation. There was something -prophetic in his perception of -the future; he could not see well -what was <i>directly</i> before him, but of -the consequences of his action, and -of that of other men, he had the most -piercing and sagacious view. Such -men appear on earth but rarely; when -they come, it is as martyrs and seers. -Fatal are their perceptions, and to -themselves as well as to the order of -things they subvert. But it is more -fatal to disregard the warning they -give. Their remedy for existing ills, -sharp as it must be, is for the healing -of the nations and for the relief of -man's estate.</p> - -<p class="right"><span class="smcap">F. B. Sanborn.</span></p> - -<p class="indent"><span class="smcap">Concord</span>, January, 1905.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i019.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - - -<p class="ph1">JOHN BROWN THE<br /> - -HERO<br /> -<br /> -Personal Reminiscences</p> - - - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<h2 class="nobreak">I<br /> -<br /> -A Call for Aid</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">IT was of an August morning in -that eventful year of Kansas history, -1856, in the gray of the -earliest dawn, that a horseman came -riding at full speed up the creek, the -south branch of the Pottawatomie, -from the direction of the lower settlements,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> -and halted before our cabin -door.</p> - -<p>The animal he rode was all afoam, -and gave other signs of having been -urged hard and over a long distance. -As the rider dismounted, his nervous -and excited manner told us he -was the bearer of ill tidings or that -he was on some errand of unusual -importance.</p> - -<p>"What news below?" was asked -the stranger.</p> - -<p>"Bad news," he replied quickly. -"The Ruffians are over the border -upon us again, in strong force; and -they are bent on 'cleaning us out' -this time. If they keep on they -won't leave a cornstalk standing to -show where our crops grew."</p> - -<p>There is every reason to conclude -that our informant was no other than -James Montgomery, then all unknown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> -to fame, but who was later to distinguish -himself as a leader in the Kansas -struggle for freedom.</p> - -<p>As the writer remembers him as he -appeared that morning, he gave evidence -of being a man of intelligence -and character. He was tall,—some -six feet in height,—rather slender in -build, and of dark complexion. This -answers the description given of -Montgomery by those who knew him -well.</p> - -<p>Montgomery afterward gained well-earned -distinction by leading Free -State settlers, banded together for -self-defense, to fire upon United States -troops, putting them to rout. He -became, still later, a colonel in the -Northern army at the outbreak of the -Civil War.</p> - -<p>The trooper's story was soon told, -as it needed to be, for there was no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> -time to be lost. He was a messenger -from the Middle River region, so-called, -dispatched to us by his comrades -in distress. He had come -twenty-five miles through the night -and darkness, in an almost incredibly -short time, stopping by the way only -to arouse the scattered Free State -men to arms.</p> - -<p>He had been sent to ask help. -The need was pressing. The invaders -were many, defiant, and reckless. -They had encamped in the -neighborhood, were burning haystacks, -foraging their horses in the -cornfields, hunting down Free State -men, and sending terror to the hearts -of women and children. Detachments -of marauders were sent out -here and there on these errands of -mischief. They had even penetrated, -not twelve hours before, to within ten<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> -miles of the spot where we stood; -had made prisoner and borne away a -pronounced Free State man; and, in -addition to that, had besieged other -Northerners in their log cabins and -destroyed their property by pillage -or fire,—as we shall see further on -in our story.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i024.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">II<br /> -<br /> -The Prairie Wonder</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">BY this recital of the messenger -our sympathies were sufficiently -enlisted; but if anything additional -were needed, further to gain -our attention, it was given then and -there.</p> - -<p>As the speaker drew his narration -to a close, all present instinctively -turned their eyes in the direction -whence he had come: namely, toward -the south-east. There a sight met -our gaze that riveted us to the spot—a -spectacle as marvelous as it was -beautiful, and singularly confirmatory -of our informer's words. To our utter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> -astonishment we looked directly, at -that moment, into the enemy's camp -twenty miles away, though seemingly -less than a quarter of that distance. -It was one of those peculiar -phenomena, rarely seen on the water -and less frequently on the land, and -more wonderful in the latter case -when it does thus appear, because -more perfect and on a grander scale: -the mirage.</p> - -<p>The prairie mirage is of wondrous -beauty. It is usually in the autumn, -when all the atmospheric conditions -are favorable, that these strange illusions -take place on the prairie ocean. -Along the eastern horizon, near sunrise, -a narrow belt of silver light -appears. As it grows broader the -silvery gray of its lower side changes -slightly golden. Fleecy clouds above -the belt take on a yellow red. The -grayish shadows of the dawn lift<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> -slowly from the earth. Just before -the red disk of the sun peers above -the horizon-line, one sees in the sky -the landscape of trees, of waving -grasses or grain, of rocks and hills, -held together as it were by threads -of yellow and gray and azure. The -earth stands inverted in the air.</p> - -<p>The groundwork of this illusion is -a grayish, semi-opaque mist; and the -objects are seen standing or moving -along in it. The feet of animals and -of men, the trunks of trees, the rocks -and hillocks, are set in this aqueous -soil. When the conditions are perfect, -objects far beyond the range of -vision over the prairie are brought -near and into plain view of the beholder.</p> - -<p>That morning was such a time and -afforded such a scene. There was -the camp of the enemy,—miles -away, as has been said,—mirrored<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> -perfectly and beautifully on the sky, -every feature of it traced with the -minuteness of a line-engraving. By -the aid of our military field-glass we -could see the early risers moving -through the camp-ground; the horses, -standing patiently outside awaiting -their morning meal; the positions of -the pickets keeping guard; the tent-doors -flapping in the slight breeze or -swaying back and forth as the men -made egress or entrance. Here and -there were knots of soldiers,—of -two or three or four men each,—apparently -discussing the situation -or lighting the early camp-fires for -breakfast. Even the curling smoke -of the newly kindled flame, as it ascended -upward, curiously traced itself -visibly to the eye.</p> - -<p>But, what was of yet more interest -and practical moment to us, we beheld -the stacks of arms, the rifles and shot-guns,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> -of our foe, reflecting their burnished -steel, and the army-wagons for -bearing their luggage and provisions, -stretched along the exposed sides of -their position to serve as barricades -for defense in case of attack. Moreover, -there were the evidences on -every side of wanton and cruel destruction,—whole -cornfields stripped -or trodden into the dust, and the -blackened sites or yet smoking remains -of burned houses, corn-bins, -and wheat-stacks, the property of the -Northern settlers.</p> - -<p>Here we had, right before our -eyes, direct demonstration of the -truth that had just been told us. -Deeply impressive was it indeed, and -well calculated to fire us and to spur -us to the rescue.</p> - -<p>Surely that effect it had.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i029.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">III<br /> -<br /> -The Night March</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">IT would perhaps suffice here, so far -as the main point in our story is -concerned, simply to say: We went -to their relief. But I am tempted to -give a brief account of that march, -and of the incidents by the way, as -affording the reader some idea of the -difficulties and vicissitudes of that -Western-border, Kansas warfare.</p> - -<p>In the settlement of the South -Pottawatomie river there were thirty-six -men and boys, all told, capable of -bearing arms. They had been organized -into a company, and were -officered and drilled ready for emergencies.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> -But, inasmuch as they were -scattered up and down the creek over -a distance of some miles, to inform -all, and for each to make ready, and -for all to get together occupied the -swift hours of nearly the entire day.</p> - -<p>Ammunition was to be collected; -provisions were to be packed for the -journey; horses were to be gathered -up from the prairie and bridled and -saddled. And, withal, preparations -were to be made for home defense -and for the care of the women and -children to be left behind. These, -though few, were all the more -precious. The males who were sick -or wounded, lame or otherwise disabled, -constituted the "Home Guard."</p> - -<p>Finally, the leave-taking of wives -and little ones, though hastily made, -also consumed time, so that the sun's -rim already dipped the western horizon -before we were well under way.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>The march thus taken up was one -into a night of terror of which we -little dreamed when we set out.</p> - -<p>We had not gone far before darkness -settled down upon us. The sky, -cloudless through the day, became -overcast, and one could hardly see -his hand before him. Only with -great difficulty could we keep our -direction and follow the trail over the -prairie.</p> - -<p>But the possibility of losing our -way was the least of our troubles. -In marching at all that dark night -we ran fearful risks. Of that fact -we were perhaps only too unduly -conscious. Fortunately, however, the -perils we feared we did not encounter. -Some of them we escaped by the -merest and luckiest chance. And -some of the dangers were wholly -imaginary, though they were none the -less harassing on that account. To<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> -our excited minds, a foe lurked behind -every bush; in every thicket and -cluster of underbrush was the enemy -in ambush.