Lawrence Massacre

There were few battles in Kansas turning the Civil War, but it was the scene of brutal guerrilla fighting. This had been occurring between the pro-slavery and anti-settlers since John Brown was here in the 1850s. 150 years ago today one of the most notorious guerrilla actions occurred – the Lawrence Massacre.

Quantrill

The Confederate in charge of the men who perpetrated the slaughter was William Quantrill. Although he was born in Ohio and anti-slavery, he became a drifter and ruffian in Missouri and Kansas and learned the profitability of turning in escaped slaves. His political views followed his pocketbook. When the war came, he joined a regiment of Cherokee Indians fighting for the Confederacy, and learned guerrilla tactics from them. After fighting in the Battle of Wilson's Creek he deserted the army and set out to form his own group of raiders. A handful of men joined him to attack the Union army and civilians along the Kansas-Missouri border. His men included Frank and Jesse James and the Younger Brothers, who would gain notoriety as criminals after the war.

In 1863 Quantrill decided to attack and destroy a Union town as retaliation for Union deprecations on a smaller scale. He picked the town of Lawrence, Kansas, which had been sacked already in the “Bleeding Kansas” fighting before the war. He convinced other Bushwakers to join him, and all told they numbered 300-400 men. Multiple columns converged on the town, striking early on the morning of August 21. There were no soldiers in the town at the time, and the raiders were free to ride through, looting, burning and plundering. The military age men and boys were stopped and killed. Quantrill had prepared lists of men and businesses to be specially targeted. At the top of the list was Senator James Lane, a leader who had led devastating raids into Missouri. He escaped only by running through a cornfield in his nightshirt.

Lane

After four hours of destruction the Buskwackers made their escape. A quarter of the buildings in the town were burnt, and about 200 men and boys lay dead. The raiders only lost one man, shot from his horse as they left the town. The column split up, effectively avoiding the weak Union pursuit.

Ruins of Lawrence

The issues of the guerrilla fighting were not as clear cut as they might seem. The southerners had suffered much at the hands of their pro-slavery neighbors. One boy, Riley Crawford, was sent by his mother to ride with Quantrill when he was only 13, because the Yankees had burned their home and killed his father. The Lawrence Massacre was certainly unwarranted, but the wrongs were not all one sided.

Earl Van Dorn is Killed

Van Dorn

Earl Van Dorn was one of the leading Confederate commanders in the West. He had been defeated as an army commander at the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, but had redeemed some of his reputation as a cavalry commander. But 150 years ago today his career would come to an end. Van Dorn had a reputation as a womanizer, and he once said, "I hate all men, and were it not for the women, I should not fight at all." Dr. James Bodie Peters thought that reputation was not unfounded, because he believed his wife had an affair with Van Dorn. It was on this day that Peters decided that Van Dorn must die. Riding to the general's headquarters at Ferguson Hall, he had no difficult obtaining entrance as he was known to the staff. Walking up to Van Dorn, who was writing at his desk, he shot him through the head. He was able to escape the scene, but was later arrested by Confederate authorities. He was never charged for the murder.

The site of Van Dorn's death

General Jefferson Davis shoots Bull Nelson

Jefferson C. Davis

There were two important Jefferson Davis's in the Civil War. The most famous one was Jefferson Davis of Mississippi, President of the Confederacy. However, there was another one, Jefferson C. Davis, a general in the Union army. Today he is known only for his name, and for an incident which took place 150 years ago today.

Nelson

Davis had been in the United States garrison at Fort Sumter during the battle which began the war. He was soon promoted to captain and then colonel. He fought at the Battle of Wilson's Creek and was promoted to Brigadier General. However, he fell sick and went on sick leave. But when Bragg invaded Kentucky and there was a treat of an attack on Louisville and Cincinnati, he rose from his sick bed to help with the defenses. Davis had an ongoing feud with William “Bull” Nelson, commanding the Union forces preparing to meet the threat to Louisville, Kentucky. Nelson removed Davis from temporary command of a brigade of Home Guards, so Davis appealed to the governor of Indiana Oliver Morton, and Morton came with him to see Nelson.

At 8:00 am on September 29th Davis met Nelson in the lobby of the Galt house and confronted him, and harsh words were exchanged. The argument culminated with Nelson slapping Davis across the head. Embarrassed, Davis borrowed a revolver from a friend, and as Nelson turned to head down the stairs, he challenged him to a fight. Nelson was unarmed, but nonetheless Davis fired one shot, which killed him.

Davis was immediately placed under arrest for the murder of General Nelson. Incredibly, he was never prosecuted for his crime. He was released from prison and returned to his command, as at the time it seems that the need for experienced commanders was greater than their need to justice to be served to murderers.