Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-09-15
The Lawrence Massacre


Collamore, son Of Mayor Colamore, a youth OF
eighteen, started from Lawrence for farm
which was owned by his father to shoot some
birds for sick brother. He had cleared the
limits of the city and came to cross road
when, upon looking up he saw, within dozen
PAGES, the advance guard of Quantrel, conipri-
sing about twenty Or thirty men He kept on
and passed them, when they ordered him to
halt. lie turned and came toward them scarce
ly suspectine that they were foes, when the rui-
fans aimed at him and fired Pr0videntiaIly
not a ball hit him, although several grazed his
person, one Of them actually cutting of one of
his oyelashes. Seeing that the young man was
unschathcd, one Of the r0fhsns, with a blasphe-
nous denuncation Of bis comrades for their in.
eKpertncss, rode up to him, and taking deber-
ate aim, fired, with the intention Of lod ing d
ball in his abdomen Youog Collamore was
cool and collected in this trying moment, an !
turning himself 30 as to disturb his Gs,allant's
aim, just as the rifle was discharged rolled from
his horse exclaiming " | am killeJ" Tie
shot took effect IN the llesby part Of the thigh.
The young man was fully conscious but lay per
feotly sill, leigning death. Several Others Of
The band rode up and discharged their pistols or
rifles point blank at him, but hc never hinched,
and fortunately was not again bit. The advance
guard passed on and Colamore then attempted
to drag himself to house in the neghborhood,
occupied by an lrisbman, which bad teen spared
through the intercessi0ns 0! some lrshmen who
were among the guerrillas While doing this
he saw the main body OF Quantrell's gang ap
preaching lie fastened hissteps, using bis gun
as a crutch, and just reached tho house in time
to throw himself into o cellar window, when
some Of the gang rode up in full chase. They
shot mao who showed himself at window,
but did not discover Coamore, who finally es-
capped, although he lay for several hours IN the
cellar before the people 10 the house could ven.
ture to his relief. The young man owes his life
to bic nerve and his presence of mind. He is
now with friends in this city. His wound is a
severe one and may cripple him for life, as the
bali has not yet been extracted.
When the band OF Quantrell catered the town
but few Of the inhabitants had arisen, and their
work was the mole speedy aud certain Guam
trell himself visited the house Of Mayor Cola
more against whom the ruiians had peculiar
spite because Of his energy in thwarting their
designs of invasion. Mrs, Collamore, aroused
by the sound of firearms, got up and went to the
window, when she saw some OF the ruhans cha
sing an unarlAed man n the yard ofa house
near by. They shot him repeatedly, even after
he was mortally wounded. Shocked at this
scene, and at once comprehendng the danger,
she aroused her husband, whose first impulse
was to get his pistols and resist. But Mrs. Coli
anore urged her husband to conceal himself and
suggested hayrick in the rear OF the house. But
before he could get out OF the house it was sur
rounded and the ruihans were laundering at the
door. Mrs Colamore then suggested the we'll,
and hastened her husband to the well room.
/ MIR Coamore hesitated before entering, express
| ing apprehenslous for his wife, but she i'm
pcrod him TO seek his own safety, assuring him
| that there could be no danger to delonseltss
woman. lie went into the we'll, and the boards
having been re laced Mrs. Collamore went to
The door. She WAS confronted by Quantrell
himself, who inquired for her husband She re-
piled, calmly and composedly looking him in
the face, that he had gone east With fear
full cath the rulHan strobe past her and went
directly to the chamber OF MIR. Oollamore being
evidently we'll acquainted with the premises.
Disappointed, he instituted search, though
not very thorough lor the cellar was not visited,
and not finding the object Of his yens seance he
demanded of Mrs Collamore the money that
was in the house. She gave hlm what she had,
but he insisted that there was more Mrs. Col
amore, remembering that one Of the children
had about five dollars in specie, gave that to
Quantrell, which seem d to satisfy the ruhisn.
lie rumaged the drawers but did not touch the
silver belonging to Mrs. Collamore or Mr.. Col
lamore's signet ring
One of the children, eight years old, held up
ten cent piece and said, with u chld-like sim
plicty, will give you that II you won't kill
me, The rufIi.n turned on his heels with the
exclamation, Pshaw ! what do YOU suppose
want OF thai lie threatened the life of an
other oil the children, boy Of fifteen, but Mrs.
Oollamoto imploreI him to spare him. She re-
marked, with a preSen .iment that her Oldest boy
was killed. lie is my al. You have doubt
less killed his brother, who went out cunning
this morning, and must have met your band. y
A smile oil fearful malignity passed over the coun-
tenanco OF the ruiian, as he signihed his knowl-
edge Of the circumstance, and turned away.
Alter plundering the house, Quantrell set 1t
on ERE, and when Mrs Colamore attempted to
queuch the flames, threatened her life. When
the rulhans had left, and while the house was
burning. Mrs. Colamore went to the well and
called to her husband who answered yes " to
the inqui it lie was sale But when the dan
ger was entirely passed, on going TO tho well he
was found to be dead. lie is supposed to have
been suGucated by the smoke
The anguish of the wife, bereit OF a tender
and allectonate husband, and left houseless and
homeless, was vet to be intensified by anxiety Tor
the safety of her children She found a tempo
rary shelter to which her Oldest son was con-
yeyed for medical treatment, Two days subse-
quent to the massacre an alarm was started at
midnight that Quauttell was returning TO COM
plete the work Of destruction. The panic-strick.
en- inhabitants fed to the woods, deserting the
city aud all OF their property, many Of them hay-
ing nothing but their night garments. Mrs,
Collamore sent her children and their nurse to a
: place Of safety, but would not leave her wound.
"a son. With the help OF young minister she
= procured q buggy, and putting him into It with
great difficulty, dragged him with superhuman
strength to the river bank.
1t was dark and rainy, but the sheltcrless ex-
exiles, mostly woman and children, scarcely
, dared to speak above whisper lest the murder
Gus rulians should be upon them, The lerrors
Of that night Of fear and foreboding will never
be eiIaced from the memory Of the people OF Law.
renee. Ii turned out that there was no truth in
the reports of the return OF Quantrell
, The work OF the ruhan band was carried on
in the most cratic manner Many buildings
were studiously protected. jim Lanes hous,
was burned down, but so was the house Of Mrs
, Jenkins, whose husband II will be recolleoted
2 was murdered by Lane. Many who were known
to he opposed to jayhawking were murdered
Gov. Robinson house was spared. II has beer
said that it was protected by squad Of soldiers
a nrn.s tho riyer But other houaaA were burned
/ which were nearer to those soldiers, and the rul
fans breakiasled in house which was between
OK. Governor Robinson's and the river Ex-Goy