press did not take a very favorable view of the transaction;
it was too difficult to distinguish between George L.
Stearns, the benefactor of the Kansas Committee, and George
L. Stearns, the Chairman of that Committee." Villard, "John
Brown," p. 341.

Though Brown arrived in Kansas late in June, he took no active part in
the pending measures for the final triumph of the free-state cause. It
is something of a mystery how he was occupied between the 1st of July
and the middle of December. Under the pseudonym of "Shubal Morgan" he
was commander of a small band in which were a number of his followers
in training for the Eastern mission. The occupation of this band is not
matter of history until December 20, 1858, when they made a raid into
the State of Missouri, slew one white man, took eleven slaves, a large
number of horses, some oxen, wagons, much food, arms, and various other
supplies. This action was in direct violation of a solemn agreement
between the border settlers of State and Territory. The people in
Kansas were in terror lest retaliatory raids should follow, as would
undoubtedly have happened had not the people of Missouri taken active
measures to prevent such reprisals.

Rewards were offered for Brown's arrest, and free-state residents
served notice that he must leave the Territory. In the dead of winter he
started North with some slaves and many horses, accompanied by Kagi and
Gill, two of his faithful followers. In northern Kansas, where they
were delayed by a swollen stream, a band of horsemen appeared to dispute
their passage. Brown's party quickly mustered assistance and, giving
chase to the enemy, took three prisoners with four horses as spoils of
war. In Kansas parlance the affair is called "The Battle of the Spurs."
The leaders in the chase were seasoned soldiers on their way to Harper's
Ferry with the intention of spending their lives collecting slaves and
conducting them to places of safety. For this sort of warfare they were
winning their spurs. It was their intention to teach all defenders of
slavery to use their utmost endeavor to keep out of their reach. As
Brown and his company passed through Tabor, the citizens took occasion
at a public meeting to resolve "that we have no sympathy with those who
go to slave States to entice away slaves, and take property or life when
necessary to attain that end."

A few days later the party was at Grinnell, Iowa. According to the
detailed