THE PERIOD OF VIOLENCE
=The Severe Winter of 1855-’56.= The Wakarusa War closed in December,
1855. This second winter proved to be an exceedingly severe one, and
many of the settlers were not sufficiently protected against the
sudden and intense cold. Most of the houses were hastily constructed,
one-room log buildings, many of them with dirt floors, and windows and
doors of cotton cloth. The storms drifted into these cabins through
numberless chinks and cracks in roof and walls. One of the pioneers,
writing of that winter, says: “At times, when the winds were bleakest,
we went to bed as the only escape from freezing. More than once we
awoke in the morning to find six inches of snow in the cabin. To get
up, to make one’s toilet under such circumstances, was not a very
comfortable performance. Often we had little to eat; the wolf was
never far from our door during that hard winter of 1855-’56.”
=Preparations for Hostilities.= The struggle of the pioneers with the
hardships of winter closed hostilities for a while, but it soon became
evident that the Missourians were preparing more extensively than ever
to invade Kansas, destroy Lawrence, and drive the free-state people
from the Territory, or force them to recognize the proslavery
Territorial Government. The free-state people began to gather stores
and ammunition and to send calls to the northern states for men and
money to meet the situation.
[Illustration: TERRITORIAL GOVERNORS.
WILSON SHANNON
ANDREW H. REEDER JOHN W. GEARY
JAMES W. DENVER
ROBT. J. WALKER SAMUEL MEDARY]
=The Sacking of Lawrence, May 21, 1856.= A number of minor conflicts
occurred. Sheriff Jones was wounded, a young free-state man named
Barber was killed, and then came the long feared attack upon Lawrence.
From the beginning the policy of the free-state people had been to
avoid conflict wherever possible. On this occasion they made every
attempt to conciliate and to pacify the attacking force, but in vain.
As the proslavery leaders rode through the town they were invited to
dinner by Mr. Eldridge, the proprietor of the new $20,000 hotel built
by the Emigrant Aid Company. They accepted the invitation, and in the
afternoon the mob completely demolished the hotel. They threw the two
printing presses of the town into the river, ransacked stores and
houses, taking whatever they wanted, and before leaving town burned
Governor Robinson’s home. The financial loss to Lawrence and the
surrounding country was heavy. Though the people had been oppressed
and outraged they had not been conquered. By offering no resistance
they had robbed the affair of any possible justification in the eyes
of the world.
[Illustration: JOHN BROWN.]
=John Brown.= There was one who bitterly opposed this policy of
nonresistance, who believed that the way to meet the situation was to
fight. This was John Brown, a tall, gaunt, grizzled old man who had
come to Kansas a few weeks before the sacking of Lawrence. Five sons
had preceded him and had settled near Osawatomie. John Brown came, not
to aid his sons in their pioneer struggles, nor to make a home for
himself, but because it seemed to him an opportunity to strike a blow
at slavery. He hated slavery with an intensity that knew no bounds,
and he gave all of his mind and energy to warfare against it.
=The Pottawatomie Massacre, May 24, 1856.= The sacking of Lawrence
roused him to a high pitch of excitement. He believed that this
outrage should be avenged, and determined to strike a blow, to return
violence for violence. With a party of seven or eight men, including
four of his sons, he made a night trip down Pottawatomie Creek where a
number of proslavery settlers lived. Five of these settlers were
called out of their houses and killed.
=Beginning of Four Months of Violence.= This kind of warfare was not
in accordance with the plans or purposes of the leaders of the
free-state movement, and was not approved by them. News of the awful
affair spread rapidly through the Territory and created wild
excitement. The Pottawatomie massacre was followed by a period of
nearly four months of violence on both sides.
=Both Sides Arm for War.= A band of border ruffians gathered to wreak
vengeance on those who had taken the lives of the proslavery settlers
of Pottawatomie Creek. The battle of Black Jack resulted, in which the
border ruffians were defeated by John Brown and his men. The Missouri
border hurriedly gathered more forces and marched a well-armed body of
men into Kansas. The free-state men had been busy, too, and on June 5
the Missourians were met by a band of armed free-state Kansas
settlers.
=Armies Dispersed by the Governor.= This alarming state of affairs
aroused Governor Shannon and he at once ordered both sides to
disperse. The free-state army disbanded, but the Missourians obeyed
sullenly, and on their way back to Missouri they committed a number of
depredations, and pillaged Osawatomie, which they hated because it was
the home of John Brown.
=Free-state Help from Northern States.= The North was deeply stirred
by the calamities endured by the free-state people in Kansas. Although
practically all of the free-state newspapers here had been closed or
destroyed, the papers in the northern and eastern states were filled
with narrations of the hardships, robberies, and murders that had
befallen antislavery settlers in the Territory. The Kansas troubles
were discussed from the pulpit, and the great preacher, Henry Ward
Beecher, advised sending rifles to Kansas and pledged his church for a
definite number. The men thus sent out armed with Bibles and rifles
were sometimes called “The Rifle Christians.” Public meetings were
addressed by men fresh from Kansas, among them ex-Governor Reeder, S.
