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Lawrence, Kansas, is captured and sacked by pro-slavery forces

The sacking of Lawrence occurred on May 21, 1856, when pro-slavery settlers, led by Douglas County Sheriff Samuel J.

The sacking of Lawrence occurred on May 21, 1856, when pro-slavery settlers, led by Douglas County Sheriff Samuel J. Jones, attacked and ransacked Lawrence, Kansas, a town that had been founded by anti-slavery settlers from Massachusetts who were hoping to make Kansas a free state. The incident fueled the irregular conflict in Kansas Territory that later became known as Bleeding Kansas.

The human cost of the attack was low: only one person—a member of the pro-slavery gang—was killed, and his death was accidental. However, Jones and his men halted production of the Free-State newspapers the Kansas Free State and the Herald of Freedom, destroying the presses and offices (with the former ceasing publication altogether and the latter taking months to once again start up).

Historical Significance

The sacking of Lawrence occurred on May 21, 1856, when pro-slavery settlers, led by Douglas County Sheriff Samuel J.

Events Before

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  2. Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart (22) weds Flora Cooke in Fort Riley, Kansas

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  4. Clipper "Guiding Star" disappears in Atlantic, 480 dead

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  5. First bridge over the Mississippi River in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota, opens; today known as the Father Louis He

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Events After

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  2. Novelist Jules Verne (28) weds Honorine de Viane Morel

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  4. University of Calcutta is founded as the first full-fledged university in South Asia

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  5. Second Opium War: France and the United Kingdom declare war on China

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 21, 1856?
The sacking of Lawrence occurred on May 21, 1856, when pro-slavery settlers, led by Douglas County Sheriff Samuel J. Jones, attacked and ransacked Lawrence, Kansas, a town that had been founded by anti-slavery settlers from Massachusetts who were hoping to make Kansas a free state. The incident fueled the irregular conflict in Kansas Territory that later became known as Bleeding Kansas.
Why is Lawrence, Kansas, is captured and sacked by pro-slavery forces significant?
The sacking of Lawrence occurred on May 21, 1856, when pro-slavery settlers, led by Douglas County Sheriff Samuel J.

Explore More

May 21 in HistoryYear 1856