Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-09-09
Roxboro', N. c., Aug. 21, 1868.
Soaking of Lawrence, Kansas.

The Conservative publishes the following account
Of the sacking of Lawrence by Quantrell and his
men. Quantrell is Missouri guerrilla Captain in
the Confederate service:
We arrived at Lawrence at o'clock. Flying
rumors had painted terrible picture, but the real
ity exceeded the reports.
We found Massachusetts, street one mass of smoul-
dering ruins and crumbling wallis the light from
which cast sickening glare upon the little knots
of excited men and distracted women gazing upon
the ruins of their once happy homes and prosperous
business. Only two business houses were left upon
this street-one known as the Armory and the 9TH
er IS the old Miller block.
About one hundred and twenty five houses, in
in all were burned, and only one or two escaped
being ransacked and everything Of value carried
away or destroyed.
Six or eight soldiers, who camped upon this side
of the river, and who fred across a: every rebel
who appeared upon the bank, deferred the towards
from destroying some of the houses near the ferry,
and from cutting down the flag pole. The force Of
the rebels is variously estimated at from two hum
dred and City to four hundred.
Reliable parties place it at three hundred Their
every act during their stay in the city was charac-
ter,zed by the most cowardly barbarism. They en-
tered the town on the gallop firing into every house.
and when the occupants appeared at the door they
were shot down like dogs. Five bodies burned TO
q crisp, lay near the ruins of the Edridge House.
They could not be recognized. Eighteen out Of
TWENTY-FIVE unarmed recruits, encamped south of
the town, were murdered in their tents. Their
bodies Law in the colored church when we arrived
Messrs. Trask, Dr. Griswod, Baker and Thorp we're
shot down in the yard Of DR.. Griswold, before the
ewes of their families. Judge Carpenter was wound
ed in his yard, and fell, when his wife and sister
threw themselves upon his body, begging for mercy,
but to no avail. The fends dismounted, stuck their
pistols between the persons oil bis protectors and
fired.
Miss Stone, daughter Of the proprietor Of the
City Hotel, had diamond ring stolen from her
finger. Quantrell obliged the man to restore it
In revenge for this, the rufians afterward came
back and shot her father before the mothers eyes.
They also tried to kill Miss Stone.
Cen. Collamore went into his we'll to hide, and
the bad air killed him. His son and Patrick Keefe
lost their lives trying to get their father out
The life of the District Attorney was saved by
the heroism of his wife, who seized the bride Of
the rebels horse who attempted to shoot him as
he ran.
Several cases of remarkable bravery of women
were related to us. The wife of Sheriff Brown,
three successive times, put out the fire kndled to
burn the house. Her husband was hidden under
the floor The house was saved by her herolsm
The Offices of the Journal, Tribune and Repu6-
l;can we're, of course leveled to the ground. John
from the Office after the rebels came in. Mr. MUIR
ioch printer in the Office, tried 70 induce him to
accompany him into the well near by for safety,
but he would do nothing but go home to defend
the house, which he did, and was killed Murdoch
went into the well and was saved.
A young son Of John Speer, ST., killed rebel
and left. The guests at the Eldridge House were
ordered out their rooms pillaged, and some OF tne
people shot. Two men from Ohio were wounded
there and are now in this city. Only the presence
and peremptory orders of Quantrell prevented tn!
massacre of all the occupants after they had beer
marched out on the street.
The rebels were told that there was negro BABY
still in the house, but they said 1--WE will burn tn
| - little brat" and they did. We saw its char
red remains, burned as black as the hearts of it
murderers. The books of the county and distric
clerks were burned, and those Of the register Q
deeds were in the safe. Every safe in the city bu
two were robbed. In the Eldridge store, Jane
Edridge and James Pcrrine, gave the rebels all th
money in the SAFE and were instantly shot down
All the hotels were destroyed, except the City He
TEL The loss in cash is estimated at $3.50 900, an
in property and all at 100000 That is a lo'
enough estmate>
! The number of bodies up to the time we lef
was 49, of which about 20 were burned so badl
as to render recognition impossible There were
large number of strangers in town, and when th
entire loss is ascertained we think it will reach 10
killed. Many were, doubtless killed BY the reb'
pickets in the brush. -
The people have not yet recovered from the to-
rble blow sufficiently to appreciate the full force
their desolation and when they do recover frol
the shock, many more will doubtless be missing
We have seen battle fields and scenes of carnae
and bloodshed, but have never witnessed spectac
+ SO horrible as that seen among the smoulderiu
ruins at Lawrence No fighting, no resistance
cold blooded murder was thsra