Civil War

Title: From James M. Boyer to A. Comingo
Description: This letter, dated October 15, 1863, is from James M. Boyer, Deputy Provost Marshal of Chariton County, Missouri, to Capt. A. Comingo, Provost Marshal of the 6th district of Missouri. Boyer states that he is sending Comingo three "contraband" letters that were intercepted at the post office. He complains that his local postmaster has not been helpful in identifying "contraband correspondence."
Date: October 15, 1863

Title: Examination of O.P. Moss
Description: This is O.P. Moss's 1866 Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Moss, a 53-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri, states that he was born in Kentucky but has resided in Missouri for 47 years, including 30 years in Clay County. The oath is No. 135 in a bound volume.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Examination of Patrick Dwyer
Description: This is Patrick Dwyer's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Dwyer describes himself as a 50-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri who was born in Ireland. He states that he demonstrated his loyalty to the United States Government during the Civil War by feeding soldiers. He admits that he "had no feelings in the matter" when he heard that Gen. Price had captured Gen. Mulligan's army at Lexington, Missouri. The oath, labeled No. 65 in a bound volume, was signed by Dwyer in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Missouri State Militia Special Order to Fully Equip and Carry Arms
Description: By order of Major John Cosgrove, William O. Mead instructs commanding officers to fully equip all enlisted men, to instruct non-commissioned officers to wear their chevrons, and to order all men on duty to keep their arms on hand.
Date: May 16, 1864

Title: From W.L. Ball to Emma
Description: This letter, dated September 21, 1861, was written by Confederate soldier W.L. Ball from Lexington, Missouri to Emma. Ball details his experience in the Battle of Lexington and includes the “official report of the property and prisoners” taken during the fight. He notes that “the southern side lost about 100 killed and wounded,” while the Union lost “500 killed and wounded.” Ball writes that the army may move next to Jefferson City.
Date: September 21, 1861

Title: Pass for Paralee Hudspeth
Description: This pass, issued by Headquarters, Central District Missouri and signed by E.B. Brown, permits Paralee Hudspeth “to enter the Border Counties of the State of Missouri, for the purpose of securing property abandoned while obeying General Order No. 11.” The pass, dated November 18, 1863, was issued from Jefferson City, Missouri by special order of Brigadier General Thomas L. Ewing, Jr.
Date: November 18, 1863

Title: Planters Hotel, St. Louis, Mo.
Description: Photograph of the Planters Hotel, located in St. Louis, Missouri, circa 1901.
Object Type: Image

Title: From James H. Birch to Hamilton R. Gamble
Description: On September 7, 1862, James H. Birch writes from Kingston, Missouri to Missouri Gov. Hamilton R. Gamble. Birch, a Congressional candidate in the 1862 Missouri election, states that he has been ill-treated by various "military organizations" while campaigning in the state. Birch quotes the text of a letter from Capt. Wakefield Standly, forbidding him "to address or interfere with" the citizens of Carroll County, Missouri. Birch asks Gamble to issue an order preventing the military from interfering with the election.
Date: September 7, 1862

Title: Examination of B.W. Vineyard
Description: This is B.W. Vineyard's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Vineyard, a 42-year-old resident of Liberty, Missouri, states that he is taking the oath under protest, because it contradicts the "fundamental principals of the Constitution of the United States" and denies citizens their rights to free thought and speech. Vineyard was born in Kentucky and served as president of the Liberty Ladies College. The oath, No. 2. in a bound volume, was signed by Vineyard in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: From Powell Clayton to John Halderman
Description: Powell Clayton writes a letter from Pine Bluff, Arkansas to Gen. John Halderman on October 21, 1864. He says that he is not convinced by Gen. Magruder’s threats to attack Pine Bluff; he believes that Magruder is attempting to detract attention from Gen. Price’s movements in Missouri. Clayton expresses hope that slavery will be abolished and that Lincoln will win the upcoming presidential election. He declares, “it is the duty of all Patriots, independent of past party predilections, to vote for Lincoln and Johnson.”
Date: October 21, 1864

Title: Battle of Shiloh
Description: Thure de Thulstrup's painting of the Battle of Shiloh, the bloodiest battle in U.S. history.
Object Type: Image

Title: John Conover and James M. Graham
Description: This is a copy of a tintype photograph taken near Stevenson, Alabama in August 1863. It depicts John Conover and James M. Graham, both captains in the Eighth Kansas Volunteer Infantry in the Twentieth Army Corps, First Division, Third Brigade. Conover was captain of Company E and Graham was captain of Company C.
Object Type: Image
Date: August 1863

Title: Examination of James C. Murray
Description: This is James C. Murray's Oath of Loyalty to the United States, labeled No. 26 in a bound volume. Murray, a 27-year-old resident of Liberty, Missouri, did not sign the oath.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: The First Battle of Bull Run, Va., Sunday Afternoon, July 21, 1861
Description: Illustration of the aftermath of the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861.
Object Type: Image
Date: n.d.

Title: From Abishai Stowell to "Dear Sister"
Description: On December 15, 1864, Abishai Stowell writes from Fort Smith, Arkansas to his sister. Stowell declares that "the day of restoration has already dawned & soon the sun of peace (not copperhead peace) will shine again on this once happy land of ours as in times of old (only slavery will be abolished & suffering beyond description will be ended)."
Date: December 15, 1864

Title: Examination of Ira Peters
Description: This is Ira Peters's 1866 Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Peters, a 66-year-old Kentucky native, states that he has lived in Missouri for 40 years, persuaded the enemies of the government "who had taken up arms to lay them down," and has "always been on the Federal side." In 1862, the military authorities enrolled him as "loyal." The oath is No. 176 in a bound volume.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: William C. Human
Description: Captain William C. Human was in Company C of the Missouri State Militia, 8th Regiment Cavalry.
Object Type: Image
Date: n.d.

Title: Bazil C. Sanders
Description: This sepia carte de visite depicts Bazil C. Sanders, who served as 1st Lieut. of Company O, Seventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. The photograph was produced by Howard & Hall of Corinth, Mississippi ca. 1863.
Object Type: Image

Title: Examination of William Dougherty
Description: This is William Dougherty's 1866 Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Dougherty, a 47-year-old Kentucky native, states that he has lived in Missouri for eight years. He says that he went to Kentucky on business for one month during the war, and upon hearing of the Federal defeat at Bull Run in 1862, "I expressed myself that it was disastrous to the Govt." The oath is No. 215 in a bound volume.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

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

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