| Lawrence Massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of the American Civil War | |
 An artist's depiction of the destruction of the city of Lawrence, Kansas, and the massacre of its inhabitants by Confederate guerrillas on August 21, 1863 | |
| Location | Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas |
| Date | August 21, 1863 |
| Deaths | 164 (plus 40 Confederate raiders?) |
| Victims | Civilian population of Lawrence Unmustered Union recruits |
| Perpetrators | Confederate States Army |
| Assailants | 300–400 raiders |
| Motive | Revenge for Sacking of Osceola |
The Lawrence Massacre (also known as Quantrill's Raid) was an attack during the American Civil War (1861–65) by Quantrill's Raiders, a Confederate guerrilla group led by William Quantrill, on the Unionist town of Lawrence, Kansas, killing around 150 unarmed men and boys.
The attack, on the morning of Friday August 21, 1863, targeted Lawrence due to the town's long support of abolition and its reputation as a center for the Jayhawkers, who were free-state militia and vigilante groups known for attacking plantations in pro-slavery Missouri's western counties.