Orville Chester Brown

In this excerpt of a ca. 1856-1861 document, Orville Chester Brown describes the August 30, 1856 Battle of Osawatomie. In the middle of the night, Brown states, John Reid led his men towards Osawatomie. At dawn they marched into the town armed with bayonets, and the men of the town “flew to arms – whilst the women in their night clothes bearing their children in their arms fled to the woods.” Brown's house was burned down in the battle and his son was taken prisoner.

Bleeding Kansas, Bloodletting Missouri
Border Ruffians
Guerrillas
Women
Surviving a Guerrilla War
Battle at Osawatomie

Orville Chester Brown
John Brown

Miami County, Kansas
Douglas County, Kansas

Document

Kansas Historical Society

Orville Chester Brown Coll. #301, Series A, Folder 7: 1856, Item 1

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