Great American Desert -- Opening of California -- Colonel Fremont's Route -- Kansas -- Scenery -- Soil -- Climate -- Extent of the Missouri Compromise -- Its Repeal -- Blue Lodge -- Meetings in Missouri

New England Aid Company -- First Parties -- Lawrence -- First Election -- Census -- First Winter -- Second Invasion -- Protest -- Meeting at Leavenworth

Kansas City, Mo -- Westport -- Baptist Mission -- Election-day -- Threats Against Gov. Reeder -- Members Elect of Legislature -- Mission Church -- Ride to Lawrence -- Scenery

Drives In the Country -- Calls on Pioneers -- First Attendance at Church

Death of Mrs. T -- Scarcity of Provisions -- Arrival of a Friend -- A Gentleman from Massachusetts -- Silver Mist -- City People in Kansas -- Spiderwort -- Company -- Sabbath- School -- Heavy Showers -- Homes -- Steamer -- Election -- Tour in the Country -- Emigration -- Visit to a Friend -- Hardships of Settlers -- Preaching on Capitol Hill -- Death of Dr. Clark

Cold Weather -- Communion -- Cholera -- Rattlesnakes -- Sickness -- Oppression -- A Night in an open House and heavy Shower -- Morning Ride -- Fourth of July -- Pro-Slavery Rage -- Visit at Dr. B.'s -- Rumors of War -- Assault upon Mr. C. -- "Fish's" Company

Rains -- Laws -- Government Officials -- Convention at Lawrence -- Street Broils -- Leavenworth Herald -- Camp Meeting -- Gov. Shannon -- Hungarian Doctor -- Gov. Shannon at Westport -- Western Emigrants -- Free Negro -- Gov. Shannon Visits Lecompton -- Delegate Convention at Topeka -- Convention at Lawrence -- Rumors of Invasion

Prairie Fires -- Cold -- Constitutional Convention -- Military Supper -- Mr. C. ill -- General Sickness -- Returned Emigrants -- Death of Dow -- Branson Rescue -- Meeting at Lawrence

Judge Lecompton at November Court -- Grand Mass Convention at Leavenworth -- News from the Border -- Woodson's Dispatch -- Reinforcements at Lawrence -- Enemy's Camp -- Missouri Despatches -- Meeting at Lawrence -- Gen. Clark shoots his Friend -- Strong Defenses will save Bloodshed -- McCrea's Escape

Gov. Shannon's Proclamation -- "Sheriff Jones" at Lawrence -- A Vermonter -- Pro-Slavery Men leave Town -- Our Men drilling -- Guard fired upon -- The Messrs. P. escape from Missourians -- Western Neighbors -- Messengers to Gov. Shannon -- A Dream

Guard fired upon -- Messengers taken Prisoners -- Rescuers -- Howitzer -- Barber shot -- Gov. Shannon's Pass -- The Governor at Lawrence -- Depredations -- Terrible Night -- Generals R. and L. visit Franklin -- Dissatisfaction of the Invading Army -- The Treaty -- Dinner -- Meeting at Council-Room -- Rumor from the Camp -- Commission of Generals R. and L. -- Peace Party -- Released Prisoners -- Present Lull

Election for State Constitution -- Affray at Leavenworth -- Funeral of Barber -- S. and T. taken to Lecompton -- Convention at Lawrence -- Severe Weather -- Destitution -- Outrage at Leavenworth -- Kickapoo Pioneer -- Little Boy -- Clear Morning -- Odd Sleighs -- Attack at Easton -- R. P. Brown killed -- Men driven from their Homes -- Death of Major Robinson -- Ride after a Mule -- New Plans of the Enemy -- Kickapoo Pioneer -- The Interposition of God -- Provisions -- A Winter to be Remembered

Cabins in the Forts -- Firing -- Our People -- Atchison's Letter -- Settlers' Endurance -- The Probability of Attack -- Indians -- A Wedding -- Eastern Newspapers -- Correspondence of Gov. Shannon and Maj. Clark -- President's Message -- The Twenty-second of February -- River open -- Legislature -- Rumors of Arrest -- Religious Societies -- Osawattomie -- Hampden -- Topeka -- Wabousa -- Manhattan -- Council City -- State Officers -- Sharpe's Rifles taken at Lexington -- Corner-stone of Unitarian Church laid -- Our House finished -- Calls on Settlers -- Receptions

April -- Quiet -- Emigration -- Arrests -- Committee of Investigation -- Rehearsal -- "Sheriff Jones" shot -- Meeting at Lawrence -- Fugitive from Arrest -- Incidents -- The People indignant -- Attempt to excite the Missourians

