The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-20
The Aliiltary Murders in ST. LOuis

The st. LouiS papers are full of the de tails
of the horrible massacre of the volunteers and
citizens OF that city, including women and
children, by the United States soldiers and
Germans. Capt. Lyon, who commanded the
attacking forces, was accompanied by Frank
p. Blair, jr., who acted in conjuction with
him. The ST. Louis Herald describes the
march of 5000 or ! 900 men under Col. Lyon,
to Camp Jackson, which was surrounded,
soon after which Gen. Frost surrendered.
The Herald then adds:
After this had been done, murderous as
sauIt committed upon the 500 prisoners
and the 10 900 or more Of the curious specta-
tors of the scene in the distance, which is
without precedent in brutality and atrocity
in hist tory fiction, and which, it is to be
hoped, viii stand alone for all time. While
the two regiments of the NJ. >. '. M. were
thus standing before them unarmed having
given up their arms with tears in their eyes
the order of their commander and with many
thousands of people--men, women and chill
dren-gathered closely around TO witness the
evacuation-thoug tless of all harm-they
fired upon them vOiley after volley, without
any prevocation, SO far AS we could learn,
whatever. There was no proyOcation. The
Missouri militia was unarmed, detected, pas
sive. And the women and children would not
have intrusted themselves within the line OF
their guns had they not known that the whole
affair had been brought to a close. The
which the fire came we have not learned with
sufficient accuracy to s tate, further than thai
IL WAS German company, and not one ol
those domiciled within the walls of the Ar
senai.
The effect of the firing was frightfuliy muir
derous. AT the first fire many fell, sont
killed and others wounded. The women and
children and other spectators, alarmed, fled
when the companies firing brought their guns
to bear upon them, and killed many.
ha Uiy ho foil nd
ditional particulars
1t appears that several members of one o.
the German companies, on being pressed BY
the crowd and receiving some blows from
them, turned and discharged their pieces
Fortunately no one was injured, and the sol
diers who had done the act were at once PLACED
under arrest. Hardly, however, had tran.
guilty been rest tored, when Yolley after vol
ley OF rifle reports were suddenly heard from
the extreme rear ranks, and men, women anC
children were beheld running wildly anC
irantically away from the scene. Many, while
running, were suddenly struck to the ssd anC
the wounded and dying made the late beau
tlfui field look like Il attle-ground. VIZ
went over the grove Immediately after the oc
currence, and more fearful aud CHASTITY
slght Is seldom seen. Men lay gasping in tht
agony OF death, and staining the green grass
with their blood, as il flowed from theil
wounds. Children of 10 years OF a.'
were pale and motionless as il asleep under
the trees, and women cried III pain lis they
lay upon the ground. One, 4 girl of IA, pre-
sented mournful picture, she recineC
| against a stump, her face cold and white from
| the sudden touch of death. To-day the bo
| dies of the dead will be recognized, and th'
names of the wounded ascertained. Th'
| total number killed and injured is abou
| twenty live. 1t was reported that th'
Arsenal troops were attacked with stones
and couple of shots discharged at then
| by the crowd before they fired. Whethe
| this be true or not, more reckless nc
| has never been committed than an armed
| body of troops discharging those terrible in
| struments of war-Minnie rifles-among
| crowd of defenceless spectators. Jeremiai
| Godfrey, a hired man OF Mr.. CoZzens, coun u
| surveyor, was working in the yard of Mr.
CozZens al the time of the occurrence. Will
| STOPPING over, in the act of fastening SOM
| flowers to 4 frame, three soldiers entered tn
| gate, and approaching within the yard, fire.
| three shots into his body. Fortunately non
| of them We're fatal, being all flesh wounds
| The family witnessed the affair, and say tha
| the man had not been out of the yard, ant
| was unaware OF the approach of his assail
| ants until stricken down by their bullets.