The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Hoyt and the Lawrence Raid
In Response To: Hoyt and the Lawrence Raid ()

Dear Keith,

I'd have to go back and check to see what the specific article in the Leavenworth Times was to find out if it had any significance. Obviously the article appeared AFTER the raid, and was probably critical of why the military authorities had done nothing to prepare for such a raid on Lawrence.

Hoyt was chief detective for General Tom Ewing. This made Hoyt Ewing's principal "spy" and information-gathering specialist. It was Hoyt's job to ferret-out Confederate plans for such a raid. Therefore he was among those in the military who should have received much of the blame for what happened at Lawrence.

My own research on the events leading up to August 21, 1863, show that there was ample evidence of Quantrill's plans to make such a raid. But the military authorities responsible for protecting Kansas ignored the evidence in favor of their own belief that Lawrence was too deep into Kansas for Quantrill's band or any other Confederate force to attempt such a feat. After all, Lawrence had no military significance and the raid served no purpose other than as an act of vengeance.

But vengeance was exactly why Quantrill carried out the raid! Lawrence was sacked as reprisal for things Unionists had done in Missouri. Sadly, the Lawrence raid then inspired Union military and political officers to new heights in "punishing" Confederates in Missouri; hence Order No. 11 and other "revenge" operations against Missouri Confederates in the western border counties.
Regards,
Jim
JAMES D. DREES

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Hoyt and the Lawrence Raid
Re: Hoyt and the Lawrence Raid
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Re: Hoyt and the Lawrence Raid