=Conditions in the Territory.= In the meantime the big body of armed Missourians was moving forward and the proslavery settlers were gathering in answer to a call that closed with these words: “Then let every man who can bear arms be off to the war again. Let it be the third and last time. Let the watchword be, ‘Extermination, total and complete,’” The free-state people were scattered, unorganized, and but scantily supplied with arms and provisions, and were therefore in no condition to meet such a force. Fortunately, the new Governor, whose policy was that of fair play, at once ordered all bodies of armed men to disband.
=Preparations for the Defense of Lawrence.= The Missourians, however, continued to move toward Lawrence. The Governor then took some United States troops and went to Lawrence, which he found in an almost defenseless condition. The town was poorly fortified, with few provisions and not more than ten rounds of ammunition. Even the women and children were armed. There were not more than three hundred people, but there seemed to be no thought of surrender. They would either repulse the enemy or perish in the attempt. The arrival of the Governor with United States soldiers brought unexpected relief.
=End of the Reign of Violence, September, 1856.= On the morning of September 15, Governor Geary marched out to the Missouri army encamped about three miles from Lawrence, held a conference with the leaders, and insisted that his orders for disbanding be obeyed. The Missourians consented, and the force of twenty-seven hundred well-equipped men went home. Thus ended the four months’ reign of violence[13] that had begun with the sacking of Lawrence in May. The threatened attack on Lawrence was the last organized effort of the Missourians to take Kansas by force. Both sides soon gave up their plundering expeditions, travel became safer and property more secure. For a time peace settled down over the Territory, and Governor Geary, believing that order was entirely restored to Kansas, appointed November 20 “as a day of general praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God.” With the close of the period of violence a little less than two and a half years had passed since the organization of Kansas as a territory in the spring of 1854.