</p> - -<p>Our apprehensions were augmented -by the rumor which twice met us -that the "Border Ruffians" had commenced -their march up the creek at -nightfall, as we began ours down. -The terribly anxious, distracted state -of mind we were in it is difficult to -portray to the reader. It was mainly -owing to the doubt and uncertainty -as to everything.</p> - -<p>This is the case, naturally, in all -such warfare. It is otherwise where -there are regularly organized military -operations. In the latter case, by a -proper system of spies and scouts, -the general is of course kept informed -of the whereabouts of the enemy, of -their numbers, and of their movements.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>With us it was wholly different. -The air was full of rumors,—all -perhaps unreliable; yet it was not -safe to let them go unheeded. If we -gave no heed to the reports we might -find ourselves attacked wholly unexpectedly.</p> - -<p>We were not cowards, I will venture -to assert, and as the sequel will -abundantly show; but such uncertainty -and suspense were terribly trying -to the nerves, especially on such -a night, and in such darkness;—ten -times more so than real battle would -have been. With open daylight and -a fair field we would not have hesitated -a moment to fight double our -own number. But the thought of -being mowed down in the darkness -by an ambushed foe, without the -chance of striking back in defense, -was truly a harrowing situation.</p> - -<p>On the way we had several lesser<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> -or larger streams to ford; and, in -that prairie country, all such were -densely wooded. At any of these -points, a dozen men well posted would -have been equal to six times their -number, and could have cut us off -almost to a man.</p> - -<p>Every unusual noise grated upon -our senses. Twice we halted and -prepared to repel an attack. But the -alarms were needless: one was occasioned -by a drove of cattle crossing -the prairie, the other by a herd of -wild deer startled from their lair.</p> - -<p>Twice we took a vote whether we -should continue our march, or intrench -in a good position and await -patiently the enemy or the daylight. -Once the ballot was a tie, and only -by the casting vote of our commander, -Captain Anderson, was it -decided to proceed.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i035.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">IV<br /> -<br /> -A Siege and its Heroine</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">THE population of the region, -friends and foes, were now up -in alarm. Reports met us of -the outrages of the Ruffians upon -Free State settlers the night previous.</p> - -<p>Here is the story of one of the -depredations, detailed to us at one -of our halts.</p> - -<p>It was upon a stanch old German -and his family, settled near the junction -of the North and South branches -of the Pottawatomie. Old Kepler, -as he was nicknamed, had not taken -any leading or even active part in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> -"troubles" (as they were termed), -but his strong anti-slavery sentiments -had cropped out and were known to -the enemy.</p> - -<p>They now made directly for his -cabin, evidently resolved, as the opportunity -might offer, to force him to -declare himself for one side or the -other. No man, in fact, in those -days of the Kansas conflict,—partisan, -bitter, bloody,—could long -occupy anything like neutral ground. -If one undertook to "sit on the -fence," he soon became a target for -both parties and was relentlessly dislodged.</p> - -<p>It was not the nature of the old -German to dissemble, when the trial -came. On the approach of the Ruffians -he prepared for the worst, as he -expected no favor. He barricaded -his cabin door and refused their demand -for admittance. They burned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> -his wheat and hay stacks, and all his -outbuildings, and then called upon -the besieged to surrender.</p> - -<p>It was believed, probably rightly, -by the assailants, that the old man -was possessed of considerable money, -brought with him from the old country. -This lent incitement to their -attack; while, if true, the fact was -undoubtedly an additional motive on -his part for keeping the invaders at -a distance.</p> - -<p>Brave old Kepler was quite advanced -in years. He was about three -score and ten, but all the old valorous -Teutonic blood in his veins was -aroused, and he prepared to resist -the spoilers even to the death, if -need be. His wife, partner of his -New World adventures and toils, had -succumbed not long before to the -frontier hardships and had passed on. -He had one son, a chip of the old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> -block, brave, strong, and inured to -the rough Western life, equally interested -with the father in carving out -their fortunes in this new country, -and in the making of their Western -prairie home.</p> - -<p>And there was an only daughter, -alike the support and solace of both -father and brother;—the light, indeed, -of the household and of the -neighborhood.</p> - -<p>I must interpolate a word here, in -passing, descriptive of this daughter,—the -worthy heroine of the event, -as we shall see. She was a light-haired, -blond-complexioned young -girl, with all the proverbial German -fairness,—bright and handsome as -a prairie flower. And she had the -German habit of taking a share in -the work in the open field. Often -was she seen by the passers up and -down the creek, "chopping in corn"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> -(as they call it in the West),—keeping -even step in the row with her -robust brother; or now driving the -cattle while he held the plough; then -changing work with him, guiding the -share while he drove the oxen.</p> - -<p>Her household duties, however, were -not neglected meanwhile. Doubtless -the brother, in return, here gave her -a helping hand. Nowhere else on -the road (as the writer can testify -from personal experience) did the -weary and hungry traveler find such -bread as when thrown upon the -Keplers' hospitality,—bread of this -young girl's manufacture.</p> - -<p>Besides all this,—and appropriately -to be said in this connection,—this -fair maiden could handle a rifle -on occasion, as we shall presently -see. Such ability was often a quite -useful accomplishment for the gentler -sex on our wild Western border. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> -proved eminently so in the case before -us.</p> - -<p>The yelling, hooting, and now -drunken mob began at length to fire -upon the cabin at its vulnerable -points. The heroic inmates returned -the shots through the holes between -the logs in the loft, and not without -effect. One of the assailants was -seriously wounded and several others -less so. The battle grew warm, the -effusion of blood thus far serving -only to increase the wild fury of the -besiegers.</p> - -<p>The father and son stood with -their guns at the openings, while the -young girl loaded the pieces for them -as fast as they were emptied. At -length the baffled and maddened -crowd changed their tactics. They -managed to pile wood, logs, and rubbish -against the cabin, hoping to fire -the building. There was danger that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> -the dastardly effort would prove only -too successful. The flames began to -crackle. All now seemed lost, when -suddenly the brave daughter unbarred -the cabin door and sprang forth with -a bucket of water in her hand to dash -out the newly kindled flames. This -was done from the girl's own impulse -at the moment. Had they divined -her intention, the father and brother -would not have allowed it. The feat, -however, strange to say, was as successful -as it was heroic and perilous.</p> - -<p>The surprised besiegers were not -actually cowardly and base enough to -fire upon the unarmed, defenseless -girl. However, one of them sprang -from his covert behind a tree to seize -her. But the old backwoodsman -father, watching breathlessly the -scene below from his post in the -loft,—his hand and eye steadied to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> -perfect accuracy by the imminent -danger,—sent a rifle-bullet straight -to the heart of the venturesome -wretch, and he fell forward dead at -the maiden's feet.</p> - -<p>The girl regained the door and, -with the aid of her brother, who -hastened to her assistance, rebarred -it securely. All was now again safe -for the time being,—and permanently, -as it proved. The marauders, -overawed by this episode and by the -generally unexpected course of affairs,—one -of their number being actually -killed and several others more or less -severely wounded,—hastily fell back -to a safe distance and finally beat a -retreat from the neighborhood.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i043.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">V<br /> -<br /> -The March Resumed</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">IT did not require the narration of -this stirring tale to nerve our forward -movement, but it certainly -increased our determination to proceed -at all hazard.</p> - -<p>Our next halt was made at the -cabin, some miles further on, from -which, as mentioned in the first chapter, -the young man whom we all knew -and counted as one of us had been -borne off a prisoner. As soon as it -was made known, by the usual signs, -that we were friends, we were joyfully -if tearfully greeted. The family, -consisting of aged parents, sister,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> -brother's wife and little children, were -in despair. Dreadful anxiety filled -their minds. It was an illustration -of the saying that "to know the worst -is better than suspense." If in the -great cause then firing their hearts -this family had seen that son and -brother shot down before their eyes, -they would have borne the affliction -silently and with submission. But -the terrible uncertainty as to his fate -wrought upon them. A price had -previously been set upon the young -man's head, and they had reason to -fear the worst for him.</p> - -<p>It must be added, in passing, that -his beloved ones never saw him again -alive. The good fortune fell to us to -liberate him the next day from his -captors, when we found him bound -upon his horse, with his hands lashed -behind him and his feet tied together -under the animal; but, alas! his liberation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> -gave him only a short respite -from death. He fell, only a few days -after, heroically fighting at the battle -of Osawatomie.