Civil War

Title: Poor Deluded Miss-Sori Takes a Secession Bath
Description: Political cartoon satirizing secessionist attitudes in Missouri. The image is from a series of Civil War "Union Envelopes," which featured images of Union patriotism and war propaganda.
Object Type: Image

Title: From John Wright to John W. Geary
Description: In this September 20, 1856 letter to Kansas Gov. John W. Geary, John Wright complains that a mob of 15 to 20 armed men raided his house. According to Wright, the mob was led by Capt. Miller of Leavenworth County, Kansas. They broke into his home with revolvers, threatened to kill him, and captured Joseph Wright and John Kissinger. Wright asks Geary to rescue Joseph and John from the mob and “Save their Lives.”
Object Type: Letter
Date: September 20, 1856

Title: John Ashbaugh
Description: This carte de visite depicts John Ashbaugh, who served in Company A, Fifth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. The photograph was produced ca. 1861-1865.
Object Type: Image

Title: Examination of Haywood Colvin
Description: This is Haywood Colvin's 1866 Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Colvin, a 60-year-old Virginia native, states that he has resided in Missouri for seven years and was enrolled by the military authorities as "loyal" in 1862. The oath is No. 150 in a bound volume.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: From Samuel Jones to John W. Geary
Description: Samuel Jones, Sheriff of Douglas County, Kansas, writes a letter to Gov. John W. Geary on November 15, 1856. He informs Geary that he has a warrant to arrest Thomas Addy. He states that he anticipates Addy will resist, and he requests that Geary send troops to aid in the arrest.
Date: November 15, 1856

Title: Examination of Patrick Ryan
Description: This is Patrick Ryan's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Ryan, who was born in Ireland and describes himself as a "45 or 50" year old resident of Liberty, Missouri, declares that he remained loyal to the United States Government during the Civil War. He states that "anything that I was asked to furnish I gave." The oath, No. 16 in a bound volume, was signed by Ryan in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: From E.B. Alexander to William Fowler
Description: On August 8, 1863, Col. E.B. Alexander, Acting Assistant Provost Marshal General in St. Louis, writes to Capt. William Fowler, Provost Marshal for the 7th District of Missouri. Alexander reports that four "desperate" horse thieves have escaped from a court house in Iowa and are rumored to be in northern Missouri. He adds that one of the men, Washington Rodgers, is charged with enlisting men for the Confederate side "and is supposed to have been an active guerrilla in northern Missouri."
Date: August 8, 1863

Title: Richard (Dick) Yeager
Description: Charcoal portrait of Richard (Dick) Yeager dressed in suit coat, shirt, and tie. Dick Yeager was a son of James B. Yeager, a judge who served in the state legislature for two years and as presiding judge of the Jackson County Court in 1840. James owned a freight business running the Santa Fe Trail, and before the war, Dick was in charge of one of his father's wagon trains. When his father's farm was raided, Dick joined Quantrill's guerrillas. He was part of Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas, August 21, 1863, and is also known for a daring raid in the vicinity of Council Grove, Kansas, on May 4, 1863. There are several versions of his death, which occurred around July or August 1864.
Object Type: Image

Title: Andrew (Andy) McGuire
Description: Charcoal portrait of Andrew McGuire in coat over a tab-closing shirt. McGuire was part of Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas, August 21, 1863, and Centralia, Missouri, September 27, 1864. He surrendered at Samuel's Depot, Kentucky, July 25, 1865. In May 1867, 14 men held up the bank in Richmond, Missouri. A warrant was issued for McGuire's arrest in connection with the robbery. He was arrested in St. Louis and taken to the Richmond city jail. On March 20, 1868, a mob of 15 stormed the jail and lynched McGuire along with James M. Devers.
Object Type: Image

Title: The Battle of Lexington, Missouri
Description: This image depicting the Battle of Lexington appeared in the October 12, 1861 issue of Harper's Weekly.
Object Type: Image
Date: October 12, 1861

