The Columbus journal., 1909-06-09
THE Liberty ARSENAL
BY w. L. WEBB.

- -
). WEBB.
rihes, 100000 cartridges, caisons. %
ooutremenh and equipements for cav.
airy and infantry. The arms were not
borrowed but were taken openly - IN
oct Of war.
Thearssnal vas unguarded. TWAS
in charge Of Nashanal Grant, military
storekeeper, Who could only yield
under profess. The costsnts Of the
arsenal were distributed al over the
country. Every man took what he
could carry away on horseback. The
muskets, rifles and revolvers we're bid.
den for . time in cellars and outbuild-
ings or buried in boxes. The bush.
whackers had not 1t this time been
organized but they succeeded in get
ting . large share Of the arsenal spoils.
The State Guards soldiers secured .
share. One of the brass field pieces
was conveyed to Independence and
presently was secreted in the woods on
the Little Blue. A considerable
amount of the captured arms went to
Kansas City where two or three COM
panies Of soldiers, acting under the
state law, were accustomed to parade
and drill once or twice . week. These
companies took NO part in the capture
Of the Liberty arsenal, about half of
whom went with the South and about
half with the North during the war
that followed. The spoils from the
Liberty arsenal brought to Kansas
City became the source of anxiety,
requiring much secrecy.
The nominal leaders in the capture
Of the Liberty arsenal were Henry L.
Routh Of Clay county, Captain Nc
Murray Of Independence and George
8. Norman Of Kansas City. Moor.
man was u young lawyer, a man of
some ability. He'is accredited to this
day with having planned and executed
the capture Of the arsenal BY the very
few men now living in Kansas City
who took part in the expedition. He
took part IN the dreadful affair ut
Rock creek aud was afterwards EN-.
ployed in the Confederate service,
rising t. some distinction.
The capture of the Liberty arsenal
was the first aggressive movement in
the West against the United States.
Certain friends of the South complain
ed that the attack on the Liberty
arsenal was premature and prevented
the capture of the arsenal at St. Louis.
but the fear entertained on the border
was that forces would come
down from Leavenworth or elsewhere
in Kansas and secure the arsenal for
the government.
Within three weeks after the cap
tore Of the arsenal at Liberty. the |
state troops At Camp Jackson in st.
Louis were surrounded by Captain
Lyon and forced to surrender. The
arsenal at St. Louis was believed to be
in peril BY the presence of the state
guards. This fear was founded on the
fact that arms and ammunition which
had been seized at the United States
ARSENAL At Baton Rouge had been
BY General Frost, commander
If Camp jackson. The shipment of
;hese arms had been made by the
j. C. Swan. Frank p.
Blair and Captain Lyon believed,
therefore,, that General Frost meditat-
ID an attack in the name of the state
N the arsenal at St. Louis.
The fear was probably groundless,
hough very reasonable, in view of the
eizure at Liberty, which it was believ-
d had the sanction and possibly the
'acking Of Governor Jackson. The
tate authorities probably had nothing
Vhatever to do with the seizure of the
liberty arsenal, inasmuch as nothing
'as turned over to the state troops or
o any agent of the state. But there
an hardly be any doubt that the
apture Of Camp jackson was directly
be result of the seizure of the Liberty {
rsenal. There was no resistance what ]
yer to Captain Lyons demand for the .
1rrender of Camp jackson. As Lyon I
,arched through the streets of St.
.ouis with his prisoners the sidewalks
ere crowded with the excited popu-
zee and there was jeering, and insults I
ere directed towards Lyons troops,
srtain companies of which were com.
psed of Germans. The troops were