When 450 Confederate raiders burned an entire Kansas town in four hours

The Lawrence Massacre

Most people in Lawrence, Kansas woke up to gunfire on August 21, 1863. William Quantrill’s Confederate guerrillas had arrived before sunrise with one goal: destroy the abolitionist stronghold. They killed every man and boy they could find.

They torched homes and shops. By noon, the town was in ruins and 150 people were dead. The massacre became one of the Civil War’s darkest chapters.

Here’s the story of that terrible morning, told at the historic sites still standing in Lawrence today.

The Raiders’ Night Journey to Lawrence

About 450 Confederate guerrillas gathered in Missouri before riding to Lawrence. They traveled over 100 miles through Union territory to reach their target.

Many tied themselves to their saddles with leather straps to avoid falling off if they dozed during the journey. The men had been riding for more than 24 hours straight.

Quantrill split his men into separate groups approaching from the east. They met up again with careful timing just before reaching Lawrence.

Frank James and Cole Younger, later famous outlaws, rode with the raiders.

The Predawn Approach to Lawrence

Quantrill’s men reached Lawrence’s outskirts just before dawn on August 21. The sleeping town had no warning of danger.

Henry Thompson, a Black servant from nearby Hesper, tried to run to Lawrence after spotting the raiders. He collapsed from exhaustion at Eudora, still miles from Lawrence.

The guerrillas killed farmers they met on the road to prevent warnings from reaching town. A small group rode ahead to Mount Oread, a hill overlooking Lawrence, to watch for Union troops.

The town’s 3,000 residents slept peacefully as the raiders closed in.

The First Victims at Dawn

Reverend Samuel Snyder became one of the first to die when raiders shot him while milking his cow. Morning quiet shattered as Quantrill’s men entered Lawrence.

The raiders rode through South Park toward the Eldridge House hotel downtown. They shouted “On to the hotel!” as they charged down Massachusetts Street, the main road through town.

Outside town, the Ellis family, free Black farmers, faced immediate violence. Ellis’s father died in the first moments, marking the start of targeted attacks against Black residents.

The raiders moved quickly, appearing throughout Lawrence almost at once.

The Attack on the Eldridge House

The four-story brick Eldridge House hotel stood as the raiders’ main target. The building served as headquarters for local Union forces.

Quantrill’s men surrounded the hotel and demanded surrender. Though they would soon burn the building, Quantrill let those inside escape safely.

After taking the Eldridge House, Quantrill made it his command post for the raid. From this central spot, he directed his men throughout town.

The hotel’s location gave Quantrill a clear view of Lawrence as his fighters spread through the community.

The Systematic Killing Begins

Quantrill split his men into smaller groups that fanned out across Lawrence. The raiders carried lists of targets, including Senator James Lane, Governor Charles Robinson, and Reverend Hugh Fisher.

Men and boys faced great danger as raiders pulled them from homes, often shooting them in front of families. The guerrillas killed both elderly men and boys as young as fourteen.

Black residents faced especially harsh treatment, with raiders hunting them with what witnesses called “special malignity.” Black Union soldiers found in Lawrence were immediately killed.

The raiders searched homes thoroughly, demanding to know where men were hiding.

Politicians Who Escaped the Massacre

Senator James Lane, a main target because he led Jayhawker forces, escaped by hiding in a cornfield. He crawled through the corn on hands and knees to avoid being seen.

Mayor George Collamore tried to hide in his family’s well but died from smoke as raiders burned his property. His family survived despite his 18-year-old son suffering bad wounds.

The Escape of Other Prominent Citizens

Former Governor Charles Robinson, another prime target, managed to escape as well. Reverend Hugh Fisher, known for his raids into Missouri, survived by hiding in his cellar.

Fisher’s wife Elizabeth saved him when raiders returned by having him hide under a carpet she dragged outside.

Heroism Among Lawrence Women

While men faced deadly danger, women acted with great courage. The raiders generally didn’t kill women, allowing them to help others.

Lawrence women hid male relatives in clever spots and protected valuables. Some boldly followed raiders through their homes, putting out fires as soon as the men set them.

Jane Ellis showed particular bravery after raiders attacked her farm. When their house caught fire, Jane dragged her son Ben from the flames and hid him under a feather bed, saving him while her husband died.

Kate Riggs and Elizabeth Fisher directly confronted raiders and saved their husbands.

The Raiders’ Retreat

After four hours, Quantrill’s scouts spotted Union troops approaching Lawrence. The raiders had killed between 150-190 men and boys and destroyed much of the town.

Quantrill ordered his men to gather in South Park, where they had entered at dawn. From there, they began riding back toward Missouri.

The guerrillas left behind nearly $2 million in damage (in 1863 dollars), with about 200 buildings burned. Despite all the violence, only one raider, Larkin Skaggs, died during the attack.

A traveler approaching Lawrence that evening saw burning houses marking the raiders’ escape path for miles.

Visiting Watkins Community Museum in Lawrence, Kansas

Oak Hill Cemetery holds the graves of many Lawrence massacre victims. A monument honoring those killed stands there, placed thirty years after the attack.

The Watkins Museum of History in downtown Lawrence occupies a historic 1888 building at 1047 Massachusetts Street. You can explore three floors of exhibits about the massacre and other local history.

The museum offers self-guided tours of massacre-related artifacts, including period weapons, photographs of victims, and interactive displays explaining the raid’s context.

Special permanent exhibits feature the “Blood Stained Dawn” painting depicting the attack and original newspaper accounts from 1863.

Admission to the museum is free.
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