Here he was joined by Colonel Forbes, and together they organized a school of military tactics with Forbes as instructor.

But as Forbes could find no one but Brown and his son to drill, he soon returned to the East, still trusted by Brown as a co-worker.

It would seem that Forbes himself wished to play the chief part in the liberation of America.
While he was at Tabor, Brown was urged by Lane and other former associates of his in Kansas to come to their relief with all his forces.
There had, indeed, been a full year of peace since Geary's arrival, but early in October there was to occur the election of a territorial Legislature in which the free-state forces had agreed to participate, and Lane feared an invasion from Missouri.

But although the appeal was not effective, the election proved a complete triumph for the North.
Late in October, after the signal victory of the law-and-order party at the election, Brown was again urged with even greater insistence to muster all his forces and come to Kansas, and there were hints in Lane's letter that an aggressive campaign was afoot to rid the Territory of the enemy.

Instead of going in force, however, Brown stole into the Territory alone.