The Columbus journal., 1909-06-09

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BY w.
The Liberty arsenal played . part
in the history Of the West and Of the
nation. The arsenal was established
BY the United States government in
1887 on the river three miles south Of
Liberty in Clay county, Missouri. Up
to the closing days in 1856 it was mere.
ly military store house wearing IN
aspect Of peace scarcely COMFORTING
with ito warelike character. In that
year there was var on the plans Of
Kansas. It was the Wakaruss war,
bloodless but important. Historians
state with striking unanimity that the
first gun Of the great Civil war was
fred At Fort Sumter. Rightly under
stood, the first military maneuver, il
not the first shot, occurred on the
Wakarusa and the arsenal at Liberty
contributed the arms.
The report was widely circulated
along the border counties of Missouri
that legal processes could not be ex.
ecuted in the adjoining territory Of
Kansas, clearly indicating the need Of
Missouri proves on the ground. It
was in December, 1855 but the wealth
er Was fne-such weather in the late
autumn as invited an active pioneer
Missourian to take any kind of . camp
ing out excursion, all the better If it
had q military favor and was sane
toned by patriotic motive. The
Missourians had been accustomed to
live almost constantly in military at
mosphere. They had fought in wars
with the Indians; they had driven out
the Mormons, they had conquered
Mexico; they had hunted buffalo in
the territory before any white settle
ments were made; they had gone over
there to vote At the first opportunity;
and now an excursion to Kansas was
especially attractive. The Missouri
ians began to assemble joyously at
Westport and in that vicinity, bringing
squirrel rifles and such shooting irons
as could be found in the country. But
arms were scarce and it was under.
stood that the Kansans were provided
with Sharp's rifles. q very efficient
weapon in those days. Therefore the
suggestion to borrow arms and am.
munition from the storehOuse at Liber-
ty became popular as soon as made.
About 100 eager and enterprising
Missourians repaired to the Liberty
arsenal and brought away three brass
field pieces, mounted, 100 dragon
pistols, fifty-6ve rifles. sixty-seven sa,
bers and ammunition in abundance.
The company thus equipped was vel.
come addition u the army forming at
Westport. The whole excursion mo.
we'd into Kansas and a camp was form.
ell on the Wakarusa. Just before
Christmas the Missourians broke camp
and returned to their homes. The
weather turned suddenly cold and the
river began to gil with floating ice.
Colonel Routh of Clay county spent
the oath day of December, 1855, in
the work of crossing the river at the
Kansas City ferry with the men and
the arms belonging to the arsenal.
The arms had been borrowed" of the |
government and all were returned. |
The United States government was |
very friendly to the Missourians in
their operations against Kansas and no
Missourian would throw his govern.
ment in bad light by failing to return
the property he had borrowed.
After this episode the arsenal re-
lapeed into the coincidence of peace
for some years. On April II, 1861,
Fort Sumter was attacked. The news
created intense and rancorous excite.
ment along the Missouri counties
bordering the territory of Kansas.
All eyes were turned on the arsenal at
Liberty, point no less subject to seiz.
nre than Fort Sumpter itself. Within
three days after the fall Of Fort Stump.
Ter itself. President Lincoln called
Ior $4,000 troops. To the Missouri
lns that was . declaration Of war and
here was an instantaneous response in
Clay and jackson counties, but in q
manner antagonistic to Lincoln's pur.
,ose. Some 200 men proceeded en-
nasse and almost without leaders to
he arsenal for the purpose of selling
nd carrying away everything that
ould be useful in war. Three brass
eld pieces, mounted, were taken; and !
welve six.pounders, not mounted; n