Liberty Arsenal

[3] On July 2, 1836, President Andrew Jackson signed a bill authorizing construction of an arsenal on the western frontier of Missouri, and on June 30, 1837, the Federal government obtained a deed to ten acres of land near Liberty.

[4] During the period when the free or slave state status of Kansas was still an open question, pro-slavery residents of Clay County frequently crossed the border to vote in Kansas territorial elections and participated in armed incursions to oppose Free State elements in the territory.

On December 4, 1855, during the "Wakarusa War", a company of over 100 armed Clay County volunteers, led by Judge James Turner Vance Thompson[5] and Missouri Maj. Ebenezer Price, seized the arsenal.

[6] The arsenal at that time contained: three brass six-pounder cannon, 55 rifles, 67 cavalry sabres, 100 dragoon pistols, 20 Colt revolvers, accoutrements, equipment, and ammunition.

The pro-slavery forces had concluded their foray against Lawrence, Kansas, and the Wakarusa War had ended with a treaty a few days before.

The Southern sympathizers captured three six-pounder brass cannons and carriages; 12 unmounted six-pounder iron guns; one three-pounder iron gun; two battery wagons; five caissons; two forges, artillery equipment and several hundred rounds of artillery ammunition (mostly solid shot and canister.)

Because of this and other activities, Routt was captured in March 1862, tried for treason, and sentenced to hang, but was pardoned in April by Lincoln citing Missouri Governor Gamble's amnesty program.

Moss, a Mexican War veteran and leader of the Unionist Liberty Home Guards (formed only a few days later, on April 24) characterized the seizure of the arsenal this way: "Col. Routt had no more right to capture the Liberty Arsenal, with its government arms and munitions, than John Brown had to seize the one at Harper's Ferry.