</p> - -<p>Some miles beyond we had to -make that ford of the Pottawatomie -river of unenviable fame, and which -we looked upon as the danger-point -of all others in our journey; for there -our enemy, we thought, would most -likely be in ambush. But we swam -the swift, dark, muddy stream, swelled -by recent rains to a flood, with the -water up to our horses' backs, luckily -without hindrance or serious mishap.</p> - -<p>That ford was the notorious Dutch -Henry's crossing, so-called,—surely -a gloomy, gruesome, and dreaded spot -at that dark midnight hour. There, -close by, had been enacted, just -two months prior, the rightly named -Pottawatomie tragedy, which made -that locality, on account of this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> -bloody event, verily for the time the -"storm center" of the Kansas conflict. -But, terrible as it was, it served -a great purpose and was speedily -followed by good.</p> - -<p>The hero of our sketch was the -central figure in this tragic act of the -Kansas drama, as he was in most -others at this trying period. Brown -was the cyclonic force, the lightning's -flash in the darkness, that cleared -and lighted the way for the men of -that day.</p> - -<p>Despite all delays on the way, we -made our forced night-march of -twenty-two or more miles in remarkably -good time, and arrived at our -destination about two o'clock in the -morning, as weary, exhausted, and -hungry a set of troopers as ever drew -rein and slipped stirrup to seek rest -and refreshment.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i048.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Adair Log Cabin.</span></p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>It will be of interest to our readers -to learn here that, a couple of miles -from the town,—our halting place,—we -passed the log cabin of the Adair -family, which has such historic interest -gathered about it, and which we -shall have occasion to mention again -later.</p> - -<p>It so happened, as we learned afterward, -that the hero of our story lodged -under that roof that night. He was -aroused from his slumbers and watched -us from the window as we marched -past,—having been reliably assured, -by our advanced guard, that we were -no threatening foe, but his firmest -and safest friends.</p> - -<p>A photographic view of the cabin's -exterior is given on the opposite page, -as it appears to-day; and nearly the -same as it existed at that early date, -now almost fifty years ago.</p> - -<p>The town referred to was Osawatomie, -soon to be made famous by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> -the man who is the principal subject -of these sketches.</p> - -<p>We were challenged by friendly -pickets on guard, who escorted us to -the old "block-house" reared for -town defense, where we were glad to -find shelter, and especially to find -food, for hungry we were indeed.</p> - -<p>To what a sumptuous feast were -we welcomed on that occasion! And -yet, strange to relate, the recollection -of it is not calculated to make one's -mouth water. It so happened that a -side of bacon and a barrel of hardtack -were stored there, for just such -emergencies as the present one, and -these were now pressed into our -service.</p> - -<p>Their edible condition was such as -naturally to suggest certain Scripture -phrases as descriptive thereof;—of -the bacon, "ancient of days"; and of -the biscuit, "fullness of life." As we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> -crunched the latter between our teeth, -the peculiar, fresh, sweet-and-bitter -taste, commingling at every mouthful, -told us too well of the "life" -ensconced therein. No comments -were made, however, except the ejaculation -occasionally, by one and another, -"Wormy!" " Wormy!"</p> - -<p>However, nothing daunted, we -paused not in our eating till our -ravenous hunger was appeased. And -then, on the bare floor of boards, -rived roughly out of forest trees,—though -it was a little difficult to fit -our forms to their ridges and hollows,—we -gained a few hours of as sweet -and refreshing slumber as ever visited -mortal eyes.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i052.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">VI<br /> -<br /> -Seeking the Enemy</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - - -<p class="drop-cap">IT will be asked, perhaps, why we -came to this particular place. In -this little town were encamped, at -this particular time, Captain John -Brown and his daring and trusty -band of men.</p> - -<p>"Old Brown," as he was most -often called, was a tower of strength -in time of need. He had become by -that time a veritable terror to the -enemy. Tell a Border Ruffian: -"John Brown is coming," and he -would shake in his shoes, or would -run away had he strength enough left<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> -for locomotion. Missouri mothers -frightened their babies to sleep or -to quietude by the sound of his -name.</p> - -<p>If our information were correct, -the foe we sought largely outnumbered -us. What more natural than -that we should, under the circumstances, -desire the counsel of the -stanch old man, and his help, if -needed.</p> - -<p>He had not looked for an invasion -from the direction at present threatened, -but was daily expecting one -from another quarter. He detailed -two small companies, Captain Shore's -and Captain Cline's,—two-thirds of -his own command,—to join our -force; then bade us seek the enemy, -with the direction, if we found them -too strong for us, to send back word -to him, whereupon he would come<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> -to our aid. Meanwhile, he said, he -would stay with the remainder of his -men and guard the town.</p> - -<p>We set out in the morning, early -and hopefully. Scouts with fleet -horses were dispatched in advance, -and we rapidly followed after. Rumors -of all wild and exaggerated sorts -met us as we went. First, it was -said, there were three hundred of the -enemy, well armed and mounted; -then there were five hundred men, -strongly intrenched to receive our -attack; later, there were a thousand, -coming to meet us.</p> - -<p>At last we began to be a little -apprehensive, possibly a grain frightened. -In the uncertainty, a messenger -was sent back to Captain -Brown to say that probably we should -need his help.</p> - -<p>But we resolutely pushed on, if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> -with somewhat slackened speed. Presently -a scout returned bearing reliable -tidings. The position and strength -of the invaders had been quite accurately -ascertained. They were about -three hundred in number, quietly -encamped, and as yet unaware of our -approach.</p> - -<p>Our officers decided not to wait for -Captain Brown to come up, but to -press forward to the attack and by -celerity of movement gain what advantage -was possible.</p> - -<p>One point was, nevertheless, taken -into consideration. We were but -about sixty in number, all told. We -were prepared and determined to do -some hard fighting if necessary; but, -it was argued, if we could take the -enemy by surprise, victory would be -more fully assured us, and much -needless spilling of blood might be -avoided.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>We therefore proceeded cautiously -till we arrived within two miles of -the hostile force, where our advanced -scouts had taken up position and were -actually looking down with spy-glasses -into the enemy's camp and watching -their every movement. The foe -seemed wholly unconscious of any -impending danger.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i057.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">VII<br /> -<br /> -The Battle</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - - -<p class="drop-cap">IN less time than it takes to relate -it, the plan of battle was arranged.</p> - -<p>Our men were divided into three -companies. Two divisions were to -make flank movements, one on the -right and the other on the left of the -foe, while the third was to assault -directly in front. The plan of attack -was well conceived and as successfully -executed.</p> - -<p>We had a circuit of some miles to -make to gain the flank positions. It -was quickly and silently traveled. In -our division, detailed on the left flank, -hardly a word was spoken during a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> -two hours' march. Each man was -busy with his own thoughts. It is -said that persons in critical situations -will sometimes have their whole lives -pass before them. I believe that -most of us, during this march, recalled -nearly all we had ever done -or seen, known or felt.</p> - -<p>We were suddenly awakened, at -length, from such reveries, by the -crack of rifles and the clash of musketry, -and by bullets actually whizzing -about our ears. So closely had -we stolen the march on them that -when we opened fire we were actually -more in danger from the guns of our -friends than from those of our foes.</p> - -<p>The enemy were taken completely -by surprise. As prisoners whom we -took told us afterward, they thought -that "Old Brown" was surely upon -them; and their next and only -thought was of escape. They left<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> -all, and ran for dear life, some on -foot, shoeless and hatless; others -springing to their horses, and, even -without bridle or saddle, desperately -making the trial of flight. Perfectly -bewildered, they ran this way and -that; and naturally, as our forces -were positioned, many ran directly -into our hands.</p> - -<p>The one thing they did not do well -was to fight, except in the case of a -few desperate ones and of the leaders, -who called in vain upon their men to -rally. Then they gave up all for -lost, and each looked out for himself. -Many discharged their pieces at the -first onslaught, but so much at random -that not a man of our number -was fatally injured, though several -were more or less severely wounded. -We took many prisoners, and captured -some thirty horses, all the -enemy's wagons and luggage, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> -much ammunition and arms. The -victory was complete.</p> - -<p>Not until all was over did Captain -Brown and his reserve come up, -though they had ridden hard to lend -us a helping hand. He warmly congratulated -us, however, upon our good -success, saying that he could not have -done it better himself, and that he -was just as glad and proud of our -victory as though he had won it.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i061.