However , the 1855 – 56 violence in " Bleeding Kansas " did reach an ideological climax after John Brown — regarded by followers as the instrument of God 's will to destroy slavery — entered the melee . His assassination of five pro-slavery settlers ( the so-called " Pottawatomie massacre " , during the night of May 24 , 1856 ) resulted in some irregular , guerrilla-style strife . Aside from John Brown 's fervor , the strife in Kansas often involved only armed bands more interested in land claims or loot
Pottawatomie massacre
Pottawatomie massacre
Origins of the American Civil War