Pate, Henry C., who was leader of a gang of border ruffians during the territorial struggles, was a newspaper correspondent and was particularly bitter in his denunciations of the free-state advocates. He commanded a detachment of the territorial militia which was organized under Gov. Shannon's call, most of this militia being composed of citizens of Southern states. Pate was more of a braggart than a warrior, and at the battle of Black Jack, June 2, 1856, surrendered without much resistance. He was released by Col. E. V. Sumner on the 8th. In the following September he again became warlike and wrote to Gov. Geary that he would organize and command the settlers of Lykins (Miami) county, "for the protection of the polls," if the governor would give him a commission. To this proposal Gov. Geary responded as follows: "While thanking you most kindly for your suggestions and for your friendly offer, I have made every necessary arrangement to protect the bona fide citizens of this territory in the exercise of their right of suffrage."

This was not to Pate's liking, it was not the "bona fide" settlers he wanted to protect, but the voters who would come over from Missouri to carry the election, as they had done on previous occasions. Finding that the governor would not aid his scheme, he dropped out of Kansas affairs. When the Civil war broke out, he enlisted in the Confederate army and was killed in the spring of 1864 in a fight between Sheridan's cavalry and the Confederate cavalry under Stuart.