Analysis Of The Lawrence Massacre By Thomas Goodrich

Thomas Goodrich masterfully tells the story of the Lawrence Massacre with details that take the reader to chaotic streets of Lawrence, Kansas on August 21, 1863. This town of only 3,000 residents was attacked by four hundred pro-Confederate “raiders” from Missouri led by William Quantrill. The bloody massacre that ensued left over 150 citizens dead and 200 buildings destroyed. Goodrich’s account of the Lawrence Massacre epitomized how violent and barbaric guerilla fighting was in the Civil War. Goodrich used multiple primary sources such as newspapers and eye-witness testimony as well as contemporary studies done on the events at Lawrence to tell the complete story of the massacre. The wealth of knowledge provided through the biography of William Quantrill, 23 independent newspapers, and dozens of studies on the raid of Lawrence allowed Goodrich to accurately report the events of the massacre. Goodrich used these sources to

Days before the massacre, the thoughts of Quantrill were echoed throughout Missouri, “Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand; blood and revenge are hammering in my head” (78). These feelings spilled out onto the streets of Lawrence as raiders executed prisoners, threatening to “kill every damn one of them” (92). Goodrich described the trampling, dismembering, and burning of the residents. Throughout the book, Goodrich alludes to locations, residences, and areas of Lawrence. The author included maps of the city, images of troop movement, and time tables to help readers better understand the chaotic scene that was Lawrence, Kansas (36, 85, 139). As the “bloodbath” concluded, Goodrich follows the futile attempts of Union forces to intercept the raiders as well as the resiliency of the people of Lawrence, whose optimism was voiced by John Speer’s statement that, “the anniversary of this butchery will see Lawrence fully revived”