The Jayhawkers were a group of anti-slavery guerilla fighters who were active in Kansas and Missouri before and during the American Civil War. They played a key role in the bloody fighting over whether Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state. The Jayhawkers’ opposition to slavery brought them into conflict with pro-slavery groups in Missouri, leading to years of cross-border raids and skirmishes. Determining the Jayhawkers’ views on slavery requires an examination of their origins, motivations, and actions.
Quick Answers
– The Jayhawkers were against slavery and fought to make Kansas a free state.
– They launched raids into Missouri to fight pro-slavery militias and disrupt the slave economy.
– Prominent Jayhawker leaders like James H. Lane and Charles “Doc” Jennison were vehemently anti-slavery.
– Their violent tactics were controversial but aimed at advancing the free state cause in Kansas.
– After the Civil War began, many Jayhawkers joined the Union Army as soldiers or informal militia units.
Origins of the Jayhawkers
The Jayhawkers emerged in the 1850s when the status of slavery in Kansas Territory became a contentious national issue. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 revoked the ban on slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel established by the Missouri Compromise of 1820. This opened up Kansas to the possibility of legal slavery. Anti-slavery Northerners began settling in Kansas to ensure it would be admitted to the Union as a free state rather than a slave state. Pro-slavery settlers also arrived from nearby Missouri. This led to a volatile and violent period known as “Bleeding Kansas” as both sides battled for control of the territory’s new legislature and constitution.
It was in this environment that the Jayhawkers got their start. The name “Jayhawkers” referred to the illegal hunting of jayhawkers, a mythical bird. It was likely originally used as a derisive term by pro-slavery settlers to describe their opponents’ lawless behavior. The free staters eventually claimed the name for themselves as they began organizing to stop the spread of slavery into Kansas by any means necessary.
Prominent Jayhawker Leaders
– James H. Lane – US Senator and Brigadier General who led raids against pro-slavery groups. He was a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement.
– Charles Jennison – Jayhawk guerrilla leader known for his extreme anti-slavery rhetoric and actions, although sometimes accused of opportunism.
– John Brown – Radical abolitionist who participated in Jayhawker raids and led the failed 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry armory.
Motivations and Tactics
The Jayhawkers were motivated by a staunch opposition to the spread of slavery into Kansas. Though they employed extralegal means, they saw themselves as righteous fighters defending the territory and the nation against the immoral institution of slavery and its powerful advocates. Prominent leaders like James H. Lane declared that “Free Soil is the faith of my heart…I would rather see the whole land surrendered to barbarous slavery…than to see the fair Kansas made a den of dragons.”
To achieve their aim of a free Kansas, the Jayhawkers engaged in daring raids and sabotage attacks against pro-slavery settlers and installations across the Missouri border. They sought to disrupt what they viewed as an illegitimate slave power imposing its will on the Kansas populace. Their main targets were pro-slavery settlements and militia encampments. They would loot supplies, release slaves, and clash with Missouri bushwhackers. These violent acts often devolved into cycles of revenge killing and terrorism. The turmoil prompted the federal government to send in troops to restore order.
Notable Jayhawker Actions Against Slavery
– Battles with Missouri “Border Ruffians” militias
– Raids to free slaves in Missouri
– Destruction of ballot boxes to prevent fraudulent pro-slavery votes
– Fighting Confederate guerrillas after outbreak of Civil War
– Providing intelligence, guides, and scouts for Union Army
Were the Jayhawkers’ Tactics Justified?
The justification for the Jayhawkers’ often brutal tactics has long been debated. On the one hand, they were fighting to stop the spread of a repugnant institution and in defense of Kansas’ right to determine its status as a free state. In an era when the federal government appeased and protected Southern slavery, extralegal warfare could be seen as a necessary and moral option.
