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Title: From Hamilton R. Gamble to Abraham Lincoln
Description: On May 2, 1863, Missouri Gov. Hamilton R. Gamble writes from St. Louis to President Lincoln. Gamble informs Lincoln about "the perpetration of murders and arsons and other outrages committed by persons connected with the Army…and whose crimes you have the power to restrain." He asks Lincoln to put a stop to the "butcheries" occurring in Missouri's western counties, and suggests that Lincoln replace Gen. Curtis as commander of the district in favor of someone who is "too brave to be cruel."
Object Type: Government Document
Date: May 2, 1863

Title: General Orders, No. 38
Description: Maj. Gen. Samuel Curtis issued General Order No. 38 from the Department of the Missouri Headquarters in St. Louis on May 22, 1863. The order details the proceedings of recent Military Commissions in St. Joseph, St. Louis, and Springfield, Missouri, where citizens were tried for war crimes, including consorting with guerrillas and bushwhackers, killing United States soldiers from the Seventh Cavalry Regiment Missouri Volunteers, and encouraging rebellion against the government. The order was signed by Assistant Adjutant General A.V. Colburn.
Date: May 22, 1863

Title: From John A. Halderman to Samuel R. Curtis
Description: This letter, dated November 6, 1862, is from Maj. John A. Halderman of the 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment to Maj. Gen. Curtis, commander of the Department of the Missouri. Halderman asks, on behalf of Kansas Gov. Charles Robinson, for Curtis’s assistance in arming the Kansas State Militia so that they can better protect the Kansas-Missouri border “against the violence of lawless bands in Missouri.”
Date: November 6, 1862

Title: From Jonathan B. Fuller to Dear Father
Description: On October 24, 1864, Jonathan B. Fuller writes from Kansas City, Missouri to his father. Fuller describes the recent Battle of Westport in which the Confederates were "repulsed" and reportedly suffered 32 casualties. He admits, "I do not feel overmuch pleased with our defenders. It seems to me that with the force we had yesterday, we ought to have driven the Rebels like chaff--instead of acting as we seem to have done for half the day on the defensive simply."
Date: October 24, 1864

Title: Report on Loss of Clothing and Equipage
Description: This report, dated March 30, 1865, is signed by Capt. A. Comingo, Provost Marshal for the 6th District of Missouri, and members of his Enrollment Board. The report attempts to explain "the destruction and loss of Clothing, Camp and Garrison Equipage…that occurred during the rebel raid into this state" in October 1864. Comingo concludes that the loss was "inevitable" under the circumstances. The report includes a copy of a letter sent by Gen. Samuel R. Curtis to Comingo on October 5, 1864.
Date: March 30, 1865

Title: From Samuel R. Curtis to Thomas Carney
Description: This telegram, dated June 7, 1864, was sent by Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to Kansas Gov. Thomas Carney. Curtis states that he has been authorized to issue 1,000 arms and 200,000 rounds of ammunition to the militia. He tells Curtis that “Bushwhackers are east & south of us and hostile thieving indians west but with great vigilance on the part of federal & state troops we may protect the settlement.”
Object Type: Telegram
Date: June 7, 1864

Title: From Unknown to Thomas Carney
Description: This telegram was sent from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to Kansas Gov. Thomas Carney on April 26, 1864. The telegram consists of an April 23, 1864 telegraph communication between Col. Phillips and Major General S.R. Curtis. Phillips informs Curtis that his troops are tracking Quantrill’s movements through Kansas along the Arkansas River, and that one of his companies stationed near the river may meet Quantrill soon. Curtis replies that from Phillips’ telegram, he infers Quantrill’s location to be on the southern side of the Arkansas.
Object Type: Telegram
Date: April 26, 1864

Title: From Samuel R. Curtis to Edmund G. Ross
Description: This telegram, dated 1864, is from Major Samuel R. Curtis at Fort Leavenworth to Edmund G. Ross in Lawrence, Kansas. Curtis reports that 150-200 Missouri guerrillas have entered Kansas and are likely to invade Olathe, Lawrence, and Topeka. He tells Ross to warn Topeka of a possible attack and urges him to “be on your guard.”
Object Type: Telegram
Date: 1864

Title: Report on Price's Raid
Description: James Henry Lane wrote this report ca. October 1864 about his role in the campaign against Price's Raid. Lane states that he accompanied Gen. Blunt, Col. Moonlight, Col. Jennison, and Gen. Curtis on an expedition into Missouri to impede Sterling Price and his forces. Lane describes the Second Battle of Lexington, the Second Battle of Independence, the Battle of Byram's Ford, the Battle of Westport, and the Battle of Little Blue River.

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