My avatar is a picture of "old Sacramento" and crew in happier times, before it was destroyed, trying to raise drowinding victims from the Kansas river. Here is the info I have on it. Kansas Boomer
Old Sacramento
The cannon fired at Hickory Point, Jefferson county has a very interesting history. It was captured, along with several other cannons in the Mexican war of 1847. Col. Doniphan and his American troops captured it at the battle of Sacramento near Chihuahua, Mexico. It was brought to Missouri via the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Some of the cannons were stored in Liberty, Missouri, the home of Col. Doniphan. When war between pro slavery and anti slavery forces from Missouri and Kansas started, some Missouri Border Ruffians raided the storage, removing some rifles and the cannon Old Sacramento. The Border Ruffians had established several forts around Lawrence, Kansas , that hot bed of Abolitionist, in order to try to cut off supplies to the City. The three forts were Saunders, Franklin and Titus. The Ruffians installed Old Sacramento at Fort Franklin. On August 12, 1856 Fort Franklin was the first to feel the wrath Jim Lane and his anti slavery militia. After a 3 hour battle the ruffians fled the fort when a fire was started. The cannon they left behind, “Old Sacramento” was taken by the free-staters and put to good use. Fort Saunders was next to be attached, on August 15, 1856 the free staters marched on the fort. Upon seeing the force marching against them, the ruffians fled the field, without a fight, leaving behind their flag, some rifles, ammunition, and tents. Next to feel the strength of the free staters, and to hear from Old Sacramento was Fort Titus, located about 2 miles East of Lecompton, Kansas It was attached on August 16,1856. Rifle fire made no apparent impression on the log fort. The free state men brought out Old Sacramento. After only 6 shots were fired, the ruffians surrendered. Several men on both sides were killed, and many ruffians were taken prisoner and marched back to Lawrence. The next time we hear about Old Sacramento, is at Hickory Point, Jefferson County, about 5 ½ miles North of Oskalossa, Kansas. Hickory Point was a stop on the Fort Leavenworth-Fort Riley freight road. There was a blacksmith shop for the repair of wagons, a store, and a small hotel. A message reached General J.H. Lane that a large group of border ruffians had burned Grasshopper Falls (later Valley Falls), and planned to burn Osawkie. Having saved Osawkie, Lane learned that an armed force of ruffians was at Hickory Point. General Lane and his men were able to surround the ruffians there, but they were to well fortified in the log buildings to be driven out. General Lane sent word to Lawrence for Captain Bickerton, to bring reinforcements and the now historic cannon Old Sacramento. Captain Bickerton and the cannon reached Hickory Point about 10:00am on Sunday September 14, 1856. The cannon was placed about 200 yards South of the blacksmith shop and commenced firing. The first cannon shot passed through the shop and killed Charles G Newhall. After this the ruffians would watch for the match to be put to the cannon and would lay down on the floor, the shots passed harmlessly through the shop. About 20 shot were fired from the cannon. Some of the cannon balls were made from the lead type from the Lawrence newspaper that had been destroyed in an earlier raid on Lawrence. After fire was set to some of the buildings, the ruffians surrendered. One ruffian was killed, and 4 wounded, 5 free state men were wounded. Thus ended the battle of Hickory Point. Old Sacramento was never again fired in anger. The old cannon was next fired in celebration when Kansas was admitted to statehood in 1861. The cannon was placed in an entrenchment at the foot of Massachusetts Street, looking North, with a commanding view of the Kansas river. Unfortunately for Lawrence residents Quantrell and his raiders came from the South, the old cannon was of no use to them in their darkest hour. After this, the cannon was fired on holidays such as 4th of July and New Years. It was occasionally fired across the river in an attempt to raise the bodies of people who had drowned in the Kansas river. Of course we now know this was a useless endeavor. It was during one of these attempts to raised drowned bodies, that the end came for the old cannon. A charge of three pounds of powder was loaded into the cannon, along with gunny sacks, grass, mud, and clay. When the match was applied, the gun exploded, the largest piece being blown through the roof of the wire mill. The main part of Old Sacramento now rests in the Watkins Community Museum of History, Lawrence, Kansas, where you can see it today.
