Patrick H
Lt. Colonel
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2014
Mrs. Margaret J. Hays was a resident of western Missouri. Her husband first joined the MO State Guard and later the Confederate cause. He ultimately became a recruiting officer, raising troops in Western Missouri and later working with Quantrill to attack Independence. But, before that happened, before he had joined regular Confederate service, and even before Quantrill had formed a guerrilla band, Mrs. Hays was twice visited by Kansas Jayhawkers. In a series of letters, she vividly describes how her entire farm was burned out by Jennison's men in November of 1861.
I invite everyone who wonders about the Missouri war to read through the attached link carefully. It isn't pretty.
Don't assume this was retribution for Lawrence. Lawrence would be two years in the future from these events. Don't suppose this was a reaction to Quantrill. He wasn't on anyone's radar until after Christmas of 1861.
Yes, you will read the spelling and phrasing of a woman who didn't spell very well and who was a slave owner. Yes, she was also considered somewhat prosperous for her time (was that a crime?). Yes, her husband had joined the Southern cause. But before he came to notoriety, she was burned out by Charles Jennison--perhaps the most infamous of a string of Jayhawkers who vied for infamy.
I invite you to start with letter #34, dated November 12, 1861. Then scroll to the top and pick up some other letters. Then navigate to the general site with footnotes for each letter, read five years of letters and their historic context. This is the real deal, as described by a victim.
Oh....yes.... Mrs. Hays's husband was Upton Hays, who became a regular Confederate recruiting officer, with the rank of Colonel, and who lost his life at Newtonia, Missouri.
Here is the link to the letters of 1861: http://www.wattshaysletters.com/letters/2-letters-61-65/letters29-35.html
I invite everyone who wonders about the Missouri war to read through the attached link carefully. It isn't pretty.
Don't assume this was retribution for Lawrence. Lawrence would be two years in the future from these events. Don't suppose this was a reaction to Quantrill. He wasn't on anyone's radar until after Christmas of 1861.
Yes, you will read the spelling and phrasing of a woman who didn't spell very well and who was a slave owner. Yes, she was also considered somewhat prosperous for her time (was that a crime?). Yes, her husband had joined the Southern cause. But before he came to notoriety, she was burned out by Charles Jennison--perhaps the most infamous of a string of Jayhawkers who vied for infamy.
I invite you to start with letter #34, dated November 12, 1861. Then scroll to the top and pick up some other letters. Then navigate to the general site with footnotes for each letter, read five years of letters and their historic context. This is the real deal, as described by a victim.
Oh....yes.... Mrs. Hays's husband was Upton Hays, who became a regular Confederate recruiting officer, with the rank of Colonel, and who lost his life at Newtonia, Missouri.
Here is the link to the letters of 1861: http://www.wattshaysletters.com/letters/2-letters-61-65/letters29-35.html