Martial Law, or General Order Number 11

Patrick H

Lt. Colonel
Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Our friend @M2HA has reminded me that today marks the 156th anniversary of another of the most controversial acts of the entire Civil War.

General Order Number 11 was issued in response to the August 21st raid by Quantrill's guerrillas on Lawrence, Kansas. The order depopulated nearly four full Missouri counties of loyal and rebellious civilians alike. Their homes were looted and burned, their crops were destroyed and their livestock driven off.
The area is still known as the "Burnt District."

Opinions vary, but most Missourians believe it was an immoral order, and the murder, looting and destruction which accompanied the enforcement of the order were nothing less that a criminal enterprise on a vast scale. That is certainly my belief, too.

The individual guerrillas who perpetrated the excesses at Lawrence deserved to experience consequences. The civilians of border Missouri did not.
 
Our friend @M2HA has reminded me that today marks the 156th anniversary of another of the most controversial acts of the entire Civil War.

General Order Number 11 was issued in response to the August 21st raid by Quantrill's guerrillas on Lawrence, Kansas. The order depopulated nearly four full Missouri counties of loyal and rebellious civilians alike. Their homes were looted and burned, their crops were destroyed and their livestock driven off.
The area is still known as the "Burnt District."

Opinions vary, but most Missourians believe it was an immoral order, and the murder, looting and destruction which accompanied the enforcement of the order were nothing less that a criminal enterprise on a vast scale. That is certainly my belief, too.

The individual guerrillas who perpetrated the excesses at Lawrence deserved to experience consequences. The civilians of border Missouri did not.

*** did the erstwhile part time Redlegs of Lawrence and their Grim Chieftan Lane. Lawrence did not occur in a vacuum the Jay Hawker and Red Leg forays into Missouri had been happening for years especially into the burnt district hence the popularity of Partisan service in that area. GO # 11 had been Lanes idea for sometime prior to Lawrence the raid not Massacre allowed him to threaten Blunt into enacting it.
 
I knew an artist, Bingham, created a famous artwork based on this painting and have found a thread with the image, and a subsequent explanation the artist gave for what he created.

 
#11 wasn’t the only Yankee Attack against civilians during the War. Not the only, Burned Over District.

So, I don’t think the Order was some kind of a mistake or reluctant measure. They removed Unionist and Confederate sympathizers, however, they were all looked at as being, Southerners. That was their Crime!
 
Our friend @M2HA has reminded me that today marks the 156th anniversary of another of the most controversial acts of the entire Civil War.

General Order Number 11 was issued in response to the August 21st raid by Quantrill's guerrillas on Lawrence, Kansas. The order depopulated nearly four full Missouri counties of loyal and rebellious civilians alike. Their homes were looted and burned, their crops were destroyed and their livestock driven off.
The area is still known as the "Burnt District."

Opinions vary, but most Missourians believe it was an immoral order, and the murder, looting and destruction which accompanied the enforcement of the order were nothing less that a criminal enterprise on a vast scale. That is certainly my belief, too.

The individual guerrillas who perpetrated the excesses at Lawrence deserved to experience consequences. The civilians of border Missouri did not.
"Ironically, Ewing’s order failed miserably, having the opposite effect. Though Missouri had always held numerous Confederate sympathizers, those who would not have aided the guerillas in the past were so angered by the destruction of the soldiers, that they began to assist them and those who had helped, went out of their way, to assist even more."

All historians acknowledge guerrillas continued to operate out the area, if anything they now gave them a refuge to operate from with no fear of Unionist informers.

Also one should remember it was advocated by a man whose idea of personal valor was running into a cornfield in his nightshirt, and three years later would blow his own brains out........
 
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Here is the text of the Order:

General Order № 11.

Headquarters District of the Border,
Kansas City, August 25, 1863.

