The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-09-18
Old KickapOO Gun.


cago to the Kansas State Historical soci-
ETY. one Of the most valuable relics of
the border ruffian warfare. 1t is the Old
Kickapoo cannon which did service at
Old Kickapoo, Lawrence and other
points along the Missouri border during
Kansas early struggle for free state gov
eminent. This old gun formed the bone
Of contention in many hard fought
contest between proslavery and anti
slavery forces, and large number of
the old citizens of Kansas can remember
the stirring events clustering about the
history of this remarkable implement of
warfare.
OF late years the whereabouts of the
old gun has been matter of conjecture,
and by many it was thought to have
been lost, but it is due to the efforts Of
Colonel II. Miles Moore and Captain J.
G.. Walkinshaw of Leavenworth that Old
Kickapoo has been resurrected. 1t now
rests in the rooms of the State Histor-
ical society in this city.
The gun is a six FOUNDER smooth
bore brass cannon and was first stolen
from the United States arsenal at Lib
erty, Mo-, and from there taken by Gen
eral Richardson's army to the sacking
and burning of the old Free State hotel
at Lawrence, the Eldridge House. after
it was indicted by the proslavery grand
jury at Lecompton and ordered abated
as nuisance by Judge Cato, who had
the writ directed TO Sheriff Jones, who
summoned the posse, mostly from Mis-
souri,, to assist in executing the writ.
The bombardment which followed
was one of the memorable conflicts Of
border ruffian days. The cannon was
placed on Massachusetts street, Law
renee, opposite, and trained on the hotel
and fired by General David Atchison,
then United States senator from Mis-
souri,. The first Shot went over the roof
of the hotel The second went through
a second story window, and the third
and fourth shots struck the stone walls,
scarcely making an impression on them
Jones, seeing that he was not likely
to abate the nuisance that way, applied
the torch and destroyed the building.
The posse then scattered. The Kickapoo
and carted it to the village of Kickapoo
six miles up the river from Leaven-
worth. 1t was planted on top Of a high
bluff and there remained posted as a
menace to the free state men of Leaven-
worth.
Colonel H. Miles Moore first suggest
ed the plan to go up to Kickapoo and cap
ture the gun. He communicated his
scheme to Il few free state men, and ten
of the more daredevil ones, under the
leadership of Captain l. G.. Losee, well
armed with Sharp's rifles and revOlvers,
made dash for Kickapoo one dark
night, took possession Of the cannon,
and without being discovered were soon
back i'll Leavenworth. Fearing the gun
might be recovered by writ in the
hands of the sheriff ol@ther proslavery
officers of the county or territory, the
gun carriage was hidden III the south
part of Leavenworth and the cannon
buried in DIR. Davis old peach orchard,
where it remained a short time.
Fearing danger, it was dug up and
| taken to Lawrence one dark night in
the bottom of "A wagon covered with
hay. 1t remained but a short time,
when it was taken back to Leavenworth
and placed i'll DR.. Davis temporary
graveyard until the warclouds of 1856
and 1857 had passed away. The gun
was then resurrected and turned over to
the society Of turner's Of Leavenworth,
in whose keeping it remained for long
series of years, On each recurring
Fourth Of July and other state occasions
and holidays "Old Kickapoo" was
brought out, crowned with laurels and
escorted with music and joyous crowds
through the streets Of the city.
Finally the turner's relaxed in their
care of the old cannon, and some i'll adj
vised parties without authority loaned
the gun one day to the Leavenworth
Coal company for the purpose of aiding
them to free the shaft of a mass Of
debris that had fallen and clogged up
the hosting shaft. The gun was taken
down the air shaft, loaded with solid
shot, placed upright and fired into the
mass above. AS there was no chance for
a recoil, the gun burst, tearing a huge
piece from the side of the old warrior
The gun was returned to the turner's,
but they seemed to have no use for it,
and soon it was lost, and no one knew
anything about it, About five years ago
Colonel H. Miles Moore was passing
down Shawnee street, Leavenworth, and
in an alley near tinshop noticed an
old cannon. He gave it Il close inspec-
ton and found it 10 he Old Kickapoo.
The turner's had sold it to the timer for
$25, and he was about to ship it to Chi
cago for old brass Appeals to patriot
ism We're in vain, and Mr.. Moore subse-
quently communicated with the His
torical society and after some CORE
spondence the society appropriated $500
for the purchase of the cannon. In the
meantime the timer had shipped the
gun to Chicago, where it was recently
found i'll a brass foundry ready to be
consigned to furnace. The gun reached
Topeka in safety. Louis Republic.
A MATCH CUTTING machine is quite