Marcus Parrott wrote to his brother, Edwin Parrott, from Leavenworth, K.T. He told Edwin that the border ruffians had made their first move into Lawrence the night before, defeating the "Lawrence party". Marcus added that morale in the town was exceptionally low after the departure of both Reeder and Robinson, and believed that the two men, plus the editors of the "Herald of Freedom" and the "Kansas Free State" were imprisoned. He also believed that, this victory gone to the border ruffians, with the support of Governor Shannon, the free soilers would be cleansed from the area.