Charles R. Jennison

Charles Rainsford Jennison
Charles Rainsford Jennison
	Charles R. Jennison as a Union Colonel
Personal details
Born	June 6, 1834; Antwerp, New York
Died	June 21, 1884 (aged 50); Leavenworth, Kansas
Political party	Republican
Military service
Nickname(s)	"Doc"
Allegiance	United States of America
Years of service	1861–1864
Rank	Colonel
Commands	Jennison's Jayhawkers (7th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry); 15th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry
Battles/wars	Bleeding Kansas; American Civil War Second Battle of Lexington Battle of Little Blue River Battle of Westport;

Charles Rainsford Jennison also known as "Doc" Jennison (June 6, 1834 – June 21, 1884) was a member of the anti-slavery group during Bleeding Kansas. He was also a famous Jayhawker, and a member of the Kansas State Senate in the 1870s. He later served as a Union colonel and as a leader of Jayhawker militias during the American Civil War.

Early life and Bleeding Kansas

Charles R. Jennison was born on June 6, 1834 in Antwerp, Jefferson County, New York. His family moved to Wisconsin in 1846 where Jennison studied medicine. Marrying at 20 years old, Dr. Jennison moved to Osawatomie, Kansas in 1858 and to Mound City, Kansas shortly thereafter.^[2] Jennison was considered the most brutal jayhawkers. Whereas some other importnat leaders of irregulars in the Bleeding Kansas border conflict shared these traits, Jennison was different because he plundered for personal gain.^[3] Jennison worked with James Montgomery in opposing pro-slavery settlers and irregulars believed to be working with Border Ruffians.

Civil War

Even before the start of the war, Jennison became a captain of the Mound City Guards on February 19, 1861.^[4]

After the war

Jennison was elected to the Kansas Legislature from Leavenworth County in 1865, re-elected in 1867, and elected to the Kansas State Senate in 1872. He died at Leavenworth, Kansas June 21, 1884.^[4]

References

↑ Jennison, Charles R., by Christopher Phillips, University of Cincinnati, Civil War on the Western Border: The Missouri-Kansas Conflict,1855-1865
↑ Wilkie, Frank B., edited by Banasik, Michael, Missouri in 1861: The Civil War Letters of Frank B. Wilkie, Newspaper Correspondent, Part IV, 2001, page 247, footnote 215
↑ Castel, Albert, Civil War in Kansas: Reaping the Whirlwind, (ISBN 0-7006-0872-9), University Press of Kansas, 1997, page 43
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Connelley, William E., A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, Lewis Publishing Company, 1918, "Charles R. Jennison"

Other websites

[1] Jennison, Charles R., by Christopher Phillips, University of Cincinnati, Civil War on the Western Border: The Missouri-Kansas Conflict,1855-1865

[2] Wilkie, Frank B., edited by Banasik, Michael, Missouri in 1861: The Civil War Letters of Frank B. Wilkie, Newspaper Correspondent, Part IV, 2001, page 247, footnote 215

[3] Castel, Albert, Civil War in Kansas: Reaping the Whirlwind, (ISBN 0-7006-0872-9), University Press of Kansas, 1997, page 43

[Connelley,_William_E._1918-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Connelley, William E., A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, Lewis Publishing Company, 1918, "Charles R. Jennison"

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