John Brown helped women, children evacuate during Battle of Osawatomie

Osawatomie’s John Brown Memorial Park was the site of the Battle of Osawatomie on Aug. 30, 1856, where 30-45 Free State guerrilla fighters under the command of John Brown fought John Reid and 200 to 400 pro-slavery militia men.

John Brown’s main goal was to delay the pro-slavery forces long enough to ensure that Osawatomie’s women and children had a chance to evacuate the town, and he ordered his Free State guerrilla fighters to take up a defensive position in modern day John Brown Memorial Park to slow down the advance of John Reid’s pro-slavery militia men.