At daybreak on the next day it was a heap of ruins. A history of lawrence, kansas, by richard cordley, d. William quantrill raids lawrence, kansas, 1863 eyewitness to history. Great story of the lawrence, kansas massacre of 1863.
The vicious guerilla war in missouri spills over into kansas and precipitates one of the most appalling acts of violence during the war when 150 men in the abolitionist town of lawrence are murdered in a raid by southern partisans. His men killed civilians men and boys0 and destroyed many of the buildings. This day in history guerillas massacre residents of. Their choices were manhattan, emporia, or lawrence. Lawrence, kansas from ashes to immortality legends of america.
Step back in time and get an idea how kansans struggled to provide a decent education for their children in a time of war. The confederates won the battle, as group of guerillas led by william quantrill rode into town and shot every man they saw. William quantrill fled to texas in the wake of the retribution meted out by union troops after the raid. In the early morning of august 21, 1863, william clarke quantrill and a band of over 400 confederate soldiers rode into the small, sleepy town of lawrence, kansas. The only thing i did not like about this kindle edition was that it seemed to skip parts of the book. Cordleys letter is made the basis of this history, to which is added the personal. You dont have to look to the civil war era to uncover important history in lawrence. A recent addition to the state library of kansas kgi online library. But nothing in the bleeding kansas period equaled the scale of ruthlessness and sheer devastation that befell lawrence, kansas, on the morning of august 21, 1863. Guerillas massacre residents of lawrence, kansas history.
One of the most infamous people in lawrence history, william clarke quantrillwho in 1863 led 400 proslavery men into lawrence, killed more than 180 men and teenage boys and burned the town to the groundcame here in the late 1850s pretending to be an abolitionist but was actually capturing runaways and taking them back to their masters. Lawrence, kansas, the county seat of douglas county, was established after the kansasnebraska act was passed in 1854 creating kansas territory. The most systematic and extensive movement to colonize kansas, however, was made in new england. During the american civil war it was also the site of the lawrence massacre 1863. The lawrence massacre the following work has been made available by the kansas collection of kenneth spencer research library and the department of history of the university of kansas. Aug 16, 2017 the wealthy activist who helped turn bleeding kansas free. The lawrence massacre is based on a letter written by reverend richard cordley, pastor of the congregational church and eye witness to quantrills raid on lawrence, kansas in 1863. At first, the new englanders came, determined to make it a free state, unrestricted by race or color, and were followed a few years later by many germans from the old country who came to escape military service and to start a new life of freedom. Lawrence, kansas simple english wikipedia, the free. As for their motivations, the possibilities are legion. Aug 21, 20 images and documents related to quantrills raid on lawrence, august 21, 1863, the survivors, and their stories. At dawn on august 21, 1863, quantrill and his guerrillas rode into lawrence, where they burned much of the town and killed between 160 and 190 men and boys.
Lawrence was burned to the ground in 1863 and most of its men and young boys massacred when quantrills raiders sacked the town. His men killed civiliansmen and boysand destroyed many of the buildings. A town at the center of the united states becomes the site of an ongoing struggle for freedom and equality. Charles robinson, one term governor of the state of kansas from 1861 to 1863, includes the appointments of the first justices of the peace and probate judges. Quantrill led a force of about 300 to 400 partisans in an attack on the city of lawrence, kansas. The 1863 annual report of the kansas superintendent of public instruction. Smith, lawrence, kansas undertaker and embalmer, 18901907 family history library. At dawn on august 21, 1863, quantrill and his guerrillas rode into lawrence, where they burned much of.
Richard cordley, a history of lawrence, kansas lawrence journal press, 1895, p. The lawrence raid of august 21, 1863, was considered one of the bloodiest events of the civil war. Lawrence is where the game of basketball came of age, and no other city can claim such an array of basketball history. Pbs the west the lawrence massacre by a band of missouri. The new england emigrant aid company, which had been chartered by the legislature of massachusetts in april, was then called the massachusetts emigrant aid society. Lawrence, kansas, and the battle over slavery in the civil war era by robert k.
Quantrill at lawrence book the kansas city public library. On january, 1863, kansas state university was built in manhattan. Lawrence, kansas, and the battle over slavery in the civil war era robert k. Lawrence was central to the bleeding kansas period 185461, and the site of the wakarusa war 1855 and the sacking of lawrence 1856. She is presently librarian at central junior high school, lawrence. Modern day lawrence is a vibrant smaller city with many bigcity amenities. William quantrills raid on the freestate town of lawrence, kansas also known as the lawrence massacre was a defining moment in the border conflict. The university of kansas 1859 is located in lawrence, kansas state university 1863 in manhattan, and wichita state university 1895 in wichita. Located in northeast kansas, lawrence is just 45 minutes west of kansas city, and 30 minutes east of topeka, the state capital. Lawrence massacre simple english wikipedia, the free.
The lawrence massacre also known as quantrills raid was an attack during the american civil war 186165 by the quantrills raiders, a confederate guerilla group led by william quantrill, on the unionist town of lawrence, kansas. Kansas state, recognized as having one of the countrys leading agricultural colleges, was the first landgrant college in the united states. This day in history guerillas massacre residents of lawrence, kansas 1863 via the vicious guerilla war in missouri spills over into kansas and precipitates one of the most appalling acts of violence during the war when 150 men in the abolitionist town of lawrence are murdered in a raid by southern partisans. In his book a history of lawrence 1895, cordley wrote. Its economy diversified into many industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, and education, beginning with the founding of the university of kansas in 1865 and haskell indian nations university in 1884. The actions that brought on the raid are researched and explored in depth here for the very first time. Richard cordley lived in lawrence during the bleeding kansas days, and tells in this book what he saw and experienced as a key participant in the freestate fight.
