Kansas 1855
Browns Station, Kansas Territory, 14th Decem 1855
Orson Day Esqr
White Hall
N Y Dear Sir
I have just returned for the Kansas War (about which you have no doubt learned by the news papers;) & find your Letter of the 19th Nov. As I intend to send you shortly a paper published here giving you a more full account of the invasion than I can consistently afford the time to give; I will only say at this time that the territory is now entirely in the power of the Free State men; & notwithstanding this result has been secured by means of some bravery, & tact; with a good deal of trickery on the one side; & of cowardice, folly, & drunkeness on the other yet so it is; & I believe the Missourians will give up all further hope of making Kansas a Slave State. Tomorrow the people of Kansas will decide whether to adopt or to reject the Free Constitution submitted to them; & I have no doubt of its adoption. Indeed I consider it no longer a question whether this is to be a free or a Slave State. As I wrote you a few days since we have secured a good claim for you & shall be preparing to build on it for you as fast as we can. As we have access to no Saw Mill as yet for any lumber. Think you & Mrs Day had better leave the plannig of a House to Mr. Thompson & myself; but still if you send us a plan in season we will conform to it so far as circumstances will allow of it. Could you be on the ground & understand all the circumstances in connection you would probably decide to do in many respects different from what you would if at White Hall. I would be glad to get you to buy a Draft on New York at some good bank in your vicinity for $146.38 One Hundred & Forty Six Dollars & Thirty Eight Cents payable to the order of T W Carter, Esqr; & send it to him in a letter directed T W Carter Esqr. Agent Mass. Arms Co. Chicopee Falls, Mass.; asking him to acknowlege the receipt as for me; & will make the same all right with you I want to remit him that amount in payment for Fire arms sent me by him; & without which we might have been placed in very awkward circumstances. I am more & more plased with this country; & with the prospects of my friends here; & think I may recommend it to you in good faith. Please write me on receipt of this whether you can accommodate me about the Draft for Mr. Carter or not; so that I may know as soon as may be. Land Warrants will be as good as gold in payment for Land as soon as the Lands are in readiness for market; & you will be safe in improving on a Claim while you keep a Warrant ready to pay for it with The health of my Family out here is improving. The most of them are in fine health. In great haste Your Friend
John Brown
Kansas 1855
Richmond friday Dec 7 1855
Dear Brother
Thinking you May Want to hear Whare I am and how I get along I take my pen to inform you – I am on my way to Kansas City My health is improving. I think if I am carefull I Shall get along without any more trouble from Sickness unless I take cold – in Regard To the State of things here it is imposable to tell how things are – one thing is certain Thare is a grate Excitment here the Missourians tell terible Stories about the Abolitionest they Say the abilitionest are Driving out pro Slavery famelies & Burning thare Houses others Say thare is a conspiracy to do that thing – the probable trouth is that thare was a Difficulty Beteen a free State man & a pro Slavery man the pro Slavery Man Shot the free State man & killed him and he was taken by the Sheriff and the people at Lawrence or about 40 men took him from the Sheriff & Thretened to Shoot or Hang him that probably is about the trouth in the case thare is great Stories got up for the Momment to cause Excitment – The Report is that thare are Eleven Hundred Men at Lawrence all armed With Sharps Riffels With Six Cannon and that they have Thrown an imbankment around the City and are Deturmined to fight – the pro Slavery party have at the Last account about Eight Hundred in the vicinity of Lawrence and Wer coming in from all quarters – the govenor Says he Wants three thousand Men then he Shall trye to Subdue the Rebelion – the Report is that the president has instructed the govenor to Call out the Soldiers from the forts in this vicinity to help put down the Rebelion as I Said Before it is imposable to tell What to beleive one thing is Certain thare is a very grate Excitment thare has ben – Reselutions passed by the Missourians To Burn Lawrence and drive out the Dambd Abilitionists – What the Result Will be god only Can tell if they Should get afiting whare it will End it is imposable for human Knowlage to fore See My prayer is that god Who Controols the affairs of men will Controol these – Raging Elements & Bring about a calm
I think I Shall be in Kansas City tomorow Evening if nothing happens then I Can tell Better How things Look and perhaps get Something nearer the truth – The Report is that Judge Johnson who came up on the Boat with us and Left Lexington Sabbath Morning in Company with Mr Whitney has ben arested also General Pumroy and two other Men and that Pumroy has got away from them and is at Lawrence Cince Wrighting the above thare has a Stage driven come from Weston who Says thare has ben a fight and that thare has ben 60 pro Slavery men Killed and Woonded. I think this is not So but to help fan and the Excitment So as to get men Enough thare to over [???] the Rebbils as they are Called here – I think the Dye will be Cast Within two or three days – if I am a Live and Well I will Wright you again – you need not give your Self any unesines about me I Shall trye to Keep out of harms Way – if they Should get a fighting I Should Return Home as I Could do no buisnes out here – Remember me to all Who is or may be interested
Respectfully yours Hiram Hill
P S. if thare is anything in this that you think Would be intresting to Geare or Trumble you may pick it out to send it them
– good By H Hill
Lexiton Misesoury Saterday Nov 31/55
Dear Wife…… I arived here this afternoon We Started from St Lewis Monday Eve and arived at Hills Landing So Called about 25 Miles from here Whare we had to disembark on account of Low Water we could get no farther we had over two Hundred passengers all had to put of and get teams to this place we arived here about 2 o clock. What was our Suprise on getting here to Learn that thare is a War going on in Kansas and the inhabitants are going from her up thare in Large parties all armed to the teeth What the Result is To bee god only Knows one thing is pretty Shure that Blood has ben Spilt and thare is a very Grate Excitment – What I Shall do I have not decided upon – My health has ben Rather poor Ever cince I Left St. Lewis the Second day after I Started from that place I have ben Troubled with a diareah I could not Stop it untill yesterday I did almost conclude to Return When the Boat concluded to Return But feeling So much Better this Morning I concluded to go Through had I Known What I now Know I Should have Returned I think now I Shall go to fort Independence or Kansas City Wate the Movements of the waters – if My health is no worse Mr Whitney will continue his Journey to Lawrence with Judge Johnson if he can get thare the Excitement is So grate that its imposable to tell What the Real State of things are thare – Give yourself no unesiness about Me for you Cannot help me it is god that has the harts of all in his hands he Controlls the affairs of men We may trye to Comitt ourselves With all our Concerns into his hands
Remember me to all our friends Kiss Auther fer me & tell him to be a good Boy
afectionally yours
.
Hiram Hill
