Name/Title
Lawrence Massacre Details Letter from R. Stevens, Aug. 23, 1863Entry/Object ID
L9999.999.3634Description
Lawrence Massacre Details Letter from R. Stevens, Aug. 23, 1863. Photocopy and transcription of letter from R. Stevens written 2 days after Quantrill and his Missouri Raiders invaded Lawrence during the Civil War and massacred at least 123 men and burned the town.
Lawrence (Kansas), Aug. 23, 1863
Dear Friends:
This is the first moment that I could snatch from other duties in which to write. Of course you have heard by telegraph of our terrible calamity: but O God! no telegraph, no pen, no language, can fitly describe the awful scene. It was not a fight, not a murder, but the most terrible, cold-blooded, fiendish massacre ever heard of in this country or ,or any other where civilized people pretend to live. Already we have the names of 123 killed, & more missing; over 100 were buried yesterday; the graveyard was the most busy place; many men were at work; long trenches were dug, two set working , one digging, the other following & covering the coffins. I can no yet give particulars, but will be brief. I arrived here on Thursday night; retired quietly; on Friday morning at daylight was awakened by firing & shouting; jumped up to the window & saw a body of men riding in on Mass. Street, just opposite Frye's old livery stables, shouting: "Kill every d--d man." In front of the building just south of the Bank, the two Range boys, & two other Germans, lay asleep on the plank walk, under the awning. The horsemen rode up to them & shot all four dead; then fired the building. (The poor fellows I afterward found lay until ten o'clock & roasted to a crisp.) I pulled on pants, shoes & coat. (the only articles I saved) looked at watch; it was fifteen minutes after five. The night watch then sounded the gong all over the house, while I went about & saw that all were up. A guard had been stationed at every door; two who tried to escape were killed. Soon four bandits came up & demanded watches, money, to which generally were given up; but mine I had handed to Mrs. Bancroft; so I had none to give: she was not asked. We all then went down to the first floor above the office. Prentiss's drug store, right under us, (some 65 in all of us) was ? on fire. For the first time, the thought flashed upon me, that were to be burned in the hotel. At once I appealed to one of the guard, (an old man whom I had made out) & endeared him to send for Quantrell, who soon came. I took him by the hand, led him aside, & finally got from him a promise of protection for the whole crowd. We then moved out, & was we went down stairs, the chemicals in the drug store began to explode; marched down east to an open space on the grass, when drunken soldiers camp up & began shooting at us. Again I sent for Quantrell, who took us to the Whitney Hose, & staid with us all the time. I was spokesman & surgeon, dressing the wounds of three men; was in the street; making acquaintances in the gang, one of whom was from Rochester. Quantrell said stayed till nearly ten, leaving with his column of 450 strong. In about ten minutes, four of his gang came back. (stragglers) tow of them drunk, swearing they wd kill young Stone, Lydia Stone, & Stevens. They did kill the old man Stone, & shot two others. None of the rest were hurt. young Stone 7 I jumped out the window & got under the bank of the river. At Eleven all had gone, & we sallied out. Such a sight! scorched and burned bodies laying in the streets everywhere. We worked until night; then I went to Leavenworth in the night; got us some clothes, & bought a large lot of provisions to for which the people of Leavenworth paid; loaded three two-horse wagons & six government six-mule wagons, & got back there a 12 last night. This morning the provisions came. Shall remain here a while, do all in my power to alleviate the suffering, & distress of the many whom morn.
R. Stevens
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Civil warsSearch Terms
Lawrence Massacre by Quantrell's Border Ruffians, 1863, Lawrence Massacre, Border Ruffians, Quantrill, WilliamPublication Details
Author
Stevens, R.Place Published
City
LawrenceState/Province
KansasDate Published
1863Call No.
CivilWar STNotes
Copy No.: 1Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
William C. QuantrellPerson or Organization
William C. Quantrill