1. All persons living in Jackson, Cass, and Bates counties, Missouri, and in that part of Vernon included in this district, except those living within one mile of the limits of Independence, Hickman's Mills, Pleasant Hill, and Harrisonville, and except those in that part of Kaw Township, Jackson County, north of Brush Creek and west of Big Blue, are hereby ordered to remove from their present places of residence within fifteen days from the date hereof.

Those who within that time establish their loyalty to the satisfaction of the commanding officer of the military station near their present place of residence will receive from him a certificate stating the fact of their loyalty, and the names of the witnesses by whom it can be shown. All who receive such certificates will be permitted to remove to any military station in this district, or to any part of the State of Kansas, except the counties of the eastern border of the State. All others shall remove out of the district. Officers commanding companies and detachments serving in the counties named will see that this paragraph is promptly obeyed.

2. All grain and hay in the field or under shelter, in the district from which inhabitants are required to remove, within reach of military stations after the 9th day of September next, will be taken to such stations and turned over to the proper officers there and report of the amount so turned over made to district headquarters, specifying the names of all loyal owners and amount of such product taken from them. All grain and hay found in such district after the 9th day of September next, not convenient to such stations, will be destroyed.

3. The provisions of General Order No. 10 from these headquarters will be at once vigorously executed by officers commanding in the parts of the district and at the station not subject to the operations of paragraph 1 of this order, and especially the towns of Independence, Westport and Kansas City.

4. Paragraph 3, General Order No. 10 is revoked as to all who have borne arms against the Government in the district since the 20th day of August, 1863.

By order of Brigadier General Ewing.
H. Hannahs, Adjt.-Gen'l.
 
Burnt District monument

B6AA73C8-E5FE-4F19-AEE4-2E3E21DB67BC.jpeg
 
*** did the erstwhile part time Redlegs of Lawrence and their Grim Chieftan Lane. Lawrence did not occur in a vacuum the Jay Hawker and Red Leg forays into Missouri had been happening for years especially into the burnt district hence the popularity of Partisan service in that area. GO # 11 had been Lanes idea for sometime prior to Lawrence the raid not Massacre allowed him to threaten Blunt into enacting it.
That is all completely true, @Borderruffian. I just didn't get into it at the start of this particular thread. It is all a worthy subject for a thread of its own. Thank you for mentioning it.
 
"Ironically, Ewing’s order failed miserably, having the opposite effect. Though Missouri had always held numerous Confederate sympathizers, those who would not have aided the guerillas in the past were so angered by the destruction of the soldiers, that they began to assist them and those who had helped, went out of their way, to assist even more."

All historians acknowledge guerrillas continued to operate out the area, if anything they now gave them a refuge to operate from with no fear of Unionist informers.

Also one should remember it was advocated by a man whose idea of personal valor was running into a cornfield in his nightshirt, and three years later would blow his own brains out........
All true. And Jim Lane must surely be included in any group on either side who are going to be demonized.
 
Here is the text of the Order:

General Order № 11.

Headquarters District of the Border,
Kansas City, August 25, 1863.

1. All persons living in Jackson, Cass, and Bates counties, Missouri, and in that part of Vernon included in this district, except those living within one mile of the limits of Independence, Hickman's Mills, Pleasant Hill, and Harrisonville, and except those in that part of Kaw Township, Jackson County, north of Brush Creek and west of Big Blue, are hereby ordered to remove from their present places of residence within fifteen days from the date hereof.

Those who within that time establish their loyalty to the satisfaction of the commanding officer of the military station near their present place of residence will receive from him a certificate stating the fact of their loyalty, and the names of the witnesses by whom it can be shown. All who receive such certificates will be permitted to remove to any military station in this district, or to any part of the State of Kansas, except the counties of the eastern border of the State. All others shall remove out of the district. Officers commanding companies and detachments serving in the counties named will see that this paragraph is promptly obeyed.