Title: Abraham Lincoln-Hannibal Hamlin Campaign Button for 1860 Presidential Election
Description: Double-sided campaign button featuring presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln's name and photograph on the front and running mate Hannibal Hamlin's name and photograph on the reverse.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1860

Title: Missouri State Militia Special Order No. 30
Description: By order of Brigadier General John B. Sanborn, 1st Lt. W. D. Hubbard calls for six particular squadrons of the Missouri State Militia 8th Cavalry Regiment to muster out any amount of enlisted men in excess of the minimum required for organization of a Cavalry Company. Lieutenant Colonel J. D. Brutsche is charged with making sure the order is carried out.
Date: February 1, 1864

Title: Sacking of Lawrence
Description: This print, originally published in O. N. Merrill's 1856 publication of "True history of the Kansas wars, and their origin, progress and incidents", depicts the Sack of Lawrence in 1856 by Douglas County sheriff Samuel J. Jones.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1856

Title: Benjamin W. Grover
Description: This ca. 1861 sepia photograph depicts Benjamin W. Grover, a prominent early citizen of Warrensburg, Missouri. After a career with the railroad, Grover served in the 27th Missouri Infantry, U.S. Volunteers, and died October 30, 1861 from wounds received in the first Battle of Lexington. Grover is believed to have been a friend of General Grant; the coat he is wearing in the photograph may have been given to him by Grant.
Object Type: Image

Title: Benjamin W. Grover
Description: This ca. 1861 tintype depicts Benjamin W. Grover, a prominent early citizen of Warrensburg, Missouri. After a career with the railroad, Grover served in the 27th Missouri Infantry, U.S. Volunteers, and died October 30, 1861 from wounds received in the first Battle of Lexington. Grover is believed to have been a friend of General Grant; the coat he is wearing in the photograph may have been given to him by Grant.
Object Type: Image

Title: From John B. Henderson to R.T. Van Horn
Description: This letter, dated December 11, 1863, is from J.B. Henderson in Washington City to Col. R.T. Van Horn in Jefferson City, Missouri. Henderson states that he has an upcoming appointment to speak with President Lincoln about "Missouri affairs." He tells Van Horn that he will submit "a special request, on the subject you allude to."
Date: December 11, 1863

Title: From Jonathan B. Fuller to Dear Father
Description: On July 18, 1864, Jonathan B. Fuller writes from Kansas City, Missouri to his father. Fuller reports rumors of recent battles "across the river," and says that Platte City, Missouri may have been "burned to the ground by our own soldiers." He mentions his anxiety over mounting political tensions in his church, fearing that the congregation may split after the August 4 "Fast day" service.
Object Type: Letter
Date: July 18, 1864

Title: From W.W. to M.
Description: On June 22, 1856, W.W. writes from Washington to "M." (possibly Matthew Walker). W.W. reports that Gen. Whitfield arrived in Washington with several other men from Kansas, who "maintained a most singular and studied reserve" when they saw him. He adds that "the Abolition members are woefully down in the mouth about the availability of Sharp's rifles in Kansas. Pomeroy, Roberts and Eldridge have arrived, but no Gov. Reeder."
Object Type: Letter
Date: June 22, 1856

Title: From W.A. Bevis to Jonathan B. Fuller
Description: This letter, dated October 15, 1864, is from Capt. W.A. Bevis in Westport, Missouri to Rev. Jonathan B. Fuller. Bevis states his belief that the "threatened Troubles to this Part of the County" are over, and gives Fuller permission to resume his church services. The Battle of Westport occurred eight days later.
Date: October 15, 1864

Title: From G.B. Danman to Matthew R. Walker
Description: On July 2, 1856, G.B. Danman writes from Hunstville to Matthew R. Walker. Danman asks for news about "the important changes that have taken place" since he left Kansas, including whether the Territory will become a slave or free state.
Date: July 2, 1856

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

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