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">VIII<br /> -<br /> -A Scene for a Painter</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">THERE were incidents not a few, -connected with the day and with -the central figure of our sketch, -which would add interest to our pages. -One there was which especially impressed -itself upon all witnesses of -it.</p> - -<p>This relates to one of the enemy -who was fatally wounded in the -battle. He desired very much, he -said, to see "Old Brown" before he -died.</p> - -<p>Captain Brown was informed of -the wish, whereupon he rode up to -the wagon which served as ambulance,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> -and, with somewhat of sternness in -his manner, said to the prisoner, -"You wish to see me. Here I am. -Take a good look at me, and tell -your friends, when you get back to -Missouri, what sort of man I am."</p> - -<p>Then he added in a gentler tone, -"We wish no harm to you or to your -companions. Stay at home, let us -alone, and we shall be friends. I -wish you well."</p> - -<p>The prisoner meanwhile had raised -himself with great difficulty, and -viewed the old man from head to -foot as if feasting his eyes on a great -curiosity. Then he sank back, pale -and exhausted, as he answered, "I -don't see as you are so bad. You -don't talk like it."</p> - -<p>The countenance of Brown as he -viewed the sufferer had changed to a -look of commiseration. The wounded -man saw it, and, reaching out his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> -hand, said, "I thank you." Brown -tenderly clasped it, and replied, "God -bless you," while he turned with -tears in his eyes and rode away.</p> - -<p>The present writer was standing -within a few feet of Brown at the -time, and naturally drank in the scene -with a boy's eager curiosity and susceptibility -to impression.</p> - -<p>It was a scene for a painter, and -the artist could with appropriateness -have called his work, "The Conqueror -Conquered."</p> - -<p>But it was perfectly illustrative of -the man and of the hero. Brown -was as brave as a lion. He seemed -absolutely not to know fear. Yet -withal he possessed a heart tender -as a child's or as the tenderest -woman's.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i064.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">IX<br /> -<br /> -Brown's Night Appointment</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - - -<p class="drop-cap">WE gathered together the spoils -and took up our march on -the backward track toward -home, discussing the exciting events -of the day and recounting to each -other our individual experiences, adventures, -and "hairbreadth escapes." -When we had thus proceeded some -three miles, it was nearing sundown, -and we halted for supper and to determine -our course for the night.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile we had learned an -important fact from our prisoners, -namely: that we had not met all of -our enemies. A part of them, quite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> -a large force, had gone north that -morning, and might be at that very -moment ravaging our own homes -which we had left behind the evening -before. Naturally, these unwelcome -tidings cast a cloud across our rejoicings. -They might after all be turned -to mourning!</p> - -<p>Having nearly finished our meal, -and while we were yet speculating on -the situation, Captain Brown hastily -rose to his feet and called upon all -those, who were ready to go with him, -to mount their horses. Forty or -more men instantly sprang into their -saddles, and others were about to do -the same, when the old man cried, -"Enough—and too many." He -thanked them for their readiness, and -then selected thirty of the number, -tried and trusted men who had followed -him before, and without asking -why or whither. In the present instance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> -also they ventured not a question.</p> - -<p>Brown seldom disclosed his intention -or plans to any one. He wished -no man with him who was not absolutely -reliable. He required the -implicit confidence of his followers -and unquestioning obedience to his -commands. Whoever put himself -under his leadership took his life in -his hand and followed whithersoever -he was led.</p> - -<p>On this occasion some not acquainted -with his habits plied him -with queries as to where he was going -and what he would do. He only -answered, characteristically, that he -"had an appointment with some -Missourians and must not disappoint -them." One ventured jocosely to -ask further, concerning the appointed -place of meeting. He replied, they -had not been kind enough to fix upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> -the precise spot, but he felt bound, -out of courtesy, inasmuch as they -came from a distance, to hold himself -in readiness when wanted. This left -us, of course, wholly in the dark as -to his movements.</p> - -<p>With some words of advice to -those of us remaining,—that we -would better seek our homes, be -prepared to defend them, and ready -for any action when needed,—he -gave the command, "Ready! Forward!" -and, with a wave of his -hand, led his Knights Errant away.</p> - -<p>After they had departed it was -decided that it would be advisible for -us to return to the camping-ground -of the enemy and pitch our tents -there for the night; because, it was -argued, when the detached force gone -north returned, they would naturally -seek their friends in the camp where -they left them.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>Accordingly, though weary near to -exhaustion, we returned and camped -there, threw out our pickets, and -made every preparation to give the -marauders a warm reception should -they appear. We slept on our arms, -ready for any emergency, but the -night passed and we were undisturbed.</p> - -<p>The next morning dawned on us -clear and beautiful. All our apprehensions -of danger had passed with -the darkness. Our pickets were withdrawn. -The scouts, who had been -sent out to gather news of the scattered -settlers, had come back with no -tidings of the foe we had awaited. -Consequently, relieved of all military -restraint, we gave ourselves up for -the time to the preparation and enjoyment -of an early breakfast.</p> - -<p>The wagons were unpacked of -their provisions. The horses were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> -picketed, or were turned loose for -grazing. The prisoners, disarmed, -were allowed comparative freedom. -Fires were lighted here and there for -cooking. And thus we were spread -out over a large area, forgetful of -the enemy, without a thought of an -attack, and bent only on making -ready to satisfy the cravings of -hunger.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i070.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">X<br /> -<br /> -An Intrepid Charge</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - - -<p class="drop-cap">THEN occurred the scene which -gives us one of the glimpses of -John Brown for the sake of -which these reminiscences have been -written.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, over the hill or rising -ground some half or third of a mile -away, two horsemen came up at full -speed.</p> - -<p>"Look! look!" was whispered in -suppressed voices from one to another -of our party, and all eyes were upturned -in that direction.</p> - -<p>Observing us, the horsemen as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> -suddenly turned on their heels, and -disappeared the way they came, leaving -us stupefied with doubt and -wonder.</p> - -<p>In a moment more, however, the -heads of a whole troop rose in sight, -and the cry, "The Missourians! -the Missourians!" rang through our -camp in startling accents.</p> - -<p>We were in dismay, for we were -entirely unprepared for attack and -there was no time to make ready. -We were apparently caught just as -our enemy had been surprised by -ourselves. Men sprang, some for -their arms, some for their horses. -Whether to fight or to try to escape -was uppermost in their minds,—each -could settle that question only for -himself. At any rate, every one felt -that a daring and determined foe, -apparently numbering a hundred, -which was double our own number,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> -could, in the condition in which we -were, utterly cut us to pieces and -destroy us at a blow.</p> - -<p>What grave emotions that thought -aroused! It is difficult for one, -never thrown into any such situation, -to realize or in any degree even imagine -the feelings that may surge -through the bosom of men thus -placed. Accounts have been given -of what panic-stricken crowds or -armies will sometimes do, but a -description of what they <i>feel</i> on -such occasions of disaster was never -yet fully penned or painted by -man.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, some of our number, -who had been cool enough to observe -the fiercely advancing cavaliers, perceived -that they were friends, not -foes. It was old Captain Brown -himself and his trusty band. With -joy, this news rang through our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> -ranks. All eyes were then directed -toward them, enchained and enchanted. -It was a splendid sight.</p> - -<p>They at first, naturally, took us -for enemies, not dreaming but that -we were miles away, where they left -us the evening before. They suspected -us to be the force, encamped -there, which they had been riding all -night to overtake,—the same force -we had awaited.</p> - -<p>They came swiftly up over the -brow of the hill, in full view, with -Brown at their head, and, without -halting or even slackening their -speed, swung into line of battle. -Only thirty men! yet they presented -a truly formidable array. The line -was formed two deep, and was -stretched out to give the men full -room for action. Brown sprang his -horse in front of the ranks, waving -his long broadsword, and on they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> -came, sweeping down upon us with -irresistible fury.</p> - -<p>It was indeed a splendid and fearful -sight, never to be forgotten by -the beholders. Only thirty men! -yet they seemed a host. In their -every action, in their entire movements, -seemed emblazoned, as in -their determined souls it was written, -"Victory or death!"</p> - -<p>Their leader looked the very impersonation -of Battle. Many of us -had seen John Brown before, some -of us a number of times, and under -trying circumstances. But now all -felt that the real man we had never -before beheld. The daring, the intrepidity, -the large resources of the -man, none of us had imagined till -that moment.