May-party at Hotel -- New Outrages -- The Committee of Investigation at Tecumseh -- Visit at Topeka -- Big Springs -- Washington -- Incidents -- Tecumseh -- A Friend's Cabin -- Boarding House -- Buford's Men -- Judge Lecompte's Charge to Grand Jury -- A Writ of Attachment for Gov. Reeder -- The Marshal's Proclamation -- Pro-Slavery Letters -- Continual Outrages upon Free-State Men in the Territory and in Missouri

Rumors of the Threatened Attack -- Letters to the Governor and Marshal, with their Replies -- Miller Arrested -- Gov. Shannon's Reply to the Messrs. Eldridge -- Jones and Stewart killed -- The Sacking of Lawrence

Robberies between Lawrence and Kansas City -- The U. S. Mail Searched -- "Reign of Terror" at Leavenworth -- Dr. R. and Mr. M. taken Prisoners -- Marshal Donaldson's Pass -- Officers in the Invaders' Camp -- Gov. Shannon -- Outrages

Trip up the River -- Excitement at Kansas City -- Battle at Prairie City -- Missourians driven out -- Sack of Osawattomie -- Judge C. and Mr. C. ordered away from Lecompton -- Attempted Arrest of Judge C. -- Murder of Cantrell -- Outrage upon Messrs. Bailey, Hill, Barlow, Rev. Mr. Webster, and others

Pro-Slavery Men -- Gov. Robinson's Guard -- Gov. Shannon and Col. Sumner -- The Investigating Committee -- Westport and Kansas City -- W. Donelson -- Missouri Women -- A furious Man -- Leavenworth -- Conversation of Western Women -- Lawrence -- Hopkins killed

Visit the Camp -- Legate and Hoyt arrested -- New Orders of Cramer -- Emigrants disarmed and sent back -- Gay, the Indian Agent, killed -- Buchanan Ratification Meeting -- More Prisoners -- Lecompton Alarmed -- Camp moved to protect it -- Log Prison -- Cheerfulness -- "Law-and-order" Men -Barricades -- Dispersion of Legislature

Discomforts -- More Emigrants turned back -- The President dumb -- Moved Camp again -- Gen. Smith -- Gov. and Mrs. Shannon -- Col. Titus -- W. P. Fain -- Heavy Showers -- Efforts to diminish the Comfort of the Prisoners -- Perkins Assaulted -- Mr. Wilson -- Concert -- Preaching -- "Law-and-order" Men in Conclave -- Gov. Shannon removed -- Southerners build Forts -- Destruction of Fort on Douglas Creek -- Free-State Emigrants arrived -- Battle at Franklin -- Murder of Hoyt -- Destruction of Fort on Washington Creek, and of Titus' Stronghold -- Panic at Lecompton -- Treaty

Murder of Ross -- Outrage upon Free-State Lady -- Woodson calls out Militia -- New Intention to destroy Lawrence -- Committee from Lawrence calls upon the Governor -- More Troops from the Fort -- Wagons taken near Leavenworth -- Mr. Nute and others taken Prisoners -- Messrs. H. and S. retained at Lecompton -- Eighty Troops go to Lawrence -- Osawattomie destroyed -- Missourians driven out -- Houses burned -- U. S. Marshal visits Lawrence -- Men murdered -- Free-State Army goes to Lecompton -- Mob-law at Leavenworth -- Release of Prisoners at Leavenworth -- Gov. Geary arrived -- Release of State Prisoners -- Jubilee at Lawrence

This work, now offered to the public, has been written amid all the inconveniences of tent life. Its pages were penned during a three months' residence of the authoress in the United States Camp, at Lecompton, with her husband, one of the state prisoners. If a bitterness against the "powers that be" betrays itself, let the continual flanking of sabres, and the deafening sound of heavy artillery in the daily drills of the soldiery, aids in crushing freemen in Kansas, -- the outrages hourly committed upon peaceable and unarmed men, -- the daily news of some friend made prisoner, or butchered with a malignity more than human, -- the devastation of burning homes, by the connivance of the Governor, under the eye of the troops, and no power given them to save an oppressed people, -- be placed in the balance against a severe judgment.

If the simple recital serves to strengthen in any the love of liberty, or to arouse in others a hatred to tyranny, then will its mission have been accomplished.

"God give us Men! A time like this demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and ready hands;

Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;

Who possess opinion and a will;

Men who have honor, -- men who will not lie;

Men who can stand before a demagogue,

And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty, and in private thinking;

For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds,

Their large professions, and their little deeds,
Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,

Wrong rules the land, and waiting Justice sleeps!"