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SITUATION OF LAWRENCE.

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CHAPTER III.

Situation of Lawrence.-Eventful History.-The Winter Campaign of 1855.—Earthwork Fortifications.—Organized Defence.- Determination to "wipe out Lawrence."-- The Southern War-cry.-Peaceful Policy of Free-state Inhabitants.-Reinforcement of the Border-ruffian Army.-Sheriff Jones's reported Assassination.-Sheriff Jones's Tours of Arrest.-Hotel and Newspaper offices to be abated as Nuisances. May 21st.-Position of the besieging Army.--The War-flag raised.--Arrests of Citizens.--Surrender of Arms demanded by Jones.-Entry of the Forces.--General Atchison's Address to his men.-Demolition of Printing-offices.— Cannon.--Burning of Free-state Hotel.-Flight of the Women and Children.-General Pillage.-Firing of Governor Robinson's House.-Southern Hearts filled with Joy and Pride." Law and Order" triumphant.

SOME forty miles up the Kaw or Kansas river, and some forty miles, therefore, from the Missouri state-line, stands the town of Lawrence. It is situated at a very beautiful spot on the right bank of the river. Behind the town, on the southwest, at the distance of nearly a mile, rises a hill of considerable elevation, known as Mount Oread.

Towards the

east, undulating prairie-land stretches for many miles, intersected by the Wakarusa Creek. And at a spot where the prairie, at the foot of a somewhat high bluff, slopes towards the woody margin of the Kaw, stands the busy little town itself, now so famous in Kansas annals.

The autumn of 1854 witnessed the erection of the first log-huts of Lawrence by a few families of New England settlers. During the year 1855 its population increased rapidly, chiefly by the arrival of emigrants from the Northern States. Its log-hut existence gave way to a more advanced stage, in which buildings of brick and stone were introduced; and the growing prosperity of the "Yankee town" early began to excite the jealousy of the abettors of slavery. Viewed as the stronghold of the Freestate party, it was made the point of attack during what was called "the Wakarusa war" in the winter of 1855. Before the termination of this its first siege, the necessity of some means of defence being manifest, the inhabitants of Lawrence proceeded to fortify their town by the erection of four or five circular earthworks,

WINTER CAMPAIGN.

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thrown up about seven feet in height, and measuring a hundred feet in diameter. These were connected with long lines of earthwork entrenchments, rifle-pits, and other means of fortification. Whilst these engineering operations were being carried on, the men might have been seen, day and night, working in the trenches, in haste to complete the defence of their Western Sebastopol. The inhabitants were also placed under arms, formed into companies, with their respective commanders, under the generalship of Robinson and Lane, had their daily drill, mounted guard day and night upon the forts, and sent out at night a horse-patrol to watch the outer posts, and give warning of approaching danger.

The pacification which followed the Wakarusa campaign in December, 1855, afforded only a temporary lull. Although war had ceased, the people did not cease to carry arms, and used them, when occasion offered, with fatal effect. The Missourians did not conceal that they were organizing another invasion, which should effectually "wipe out Lawrence," and win Kansas for slavery, "though they should wade

to the knees in blood to obtain it." The Southern states were being appealed to far and wide, to aid by men and money in the extirpation of every Northern settler. The spirit of the pro-slavery party may be gathered from their journals, from the columns of which extracts like the following might be made in any number. After speaking of Free-state men as being "willing to violate the constitution of their country, which explicitly recognizes slavery," the Kickapoo Pioneer (Dec. 26) proceeds:

"Should such men receive any compassion from an orderly, union-loving people? No! It is this class of men that have congregated at Lawrence, and it is this class of men that Kansas must get rid of. And we know of no better method, than for every man who loves his country and the laws by which he is governed, to meet in Kansas and kill off this God-forsaken class of humanity as soon as they place their feet upon our soil."

Again, in an extra number of the same journal, published Jan. 18, 1856:

"Forbearance has now ceased to be a virtue;

POLICY OF FREE-STATE INHABITANTS. 25

therefore we call upon every pro-slavery man in the land to rally to the rescue. Kansas must

be immediately rescued from the tyrannical dogs. **** Pro-slavery men, law and order men, strike for your altars! strike for your firesides! strike for your rights! sound the bugle of war over the length and breadth of the land, and leave not an abolitionist in the territory to relate their treacherous and contaminating deeds. Strike your piercing rifle-balls and your glittering steel to their black and poisonous hearts! Let the war-cry never cease in Kansas again, until our territory is wrested of the last vestige of abolitionism."

Surrounded by so much fire and fury, which was not confined to mere words, the non-resistance of the Free-state people was remarkable. Lawrence kept itself fortified, continued its drills, had its "Committee of Public Safety," and did not return the shots frequently fired against it by passers-by at night. In the mean time the Free-state delegates met at Topeka, organized the State Legislature, made application to the federal power for the admission of Kansas into the Union with a free constitution, and petitioned the President, although vainly,

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