Battle of Black Jack - US - 56 - Baldwin, KS
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N 38° 46.042 W 095° 07.726
15S E 315054 N 4293113
Battle of Black Jack
Waymark Code: WM2W98
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 12/30/2007
Views: 55
This marker is in a roadside park two miles east of Baldwin City. Just south of the park are some very well preserved Santa Fe Trail Ruts along with an original SFT survey marker. The actual "battle" site is 1/4 mile south of the marker along a gravel road.
Marker Name: Battle of Black Jack
Marker Type: Rest Area
Marker text:
This "battle" was part of the struggle to make Kansas a free state. In May, 1856, Proslavery men destroyed buildings and newspaper presses in Lawrence, Free-State headquarters. John Brown's company then killed five Proslavery men on Pottawatomie Creek not far from this spot. In retaliation Henry C. Pate raided near-by Palmyra and took three prisoners. Early on the morning of June 2, Brown attacked Pate's camp in a grove of black jack oaks about 1/4 mile south of this sign. Both sides had several wounded and numerous desertions before Pate and 28 men surrendered, Brown claiming he had only 15 men left. As evidence of civil war, this fight received much publicity and excited both the North and the South.
Marker Location: Douglas
Official Marker Number: 7
Name of agency setting marker: Kansas State Historical Society
Marker Web Address: [Web Link]
Year Marker Placed: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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