324 
KANSAS. 
The free-state men made an attack upon a building in Franklin. 
It was the same building that was stormed in the little battle of 
the 4th of June, but, as a block-house, had been considerably 
strengthened since then. It was the first station of the Georgians 
beyond TV estport, and contained, besides a quantity of small arms, 
a six-pounder brass cannon, which had been brought into the ter¬ 
ritory in May. They called upon those in the block-house to sur¬ 
render, before firing at all. After three hours’ brisk firing, the 
free-state men, having one man killed and several wounded, drew 
a wagon load of burning hay against the building, when the cry 
for “ quarter ” was heard. The hay was soon drawn away, and 
the occupants of the fort threw down their arms and fled. The 
guns and cannon were taken by the free-state men. 
The immediate occasion of the attack at Franklin at that time, 
was the sad news of the murder of Maj. D. S. Hoyt, which had 
been received that day. 
For some time the settlers along the Wakarusa, and near Wash¬ 
ington Greek, had been much harassed by Georgians at that fort. 
Their threats of extermination of the free-state settlers were re¬ 
peatedly heard, and robberies by them were of frequent occur¬ 
rence. The settlers had sent messengers to Lawrence, and other 
points, at different times, asking help. Several appeals had been 
made to the troops, but Maj. Sedgwick declined doing anything, 
as he had no authority to act. 
On the eleventh and twelfth, messengers were again sent to him, 
asking him to do something quickly for the protection of the set¬ 
tlers in that region. He had been informed by Capt. Anderson, 
of the troops, whose company during the summer had recruited 
some of Buford’s men, that the camp was a peaceable one, and he 
so stated to the gentlemen from Lawrence. At the request of the 
people of Lawrence, Major Hoyt went out to the camp. He was 
most brutally murdered by the Georgians, his body being riddled 
with bullets. Major Hoyt was an efficient aid to the free-state 
cause, and was universally esteemed. 
This outrage aroused the free-state men yet more to the neces¬ 
sity of breaking up the stronghold of these barbarians ; and on the 
afternoon of the 15th, the fort on Washington Creek was burned. 
