Civil War

Title: From Fred L. Haywood to Dear Sister Loesa
Description: This letter, dated April 6, 1863, is from Fred L. Haywood, a soldier in the 1st Minnesota Battery, McArthur’s Division, Army of the Tennessee, to his sister Loesa. He writes from Louisiana, where both his regiment and the 1st Kansas Regiment are camped. He tells his sister that the 1st Kansas Regiment recently discovered, upon the death of one of their sergeants, that the sergeant was a woman: “You can imagine their astonishment . . . She was brave as a Lion in battle . . . She would have been promoted to a Lieutenancy in a few days if she had lived.”
Object Type: Letter
Date: April 6, 1863

Title: From Eugenia Bronaugh to John A. Bushnell
Description: This letter, dated June 10, 1864, is from Eugenia Bronaugh at Hickory Grove, Missouri, to John Bushnell. Eugenia expresses her gratitude that “Dear Friends” remained safe – presumably in battle – on May 4th and writes that “we should all pray that this cruel war may soon be over.” She tells John she longs for him to visit, but warns him to be careful and to attempt a visit only if he thinks it “prudent.”
Date: June 10, 1864

Title: From J.M. Kingsbury to J.J. Webb
Description: This September 22, 1856 letter is from J.M. Kingsbury in Kansas City, Missouri to J.J. Webb in Santa Fe. Kingsbury writes that Kansas Territory is still plagued by "difficulties" and that Congress has passed the Army Bill. He expresses hope that the new governor of Kansas, John W. Geary, will "succeed in quieting things there and be able to carry out the law."
Object Type: Letter
Date: September 22, 1856

Title: Diary of C.T. Kimmel
Description: This is an excerpt from the diary of C.T. Kimmel, an assistant surgeon in the 2nd Missouri State Militia Cavalry. The entries, dated May 10 – June 2, 1865, describe Kimmel mustering out of service and returning home to Chariton County, Missouri. He mentions nearby guerrilla warfare, and writes about mourning the death of President Lincoln. Attached is an invitation to a New Year’s Union Ball on December 31, 1865 in Brunswick, Missouri.
Object Type: Diary
Date: May 10, 1865-December 30, 1865

Title: Receipt of Clothing for Military Duty, 1862
Description: This military document shows that "the Non-commissioned Officers, Artificers, Musicians and Privates of Co. "A", 8th Regt. Cav., Mo. S. Militia do hereby acknowledge to have received the several articles of Clothing" that are listed along with the names and signatures of those enrolled in this company. This disbursement of clothing was done under witness of Lieutenant James J. Akard.
Date: 1862

Title: Individuals Who Lost Property While in U.S. Service
Description: This military document lists individuals who lost property in U.S service showing when, where, and how lost.
Date: 1864-1865

Title: Examination of Henry Weber
Description: This is Henry Weber's Oath of Loyalty to the United States, signed October 13, 1866. Weber, a 39-year-old native of Switzerland, states that he has resided in Missouri for 22 years and served in the militia for 16 months during the war. The oath is No. 163 in a bound volume.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: October 13, 1866

Title: Examination of Thomas Field
Description: This is Thomas Field's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Field, a 52-year-old resident of Liberty, Missouri, originally from Kentucky, states that during the Civil War he demonstrated his loyalty to the United States Government by "staying at home." The oath, No. 11 in a bound volume, was signed by Field in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: From Unknown to Hamilton R. Gamble
Description: This letter, dated August 2, 1862, is from an unknown writer in DeKalb, Missouri to Missouri Gov. Hamilton R. Gamble. The writer asks Gamble to replace Gen. B.F. Loan, claiming that Loan is disobeying Gamble's orders and plotting to appoint a military governor in Missouri. In a statement written on the reverse side, Gamble notes that he referred the letter to Lieut. Gov. Hall, and expresses doubt that Gen. Loan is guilty of "the insubordinate language imputed to him" by the anonymous writer.
Date: August 2, 1862

Title: The Cabinet of the Confederate States at Montgomery
Description: Harper's Weekly illustration of President Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Cabinet.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1861

