John Brown, Soldier of Fortune: A CritiqueWilson, Hill Peebles
History
John Brown, Soldier of Fortune: A Critique
Wilson, Hill Peebles
Brown, John, 1800-1859
Sumner's orders bore lightly upon Captain Shore. It was a simple
proposition for his men to "disband and return to their regular
vocations." The presence of Pate and his band in the neighborhood was a
menace to their peace and security; they had left their work, in
response to a call from their captain, to unite in an effort to drive
out the intruders; also they had behaved creditably, and were ready to
return to their homes and to the congratulations which they were sure to
receive from their Free-State neighbors on account of their victory. But
with the Browns it was different. They were engaged in a different kind
of business: the horse and general robbery business. They too had won a
victory--a far greater victory than Shore's men. It was their personal
fight which they had won. With Shore's assistance they had beaten and
captured the posse that had come to arrest them for murder and robbery.
They had fought for their lives--also for Pate's horses and mules. But
they had no homes to which to go. They belonged to a different class of
citizens--the undesirable class. They were outlaws against whom their
neighbors and relatives had closed their doors. Mr. Villard states[165]
that on the evening of May 26th, John Brown, Jr., and Jason Brown were
refused admittance into the house of their uncle, the Rev. Mr. Adair,
near Osawatomie. He said to them, "Can't keep you here. Our lives are
threatened. Every moment we expect to have our house burned over our
heads." However, after assuring Mrs. Adair that they "did not have
anything to do with the murders on the Pottawatomie" they were permitted
to come in. But later that night, when Owen Brown sought admittance to
his uncle's home, Mr. Adair refused even to parley with him, saying:
"Get away, get away as quickly as you can! You endanger our lives. You
are a vile murderer, a marked man!"
Bondi states that within an hour after Sumner ordered the companies to
disband. Camp Brown had ceased to exist. The wounded Salmon (Thompson)
was taken to Carpenter's cabin, nearby, and nursed by Bondi; the others,
with Weiner, camped in a thicket about half a mile from the abandoned
camp.[166] June 10th settlement was made with Weiner, and he left the
country. It is probable that, at this date, the horses which were taken
on the Pottawatomie had been sold; and that final settlement was then
made between the Browns and Weiner, and their unknown confederates. Mr.
Villard states that "on Thursday June 10, at a council held that day, it
was agreed to separate. Weiner had business in Louisiana. Henry Thompson
[Salmon Brown] was also taken to Carpenter's cabin, and Bondi
accompanied Weiner as far as Leavenworth."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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