2. All grain and hay in the field or under shelter, in the district from which inhabitants are required to remove, within reach of military stations after the 9th day of September next, will be taken to such stations and turned over to the proper officers there and report of the amount so turned over made to district headquarters, specifying the names of all loyal owners and amount of such product taken from them. All grain and hay found in such district after the 9th day of September next, not convenient to such stations, will be destroyed.

3. The provisions of General Order No. 10 from these headquarters will be at once vigorously executed by officers commanding in the parts of the district and at the station not subject to the operations of paragraph 1 of this order, and especially the towns of Independence, Westport and Kansas City.

4. Paragraph 3, General Order No. 10 is revoked as to all who have borne arms against the Government in the district since the 20th day of August, 1863.

By order of Brigadier General Ewing.
H. Hannahs, Adjt.-Gen'l.
Thank you, @Jack62, for posting the text of the order. Everyone, please note the second paragraph. Even loyalists WHO COULD PROVE THEIR LOYALTY were required to leave their property and go to a military station or to the state of Kansas. Their homes were still looted and burned. Perhaps some of them saw their fine furniture, rugs, silver, pianos, etc., being auctioned in Kansas.

All this perpetrated by the very government that was supposed to protect its citizens. What hypocrisy!
 
Because these discussions tend to devolve, we really don't hear much of these horrendous events. Civilians of four counties? If that occurred in the east we'd know all their names and those places would be part of ACW tours. It seems crazy so much tragedy was suffered by civilians yet the entire topic seems nearly off limits.
Thank you, Annie. I understand how this seems almost incomprehensible to someone who didn't grow up in Missouri, but it is certainly true. I think the names of the victims are probably known (at least to their descendants) but probably not compiled in a single directory.

One of my aunts on my father's side of the family descended from a family in the Burnt District, and her ancestral house is one of the very few that still stands. The reason is that a Union officer whose troops were enforcing the order used it as his headquarters during the deportation and burn out. I doubt there was a stick of furniture left in the house when he departed.
 
I knew an artist, Bingham, created a famous artwork based on this painting and have found a thread with the image, and a subsequent explanation the artist gave for what he created.

This is true, too. Bingham created the painting to destroy the reputation and political ambitions of General Ewing. We have discussed the painting here previously. It's propaganda, but it's accurate propaganda. Bingham also issued engravings of the painting--some colorized. One of my friends has a signed copy in her house.
 
#11 wasn’t the only Yankee Attack against civilians during the War. Not the only, Burned Over District.

So, I don’t think the Order was some kind of a mistake or reluctant measure. They removed Unionist and Confederate sympathizers, however, they were all looked at as being, Southerners. That was their Crime!
Thank you, @uaskme, for adding your opinion. Lane knew exactly what he was doing. Some feel that he pressured Ewing into issuing and enforcing the order. Oddly, one of the most bombastic apologists for the Confederacy, John Newman Edwards, once published that opinion. I believe it was in his book "Noted Guerrillas." He asserted that Ewing was actually a fine officer but was pressured by Lane into carrying out the order. Maybe so. I am not sure, but I was pretty gob-smacked to read that coming from the pen of John Newman Edwards!
 
Thank you, @uaskme, for adding your opinion. Lane knew exactly what he was doing. Some feel that he pressured Ewing into issuing and enforcing the order. Oddly, one of the most bombastic apologists for the Confederacy, John Newman Edwards, once published that opinion. I believe it was in his book "Noted Guerrillas." He asserted that Ewing was actually a fine officer but was pressured by Lane into carrying out the order. Maybe so. I am not sure, but I was pretty gob-smacked to read that coming from the pen of John Newman Edwards!
Lane definitely clamored the loudest and put pressure on Ewing, but IMO they all were trying to distract and cover their butts, Lane and Ewing had both previously made assurances the series of outposts along the border would provide protection and warning, and it did neither, the guerrillas were even observed crossing over, and no warning went out.

What made it even worse most all involved on the Union side had political aspirations, so encouraged knee jerk reactions to cover ones butt and not really military necessity, they were catering to the radicals who had wanted blood all along.
 
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