However, the Jayhawkers’ raids often failed to discriminate between combatants and civilians. Innocent lives were lost in Missouri from Jayhawker attacks. Even fellow abolitionists decried their violent tactics as counterproductive and morally suspect. Leaders like Jennison were accused of caring more about plunder and revenge than promoting freedom. Ultimately the case can be argued either way depending on one’s perspective on the use of violence to combat social evils. The Jayhawkers saw themselves as righteous warriors, but were viewed by many as lawless bandits and terrorists.
Relationship to Abolitionist Movement
Though the Jayhawkers usually operated independently of organized political and social movements, they were aligned with the New England abolitionists who spearheaded the fight against slavery in the decades before the Civil War. Jayhawkers drew many of their settlers from New England and justified their actions and ideology by invoking abolitionist leaders. James Lane was close allies with figures like Horace Greeley, an outspoken NY newspaper editor and abolitionist. Lane adapted Greeley’s slogan “Go West young man” to advocate for Northerners to emigrate and ensure Kansas entered the Union as a free state.
So while the Jayhawkers deployed more militant tactics than other abolitionists, they shared the core belief that slavery must be stopped and were willing to break laws in pursuit of a moral cause. But tensions existed between the Jayhawkers and East Coast abolitionist societies. The latter sometimes saw the Jayhawkers as well-intentioned but lawless vigilantes undermining the anti-slavery movement’s image and objectives.
Key Connections to Abolitionist Movement
– Issued anti-slavery proclamations invoking abolitionist ideals
– Some Jayhawkers like John Brown participated in national abolitionist events
– Received funding and weapons from New England anti-slavery societies
– Shared rhetoric and justification of violating immoral laws protecting slavery
Aftermath and Legacy
While the Jayhawkers failed to decisively determine whether Kansas entered the Union in 1861 as a free or slave state, their actions helped tilt the balance. Combined with nationwide events, efforts to prevent Kansas from becoming slave territory succeeded. Kansas entered as a free state under an anti-slavery constitution on January 29, 1861.
During the American Civil War, many former Jayhawkers served as Union Army guides, scouts and militia units in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. Their knowledge of the terrain and irregular warfare tactics honed as Jayhawkers made them invaluable assets. In particular, the Jayhawker legacy was carried on by Union Colonel Charles “Doc” Jennison and his “Jayhawker Brigade” composed of the 7th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Though Jennison remained controversial, his brigade’s exploits burnished the reputation of the Jayhawkers as carrying on the fight against slavery into the formal Civil War.
The Jayhawker movement has become an iconic part of the history and identity of Kansas. Later in the 19th century, the term “Jayhawkers” lost its association with guerrilla fighters and became a nickname for residents of Kansas in general. Universities and towns adopted the Jayhawk name and it remains a prominent symbol of the state today. Kansas also earned the enduring nickname as the “Free State” stemming from the crucial role of the territory in determining the future of slavery leading up to the Civil War.
Summary
The Jayhawkers were guerrilla bands of anti-slavery settlers in Kansas Territory who fought slavery both in Kansas and across the border in Missouri. They saw themselves as champions of freedom defending Kansas from the illegitimate encroachment of slave power and took inspiration from the broader abolitionist movement. However, their extralegal and often brutal tactics have long sparked debate on whether their violence undermined the anti-slavery cause. Regardless, the Jayhawkers left an indelible mark as key players in the bitter conflicts that culminated in the American Civil War. Their actions helped rally support for the abolitionist movement and pushed Kansas into the Union as a free state.
Conclusion
The Jayhawkers emerged as a product of the chaotic violence of “Bleeding Kansas” but were aligned with the national abolitionist crusade against slavery. Driven by ideological fervor, they were willing to employ extralegal and violent means to prevent Kansas from becoming a slave state and weaken the institution of slavery in neighboring Missouri. Their bloody raids and skirmishes epitomized the breakdown of law and order around the slavery issue prior to the Civil War. Though controversial, the Jayhawkers played a pivotal role in the events leading up to the war and bequeathed the state of Kansas a lasting free soil heritage. Their legacy as militant abolitionists fighting for Kansas and freedom remains in the state’s nickname as the “Free State” and the iconic “Jayhawk” symbol of its leading university.