</p> - -<p>Not a gun was discharged, their -commander having given to his men -the same strict orders that were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> -given at Bunker Hill of old, that -they should "reserve their fire till -they could see the whites of their -enemy's eyes." But before they -had quite gained that very dangerous -proximity to us, we succeeded -in making them understand that we -were their friends.</p> - -<p>Then such a glad shout as rent -the air from both sides was seldom -ever heard, we believe, on any field -even of victory. They were as glad -to find that we were their friends, -as we, in our helpless condition, were -glad to learn that they were not our -enemies.</p> - -<p>The full intrepidity of Brown and -his men, though it appeared to us -astounding, was not fully appreciable -till we came to look at it somewhat -from their own view-point.</p> - -<p>We were actually about eighty -men, prisoners and all. But, spread<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> -out as we were, with the many -horses grazing, the scattered and -unpacked wagons, numerous camp-fires,—widely -separated for convenience,—arms stacked in some -places, and men gathered in groups -in others, we presented altogether a -formidable appearance. What was -more, this was enhanced by our -peculiar position, so that, to them, -our numbers and strength were exaggerated, -while our weakness and -confusion were concealed. Brown -admitted to us himself, afterward, -that he thought he was undertaking -to whip a force of two or three hundred, -while his men declared that -they believed they were actually -charging upon not less than a thousand.</p> - -<p>Brown's quick military eye took in, -at the first, the supposed situation; -and, as in a flash, he decided what to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> -do. All depended, he concluded, upon -rapidity of action. His only hope -lay in striking a sudden and crushing -blow, for which we were unprepared, -and from which we could not -recover till he had made victory sure. -From the time Brown's forces came -in sight over the hill, till they were -within gunshot of us, hardly thirty -seconds elapsed,—a very short notice -in which to prepare for action, even -if an attack were expected.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i078.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">XI<br /> -<br /> -Brown to Our Prisoners</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap2">AFTER mutual congratulations -over the bloodless and happy -conclusion of the adventure, we -set our friends down with us to eat the -interrupted breakfast, to which they -were prepared to do ample justice. -They had ridden all night, some forty -or fifty miles, in pursuit of the enemy,—had -ridden all night, without rest or -food, from the time they left us, at dusk -of evening, till they surprised us that -morning with their dauntless charge.</p> - -<p>Another incident in connection -with the events described it seems -fitting to mention, as affording a very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> -interesting side-glance at the character -of our hero. After the meal, -Captain Brown was asked by our -officers to give a talk to the prisoners -taken the day before, who were now -drawn up in line for parole. He -responded without an instant's hesitation -or a moment to think what -he should say.</p> - -<p>He spoke to them in a plain, simple, -unpretentious way, but with a -directness, a force, and an eloquence -withal, which doubtless wonderfully -impressed those addressed, as certainly -it held spell-bound all others -who listened. Such vivid and indelible -impression did this speech -of Brown make on the mind of the -present writer that, even after the -lapse of these many years, he is able -to reproduce it, not only in substance, -but almost word for word; -and he has no doubt of its exceptional<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> -character. Perhaps it was -second only to that immortal address -which the hero made three years -later to the court at his trial in -Virginia, which Emerson pronounced -one of the three most remarkable -addresses in the world.</p> - -<p>On the latter occasion, however, -instead of a few plain, simple, rough -and ready, but intensely admiring -followers, he had almost the whole -civilized world eagerly to hear and -sacredly to preserve his utterance.</p> - -<p>Brown's speech to the prisoners -was probably not over five minutes -long in its delivery, but it lasted -those forty trembling men a lifetime. -It was not known that one of them -ever afterward ventured over the -Missouri border into the Kansas -territory.</p> - -<p>The address was as follows:</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>"Men of Missouri, one of your -number has asked to see John Brown. -Here he is. Look at him, and hereafter -remember that he is the enemy -of all evil-doers.</p> - -<p>"And what of you yourselves, -men! You are from a neighboring -State. What are you here for? You -are invaders of this territory,—and -for evil purposes, you know as well -as we know. You have been killing -our men, terrorizing our women and -children, and destroying our property,—houses, -crops, and animals. So -you stand here as criminals.</p> - -<p>"You are fighting for slavery. -You want to make or keep other -people slaves. Do you not know that -your wicked efforts will end in making -slaves of yourselves? You come -here to make this a slave State. You -are fighting against liberty, which our -Revolutionary fathers fought to establish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> -in this Republic, where all men -should be free and equal, with the -inalienable rights of life, liberty, and -the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, -you are traitors to liberty and to your -country, of the worst kind, and deserve -to be hung to the nearest -tree.</p> - -<p>"But we shall not touch a hair -of your heads. Have no fear. You -are deluded men. You have been -deceived by men who are your elders -but not your betters. You have -been misled into this wrong, by -those your leaders; thus, they are -the real criminals and worse than -traitors, and, if we had them here -instead of you, they would not find -such mercy at our hands.</p> - -<p>"You we forgive. For, as you -yourselves have confessed, we believe -it can be said of you that, as was said -of them of old, you being without<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> -knowledge, 'you know not what you -do.' But hereafter you will be without -excuse.</p> - -<p>"Go in peace. Go home and tell -your neighbors and friends of your -mistake. We deprive you only of -your arms, and do that only lest some -of you are not yet converted to the -right. We let you go free of punishment -this time; but, do we catch -you over the border again committing -depredations, you must not expect, -nor will you receive, any mercy.</p> - -<p>"Go home, and become liberty-loving -citizens of your State and -country, and your mistakes and misdeeds, -as also the injuries which you -have inflicted upon us, will not have -been in vain."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i084.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">XII<br /> -<br /> -Hard Lines</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">THE personal experiences here -related are of interest and have -a value mainly as they throw -somewhat of fresh light upon the -character of the subject of this work, -Captain Brown, and upon the events -and times in which he was the leading -actor.</p> - -<p>Those were troublous times,—times -that indeed "tried the men's -souls" who experienced them. The -hardships were severe. Danger and -disease, death by ruthless hands, and -even death from starvation, often -stared us in the face. At one time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> -we lived six weeks solely on Indian-meal -mixed with water and dried -before the fire, and that without even -a condiment. This was our common -fare in times of scarcity. Bacon and -molasses, and tea without milk or -sugar, were our luxuries in times of -plenty.</p> - -<p>For months, in the summer of '56, -the men in our settlement never had -their clothes off, day or night, unless -torn or worn off. On a trip early in -the summer mentioned, made by a -companion and myself to Kansas -City for provisions, we chanced to -come across John Brown and his -company encamped in the woods on -a river-bank. After we made ourselves -known as friends we were -invited into their camp. A more -ragged set of men than we found -were rarely, we believe, ever seen,—Brown -worst off of all, for he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> -would not fare better than his men. -They had no shirts to their backs, -and their outer clothing was worn -or torn to tatters. While in camp, -they were going barefoot to save the -remnants of their worn-out shoes for -emergencies. And withal, they were, -they said, on short rations, having -no bread, but only Indian-meal and -water. They were glad of the opportunity -to engage us to bring them -provisions on our return, but they -confessed they were as short of -money as they were of provisions, -which simply meant that we must -share ours with them.</p> - -<p>The men of our company worked -hard by day to raise crops, with their -rifles near at hand, and slept in the -"bush" at night to avoid surprise -and capture in their cabins. Only -the women and children ran the risk -of remaining in the houses, in their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> -defenselessness trusting to the mercy -of the enemy. That border life invited -sickness, especially the malaria of the -low prairie. Our cabins were roughly -made, and so open that when it rained -it was about as wet inside of them as -outside.</p> - -<p>We had not time to dig wells, and -in mid-summer the rivers were low -and the water so stagnant that we -had to brush the green scum from -the surface when we dipped the water -to drink or for other uses. Every -man, woman, and child of the settlement -was ill with the "fever and -ague," so termed. There came near -being an exception to the rule. One -man kept so full of whiskey, continuously, -that the ague didn't seem to -have even a fighting chance; but at -length the liquor fell short, and the -ague then found its opportunity and -even made up for lost time.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>As for fire-arms with which to -defend ourselves, we were not well -off. The famous Sharpe's rifles—"Beecher's -Bibles," so-called, from -the great preacher's contribution of -them—won Kansas to freedom in -large measure; but more by their -terrible name than by virtue of any -large number of the weapons themselves. -The Free State men in -Kansas actually had few of them.