Continuing the series of letters from J. M. Pelot to the Editor of the Abbeville [S.C.] Banner, the follwoing appeared in the Banner 12 June 1856, p. 2, c. 5, 6:

LECOMPTON, May 28, 1856

Dear Friend Davis: The "Western Sebastopol" (as Lawrence was boastingly denominated by its inhabitants) has fallen! A far more appropriate appellation occurred to me on entering the beautiful little town -- the Western Moscow. The papers I send you, and I presume many others of your exchanges, contain full details of the principal operations of that memorable day. For fear of a tedious repitition, I shall not attempt anything of the sort at this late date, but mention a few facts and impressions, en passant.

The programme which was carried out by Marshall Donaldson and Sheriff Jones on that day, had been deliberately considered and adopted by them at the suggestion of our friends. First, the military were to be drawn up on Capitol Hill, facing and in fact overlooking the town. Next, the Marshall was to proceed with a small posse of unarmed men, to make his arrests. He was then to discharge us, and the Sheriff to summons us in the name of the Territorial Government, which the Abolitionists had sworn to resist to the last extremity. With a small posse, likewise of unarmed men, he was to make his arrests. In case of resistance to either of these officers, a forcible entry was to be made into the town. In addition to the arrests, it had been decided that the Sheriff should demand a complete surrender of all arms in the possession of the inhabitants, and should abate certain nuisances which had been declared as such by the Grand Jury of Douglas County, viz: The Emigrant Aid Society's Hotel, used as a Citadel, the two presses, and the outworks. All this, as you know, was done to the letter, without the slightest show of resistance by the inhabitants. In fact, although when the Sheriff made his arrests about fifty men were seen, yet when the main body of our troops entered town, thre were not six men to be found anywhere. Everywhere, even in the outskirts of the town, were the evidences of hurried and complete desertion. Half-finished meals were left upon the tables, the doors ajar. The Hotel alone, and a Bakery, were occupied, the latter (which was a "right on the Goose") fed our half-starved men, and the former was resolutely held by a few ladies. When informed by the Sheriff that it was his painful duty to destroy the building, they made him a most eloquent appeal in behalf of the unoffending boarders, especially the female portion. Jones gallantly begged them to desist, as it pained him to be compelled to refuse their prayers, and finally remarked that if their men had half the spirit of the ladies, we might not now have occupied Lawrence. The ladies were treated with marked respect by our men, and left town in carriages (the only carriages, by the by, that I have seen in the Territory). The presses were destroyed, the type thrown into the the river, the splendid furniture of the Hotel carefully removed, and the signal given to commence the destruction of the magnificent buidling. The walls were partially curmbled by the repeated rounds form our cannon, manned by South Carolinians and commanded by gfraduates of the Citadel Academy [South Carolina Military Academy, in Charleston]. Kegs of powder were next placed in the building and exploded, and finally one of the men set it on fire in several places. The order was now given to march back to camp, two miles distant, but as my position (Surgeon) did not place me in the ranks, I lingered behind. The frightened inhabitants, the same who had a month before insulted [Sheriff] Jones, and all others of our party who dared to enter their town, now came creeping back scarcely daring to utter a word of remonstrance. No attempt was made to save the Hotel, for by this time the angry flames filled the whole building, shooting over the top and out at the windows. But still three of the walls stood majestic and firm, thus saving the adjacent houses. As I rode slowly back to camp, the setting sun darting his blood-red splendor over the vast prairie in front, and the clouds of black smoke rolling up from the beautiful valley behind me, I could not but prophecy, that that Hotel would in tis fall arouse the fanaticism of thousands of mistaken dupes, and that red sun would ere long set upon a field, stained with the best blood of the Union. Forbid it, Heaven! But if the blow must be struck, oh, let us strike home.

I have sent the [Columbia Daily] South Carolinian a description fo the Hotel, written by the notorious Brown, Editor of the Herald of Freedom. Here is a remarkable passage: "The walls which rise above the roof are pierced with thirty-five or forty portholes, now plugged up with stones, which can be easily knocked out with a blow of the butt of a Sharpe's Rifle when necessary." Cool enough!

South Carolina figured nobly on that day. Two entire companies (DeTreville's of about 80, and Fleming's of 25), half the Leavenworth and a large proportion of Buford's men, were South Carolinians. I amy safely say that our little State had a larger representation than any other. Of our company, Wilkes, Appleton, Cowan, and Bobo had places in the picture.

Robinson, Brown, and about six or eight other Abolitionists are now prisoners awaiting their trial for high treason and other misdemeanors. The Lawrenceites are very much disgusted at the desertion of these leaders in the time of trial, and some are glad that they have been intercepted. Reeder has not yet been heard from.

J. M. P."

I believe DeTreville is Robert DeTreville, a large plantation owner in Beaufort District and a colonel in the South Carolian Militia. Wilkes is Warren D. Wilkes, an attorney from Anderson, S.C., who had been the law partner of James Lawrence Orr, Speaker of the U.S. House for one term in the late 1850's. J. M. Pelot was a doctor who was a member of the Abbeville Company.