One of the bloodiest single incidents in the Kansas-Missouri border struggles, 1854-1861, occurred May 19, 1858 , when about 30 Proslavery Missourians seized 11 Kansas Free-State men near Trading Post Kansas, and marched them to a ravine. Lining up their prisoners, they callously shot them down, killing five and wounding five others. One escaped injury by feigning death. Northerners were horrified, and John Greenleaf Whittier immortalized the fallen in a poem, "Le Marais du Cygne", part of which is inscribed on the memorial, but hard to photograph clearly. John F. Campbell, William Colpetzer, Michael Robinson, Patrick Ross and William Stillwell were killed. William Hairgrove and his brother Asa, Amos Hall, the Rev. Benjamin Reed and Charles Snyder were wounded. Austin Hall, unhurt, dropped with the others as the shots were fired, and was left for dead.
One of the bloodiest single incidents in the Kansas-Missouri border struggles, 1854-1861, occurred May 19, 1858 , when about 30 Proslavery Missourians seized 11 Kansas Free-State men near Trading Post Kansas, and marched them to a ravine. Lining up their prisoners, they callously shot them down, killing five and wounding five others. One escaped injury by feigning death. Northerners were horrified, and John Greenleaf Whittier immortalized the fallen in a poem, "Le Marais du Cygne", part of which is inscribed on the memorial, but hard to photograph clearly. John F. Campbell, William Colpetzer, Michael Robinson, Patrick Ross and William Stillwell were killed. William Hairgrove and his brother Asa, Amos Hall, the Rev. Benjamin Reed and Charles Snyder were wounded. Austin Hall, unhurt, dropped with the others as the shots were fired, and was left for dead.
Bio by: Bill Walker
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