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This letter was written by John Stillman Brown from Lawrence, Kansas, addressed to John L. Rupur. Brown gives a detailed and emotional account of William Quantrill's August 21, 1863, raid on Lawrence. Brown lists individual men and groups such as African Americans and Germans who were killed in the attack. He witnessed much of the violence from a hill above the city, and describes the destruction of life and property. Brown mentions that the town had no warning before the attack and that there was a second panic the following evening when townspeople feared another raid. He also describes how the community's churches came together for a memorial service. A complete transcription is available by clicking "Text Version" below.
Creator: Brown, John Stillman, 1806-1902
Date: September 1, 1863
Item Number: 220191
Call Number: John Stillman Brown Coll. #300, Box 2, Correspondence 1863
KSHS Identifier: DaRT ID: 220191
Business and Industry - Occupations/Professions - Religion - Ministers
Business and Industry - Occupations/Professions - Religion - Ministers
Collections - Manuscript - Brown, John Stillman
Community Life - Disasters and accidents - Fires
Community Life - Religion - Christianity - Congregational
Community Life - Religion - Christianity - Methodist
Community Life - Religion - Christianity - Unitarian
Community Life - Religion - Places of Worship
Date - 1861-1869 - 1863
Home and Family - Death and funerals
Military - Wars - Civil War
Military - Wars - Civil War - Quantrill's raid
Military - Weapons - Ammunition - Bullets
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Letter
People - African Americans
People - European Americans - Germans
People - Notable Kansans - Lane, James Henry, 1814-1866
People - Notable People - Quantrill, William Clarke, 1837-1865
Places - Cities and towns - Lawrence
Places - Counties - Douglas
Thematic Time Period - Civil War, 1861 - 1865
Type of Material - Unpublished documents - Letters
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/220191