CHAPTER XXXI. THE SACK OF LAWRENCE. On the 20th of May the invaders prepared to attack Lawrence on the following day. General Atchison, with his Platte County Riflemen and two pieces of artillery; the Kickapoo Rangers, under Captain Dunn, reinforced by recruits from Leavenworth and Weston; General and Doctor Stringfellows, Bob Kelley and Peter Abell, at the head of forces from Atchison and vicinity; Colonel Wilkes, of South Carolina, aud Colonel Titus, of Florida, with a number of their fellow statesmen, were all in camp between Lecompton and Lawrence. At Franklin, Colonel Boone, of Westport, and Colonel Buford, of South Carolina, with several prominent men from Liberty and Independence, Missouri, headed a large force of Southerners and Missourians. Both camps could muster eight hundred men, a part of whom were mounted and a part on foot. They were all supplied with United States arms by the Territorial authorities, and, besides Atchison's cannon, they had two more pieces of artillery. Before the day spring streaked the clear eastern sky, on the twenty-first, the camp near Lawrence broke up and marched towards that place. At sunrise the inhabitants of that town, "just shaking off their slumbers," beheld two hundred horsemen, armed with rifles, revolvers and bowie knives, drawn up on Mount Oread that overlooks the place. A red war flag, with "Southern Rights" inscribed upon it, floated over them. With what consternation and despair must they have gazed at the sight! They were defenseless. The faithful picket was not there to warn them of the enemy's approach. The alarming drum and shrill noted fife called no stalwart arms and brave hearts to the trenches and the line of battle. Alas, a different counsel had prevailed; the cannon lie buried in the ground as "silent as the grave," and the Sharp's rifles were concealed in the garret, or were far away upon the prairies. The few brave men left in the city, and the brave women wept when they beheld the advance of the invaders, that they could not die in defense of their homes, rather than see them demolished and themselves stricken down, or insulted like dogs, by a remorseless and arrogant foe. At 7 o'clock the advance guard on the hill moved forward to its brow nearest the town, and took possession of Governor Robinson's house further down, which they used for headquarters. This was long musket range from the town, but good range for breech-loading rifles. Here they planted a cannon so as to overlook the town, which they directed towards it. In about one hour the infantry force from the western camp arrived and took position on the summit of the hill. During the forenoon they sent runners into town who reported back, "All quiet in Lawrence; the few men there are busy about their employments." At eleven o'clock Deputy Marshal Fain, who had been in Lawrence the evening previous and made two arrests without opposition, rode into town with a guard of ten men without guns. They went directly to the hotel and were respectfully received. The Deputy then summoned Dr. Garvin, D. A. Perry, C. W. Topliff, Wm. Jones, S. W. Eldridge and T. B. Eldridge to assist him in making arrests. These readily complied and G. W. Deitzler, G. W. Smith and Gaius Jenkins were arrested without any difficulty. The Marshal took his din ner at the hotel; left without paying his bill and returned to the posse on the hill, which had now been increased by the arrival of Col. Buford's men. He then dismissed them, saying "he had no further use for them, but Sheriff Jones has writs to execute and they were at liberty to organize as his posse." Sheriff Jones, "who once was dead, but now is alive again," rode forward and solicited the aid of the forces amid loud and prolonged cheers. While Deputy Marshal Fain was in town the Committee of Safety, who had shown every respect to this officer, penned and signed the following document: "LAWRENCE, K. T., May 21, 1856. "J. B. DONALDSON, United States Marshal, Kansas Territory: "We, the Committee of Public Safety, for the citizens of Lawrence, make this statement and declaration to you, as Marshal of Kansas Territory: "That we represent the citizens of the United States and of Kansas, who acknowledge the constituted authorities of the Government; that we make no resistance to the execution of the law, national or territorial, and claim it as law-abiding American citizens. "For the private property already taken by your posse we ask indemnification; and what remains to us and our citizens we throw upon you for protection, trusting that under the flag of the Union, and within the folds of the Constitution, we may obtain safety. "SAMUEL C. POMEROY, "JOHN PERRY, C. W. BABCOCK, S. B. PRENTISE, A. H. MALLORY, It is due to the four last mentioned gentlemen to say that they repudiated the letter and declared that they never signed it. But this avowed recognition of the Territorial laws by the committee-laws which the people of Kansas had, time and again, in convention assembled pledged them selves, their lives, fortunes and sacred honors, "never to recognize as valid "-did not turn aside the wrath of the invaders. About three o'clock in the afternoon Sheriff Jones rode into town at the head of twenty armed men, halted in front of the Free State Hotel and called for General Pomeroy. This gentleman soon appeared and shook hands with Jones, when the latter said: "General Pomeroy, I recognize you as one of the leading citizens here and as one who can act for the people of Lawrence. I demand that all the arms of Lawrence be given up or we shall bombard the town. (Taking out his watch.) I give you five minutes to decide upon this proposition and a half hour to stack the arms in the streets. I am authorized to make this demand by the First District Court of the United States." General Pomeroy rushed up stairs and communicated this intelligence to the Committee of Safety, there sitting like the Roman Fathers when the Barbarians entered the imperial city. In a few moments he returned and said "the cannon will be delivered up, but the rifles are private property and will be retained." Jones replied, "very well, give the cannon." The General, with other members of the Committee, accompanied the Sheriff to the spot where the twelve pounder brass howitzer and four other small cannons were buried under the foundation of a house, dug them up and surrendered them to Jones. A few Sharp's rifles were also obtained. up While this scene was being witnessed in town, the posse, numbering from five to eight hundred men, had marched down to the foot of the hill, formed in a hollow square, to whom General Atchison was making a speech, which was cheered by tremendous yells and whoops. 66 6 'Boys, to-day I'm a Kickapoo Ranger, by G―d. This day we have entered Lawrence, and the abolitionists have not dared to fire a gun.' Various reports of this speech have been published, but all more or less incorrect. It was an odd mixture of drunken enthusiasm, restraining forbear ance, partisan ferocity and profanity. He declared that the Free State Hotel must be destroyed and the printing offices demolished; but told them they must deport themselves as Southern gentlemen and 'law and order men.' He said they must not forget to be gallant and must respect ladies, but added, if you find a woman armed as a soldier, and thus putting off the garb of her sex, trample her under foot as you would a snake.' He said the people of Lawrence seemed determined not to resist, and that, therefore, it would not do to attack them; but said, if there was the least appearance of resistance, no quarters should be shown. He alluded to the distance the young Southerners had to come to aid them in the defense of Southern rights,' and complimented them on their zeal and courage. He commenced speaking on his horse, and then dismounted and got on a brass cannon, from which he spoke. He was interrupted by the arrival of Jones, who, after the guns had been delivered up, rode out of town. Jones told them that he had orders from the First District Court of the United States for Kansas to demolish the hotel and destroy the printing offices. Loud and enthusiastic cheers were then given for Jones. Atchison resumed his speech, telling them: And now we'll go in with our highly honorable Jones and test the strength of that d-d Free State Hotel.' He said something more urging them to bravery and good order, and finished by saying: 'If any man or woman stands in your way, blow them to h-11 with a chunk of cold lead.'" The army of invaders then began their march into Lawrence with various banners and inscriptions upon them. There was one with a crimson star in the center and the words, "Southern Rights;" another with a tiger crouching ready to spring. One bore the inscription "South Carolina ;" another, "The Supremacy of the White Race," &c. The Grand Jury which indicted several free state men for treason, also indicted several public buildings in Lawrence as nui |