Title: Business Permits
Description: These four business permits were issued on October 12, 21, and 22, 1864 by Col. R.N. Hershfield. Hershfield grants permission to four different citizens to produce beer for the Army, to run a ferry boat, to keep a shop open, and to continue operating a millinery establishment.
Date: October 12, 1864 and October 21, 1864-October 22, 1864

Title: From Edward Fitch to Dear Father
Description: This unsigned May 20, 1858 letter is presumably from Edward Fitch of Lawrence, Kansas to his father in Massachusetts. Fitch criticizes the Lecompton Constitution and the English Bill due to their proslavery stance. He fears that those in the Kansas territory will accept the English Bill since it offers large amount of public lands to Kansas settlers. Though Fitch fears Kansas' entrance into the Union as a slave state, he ends his letter in an optimistic tone, remarking that it would be as impossible to make Kansas into a slave state “as it would be to make Hell out of Heaven.”
Object Type: Letter
Date: May 20, 1858

Title: From Mary E. Bedford to Alex M. Bedford
Description: On November 12, 1864, Mary E. Bedford writes from her home to her husband Alex M. Bedford, a prisoner of war at Fort Pulaski, Savannah, Georgia. Mary reports that their children are attending school in Savannah, Missouri with Mrs. Boone and are “learning very fast.” She reports the recent death of her father’s horse, Old Sal, and laments, “I cannot get another horse to work as well in the cart…I feel like I was all most broke up.” Mary tells Alex that she will send him a box of provisions and clothing when she is sure he has not been exchanged.
Object Type: Letter
Date: November 12, 1864

Title: From George H. Hall to Dear Lydia
Description: This letter is from George H. Hall to his sister Lydia. Hall writes from St. Joseph, Missouri on November 17, 1859, and refers to John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry. He calls Brown a coward, and argues that "his only acts in Kansas Territory . . . were the assassination of unarmed families and his great skill in running off negroes."
Object Type: Letter
Date: November 17, 1859

Title: Applications of Sarah Corder
Description: These are Sarah S. Corder’s applications for compensation from the United States government for the military service of John Corder’s slaves, Daniel, Henry, Jack, and Strother. The applications, dated December 4 and 22, 1866, include oaths of allegiance to the United States, statements that John Corder lawfully acquired his slaves, and the signatures of five witnesses and two notary publics in Lafayette County, Missouri. Pencil notes on the ninth, thirteenth, and seventeenth pages indicate that three of the applications were rejected.
Object Type: Legal Document
Date: December 4, 1866-December 22, 1866

Title: Missouri State Militia General Orders Outlining Rules for the Day
Description: This General Order to the Missouri State Militia describes in detail the Hours of Service, including the time of roll calls, meals, and drills.
Date: December 30, 1861

Title: Another Abolition Outrage
Description: The St. Louis Daily Bulletin printed this article on December 11, 1860, announcing that a party of abolitionists tried to steal forty slaves from Morgan Walker in Independence, Missouri. J.H. McMurray, author of the article, writes: "Walker told them to take the negroes, and commenced shooting. One of the gang fell dead on the steps; one was taken prisoner, and the messenger thought two others were killed."
Object Type: Newspaper Article
Date: December 11, 1860

Title: Slave Bill of Sale
Description: This slave bill of sale, dated 1861, was drafted in Marion County, Missouri by Cleopatra Frazier. Frazier attests that she sold a female slave named Margaret and her daughter named Mary Jane to Isaac R. Campbell. Campbell paid $300 for both of the slaves.
Object Type: Legal Document
Date: 1861

Title: Correspondence of the Kansas Territory Executive Department
Description: These documents, dated between 1855 and 1856, relate to the organization and administration of the Kansas Territorial Militia, Southern Division. The documents address officer appointments, military commissions, arms requisitions, and company requests to be mustered out of service. Included among the correspondence are several letters written by Capt. John Donaldson, Company A, 2nd Regiment Infantry, to Gov. Geary regarding criminal charges brought against him.
Date: 1855-1856

Title: Union Refugees from Western Missouri Coming into St. Louis
Description: This image, entitled "Union Refugees from Western Missouri Coming into St. Louis," appeared on the cover of the December 28, 1861 issue of Harper's Weekly.
Object Type: Image
Date: December 28, 1861

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

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