BATTLE OF HICKORY POINT

IN SEPTEMBER, 1856, A BAND OF PROSLAVERY MEN SACKED GRASSHOPPER FALLS (VALLEY FALLS) AND TERRORIZED THE VICINITY. ON THE 13TH THE FREE-STATE LEADER JAMES H. LANE WITH A SMALL COMPANY BESIEGED A PARTY OF RAIDERS IN LOG BUILDINGS AT HICKORY POINT, ABOUT ½ MILE SOUTHEAST OF THIS MARKER. UNABLE TO DISLODGE THEM, LANE SENT TO LAWRENCE FOR ARTILLERY AND REINFORCEMENTS. COL. JAMES A. HARVEY RESPONDED NEXT DAY ONLY TO FIND THAT LANE HAD RAISED THE SIEGE AND DEPARTED. "SACRAMENTO," HISTORIC MEXICAN WAR CANNON, WAS FIRED INTO THE BUILDINGS WITH LITTLE EFFECT, AND MEN PUSHING UP A BURNING HAYRACK WERE SHOT IN THE LEGS. THE SKIRMISH ENDED IN AN ARMISTICE, CELEBRATED, IT IS SAID, OVER A CONSIDERABLE QUANTITY OF WHISKY. CASUALTIES WERE ONE PROSLAVERY MAN KILLED AND FOUR WOUNDED, AND FIVE FREE-STATE MEN INJURED.