Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-09-03
Rebel Atrocities at LaWrenee--A Tale of Horror.

Mr.. KEMP, Of Lawrence, Kansas, who
witnessed the recent massacre by QUANTRELL's
men, and who himself had an almost miracu-
lous escape from death, has published a state
ment of the affair, from which we take the
following:
During all this time citizens were being
murdered everywhere. Germans and negroes,
when caught, were shot Immediately Many
persons were shot down after they had been
taken prisoners, and had been assured that
they would not be hurt if they would sur
render Messrs. Trask and Baker, and two
other citizens were so taken, and while being
| marched toward the river as prisoners, after
| being assured that they would not be harmed
some guerrillas asked their names. Mr.. Trask
! gave the names, when they were Immediately
| fired upon, and all four killed on the spot,
except Mr.. Baker, who is not expected to live
| however. Mr.. Dix had been taken prisoner
| and his house set on fire, when one of the
tiends told him if he would give them his
money he would not be killed. otherwise he
would. Mr.. Dix went into the burning house
and got a thousand dollars and handed it
over. He was told to march toward the river
and had not proceeded twenty steps when he
was shot dead from behind. Mr. Hampson.
clerk of the Provost Marshal, had a revolver
and tried to, defend the few things he had
saved from the johnson House. His wife
interfered, and they told him if he would
surrender he should be treated as a prisoner
and be safe from harm. He surrendered, and
was Immediately shot from behind the ball
entering near the spine and coming out below
the kidneys in front. The wound is not con
Sidered fatal.
In one instance the wife and daughter of a
man threw themselves over his BODY. beg
ging for his life. But one of the murderers
thrust his revolver down between the two
women and killed the man.
Before ten o'clock the body of the guerril-
las left with their plunder, leaving guard
over the prisoners in town, and a few stray
glers. The few persons wounded were
wounded at this time by the passing fiends.
In the early part of the day most persons
were fired at from very near and killed in
stantly.
One OF the first persons out was Col.
Deltzler. NJ. Williamson and myself helped
him carry off the dead. The sight that met
US when coming out | cannot describe |
have read OF Outrages committed il the So
| called dark ages and horrible as they appear
ed to me, they sank into insgnifcance in
comparison with what | was then compelled
TO witness. Well-known citizens were living
in front of the spot where their stores or res
| idence had been, completely roasted. The
bodies were crisp and nearly black. We
thought at first they were all negroes, till we
recognized some of them. In handling the
dead bodies pieces of roasted flesh would re-
main in our hands. Soon our strength failed
US in this horrible aud sickening work. MANY
could not help crying like children. Women
and little children were all over town hunt
ing for their husbands and fathers; and sad
indeed was the scene when they did finally
finally find them among the corpses laid out
for recognition. I cannot describe the hor
rors; language fails me, and the recollection
of the scenes | witnessed makes me sick
when am compelled to repeat them.