</p> - -<p>When my older brother, with whom -I went to the territory, and myself -called on Theodore Parker in Boston,—for -one thing to ask him if those -going to Kansas would be helped to -fire-arms,—he said he was sorry that -his previous contributions had left -him "nary red" which he could give -for the purpose, and he referred -us to the Aid Society. We concluded, -however, to depend on our -own means, though slender, and so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> -bought, to use between us, one -Sharpe's rifle for twenty-five dollars. -We thought it might be useful to bring -down prairie hens and wild turkeys, -if not needed for more serious use.</p> - -<p>This was the only Sharpe's rifle -owned in our settlement of thirty-six -men and youth able to bear arms. -The members of our company, in -fact, at this early period in the -Kansas troubles of which we write, -were very slimly accoutered for warfare, -and the writer actually went into -the battle of Sugar Mound, described -in previous pages, with an old, worn-out -flint-lock rifle, being a boy put off -with the poorest weapon, which, with -the greatest care, he could not discharge -more than once in a half-dozen -times' trying. And it was the -only weapon he had until he made -prisoner a Missourian and possessed -himself of better arms.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i090.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">XIII<br /> -<br /> -A Government Musket</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">WHAT does the reader suppose -these arms were? The one -of interest was a United -States army musket, altered over from -a "flint-lock" to a modern "percussion-cap,"—a -very effective fire-arm. It -will be seen that we had to contend -not only with the Border Ruffian, but -with the greater ruffian at that time -behind him, the United States Government -itself, which was covertly lending -its influence and even its arms on the -side of slavery. Those Government -guns were stored at Fort Scott, on -the Missouri border, and the Pro-slavery<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> -men were allowed to help -themselves to them.</p> - -<p>That Government musket I intended -to keep as a souvenir of -Kansas times; but later, on the -occasion of coming down the Missouri -river, when boarding the steamboat -with this musket in a common -gun-case, I thoughtlessly, on entering -the main saloon, stood it in a -conspicuous corner. It was soon -afterward noticed,—"spotted," as -the phrase went,—and I heard some -one whisper, "Kansas." A rough-looking -passenger approached the -piece, removed its case in examining -it, and inquired in a loud voice for -its owner. Everybody was now all -interest. It was a time when the -Kansas excitement was at its height, -and passions ran wild.</p> - -<p>The cry, "Yankee! Yankee!" -burst from the crowd. "Overboard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> -with him! Overboard! Overboard!" -was howled, and "Yankee! Yankee!" -again rang out in hot, angry tones.</p> - -<p>The subject of these gentle remarks, -it goes without saying, was -surely one of the most interested -spectators of the scene of all the -members of the crowd, and, as was -quite politic, joined in the outcries. -The odds seemed to be decidedly -against him, and dissent was surely -unwise. Apparently there was not -another Eastern man on board, and -this one felt—as once a Western -man said he did when expecting to -be lynched by a howling mob—"a -little lonesome." Very fortunately -for him, no one observed that he was -in any way connected with the interesting -implement of warfare. Had -it been discovered that he was the -owner of that musket,—well! he -would probably not be here now to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> -tell his story. If the possessor of -it, on the contrary, had proved to -be a "Pro-slavery" from the territory, -he would immediately have -been lionized as a hero.</p> - -<p>"All's well that ends well." The -only matter of regret to the owner -was that he lost sight and possession -forever, that troublous night, of his -souvenir musket. It was secretly -made away with by some one's hands, -under cover of the darkness.</p> - -<p>An incident in the story of the -musket we may here relate, on account -of its probable significance, -not apparent at that time, but revealed -at a later date.</p> - -<p>As we were making our way -leisurely from the battlefield at Sugar -Mound, the opportunity was afforded -me to show Captain Brown my share -of the trophies of our recent victory. -He seemed rather indifferent as he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> -looked at the revolvers, the fine -powder-horn, the shot-bag, and the -cartridge-pouch; but when he caught -sight of the musket he grasped it -eagerly and scrutinized it with intense -interest. On the gun-stock was inscribed: -"Made at the U. S. Armory, -Harper's Ferry, Va.,"—or words to -that effect.</p> - -<p>When, three years later, occurred -that startling episode in our history -at Harper's Ferry, Brown's scrutiny -of the musket was recalled by me -and apparently found its explanation. -It raises the question, How long had -he contemplated carrying the war -into Africa?</p> - -<p>In Brown's view, slavery was war, -aggressive and in actual operation. -Therefore, any attack on the institution -was virtually defensive warfare, -legitimate and justifiable. He was -a worshiper, heart and soul, at liberty's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> -shrine, and to his mind no -sacrifice in its cause was too great or -costly. In that light must be interpreted -his hard saying: "It would -be better that a whole generation of -men, women, and children should be -sacrificed than have liberty perish -from the earth."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i096.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">XIV<br /> -<br /> -An Unfailing Guide</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">THE youngest male member of -our Kansas party, hardly more -than a boy, was possessor of -a peculiar psychical faculty—very -fortunately for us during all our -troublous experiences in the territory. -It was a modest gift, but an -exceedingly useful one to us under -the exceptional circumstances in -which we often found ourselves, and -this not alone to its owner, but to the -whole company. It cannot be better -designated, in brief, than as the faculty -of "finding the way," the term -usually employed in speaking of it.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>It probably will not lessen the -interest of the reader in the matter -if he is here told that the writer of -this account himself was the happy -possessor of this useful power. From -a boy, a mere child, he may say, it -was known among his playmates -that he could lead them safely and -surely to any place or object, when -there was doubt about its locality, -and could also discover the whereabouts -of things lost. The shyness -of the boy led him to keep his gift -in the background.</p> - -<p>In Kansas it was as suddenly as -remarkably made prominent perforce. -It came into use the first day after -we set out on our journey over the -prairie. We had not gone far from -the borders of civilization,—only far -enough for its objects to be out of -view,—when our whole caravan of -travelers, their teams, horses, oxen,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> -and wagons, came to a full stop. -The trail over the prairie branched -into two, and all were in doubt which -was the right one to take. The -clouds had shut in the sun, and the -boundless prairie stretched out on -all sides, with not an object, house -or tree, hill, or even a rock, in view, -as a landmark by which we could -aim our course. One of the party, -with a little experience in traveling -on the prairie, warned us that an -error made here might mislead us a -whole day's journey.</p> - -<p>The situation began to be a little -distressing; whereupon the older -brother of the psychic boy said: -"Call up my brother. He will tell -you which trail to take." Accordingly, -the boy was summoned to the -front; and to the older heads, waiting -there with amused smiles on their -faces for the decision, he pointed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> -out what, in his belief, was the right -trail. Being wholly in doubt, they, -with their smiles deepening to laughter, -said they might as well follow -the trail he indicated. It turned out -to be the correct one.</p> - -<p>During the following ten or a -dozen days' journey, as many times -at least the youth was summoned to -the front, and his psychical faculty -put to the test. Its possessor was -made happy, and his companions -were equally gratified, that his power -in no instance failed him.</p> - -<p>These trails, mere wagon-tracks -across the country, ran in almost all -directions, crosswise, parallel, and at -all angles, and were enough to puzzle -the very elect,—the elect being in -this instance the psychic youth. The -earnest wish to find the way in any -case—and the stronger and more -earnest the wish the better—seemed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> -to be a sort of mainspring to the -action of the power to insure its -success.</p> - -<p>This gift was brought into play -many times during the two years of -Kansas events sketched here, and -served us well; was often invaluable. -The fact just mentioned, that the -strong wish insured its effectiveness, -was often clearly shown. For instance, -on the occasion referred to -in a previous chapter, of our happening -upon Captain Brown's camp in -an out-of-the-way spot on our trip -for provisions, there was a strong -desire on our part, excited, perhaps, -much by curiosity, to see Brown and -his men at that particular time in -their temporary hiding-place; and -seemingly by this intense desire inciting -the psychic power, we were -led to the spot,—for it had taken -us, as we found afterward, quite a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> -number of miles out of our direct -course.</p> - -<p>In passing, we will here digress a -little from our story to say that, at -this time of our visit, Brown was -being hunted down, like a criminal -or a wild beast, by the Government -military as well as by his other -enemies, and was all the time liable -to betrayal into their hands.</p> - -<p>I remember well, in this connection, -how we found him armed that -day. He carried about his person -not less than twenty shots with -which to defend himself did it -become necessary: a Remington -repeater—six shots; a brace of revolvers—six-shooters; -and a pair -of pistols. He had also a long knife -or dirk, and his usual trusty old -broadsword. Most of these arms, -he seemed to take pains to inform -us, were presented to him by his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> -friends. Particularly did the old -man impress me, while showing us -the weapons, when he quietly remarked: -"Our enemies would like -much, no doubt, to get hold of me; -but," he added with sternness, "I -will never be taken alive, and I warn -them I shall punish them to the -extent of my power if they attempt -my capture."