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Title: From William Clarke Quantrill to William W. Scott
Description: William Clarke Quantrill writes a letter from Olathe, Kansas to William W. Scott on January 22, 1858. Quantrill reports the results of a recent election on the Lecompton Constitution, which he refers to as the "Lecompton swindle." He mentions a recent skirmish at Fort Scott and declares it "a pity" that the Kansas settlers "had not shot every Missourian that was there." He also calls James Henry Lane "as good a man as we have here" and describes Kansas Democrats as "rascals."
Date: January 22, 1858

Title: From A.J. Huntoon to Lizzie P. Huntoon
Description: This letter was written on July 7, 9, and 11, 1861 by A.J. Huntoon in Williamsport, Shawnee County, Kansas, to his wife Lizzie P. Huntoon. A.J. describes a party he attended on July 4 in Topeka, Kansas, and states that he enlisted in the service as part of “the Lane guards.” He says that since Lizzie is away from home, “I feel that there is no excuse for not taking an active part in this struggle for freedom & humanity…Such as can leave should be the first to offer themselves, & I feel that I am one.” A.J. adds that he recruited three local men for his company.
Date: July 7, 1861-July 11, 1861

Title: From Abelard Guthrie to James Henry Lane
Description: This letter, dated November 21, 1864, is from Abelard Guthrie in Quindaro, Kansas to James Henry Lane. Guthrie reports on the proceedings of a Supreme Court case to determine if Kansas has the right to tax land assigned to the Shawnee Indians. Guthrie argues that if the court exempts these areas from taxation, it will deprive "the counties of Douglass, Johnson, and Wyandot of about sixty thousand dollars of taxes which they sorely need."
Date: November 21, 1864

Civil War on the Western Border: The Missouri-Kansas Conflict, 1854-1865