A town at the center of the united states becomes the site of an ongoing struggle for. William clarke quantrill attacked lawrence, kansas, on august 21, 1863. Lawrence homeowners delve into their cottages history. The kansas government liked that, so the government chose lawrence. In a supposed retaliation for a union raid on osceola, missouri, lt. Broughton, publisher, printed this booklet a few years after the infamous raid on lawrence in 1863, providing firsthand. Catalyzed by the murder of five young women who were related to members of his ranger company, col. The wealthy activist who helped turn bleeding kansas free. List of members and other records of congregational churches, 18541904, in kansas family history library the first baptist church, lawrence, kansas, 18551907. May 09, 2014 in the early morning of august 21, 1863, william clarke quantrill and a band of over 400 confederate soldiers rode into the small, sleepy town of lawrence, kansas. The lawrence massacre, also known as quantrills raid, was a rebel guerrilla attack during the american civil war by quantrills raiders, led by william quantrill, on the union town of lawrence, kansas. The lawrence massacre also known as quantrills raid was an attack during the american civil war 186165 by quantrills raiders, a confederate guerrilla group led by william quantrill, on the unionist town of lawrence, kansas. Though the band had marched that afternoon and into the night, no one had ridden to lawrence to inform them of the impending attack. Confederate raiders, led by quantrill, took little mercy on the town and its residents that day.
The city of lawrence was, on the evening of august 20, 1863, one of the most thriving towns between the missouri river and the rocky mountains. Aug 21, 2019 this day in history guerillas massacre residents of lawrence, kansas 1863 via the vicious guerilla war in missouri spills over into kansas and precipitates one of the most appalling acts of violence during the war when 150 men in the abolitionist town of lawrence are murdered in a raid by southern partisans. Its economy diversified into many industries, including agriculture. Lawrence, kansas, 1863 u nlike other areas of the nation during the civil war in which massed armies collided on the battlefield, the fighting along the kansas missouri border took the form of a bloody guerilla war. Governor records robinson, 18611863 kansas historical. The lawrence raid is one of the bloodiest and more misunderstood campaigns of the civil war. William quantrill fled to texas in the wake of the retribution meted out. Lawrence is a diverse and multifaceted city that provides many of the amenities of a large metropolitan area, while still maintaining a strong sense of community. Mccorkle took part in quantrills raid on lawrence, kansas. A look at early lawrence kansas historical society. The destruction of the city of lawrence, kansas, and the. Though the full truth behind the raid has frequently been omitted from history, quantrill at lawrence. From the kansas collection of kenneth spencer research library and the department of.
James naismith brought basketball to the university of kansas in 1898, a mere seven years after he invented the game. May 29, 2018 one of the most infamous people in lawrence history, william clarke quantrillwho in 1863 led 400 proslavery men into lawrence, killed more than 180 men and teenage boys and burned the town to the groundcame here in the late 1850s pretending to be an abolitionist but was actually capturing runaways and taking them back to their masters. Lawrence homeowners delve into their cottages history lawrence homeowners warren hays and melody stratton are tracing the history of their. Quantrills raid on lawrence civil war on the western border. Harpers weekly published an illustration of quantrills raid on lawrence in its september 1863 issue freed slaves after civil war illustration of quantrills attack on lawrence, kansas, august 21, 1863 see more. Founded by abolitionists from new england, lawrence was established with a political agenda of seeing that kansas joined the union as a free state. From the kansas collection of kenneth spencer research library and the department of history of the university of kansas. The early history of lawrence and kansas was filled with a struggle for the defense of high principles. Lawrence, kansas from ashes to immortality legends of. The horror and sorrow quantrills raid ku libraries exhibits. Fisher was one of the survivors of the 1863 guerrilla raid on lawrence, kansas, that left 180 dead and much of the town burned to the ground. Today, it is a college town home to both the university of kansas.
The destruction of the city of lawrence, kansas, and the massacre of its inhabitants by the rebel guerrillas, august 21, 1863 summary print shows rebel troops killing the citizens of lawrence, kansas, and setting fire to the buildings. William quantrills raid on the freestate town of lawrence, kansas also known as the. Quantrills raid on lawrence civil war on the western. The civil war took a very different form in kansas.
With his father murdered and his mother made homeless, cole younger became one of the 450 confederate guerrillas who rode into lawrence at dawn on august 21, 1863. Lawrence offers a rich and fascinating history, a wide. Quantrill at lawrence the untold story and millions of other books are. The attack on august 21, 1863 targeted lawrence due to the towns long support. Interviews concerning the quantrill raid on lawrence, ks, aug. The lawrence massacre also known as quantrills raid was an attack on the town of lawrence, kansas on august 21, 1863. Broughton, publisher, printed this booklet a few years after the infamous raid on lawrence in 1863, providing firsthand accounts of the massacre. Hell let loose on august 21, 1863 quantrill and some four hundred men rode into lawrence, on a dawn raid, catching the citizens by surprise, in spite of earlier rumors of possible attack. A number of books and articles have recounted the events of the raid on lawrence from the early work of raid survivor and pastor. The history segments air on american history tv ahtv on cspan3 and the literary eventsnonfiction author segments air on book tv on cspan2. In august 1863, the union commander along the border, general thomas ewing, arrested several wives and sisters of members of a notorious band led by william.
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