Suspecting that treachery was somewhere at work he forthwith dispatched confidential messengers on the road to Westport to ascertain, if possible, what operations were going forward in that vicinity.
Messengers were constantly arriving from Lawrence bringing intelligence that a large army from Missouri was encamped on the Wakarusa River and was hourly expected to attack the town.

As these men were styled Territorial Militia and were called into service by the late acting Governor Woodson, Gov.

Geary commanded that officer to take with him Adjutant-General Strickler with an escort of United States troops and disband, in accordance with the proclamation issued, the forces that had so unwisely been assembled.

Woodson and Strickler left Lecompton in the afternoon, and reached the Missouri camp early in the evening.
Here Woodson found it impossible to accomplish the object of his mission.

No attention or respect was paid to him by those having command of the forces.