</p> - -<p>To return from this digression, it -was a perilous thing in those days -for one to venture out alone on the -prairie. It was perilous to life, and -perhaps still more dangerous to the -property of him who ventured,—at -least in some ways. For one thing, -we did not dare to risk our horses. -Horses were valuable, and the enemy -considered them as legitimate contraband -of war. The luckless horseman -caught abroad by his foes was -simply ordered to dismount. His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> -horse, saddled and bridled, was led -off, and the owner was left to make -his way on foot, no matter how far -the distance. When a team without -a load was overtaken by our opponents, -the horses were appropriated -and the wagon left standing on the -prairie. Were the wagon loaded with -valuables, both animals and wagon -were confiscated, and their owner -was told, very likely with rifles -pointed at him, to run for life till -out of sight. In such cases, were -one found with money or other valuables -on his person, he was summarily -relieved of them. Sometimes -we sewed our money within the -lining of our clothes, for safety; but -that device for concealment had its -risks. One was liable to be stripped, -and to have his clothing cut or torn -to shreds in the hurried search for -the money.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i104.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">XV<br /> -<br /> -Hazardous Journeys</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">SUCH were some of the hazards -of travel at that time, when the -new territory was indeed "bleeding -Kansas."</p> - -<p>Journeys, nevertheless, had to be -made, and long ones, and many of -them from sheer necessity. We -were obliged to buy in a distant -market all the food we ate, with all -other necessaries of life. Shipment -of goods must be made by ox-teams—the -use of horses being out of -the question, for the reasons mentioned; -and the ox-team was rather a -slow means of transportation. Some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> -ten days were necessary to make the -journey from our settlement to the -nearest good market, Kansas City, -and return.</p> - -<p>There was another matter we had -to consider. The journeys were -hazardous to men as well as to -horses. Men were valuable and -scarce. Not more than two at most -were ever allowed to go on these -dangerous errands, and usually one -only.</p> - -<p>It is not strange, as will readily -be understood, that the boy who -could "find his way" was for that -reason chosen to make these trips, -and he generally went alone. Another -reason for this choice was that -the settlers would not run the risk -of sacrificing their mature, strong -male members in this service, could -it be avoided. This youth—because -a youth, with no one, wife or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> -children, dependent upon him—would -not be so great a loss to the -community if capture, imprisonment, -or death befell him! He was, however, -inspired by, and felt not a little -pride because of, the confidence reposed -in his ability to perform the -difficult and dangerous task assigned -him.</p> - -<p>Quite a number of these trips I -made alone, and in not one did I -lose my way. On one occasion the -guiding faculty was put to a severe -test. At the end of a day's travel -the oxen were freed as usual from -the wagon for two or three hours, -in order that they might graze. -Meanwhile, strict watch of them -was necessary, lest they should -wander away. That night, through -much exhaustion and lack of rest, it -was my misfortune to fall asleep. -When I awoke, long past midnight,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> -the cattle were gone. The full -moon shone brightly overhead, lighting -up the horizon far away on all -sides; but, far and wide as the eye -could reach, no sight or sign of the -animals was visible on that prairie -ocean.</p> - -<p>A serious state of things this appeared -to be, at first thought, and -it awakened serious apprehensions. -Far from home, I was left with my -valuables on the prairie, bereft of all -means of taking them to their destination. -But upon second thought, -often the better, I calmly fell back, -for rescue, on my humble psychic -faculty. Humble and inconsequential -I had held it, but, if it served -me true this time, it never again -should be lightly valued.</p> - -<p>It proved as true as the needle -to the pole.</p> - -<p>It seemed to me that the cattle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> -had gone in a certain direction; and -in that direction I went, in a straight -line over the prairie, three or four -miles, directly to them. There they -were, quietly feeding, close to a -stream at which they had evidently -quenched their thirst. They were -led, doubtless, to find this water, in -their need that night, by an instinct -similar to, and equally as unerring -as, that possessed by their owner -which he had used to find them.</p> - -<p>Whether the same instinct that -"found the way" in the instances -related served to secure successful -avoidance of the enemy on these -journeys will not be asserted; but -this interesting fact can be affirmed, -namely, that, happily for the lone -teamster and for the settlers whose -property, whether money or purchases, -was intrusted to his care, -not once were dangerous foes encountered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> -on these trips, and only -in one instance was there a near -approach to it.</p> - -<p>One day three horsemen appeared -on the horizon in the rear, bearing -down upon me. When we have not -strength sufficient, we are prone to -resort to strategy for protection or -to extricate ourselves from difficulty. -On board my wagon, the usual large -"prairie-schooner," covered with canvas, -was a box of firearms which, -with foolhardiness, I had undertaken -to deliver in Osawatomie. For one -to transport arms was to invite the -services of the executioner.</p> - -<p>I had reason that day, however, -to thank my foolhardiness. At first -sight of the approaching horsemen I -sprang into the cart, forced off the -box-cover, and stuck several of the -gun-muzzles out under the sides of -the wagon-canopy.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>And another reason I had for -thankfulness that day. It had been -my good fortune that summer, while -lying ill of the ague, to learn a little -of the ventriloquist's art from a half-breed -Indian. The accomplishment -served me well now. As the strange -horsemen closely approached, I was -busy carrying on a conversation, -ventriloquist-wise, with my imaginary -companions inside the covered wagon.</p> - -<p>"Lie still and make up your sleep. -Lie still. No danger."</p> - -<p>"Who is it?" (from the wagon.)</p> - -<p>"They are travelers," was answered; -"friendly, no doubt. Lie -still and get your sleep."</p> - -<p>(From inside the wagon) "Whistle -if you want us."</p> - -<p>Answer: "O yes, I will. Lie still. -No danger,—they're friends."</p> - -<p>By this time the troopers were -alongside. They looked hard at me,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> -but harder at the gun-muzzles, made -the usual "good-day" greeting, asked -a few questions, and rode on. My -little artifice had worked like a -charm. My visitors, I felt little -doubt, had planned and meant mischief; -had probably been in search -of my team, possibly for days, incited -by hope of rich plunder.</p> - -<p>This record of personal experiences -will serve the main purpose -for which it is written if it lays bare -to the reader in some degree the -difficulties and dangers, the trials -and sacrifices, of the Free State -settlers whom John Brown led at -last to victory in the Kansas struggle -for freedom.</p> - -<p>In closing this chapter, I will give -my readers the only explanation I -am able to proffer of the strange -faculty of localization which has been -mentioned. No voice is heard, nothing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> -like an impression is felt, there -is no experience of any occult power -of vision. Indeed, I have already -stated all that I am conscious of, in -the words, "it seems to me" that -the object of quest, or the locality -sought, lies in a certain direction -or place, whenever this faculty is -brought into play to find it.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i113.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">XVI<br /> -<br /> -The Osawatomie Battle</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">THE engagement at Sugar Mound -(also called Middle Creek) took -place on Monday, the 25th of -August. Five days later, on Saturday, -August 30th, was fought the -really famous battle of Osawatomie, -the Bunker Hill of the Kansas -struggle.</p> - -<p>In the early dawn of that day -some four hundred of the enemy, -well mounted and equipped,—with -their bayonets glistening in the morning -sun,—bore down upon the devoted -town and its stanch defenders. -There, in that day's notable battle,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> -John Brown showed that he possessed -real military talent. In this -case he was acting on the defensive, -and manifested coolness and caution -equal in effectiveness to the dash and -daring displayed on other occasions.</p> - -<p>To our settlement on the South -Pottawatomie, the same thing occurred -on this memorable occasion -as on the earlier one already described. -A rider came up the creek -twenty miles, asking for our aid.</p> - -<p>This time the messenger was sent -by Brown himself, and there was a -similar ready and willing response to -the call, even though we had so lately -arrived home. There was the same -eager hurrying to and fro to get our -force together, the same quick preparations, -hasty leave-taking, setting -out at dusk, and the like night-march. -We made all possible haste to the -rescue.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>Before midnight, however, when -we had covered only half the distance -to our friends in distress, a -scout met us with unwelcome news, -which, to our dismay, ran: "Battle -at Osawatomie, John Brown killed, -Free State men defeated, and the -town burned to ashes." Moreover, -our informant thought it probable -that the victors were on their way -to lay waste our settlement.