James Henry Lane (politician)

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James Henry Lane

James Henry Lane (born June 22, 1814 in Lawrenceburg , Indiana , † July 11, 1866 in Leavenworth , Kansas ), also known as Jim Lane , was an American politician who represented the state of Kansas in the US Senate . He was also a member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana and was vice governor of that state. During the border war in the Kansas Territory , he made a name for himself as a partisan ; in the Civil War he was a volunteer leader and a brigadier general of the Union .

Life

James Henry Lane was born in Lawrenceburg to Congressman Amos Lane . After attending public schools, he was admitted to the bar in 1840 and began practicing as a lawyer in his hometown. He also took on his first political mandate as a member of the local city council. After serving in the military during the Mexican-American War , he served as Lieutenant Governor of Indiana from 1849 to 1853.

First, Lane joined the Democrats , for whom he was elected to Congress in 1852 , from March 4, 1853 to March 3, 1855 as an MP. He voted for the Kansas-Nebraska Act at this time . In 1855 he moved to the Kansas Territory , where as an abolitionist he became the leader of a militant Jayhawkers group that was affiliated with the Free Soil Party . Kansas joined the Union as an anti-slavery state, and Lane was elected a US Senator in 1856. However, the Senate did not recognize his election.

After he had presided over the constitutional convention of the new state in Leavenworth as president in 1857, he entered again in the election to the US Senate in 1861 - in the meantime he had changed to the Republicans . He won again and this time was also able to take his seat in Congress from April 4, 1861. After confirmation in 1865, he remained there until his death. During this time he was among other things chairman of the Agriculture Committee.

Civil war

During the Civil War, Lane led a Jayhawkers brigade known as the Kansas Brigade or Lane's Brigade . This was composed of the 3rd , 4th and 5th Kansas Volunteers . These 600 men led Lane on September 2, 1861 against General Sterling Price in the battle of Dry Wood Creek. He lost the battle, but gave Price to him. Then Lane's men burned the city of Osceola, Missouri, and executed nine residents after a court martial. The manner in which this raid was carried out resulted in strong opposition from leading men of the Union. The fear was that public sentiment would turn in favor of the Confederation and Lane's Kansas Brigade was disbanded.

On December 18, 1861, Lane was appointed Brigadier General. On March 21, 1862, he was relieved of the command, as he was not supposed to lead as an active senator. On April 11, 1862, command was returned to him. Between 1862 and 1863 he was the recruiting commissioner for the state of Kansas.

Between October 27 and 29, 1862 Lane set up the 1st Regiment Kansas Volunteer Infantry (Colored) , which was used for the first time in the Battle of Island Mound. It is the first African-American unit to take part in combat, a year before the legendary 54th Massachusetts . During this action, 30 Union soldiers defeated 130 Confederate guerrillas.

Lane was the target of what became known as the Lawrence Massacre on August 21, 1863 . Confederate bushwhackers are said to have shouted "Remember Osceola!" Lane escaped running into a cornfield in his nightgown.

In 1864, when CSA Maj. Gen. Price invaded Missouri, Lane volunteered as a wing adjuster to U.S. Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis , commander of the Army of the Border . Lane was thus one of the victorious Union forces in the Battle of Westport.

Death and remembrance

James Lane attempted suicide with a firearm on July 1, 1866. The reason later became known to be financial problems. The injuries were not immediately fatal; however, he succumbed to them on July 11th.

The following was named after him:

In the movie

Burning Osceola is the theme of The Texan (1976) starring Clint Eastwood .

Web links

  • James Henry Lane in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ James H. Lane - Grim Leader in the Free-State Fight
  2. ↑ Eicher p. 338
  3. ↑ Border War Timeline, 1861-1865: The Civil War
personal data
SURNAME Lane, James Henry
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician and officer
DATE OF BIRTH June 22, 1814
PLACE OF BIRTH Lawrenceburg , Indiana
DATE OF DEATH July 11, 1866
Place of death Leavenworth , Kansas