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History>eXplorations>John
Brown: Hero or Terrorist?> John
Brown in Kansas>John Brown to His Family
John
Brown to his Family, September 7, 1865
Source:
John Brown Papers, Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas
I have one moment to write you to say that I am yet alive that
Jason & family were well yesterday John; & family I hear
are well; (he being yet a prisoner. On the morning of the 30th
Aug an attack was made by the ruffians on Osawatomie numbering
some 400 by whose scouts our dear Fredk was shot dead without
warning he supposing them to be Free State men as near as we can
learn. One other man a Cousin of Mr Adair was murdered by them
about the same time that Fredk was killed & one badly wounded
at the same time. At this time I was about 3 miles off where I
had some 14 or 15 men over night that I had just enlisted to serve
under me as regulars. There I collected as well as I could with
some 12 or 15 more & in about 3/4 of an Hour attacked them
from a wood with thick undergroth., with this force we threw them
into confusion for about 15 or 20 Minuets [sick during which time
we killed & wounded from. 70 to 80 of the enemy as they say
& then we escaped as well as we could with one killed while
escaping; Two or Three wounded; & as many more missing. Four
or Five Free State men were butchered during the day in all. Jason
fought bravely by my side during the fight & escaped with
me he being unhurt. I was struck by a partly spent, Grape, Canister,
or Rifle shot which bruised me some but did not injure me seriously.
"Hitherto the Lord hath helped me" not withstanding
my afflictions. Things now seem rather quiet just now: but what
another Hour will bring I cannot say . . . .
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