</p> - -<p>The only thing now to be done -was to return to our homes, and to -make ready, if the need came, to -defend them. One prior thing it -was decided it would surely be well -to do, namely: dispatch two scouts -to our friends at the scene of disaster -and get accurate information of their -fate or fortune.</p> - -<p>The choice fell upon the two -brothers, the writer and his older -brother, and for the reason (comforting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> -to them) that, being the youngest -men, with none dependent upon them, -their loss, were they killed, would be -less to the community than the loss -of older men. And besides, one of -them was good at "finding the way" -and the other had won a reputation -for extra courage and trustiness in -emergencies. We were assigned, to -say the least, a rather delicate and -hazardous duty, and probably there -were few men in the company that -night anxious or willing to undertake -it.</p> - -<p>Bidding our comrades adieu, we -mounted two of our best horses and -proceeded on through the night. -Being obliged, for safety, to avoid -both the "open" and the main road, -we could make our way but slowly, -and so did not reach the vicinity of -Osawatomie till daylight. We kept -in hiding during the day, spying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> -around the city of desolation and -trying to learn of the presence of -foes or if any of our friends were -still alive. After nightfall we cautiously -approached the log-cabin on -the outskirts of the town, where, if -anywhere, we knew we should most -likely find friends. It was the home -of the Adairs, relatives of John Brown.</p> - -<p>There we learned from them the -story of recent events. Captain -Brown had not been killed, as was -reported, though he was wounded; -but there in that humble cottage, -folded in the embrace of death, lay -one of his sons, the tall, handsome -Frederick Brown, as noble-looking as -he was noble of soul, the fourth of -that now historic band of six hero-sons, -worthy scions of their hero-father.</p> - -<p>As the Pro-slavery invaders were -marching into Osawatomie, two of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> -their scouts, at some distance from -the town, met this son of Brown -with a companion named Garrison, -and in cold blood, without provocation, -shot down the unarmed men. -Their whole force of four hundred -or more horsemen then trampled -over the bodies, leaving them to lie -there all day in the hot August sun.</p> - -<p>Late that same night, Sunday evening, -as we lingered in conversation -with the family, the old father, having -learned of the death of his son, -returned to take a last look at his -remains. Here again, surely, was a -scene for a painter, in that lowly cabin -that night. If a picture of it, as those -bright young eyes saw it in all its -realistic setting and color, could have -been faithfully depicted on the artist's -canvas, and thus preserved for us -to-day, it could not fail to be of more -than common historic interest.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i120.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Interior of the Adair Log Cabin.</span></p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>As Brown bent over the lifeless -form of his boy, there was not a -word of complaint from his lips, nor -any look of revenge on his face,—only -deep, silent grief, and falling -tears, and humble submission to the -Almighty will. Then he hurried away -to the morrow's duty, after expressing -his wishes as to the disposal of the -remains of his son.</p> - -<p>Yes, one thing more, doubtless. -He carried away in his heart that -night a deeper abhorrence of the -institution which had virtually inspired -the blow and aimed the bullet -that had ended that young life. -The scene in that lowly cabin that -night was to remain, at any rate, -ineffaceable in the memory of the -few who were witnesses to it.</p> - -<p>On the opposite page is given an -interior view of the Adair log-cabin, -taken while Mr. Adair was still living,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> -and representing him sitting in his -accustomed chair in the main room -of the house,—the room where lay -the body of Brown's son, Frederick, -and where the father sadly viewed it.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The battle of Osawatomie was -surely a remarkable engagement. -Brown, with a handful of men hastily -gathered together and placed in -position, kept long at bay more than -ten times their number. The stand -was made in the edge of the timber, -on the near bank of the river. -"There," said Brown modestly in -his account of the battle, "we had -exceptional opportunity to annoy the -enemy."</p> - -<p>The first onslaught of their foes, -who marched gaily as if to sure victory, -was met by a steady, determined -fire from Brown and his men, -so destructive as to make the ranks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> -of their assailants reel, break, and -then hastily retreat. Again and yet -again they re-formed their broken -lines, and renewed the attack, suffering -terrible punishment each time, -till their leaders could rally them no -longer.</p> - -<p>At that time the gallant little -band of defenders, out of ammunition -and with their ranks sadly thinned, -thought it wise to retire across the -river. Their foes, crippled and shattered, -had no heart to follow, and -the battle ended. It only remained -for spite and revenge to find vent -in the burning of the town.</p> - -<p>We need not recite details here; -they are matters of history. And -yet some uncertainty has hung over -that engagement. The invaders, in -the chagrin and shame of their more -than failure, proceeded to conceal or -falsify the facts. And never was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> -there greater temptation to falsification. -The certainty of Brown's annihilation -at their hands they had loudly -trumpeted beforehand, but their own -defeat had occurred instead.</p> - -<p>The account of the battle written -soon after by Brown to his family -was near to the truth, and is borne -out by all reliable testimony. About -thirty of the assailants were killed, -and the usual ratio of wounded would -be some seventy-five or eighty.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i125.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">XVII<br /> -<br /> -Conclusion</h2></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i007b.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<p class="drop-cap">IN concluding these reminiscences -it only remains to be said, of the -subject of them, that in the writer's -opinion John Brown was a great man; -and he believes that this will be the -verdict of the future upon him when -misconceptions and prejudice are -blown to the winds. John Brown is -one of the most unique characters -in all our history. In a way, he -stands almost alone, and deserves, if -only for that reason, a place in the -Hall of Fame far more than many -a one who has been given a niche -therein.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>John Brown was a hero. Our -country has brought forth no greater -one. He was of the very substance -and essence of self-sacrifice. What -higher can be said of any one of -our humankind? Everything, possessions, -reputation, life, he was ready -to throw into the scales against -wrong and for the cause of human -liberty, human rights, and justice, -which were to him as sacred, as -divine, as the God he worshiped. -Love of them was the consuming -passion of his soul, and to fight for -them, to live and die for them, was -to him the highest duty of man.</p> - -<p>The ablest minds have been the -most appreciative of the high qualities -of John Brown,—for example, Ralph -Waldo Emerson, of our own country, -and Victor Hugo, of France. It is -Edward Everett Hale who has pronounced<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> -him "our great American -martyr." Nothing could be finer than -Thomas Wentworth Higginson's tribute: -"It must be conceded that John -Brown was the most eloquent of all -our great Abolitionists, for his was -the eloquence of a life."</p> - -<p>Let not our readers conclude that -we are attempting to glorify Brown's -militant course, or that we would -inspire the spirit of war. We celebrate -the great soul.</p> - -<p>John A. Andrew said: "Whatever -might be thought of John Brown's -acts, John Brown himself was right." -That sentiment so touched the popular -heart at the time that it went -far to make Andrew governor.</p> - -<p>We may accept fully and wholly -the man, though we approve not his -methods. Brown derived his ideal, -in its spirit, so to speak, from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> -New Testament; but his ideal of -action was rooted in the Old Dispensation. -The one is wholly worthy -our following, the other is not.</p> - -<p>One can allow that this is true, -though he hold that the old or past -was inevitable, and that Brown did -the best possible at the time and -under the circumstances. That is no -reason why we should go on imitating -his example; but we cannot be -enough filled with his spirit.</p> - -<p>The truth, we think, may be told -in a word: John Brown belonged to -the "old order," which is passing -away. Heaven speed its end! He -was a man of war, whatever else he -might be; though it seems surely to -be shown that he was much besides. -While we would do him full justice, -while we glorify the spirit he was of, -we must turn to our higher ideal,—those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> -of the "new order," the men of -peace. The spirit of both may be the -same, their methods are as opposite -as the poles.</p> - -<p>Tolstoi has given us the key that -opens to us the coming ideal: "It -is better to suffer wrong, even without -limit, than to do wrong even in -the least."</p> - -<p>This represents the meaning of -Tolstoi, though it may not be expressed -in just his words. That ideal -is far in advance of mankind in general -to-day, but the world is moving -surely if slowly toward it. The spirit -that actuated John Brown—that of -self-sacrifice for what he believed to -be the good and true, and his entire -devotion to liberty and right—is to -be more and more alive, and more -truly than ever "marching on."</p> - -<p>The North will more and more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> -appreciate and honor John Brown, -as time goes on; and we shall not -wonder very much if even the South -some day builds a monument to his -memory. For it is simple justice, and -not flattery, to say that no men ever -lived who possessed higher courage -or had a finer sense of what is heroic -than the true Southerner.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of John Brown the Hero, by J. W. 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