John Reid's proslavery militia formed here in two mounted lines and attacked John Brown's Free State guerrillas in an aggressive charge. The proslavery militia's horses were not trained for combat and began throwing their riders when Brown's men opened fire. Brown's Free State guerrillas were also armed with Sharps rifles, which delivered more firepower than the proslavery forces' muzzle-loaders. The proslavery forces withdrew, dismounted, regrouped, and attacked Brown's Free State guerrillas on foot in a second charge. August Bondi, an Austrian revolutionary, fought beside John Brown in the Battle of Osawatomie.