Brown's sons thereupon wrote to their father, describing their helpless condition and urging him to come to their relief.

In October, 1855, John Brown himself arrived with an adequate supply of rifles and some broadswords and revolvers.

The process of organization and drill thereupon began, and when the Wakarusa War occurred early in December, 1855, John Brown was on hand with a small company from Osawatomie to assist in the defense of Lawrence.

The statement that he disapproved of the agreement with Governor Shannon which prevented bloodshed is not in accord with a letter which John Brown wrote to his wife immediately after the event.
The Governor granted practically all that the freestate men desired and recognized their trainbands as a part of the police force of the Territory.

Brown by this stipulation became Captain John Brown, commander of a company of the territorial militia.
Soon after the Battle of Wakarusa, Captain Brown passed the command of the company of militia to his son John, while he became the leader of a small band composed chiefly of members of his own family.