__Perspective+of+a+Northerner__


 * __Henry Matteson (Northern Free-Stater)__**

My name is Henry Matteson. Probably a name none of you are familiar with. But I do not hide any shame in myself, because I am a proud northern man that is working under John Brown. John Brown, as you may all heard of, is an excellent leader of the Free-Staters who is willing to fight against the Border Ruffians at any time. Therefore, I also am a Free-Stater that is fighting on Brown's side to proclaim Kansas as an anti-slavery state.



At first, I didn't realize how serious this case was. I knew there was a collaboration between the south and north, but when I was growing up as a teenager, I didn't paid much attention to the governmental issues. But what really triggered me to join John Brown's force was the tragic death of my father. My father, also a Free-Stater decided to join with John Brown. But despite of his heroic effort and persistence to fulfill his dreams, he was killed by the southern Border Ruffians during the Wakarusa War (November 1855). Thus, now that I am a grown man, I decided to follow the steps of my father and help Kansas become a free-state.

However, I realized such desires cannot be fulfilled so easily. There have been numerous violent murders and destructions past few months. Senators were beaing physically beaten, houses and buildings were being burnt down, endless guerilla attacks have been occuring everywhere. All these events eventually allowed the Southerners and the Northerners to grow strong, bitter hostility between one another. But the major battle that will hopefully bring an end to this chaos is now coming up. The Border Ruffians, led by John W. Reid and Rev. Marvin White, have decided to form a massive army of 400 pro-slavery soldiers and attack the city of Osawatomie. In return, our leader Brown decided to defend Osawatomie with a help of couple of his fellow soldiers. I was given the honor to be one of those soldiers. Therefore, I will fight my sould out and try my best to fulfill Brown's satisfactory.

We do not know when the exact fight will be, but we are going in a great hurry to organize our defense. But whatever happens, I just hope that my father will be able to witness my sacrifice, and be happy that I am doing such thing for our state of Kansas.

Information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleeding_Kansas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Osawatomie Picture: http://jessejamesalbum.blogspot.com/