James Redpath, The Public Life of Captain John Brown

Having thus taught them in the arts of war, he commenced his preparations for defence. There were several forts and breastworks, and also one or two unfinished churches in the south, south-west, and southeast sides of the town: these were all manned with as many soldiers as could be spared for them. On the north of the town ran the Kansas River; on the west was a ravine; and the enemy were looked for on the south. As for myself, I occupied, with some fifteen or twenty others, a breastwork thrown across the south end of Massachusetts Street — a precaution which had been found necessary in the early part of the season.

Captain Brown was always on the alert, visiting every portion of the town, and all the fortifications, in person, giving directions, and exhorting every man to keep cool, and do his duty, and his reward would be an approving conscience. Among other preparations for a vigorous defence, a number of merchants went into their stores and brought out a large lot of pitchforks; and every man who was not provided with a bayonet on his gun was furnished with a fork, which certainly would be no mean weapon, if dexterously handled.

In the mean time, the invading army had left Franklin, and were marching towards Lawrence; and about five o'clock in the afternoon, their advance guard, consisting of four hundred horsemen, crossed the Wakerusa, and presented themselves in sight of town, about two miles off, when they halted, and arrayed themselves