The Battle of Hickory Point occurred from September 13-14, 1856 and was one of the violent clashes between free-state and proslavery forces during the "Bleeding Kansas" era. In September 1856, a band of proslavery men attacked Grasshopper Falls (later called Valley Falls) in Jefferson County, Kansas and began to terrorize the area. On September 13th, General James H. Lane with a small company besieged a party of proslavery men in Hickory Point, about five miles east of Ozawkie, Jefferson County, under the command of Captain H. A. Lowe. Unable to dislodge them, Lane sent to Lawrence, Kansas for artillery and reinforcements. Colonel James A. Harvey responded the next day only to find that Lane had raised the siege and departed. "Sacramento," a historic Mexican War cannon, was fired into the buildings with little effect. Unable to dislodge Lowe and his men, Harvey ordered a wagon load of hay backed up to a blacksmith shop sheltering members of the proslavery forces and set on fire. A white flag was sent out from the shop asking permission for some of the non-combatants to leave the building. Messages were sent back and forth and a compromise established.

One proslavery man was killed and four were wounded. Three free-state men were shot in the legs, one through the lungs, and one suffered a bruised head. Later, Harvey's men were captured and charged with murder in the first degree; several of those men were convicted and sentenced to five years in the state penitentiary.

[Information taken from the Battle of Hickory Point historical marker, Territorial Kansas Online, and historical summary included in acquistion file.]