N. Wood, and James H. Lane. Much sympathy was aroused for the
suffering free-state settlers. Large sums of money were raised, and
companies of men were organized to take part in the Territorial
contest. The movement swept over the states from Boston to the
Northwest.[12] “Societies of semi-military cast, no less willing to
furnish guns than groceries, sprang up as if by magic, and
overshadowed the earlier, more pacific organizations.” As a result of
these agitations a stream of migration moved toward Kansas during the
spring and summer of 1856. Every party came prepared for defense, and
many brought with them a goodly stock of provisions. One writer says
of the immigrants, “There were fewer women and children, less
house-luggage, fewer agricultural implements; more men, more arms,
more ammunition.”
=Missouri River Closed to Free-state Immigration.= These activities of
the North were viewed with alarm by the proslavery leaders. They
believed that this inflow of free-state settlers must be checked or it
would end all hope of making Kansas a slave state. One of the most
important of the measures they adopted for this purpose was the
closing of the Missouri River to free-state immigration. They
overhauled the steamboats and seized merchandise and arms that were
being sent to free-state people, and they arrested and turned back all
travelers whom they believed to be unfriendly to the South. All
overland immigrants received similar treatment as soon as they touched
Missouri soil.
=New Route to Kansas.= Although this policy occasioned the northern
people considerable loss and much inconvenience, it did not check the
movement toward Kansas. It simply meant that the immigrants came
through Iowa and Nebraska, entering Kansas from the north.
The Southerners also appealed to their people and money was raised and
men were sent to Kansas, but the response was not to be compared with
that of the North.
=A Condition of Lawlessness.= While these things were going on, Kansas
was becoming more and more lawless. It would be hard to say which side
surpassed the other in misdeeds. A number of free-state leaders,
including Dr. Robinson, were held at Lecompton during the summer as
prisoners on a charge of treason. The free-state people were irritated
by the loss of money, supplies, and mail, through the Missouri
blockade. Bands of armed proslavery men guarded the roads out of
Topeka and Lawrence, so that these towns were really in a state of
siege. These guards lived on supplies taken from the surrounding
settlers, and cut off supplies sent to the towns so that food became
very scarce, especially at Lawrence, where the chief article of diet
for some time was ground oats. Meanwhile, supplies were reaching the
proslavery towns, Tecumseh, Lecompton, and Franklin, without
hindrance. It was evident to the free-state people that their enemies
expected to starve them out of the Territory, and they were stirred to
retaliate. The free-state guerrillas again began their work of seizing
the supplies of proslavery settlers and merchants. This was kept up
until many of the proslavery people were completely impoverished.
=The “Army of the North.”= About the first of August a report that
Lane was coming with the “Army of the North” spread over the
Territory. James H. Lane was one of the free-state men who had been in
the northern states, addressing meetings and raising men and money. He
was a very eloquent speaker and had influenced many to come to Kansas.
The “Army of the North” consisted of several hundred men, women, and
children, most of whom had come to make homes for themselves. This
army was a combination of several parties that had united to come into
Kansas over the new route through Iowa and Nebraska. Lane was with the
party, but only a small number were armed or had been gathered by him.
=A Proslavery Army Gathers.= The proslavery leaders began to rally
their men along the border. The following sentences are taken from one
of the calls they published: “Lane’s men have arrived! Civil war is
begun! And we call on all who are not prepared to see their friends
butchered, to be themselves driven from their homes, to rally to the
rescue.” A large number of men soon gathered on the border, anxiously
awaiting permission to move into Kansas; but as Governor Shannon had
dispersed the Missouri army a few weeks earlier, he now refused to
issue orders for the new army to move into the Territory.
=Governor Shannon Resigns.= About this time Governor Shannon resigned.
He had so displeased the proslavery people that he was compelled to
flee for his life under cover of night. Daniel Woodson, Secretary of
the Territory, now became Acting Governor until the new Governor
should arrive. As he was in full sympathy with proslavery interests he
opened the Territory to the Missouri invasion. Woodson’s power lasted
only three weeks, but they were the darkest days that Kansas had
experienced.
=The Burning of Osawatomie.= The proslavery army moved into Kansas.
The Pottawatomie massacre had not been forgotten, and when this army
reached Osawatomie, “the headquarters of old Brown,” they attacked the
town. John Brown had only forty-one men, and so thoroughly did the
enemy do their work this time that only four cabins escaped burning.
