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The Lawrence Massacre (also known as Quantrill's Raid) was an attack during the American Civil War (1861–65) by Quantrill's Raiders, a Confederate guerrilla group led by William Quantrill, on the Unionist town of Lawrence, Kansas, killing around 150 men and boys.
During Quantrill's raid, Quantrill and his men burned 185 buildings in Lawrence, KS and killed 182 men and boys. [8] Lawrence was the historic base of operations for abolitionist and Jayhawker organizations. Pro-slavery forces also operated in the area, as both sides tried to gain power to determine whether Kansas would allow slavery.
When Quantrill's men rode out at 9 a.m., most of Lawrence's buildings were burning, including all but two businesses. By comparison Lane's Union raid on Osceola was four times more destructive than Quantrill's raid on Lawrence. Of the 800 buildings in Osceola, only 3 were left standing.
Clark learned Quantrill moved into Kansas in the night and Clark left with a force of thirty men in a belated and hopeless attempt to pursue Quantrill. Quantrill was on his way to raid Lawrence, Kansas. The Lawrence Massacre resulted. [2] Through at least June 1865 Coldwater Grove was maintained as a Union military post.
In August 1863, Quantrill gathered 450 men and entered Kansas. They kidnapped locals, forced them to serve as guides on the way to the city of Lawrence, Kansas, and then murdered them. [2] Lawrence was selected as the target for the raid, as it was viewed in Missouri as a center of abolitionism and Jayhawkers.
In October 1862, George Bell paid sixty dollars for an empty lot and construction on the house began. On August 21, 1863, he and his family were residing in the unfinished house during Quantrill's raid. George Bell attempted to defend Lawrence from the attack, but was shot and killed.
However, the bushwhackers held a special hatred for the "red leg" Union troops from Kansas who frequently entered Missouri and earned a reputation for ruthlessness. Younger rode with Quantrill in a retaliatory raid on Lawrence, Kansas on August 21, 1863, during which about 200 citizens were killed and the town looted and burned. [1]
A painting of the Lawrence Massacre, in which Anderson played a leading role. Although Quantrill had considered the idea of a raid on the pro-Union stronghold that was the town of Lawrence, Kansas before the building collapsed in Kansas City, the deaths convinced the guerrillas to make a bold strike. Quantrill attained near-unanimous consent to ...