James Redpath, The Public Life of Captain John Brown

[135] surrendered forthwith; although there were only nine Free State men in the ravine, or in sight, when the demand was made; and four of them, by Brown's orders, had remained where they were stationed. Five heroes, therefore, of whom John Brown was one, received the surrender of the arms and persons of twenty-one men, exclusive, too, of the wounded marauders. A large number of arms were obtained, many of which had been taken from Lawrence and Palmyra; twenty-three horses and mules, many of them recently stolen from the Northern squatters; a portion of the goods plundered at the sacking of the Free State store, two days before; as well as wagons, ammunition, camp-equipage, and provisions for the men. The wagons were all injured by the bullets.

The prisoners, being now disarmed, were ranged in

file by the slender band of captors. The boys on the hill were induced to come in, thereby swelling the Free State force to sixteen persons. Captain Brown marched with the prisoners and a large portion of the spoils to his own camp. The wounded men were carefully cared for; and, on their recovery, admonished to do better in the future, and sent home to Missouri.