Very near here at 1425 Grand Avenue during The Civil War, a tragedy occurred that was to intensify the ferocious hatred of the Border guerrillas for the Union forces. Under Union General Ewing's orders, the guerrillas' women were imprisoned in a large three-storied brick building owned, but not then occupied by artist, George Caleb Bingham. About two o'clock on Friday, August 14, 1863 the weakened building collapsed injuring many of the female inmates. "Christie" McCorkle Kerr, Susan Selvy Vandiver, Arminia Selvy and Josephine Anderson, sister of "Bloody Bill" Anderson, were killed. Also many female relatives of the men with Quantrill were injured. Mary Anderson, Armenia Whitsett Gilvey, Mollie Grindstaff, and Nanie Harris, all injured, had close relatives with Quantrill and the Younger brothers.
On the news of the tragedy reaching Quantrill's men in the brush, they were wild. Also on August 18th, General Ewing issued General Order No.10, banishing the guerrillas' families from the state. Coupled with the death and injury in the collapse, then banishment of their women, the guerrillas seemed to scream for retaliatory measures.
Friday, August 21, 1863 dawned hot and clear as Quantrill, with 310 men perpetrated the Lawrence Massacre. In two hours close to 150 male citizens of Lawrence were killed, several only young boys. Not one Lawrence woman was injured. 185 buildings were destroyed. Eighty widows and 250 orphans were left crying in the dusty streets. By 9 o'clock the massacre was over and the guerrillas retreated. A tragedy here and General Order No. 10 were blamed for the Lawrence Massacre.
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