Civil War

Title: Examination of John A. Mitchell
Description: This is John A. Mitchell's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Mitchell, a 21-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri, states that during the Civil War, he "went into the Federal army and fought for the Govt." The oath, labeled No. 55 in a bound volume, was signed by Mitchell on September 29, 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: September 29, 1866

Title: From Brinkly Hornsby to George R. Smith
Description: This letter, dated August 18, 1856, is from Brinkly Hornsby in Big Creek, Missouri to Gen. George R. Smith. Hornsby predicts that the current political conflicts in Kansas and Missouri will soon lead to "a great deal of serious difficulty and bloodshed." He urges Smith to unite with the other conservative men of Missouri to "start a movement . . . and put a stop to the threatened catastrophe."
Object Type: Letter
Date: August 18, 1856

Title: John Jarrette
Description: Charcoal portrait of John Jarrette dressed in suit coat, vest, shirt, and tie. Jarrette served as a captain under Quantrill and was married to the Younger brothers' sister Josephine. He also was a member of the James-Younger Gang.
Object Type: Image

Title: Flag of the Liberty Guards, 22nd Mississippi Confederate Infantry Regiment
Description: 1st National pattern flag, which belonged to the 22nd Mississippi Infantry, Company E, the “Liberty Guards.” Courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Object Type: Image

Title: Frank James or Henry Clements
Description: Charcoal portrait drawing of one of the guerrillas, likely to be Frank James. Frank James, the older brother of Jesse, first joined the Missouri State Guard, but later became a member of Quantrill's guerrillas. Frank took part in many Civil War battles and skirmishes, including the raid on Lawrence, Kansas, August 21, 1863, and the Centralia massacre. He surrendered at Samuel's Depot, Kentucky, at the end of the war. He was a member of the James-Younger gang and participated in numerous robberies, and although tried for some of these, was acquitted. He died of a stroke February 15, 1915. He is buried in the Hill family private cemetery near Kansas City.
Object Type: Image

Title: From George Miller to Dear Father and Mother
Description: This letter, dated January 14, 1861, is from George Miller in Pleasant Hill, Cass County, Missouri, to his parents. Miller writes that Lt. Col. Daniel R. Anthony and his Kansas troops invaded Pleasant Hill, stealing 55 slaves and $10,000 worth of property. He complains that the Missouri Secessionists are "fast beginning to give up the contest" and laments that "the country is being ruined."
Object Type: Letter
Date: January 14, 1861

Title: The River Queen
Description: The steamboat River Queen, which hosted the Hampton Roads Conference between representatives of the Union and Confederate governments.
Object Type: Image

Title: John C. Caldwell vs. Richard H. Porter
Description: These documents, created between 1855 and 1857, relate to the Jackson County, Missouri court case John C. Caldwell vs. Richard H. Porter. On January 1, 1855, Caldwell purchased a slave named Eliza for $800 from slave dealer Clifton R. Barnes with plans to sell her for a profit in Louisiana. Caldwell later discovered that Eliza was “unsound both in body and mind” and accused Barnes of “fraud and wilfull misrepresentation.” Caldwell took Eliza back to Missouri but Barnes refused to rescind the sales contract.
Object Type: Legal Document
Date: 1855-1857

Title: From William S. Field to George R. Smith
Description: William S. Field writes a letter from Lexington, Missouri to Gen. George R. Smith in Georgetown, Missouri on June 10, 1856. Field informs Smith that M.W. Smallwood recently received a nomination to the Georgetown Convention. He encourages Smith in his candidacy for Congress: "you have many friends here & should you receive the nomination you will get a heavey majority here notwithstanding the howl of freesoilism against you."
Date: June 10, 1856

Title: Examination of S.W. Long
Description: This is S.W. Long's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Long, a 36-year-old resident of Liberty, Missouri, states that he demonstrated his loyalty to the United States Government during the Civil War by "discountenancing attacks of Rebellion." The oath, labeled No. 90 in a bound volume, was signed by Long on October 6, 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: October 6, 1866

Title: The Underground Railroad
Description: Charles T. Webber's depiction of abolitionists helping runaway slaves on their journey to freedom.
Object Type: Image

Title: Examination of John Baxter
Description: This is John Baxter's 1866 Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Baxter, a 64-year-old Tennessee native, states that he has lived in Missouri for 49 years and manifested his loyalty during the war by "staying home and attending to my business and sometimes feeding Federal troops." The oath is No. 223 in a bound volume.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Rebel Negro Pickets as Seen Through a Field-Glass
Description: Harper's Weekly illustration depicting African American soldiers in the Confederate States Army, January 10, 1863.
Object Type: Image
Date: January 10, 1863

Title: From Robert M. Stewart to G.A. Parsons
Description: This letter, dated April 5, 1859, is from Missouri Gov. Robert M. Stewart to Adj. Gen. G.A. Parsons. Stewart reports that the western border of Missouri in Cass and Bates Counties “is threatened anew by a marauding band” from Kansas. He orders Parsons to travel to the border and take charge of preventing invasions. He authorizes Parsons to organize military companies for the protection of Missouri citizens, and instructs him to seek the cooperation of Kansas authorities. Attached is a copy of the first draft of the letter.
Date: April 5, 1859

Title: Examination of John Lee Howard
Description: This is John Lee Howard's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Howard, who was born in Kentucky, describes himself as a 63-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri. He states that he remained loyal to the United States Government during the Civil War and "I abide by the laws and constitution of my country." The oath, No. 27 in a bound volume, was signed by Howard in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: From Philip St. George Cooke to Daniel Woodson
Description: This letter, dated September 2, 1856, was written by Lt. Col. Philip St. George Cooke at Headquarters, in camp near Lecompton, Kansas, to Acting Kansas Gov. Daniel Woodson. Cooke contends that Woodson’s recent order to put down an insurrection at Topeka, Kansas is “simply a call upon me to make war upon the town of Topeka,” in defiance of both the law and his instructions from commanding officers. Cooke adds that Woodson’s order to "intercept aggressive invaders" from the north is “clearly inconsistent with my last instructions,” and therefore he cannot comply with it.
Date: September 2, 1856

Title: William Quantrill
Description: This illustration of Missouri Bushwhacker William Clarke Quantrill is included in the 1914 publication of "Three years with Quantrell; a true story".
Object Type: Image
Date: n.d.

Title: Examination of David S. Miller
Description: This is David S. Miller's 1866 Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Miller, a native of Virginia, states that he has lived in Missouri since 1850, and was likely enrolled by the military authorities as "disloyal" in 1862. He says he went to Texas for six months during the war "to dispose of some property." Miller was required to give bond by the military authorities, but it was "shortly afterwards remitted, as I went into the Service voluntarily and remained till the end of the war." The oath is No. 198 in a bound volume.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Shawnee Indian Mission, Wyandotte County, Kansas
Description: Photograph of the Shawnee Indian Mission, where the Bogus Legislature met on May 30, 1855.
Object Type: Image
Date: July 6, 1940

Title: From Edward Fitch to Dear Mother
Description: Edward Fitch writes a letter to his mother in August or September of 1854, just before leaving his home in Hopkinton, Massachusetts to move to Kansas. He says that he met a man who, upon finding out that Fitch was emigrating to Kansas, told him that he “ought to have a straight Jacket On.” He also discusses his finances and purchasing supplies for his trip.

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

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