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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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