“Quantrell”
Description
"Come all you bold robbers and open your ears, Of QuantrelI the lion-heart you quickly will hear." Quantrell raids and burns Lawrence, Kansas, but allegedly he supports to the poor, and "a brave man or woman he'll never annoy."
Notes
As is so often the case with outlaw ballads, this paints much too pretty a picture. For a brief background on Quantrill (the name used in Confederate records), see the notes to "Charlie Quantrell."
To tell this song from other Quantrell pieces, consider this first stanza:
Come all you bold robbers and open your ears
Of QuantrelI the lion-heart you quickly will hear
With his band of bold raiders in double-quick time
He came to burn Lawrence just over the line.
This song is item dE33 in Laws's Appendix II. - RBW
Historical references
- Aug 21, 1863 - Quantrill's Raiders destroy Lawrence, Kansas, killing about 150 men.
- May 10, 1865 - Quantrill is mortally wounded on his way to Washington (where he hoped to stir up trouble by assassination). He dies 20 days later.
Cross references
- cf. "Charlie Quantrell" (subject)
- cf. "The Call of Quantrell" (subject)
References
- Lomax-ABFS, pp. 132-133, "Quantrell" (1 text, 1 tune)
- DT, QUANTRLL*
- Roud #4094
- BI, LoA132