The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-10
Th3 Lawrence Massacre

Early on the morning of the massacre, youn.
Collamore, son Of Mayor ColIamore, youth o
eighteen started from Lawrence for a farm
eghjcb was owned by his father, to shoot some
birds for a sick brother. He had cleared tie
Aimrs Of the city and came to a cross road
NHnen, ap0n looking up he saw, within q dozen
pacea, the advance guard Of QuantrelI, cU0pri
sing about twenty or thirty men. lie kept on
;and passed them, when they ordered him &c
malt lie turned aud came toward them scarce
dY euSpscting that they were foes, when the ruf.
6ians AIMED at him and fired Providentially
net ball hit him, although several grazsd his
person, one of them actually cutting off one OF
his eYelashes. Seeing that the young man was
uuschathed, one of the rufians, with "a blasphe-
NOUS denunciation of his comrades for their in
eexpertuess. rode up to him, and taking deliber-
ate aim, fre1, with the intention of lod. ing a
ball in his abdomen Young Collamore was
cool and collected in this trying moment, an !
aurning himself so as to disturb his assailant's
ain, lust as the rifle was discharged rolled from
his horse, eXclaiming | an killed - The
shot took effect In The heshy part Of the thigh
Hhe young man was fully conscious, but lay per
decdY still, iegnng death. Several Others of
the band rode UP and discharged their pistols or
rifles point blank at aim, bat ne never hnched
and fortunately was not again hit Ihe advance
guard passed Oh and Coll4more then attempted
10 drag himself to q house in the neighborh0od,
occupied by an lrlsbman, which had teen spared
through the interCess0u5 o. some lrishmen who
we're among Jhe guerrlIlas. " hlle doing this
he saw 3hc main body Of Quantroll's gang ap-
pr0sching. lie fastened his steps, using his gun
as & crutch, and just reached the house in time
60 throw himself into u cellar window, when
some If the gang rode up in full chase. They
shot a man who showed himself at o window
hut did not discover Collamore, who finally eS-
caped, although ho Jay for several hours IN the
cellar before the people in the house could ven
tore to his relief. The young man owes his life
80 his nerve and his presence of mind. He is
wow with friends in this city. His wound is a
severe one and may cripple him for life, as the
bad bas not yet been extracted.
" llaa the band Of Quantrell entered the town
but few of the Inhabitants had arisen. and their
work was the moe speedy and certain. Guam
trell himself visited tho house OF Mayor Cola.
more. against whom the ruifans had Il peculiar
spite hacauSe of his energy II thwartlng their
cesiy-ns Of invasion. Mrs. COllamore, aroused
by the sound of firearms, got up and went to the
window, when she saw some OF the rufhans cha
asiur AN unarmed man N the yard OF d house
near by. They shot hum repeatedly, even after
he was mortally wounded. Shocked at this
scene, end at once comprehendlng the danger,
she aroused her husband, whose hrst impulse
was to get his pistols and resist. But Mrs. Coll
au,ore urged her husband to conceal himself, and
suggested hayrick in the rear OF the house. But
before he could get out of the house 1t was sur
rounded and the rufhans were laundering at the
dnsr. Mrs Colamore then suggested the well,
and fastened her husband 10 the we'll room.
afr Collamore hesitated before entering, express
,;or snnrehensions for his wife, but she i'm
,nIored him to seek his own safety, assuring him
sh.t there could be no danger to defenseless
,woman He went into the well, and the boards
hsUI,g been re laced, Mrs. Colamore went to
abe door. She was confronted by Quantrell
himself. who inquired for her husband She re.
nlied. calmly and composedy looking HIM 10
the face, that he had gone east. With fear
full cath the rufian strobe past her and went
sd;ractjv to the chamber of Mr.. Collamore, being
evidently we'll acquainted with the premises
disappointed, he instituted O searcn, tnougn
not very thorough, for the cellar wasnot VISITED
and not fading the object OF his vengeance, ne
dem anded of Mrs Coamore the money that
ewes in the house She gave him what she hao,
hut he insisted that there was more. MIS- Coi'
assncTe, remembering that one OF the children
had about five dollars in specie, gave toat TO
Ouautrell, which seemed to satisfy the rufian
He rumaged the drawers but did not touch the
silver belonging to Mrs. Collamore or Mr. Col
aamore' signet ring.
One of the children, eight years old, held up
n ten cent piece and said, with child like sim
plicity, will give you that if you won't XII
me- The rufiian turned on his heels with the
exclamation, Pshaw what do you suppose l
want of that )" He threatened the life OF an
other of the children, a boy of fifteen, but Mrs.
Coliamore implored him to spare him. She re-