WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE | MORMON HISTORY | LIBERTY LANDING
CIVIL WAR | AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY | CORBIN THEATER

Liberty Arsenal: The second battle of the Civil War

In 1837, the War department constructed a weapons arsenal on the Missouri river bluffs about four miles south of Liberty. They purchased ten acres of land above Liberty Landing in order to have an unrestricted view of the Missouri river. The brick fort was 210 feet square and contained officers' quarters, soldiers' barracks, a mess hall and powder magazine. The Arsenal was raided in 1855 by Missourians bound for the Wakarusa War in Eastern Kansas. Three cannons, 55 rifles, 67 sabers, 120 pistols and the necessary ammunition were taken. The authorities at Fort Leavenworth acted rapidly and recovered all but $400 in equipment.

On April 20,1861, the arsenal was raided by Confederate troops led by Colonel Henry L. Routt of Liberty. At the time, the fort was occupied by Major Nathaniel Grant and two civilian storekeepers. The raid on Liberty Arsenal was the first act of war after Fort Sumter fell to confederate forces on April 13, 1961.

Col. Routt was arrested, tried for treason and sentenced to hang. Lincoln pardoned him, making Col Routt one of the first to get into the Civil War and one the first to get out.

The arsenal was sold to Amos Kimball (Boston) at public auction on June 15, 1869. It was later sold to John J. Moore of Clay County. The buildings were eventually demolished and were rumored to be a source of bricks for construction in Liberty.