Judge Atchison became especially prominent in the legislature for the organization of the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, and claims to have originated the repeal of the Missouri Compromise bill. On his retirement from the Senate, of which he was an honored member for the space of twelve years, during the larger part of the time as presiding officer, he continued to take a lively interest in the politics of the country, and was regarded as a leader and chief adviser of the pro- slavery party in Kansas during the troubles which preceded the admission as a State. In 1856 we find him in command of 1,150 men at a point called Santa Fe. On the 29th of August, the same year, a detachment from General Atchison’s army attacked Osawatomie, which was defended by about fifty men, who made a vigorous resistance but were defeated with a loss of five wounded and seven prisoners. Five of the assailants were killed and thirty buildings were burned. The next day a body of Free State men marched from Lawrence to take Atchison’s army. Upon their approach the latter retired and withdrew its forces into Missouri. The admission of Kansas as a free State soon after this occurred put an end to this much vexed question and restored tranquility to the country. General Atchison lived in retirement on his magnificent estate in Clinton county until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he left for the South and was present at the battle of Lexington. Governor Jackson secured him a commission as brigadier general at the commencement of the war. This General Atchison declined, as his residence was in Clinton county, outside the limits of the division. He, however, remained with the army and assisted in its organization. He joined temporarily for the purpose of making up the company under Ephraim Kelley’s command from St. Joseph and remained with the army until after the battle of Elkhorn. At the close of the war, General Atchison returned to his home in Clinton county, where he continued to reside in almost unbroken retirement on his 1,700–acre farm in a neat cottage erected on the site of his spacious brick mansion, which was accidentally destroyed by fire February 2, 1870. He never married, and died at his home in Clinton county, January 26, 1886. MATT. GERBER.