James Townsley: Hostage or Killer?

I am a native of Harford County, State of Maryland, and was born August 29, 1815. In August, 1839, I enlisted in Co. I, Capt. Benjamin L. Bell, Second United States Dragoons, and served five years in the Florida war, waged against the Seminole and Creek Indians, a part of the time under the command of General Taylor, and was discharged in August, 1844, at Fort Washita, Indian Territory. I am a painter by trade, and followed that business in Fallston, in my native county, until October 20, 1855, when I emigrated to Kansas with my family, and settled in Anderson county, on the Pottawatomie Creek, about one mile west of Greeley. I joined the Pottawatomie Rifle company at its reorganization in May, 1856, at which time John Brown, Jr., was elected Captain. On the 21^st of the same month, information was received that the Georgians were marching on Lawrence, threatening its destruction.

So begins the statement of James Townsley concerning the infamous Pottawatomie massacre, led by the notorious John Brown. Townsley goes on to say:

After my team was fed and the party had taken supper, John Brown told me for the first time what he proposed to do. He said he wanted me to pilot the company up to the forks of the creek some five or six miles above, into the neighborhood in which I lived, and show them where all the Pro-slavery men resided; that he proposed to sweep the creek as he came down of all the Pro-slavery men living on it. I positively refused to do it. He insisted upon it, but when he found that I would not go he decided to postpone the expedition until the following night. I then wanted to take my team and go home, but he refused to let me do so, and said I should remain with them. We remained in camp that night, and all day the next day. Some time after dark we were ordered to march.

However, another witness, one Salmon Brown, remembers it differently:

Old man Townsley went after the dogs with a broad sword and he and my brother Fred soon had them all laid out. Townsley went in without being asked to and worked with all his might, not as a prisoner as he has since claimed. The three Doyles were taken out of the house and half mile or so away, and were slain with the broad swords. Owen Brown cut down one of them and another son cut down the other and the old man Doyle. Old man Doyle's wife gave the Doyles a terrible scoring as they left the house. She said, "I told you you would get into trouble with all your devilment."

Which story is true? I doubt we'll ever know for sure, but it sure is odd that a Harford Countian was there at the very beginning, in "Bleeding Kansas, and for the very end, in Ford's Theatre. It seems such a mild-mannered place.

A "Beecher Bible"