=Arrival of Governor Geary, September, 1856.= At this time the new
Territorial Governor, John W. Geary, arrived. Governor Geary described
the situation that he found on his arrival in the following words: “I
reached Kansas and entered upon the discharge of my official duties in
the most gloomy hour of her history. Desolation and ruin reigned on
every hand; homes and firesides were deserted; the smoke of burning
dwellings darkened the atmosphere; women and children, driven from
their habitations, wandered over the prairies and among the woodlands,
or sought refuge even among the Indian tribes. The highways were
infested with numerous predatory bands, and the towns were fortified
and garrisoned by armies of conflicting partisans, each excited almost
to frenzy, and determined upon mutual extermination. Such was, without
exaggeration, the condition of the Territory at the period of my
arrival.”
=Conditions in the Territory.= In the meantime the big body of armed
Missourians was moving forward and the proslavery settlers were
gathering in answer to a call that closed with these words: “Then let
every man who can bear arms be off to the war again. Let it be the
third and last time. Let the watchword be, ‘Extermination, total and
complete,’” The free-state people were scattered, unorganized, and but
scantily supplied with arms and provisions, and were therefore in no
condition to meet such a force. Fortunately, the new Governor, whose
policy was that of fair play, at once ordered all bodies of armed men
to disband.
=Preparations for the Defense of Lawrence.= The Missourians, however,
continued to move toward Lawrence. The Governor then took some United
States troops and went to Lawrence, which he found in an almost
defenseless condition. The town was poorly fortified, with few
provisions and not more than ten rounds of ammunition. Even the women
and children were armed. There were not more than three hundred
people, but there seemed to be no thought of surrender. They would
either repulse the enemy or perish in the attempt. The arrival of the
Governor with United States soldiers brought unexpected relief.
=End of the Reign of Violence, September, 1856.= On the morning of
September 15, Governor Geary marched out to the Missouri army encamped
about three miles from Lawrence, held a conference with the leaders,
and insisted that his orders for disbanding be obeyed. The Missourians
consented, and the force of twenty-seven hundred well-equipped men
went home. Thus ended the four months’ reign of violence[13] that had
begun with the sacking of Lawrence in May. The threatened attack on
Lawrence was the last organized effort of the Missourians to take
Kansas by force. Both sides soon gave up their plundering expeditions,
travel became safer and property more secure. For a time peace settled
down over the Territory, and Governor Geary, believing that order was
entirely restored to Kansas, appointed November 20 “as a day of
general praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God.” With the close of
the period of violence a little less than two and a half years had
passed since the organization of Kansas as a territory in the spring
of 1854.
SUMMARY
Hostilities were renewed in the spring of 1856. The
Missourians prepared for invasion, and the free-state people
for defense. Several minor conflicts were followed by the
sacking of Lawrence, to which the free-state people offered
no resistance. This policy was not approved by John Brown.
He counseled revenge and the Pottawatomie massacre followed.
Then began a four months’ “reign of terror.” Several
conflicts followed, among them the battle of Black Jack. An
army was hurriedly gathered by each side, but Governor
Shannon ordered them to disperse. The sympathy of the whole
North was aroused, and men and money poured into Kansas.
This led to the closing of Missouri to free-state travel,
and the newcomers entered Kansas through Nebraska. During
this time both sides were committing many outrages and there
was a constant condition of lawlessness. The coming of the
“Army of the North” resulted in the gathering of a large
army from Missouri called “the 2700.” Governor Shannon
resigned, and Acting Governor Woodson permitted this army to
enter Kansas, and it marched toward Lawrence, pillaging
Osawatomie as it passed. While Lawrence was awaiting attack,
Geary, the new Governor, arrived and ordered the army
disbanded. This ended the period of violence.
REFERENCES
Prentis, History of Kansas, pp. 93-108.
Spring, Kansas.
Robinson, The Kansas Conflict.
Mrs. Robinson, Kansas――Its Interior and Exterior Life.
Blackmar, The Life of Charles Robinson.
Connelley, James Henry Lane, the Grim Chieftain of Kansas.
Connelley, John Brown.
Andreas, History of Kansas, pp. 120-125.
Ingalls, Writings, pp. 76-92, 228-262.
McCarter, A Wall of Men. (A novel.)
QUESTIONS
1. When did the Wakarusa War close?
2. Describe the winter of 1855-’56.
3. What conditions came with the spring?
4. Give an account of the sacking of Lawrence.
5. Who was John Brown? Why did he come to Kansas? What was the
Pottawatomie massacre? What do you know of John Brown other
than what is given in this book?
6. Give an account of the battle of Black Jack, the gathering of
armies, and the pillaging of Osawatomie.
7. What free-state assistance was given by the North?
8. What measure did this lead Missouri to take?
9. What was the “Army of the North”?
10. What was “the 2700”? Who permitted this force to enter
Kansas?
11. Give an account of the second attack on Osawatomie.
12. Name the Territorial Governors up to this time.
13. Who was the new Governor? How did he describe the conditions
that he found in Kansas?
14. How was Lawrence threatened? What became of the army?
15. When did the period of violence close?
16. What condition followed?
17. How long was this after the organization of the Territory?