ei LAW-AND-ORDER MEN, ETC. 
325 
The fort was strongly garrisoned and provisioned, and contained 
many articles taken at the siege of Lawrence. Without striking 
a blow the Georgians fled. In the night, Titus’ band was out, as 
usual, stealing horses. They had taken three, when they came 
upon the advance guard of the free-state men. Titus, seeing the 
numbers upon which he had fallen, fled, they following but a little 
way, and taking one or two prisoners. 
About sunrise the next morning, the 16th, firing was heard near 
our tents, and one of the cannon balls whizzed past us. Two or 
three horsemen were standing upon a high hill, a half a mile dis¬ 
tant, apparently watching the troops in camp. A heavy shower 
came up ; the rain poured in torrents. Our breafast had been 
set upon the table, but the frail cloth overhead was like a sieve, 
and each of us caught some of the dishes, and ran into the nearest 
tent. A messenger from Gov. Shannon had come to Major S.’s 
camp. The bugle-call had sounded, and the troops were soon on 
their way to Lecompton. At the moment the troops started, the 
horsemen on the hill disappeared. As we sat in a little tent, a 
la Turque , eating our breakfast, with our plates in our laps, one 
of the persons looking out, said, “ Titus’ house is on fire. The 
black smoke is rising over the hill.” 
A little time passed, and a wagon, with a lady and several 
children, of various shades of color, came to Capt. Sackett for pro¬ 
tection. It was Mrs. Woodson and her household, who, fearful, 
had fled from their house, one half mile distant from Titus’. 
When Lieut. Carr reached Lecompton, in accordance with Major 
Sedgwick’s orders, Gov. Shannon was nowhere to be found. It 
was only after repeated inquiries, he received the reply, “ You 
may find him by the river.” Going there, he found the executive 
getting into the scow to go across the river. How one’s imagina¬ 
tion brings up the picture of Caesar crossing the Rubicon ! As he 
returned with Lieut. C., and met Major S. at the point designated, 
he was asked “ what were his orders.” 
He replied, “ I don’t think I will have anything done with 
them ; but we will go and see if they have disturbed Major 
Clarke ” (the murderer). The four hundred free-state men, going 
over the prairie on their way back to Lawrence, looked too for- 
28 
