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"Quantrill in Lawrence" Uncovers a Legacy of Lies.

                                          

BONUS VIDEO:I have included a clip from "Ride with The Devil" around 5 minutes in,  you will see the film verison of Quantrill's speach before Lawrence, one of the best part of the entire film. It is only fitting it should be matched with the best book about the Raid on Lawrence.

At last the truth has been told. The raid on Lawrence, Kansas on August 21, 1863 has long been censured as one of the worst atrocities during the Civil War. For over 150 years the men who took part in the raid have been condemned and chastised for their role in this so called tragedy. Much to the chagrin of Southern loyalists the raid was misunderstood and inaccurately reported. Whenever the story has been told omitted are the underlying reasons that caused the raid. Never before has an honest accounting been given. Since the Civil War Northerners in their hatred and malice towards Quantrill have attempted to revise history but the truth has proven to be inviolate.

Now for the first time an accurate portrayal describes who was responsible and in what kind of environment produced the hatred that caused over 400 men and boys as young as 12 years old to ride over 90 miles through enemy infested territory to strike at a town filled with what the Northern press has always claimed were peaceable, unarmed civilians. Quantrill's raid on Lawrence was soon recorded as the most daring and successful light cavalry expedition of the entire Civil War.

With powerful and telling portraits, Petersen brings the personalities of the border to life. The terror and devastation of total war brought to the border counties of Missouri by Kansans such as James Lane , Charles Jennison, Daniel Anthony and George Hoyt caused every Southern man and boy old enough to carry a gun to join Quantrill on his raid to Lawrence . They came for revenge and for retaliation to bring an equilibrium to the border conflict that was terrible to behold.

In "Quantrill at Lawrence" the personalities and actions that were the catalyst for the raid are explored and researched in-depth for the very first time. What is discovered is a “legacy of lies” that surrounded the stories emulating from the Lawrence raid and thus becomes a surprising addition to the Quantrill myth. The references are largely taken from Kansas records admitting their perfidy, corruption and criminal behavior.

"Quantrill at Lawrence" brings a complex pattern of events into clear focus, identifies the personalities involved and quotes memorably from firsthand accounts giving a clear understanding of the temper of the times. This book is the only account explaining the causes, reasoning and justification for the 1863 Lawrence raid. It is the first time a complete story has been written using accounts by both the victims and the raiders. Facts that earlier historians have intentionally omitted have been included. This book will undoubtedly be controversial due to the fact that there has always been only one accepted view of the Lawrence raid. There will be those who will be surprised at finally learning the truth, and those that will have a difficult time accepting it.

Napoleon said it best, "History is a lie, agreed upon." Not so strangely, is that all previous books covering the Lawrence raid were written by Kansas writers learning their "facts" in Kansas classrooms and all agreeing on the same view about the Lawrence raid. Albert Castel, author of William Clarke Quantrill - His Life and Times was born in Wichita, Kansas and educated at Wichita University. William C. Pollard, Jr., author of Dark Friday, was educated at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, and the University of Kansas in Lawrence, and Thomas Goodrich, author of Bloody Dawn, is a native of Lawrence, Kansas and educated at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.

This book is intended for anyone interested in reading the genre of military history or those interested in a biography of one of the Civil War period's most colorful characters. Even those interested in stories of the Wild West era will find that the men who made names for themselves during the turbulent gunfighter days of the Wild West learned their style and methods while riding with William Clarke Quantrill.

I feel this book will broaden the area of Civil War knowledge by increasing the awareness of the true story behind the August 21, 1863 Lawrence raid. It is also a study of one man’s personal military leadership that earned him the reputation as the unsurpassed guerrilla leader of all time.

Editors Note: During the 150TH anniversary of the War for Southern Independence we are honored and pleased to be the first to officially announce that “legacy of lies” that surrounded the stories emulating from the Lawrence raid are uncovered in an exciting and ground breaking book written by Paul R. Petersen. The book was released on May 1st, 2011  Don't miss the chance to amaze Jayhawers, Redlegs & Yankee apologists with your knowledge of their infamous and illegal actions taken against Missouri civilians.

This is the third book Mr. Petersen has written about Colonel William Clarke Quantrill. If you don't already own a copy of "Quantrill of Missouri," & "Quantrill in Texas," then get on your horse and grab a copy of ALL THREE. There is NO REASON TO READ ANY OTHER BOOKS ABOUT QUANTRILL, UNLESS YOU ENJOY READING TAINTED YANKEE FANTASY.

Patrick R. Marquis© Quantrillsguerrillas.com. "Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this copyrighted essay and or image."                                                                                                     

 

 

                                                                                              

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