Marshall Cleveland

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Marshall Cleveland (c. 1832 – May 11, 1862) was a guerrilla fighter and criminal during the American Civil War. Born in New York, he lived in Ohio and Missouri before moving to Kansas as the war began. In October 1861 he was made a captain in Charles “Doc” Jennison’s 7th Kansas Cavalry. In November 1861 he resigned after being rebuked for wearing improper attire at a dress parade. After leaving the 7th Cavalry, Cleveland acted as an independent Jayhawker, but in reality he robbed and killed people on both sides of the Kansas–Missouri border. He based his gang from a saloon in Atchison, Kansas, and called himself “Marshal of Kansas.” At first the Union tolerated him, but his raids soon angered them. They sent troops to capture him at Winthrop, Missouri, but those efforts failed. General David Hunter then sent the 6th Kansas Cavalry to arrest him. They found him in Osawatomie, Kansas. After surrendering to Lt. Anson J. Walker and attempting to escape on horseback, Cleveland was shot and killed by members of the 6th Kansas Cavalry.