Civil War

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This dispatch, dated May 21, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon in Lecompton, Kansas, to Col. E.V. Sumner at Headquarters, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Due to recent civil unrest in Lawrence, Kansas, Shannon instructs Sumner to station companies of U.S. troops at or near Lawrence, Lecompton, and Topeka, Kansas. Shannon explains that federal troops are the only ones he feels safe using in response to “these civil commotions.” He notes that the U.S. Marshal has made several arrests for the crime of high treason.
Date: May 21, 1856

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This letter, dated June 23, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon in Lecompton, Kansas, to Col. E.V. Sumner. Shannon, who is leaving for St. Louis, instructs Sumner to station U.S. troops in areas where disturbances have recently occurred, and to station two companies at Topeka before the Free State legislative assembly meets on July 4th. Shannon believes that “if this body meets, enacts laws, and seeks to enforce them…civil war will be the inevitable result.” He orders Sumner to disband the assembly by force if necessary.
Date: June 23, 1856

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This dispatch, dated June 23, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon in Lecompton, Kansas, to Col. E.V. Sumner. Shannon, who says he will soon leave for St. Louis, urges Sumner to attend the meeting of the Topeka legislature. Shannon indicates that he fears an outbreak of violence will occur if U.S. troops are withdrawn from Kansas, and says he will write to President Pierce saying so. Shannon requests that Sumner make no changes with the troops until he returns in ten days’ time.
Date: June 23, 1856

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This dispatch, dated June 4, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon in Lecompton, Kansas, to Col. E.V. Sumner at Headquarters, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Shannon has received reliable information that the town of Franklin, Kansas was attacked by about 150 armed men the previous night, leaving one man dead and five or six taken prisoner. Shannon hopes that Sumner will take prompt action to stop “these outrages.” Shannon adds that a proclamation is being prepared and he will send copies to Sumner.
Date: June 4, 1856

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This dispatch, dated May 27, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon in Lecompton, Kansas, to Col. E.V. Sumner at Headquarters, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Shannon refers to a recent incident in Osawatomie, Kansas, in which five men were murdered by Free State supporters. Shannon states that he has sent Capt. Wood and his company – now stationed at Lawrence, Kansas – to Osawatomie; he therefore orders Col. Sumner to move two companies of U.S. troops to Lawrence and await further instructions.
Date: May 27, 1856

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This dispatch, dated June 4, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon to Col. E.V. Sumner. Shannon informs Sumner that Col. Preston, Deputy Sheriff of Douglas County, Kansas, will accompany the U.S. troops “so as to be ready to act as circumstances may require.”
Date: June 4, 1856

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This dispatch, dated June 1, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon in Lecompton, Kansas, to Col. E.V. Sumner at Headquarters, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Shannon instructs Sumner to send one company of U.S. troops to reinforce Capt. Newby in Lawrence, Kansas, and a second company to reinforce Capt. Wood in Franklin County, Kansas. Shannon writes that each command is “too weak to deal with the armed bodies of lawless men by which they are surrounded.” Shannon adds that Maj. Sedgwick will communicate with Sumner about the events that have transpired.
Date: June 1, 1856

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This dispatch, dated April 25, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon in Lecompton, Kansas, to Col. E.V. Sumner at Headquarters, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Shannon requests that a force of 30 U.S. troops be stationed at Lecompton in case of an emergency. Shannon asks Sumner to keep his troops ready to act at a moment’s notice “if required by me to enforce the laws and preserve the peace.”
Date: April 25, 1856

Title: From Wilson Shannon to E.V. Sumner
Description: This dispatch, dated April 20, 1856, was sent by Kansas Gov. Wilson Shannon in Lecompton, Kansas, to Col. E.V. Sumner. Shannon states that after Douglas County Sheriff Samuel J. Jones arrested a man named S.N. Wood, he was forcibly rescued by a band of men. In order to recapture Wood and make several additional arrests, Shannon instructs Sumner to send an officer and six U.S. troops to Lecompton to assist Jones. Shannon indicates that he prefers to employ U.S. troops for this purpose because of their political neutrality.
Date: April 20, 1856

Title: From Leigh R. Webber to Miss Brown
Description: On May 28 and 29, 1862, Leigh R. Webber writes a letter from the Steamer Robert Campbell Jr. near Liberty, Missouri, to Miss Brown. Webber reports that he spent nine days marching from Fort Riley to Fort Leavenworth, and is now "moving down to 'Dixie's Land'…Our men are dying off so fast at Corinth, that we expect our turn will come next. But there is no fear or shrinking among us." He believes his regiment is better prepared for battle now than they were at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in 1861.
Object Type: Letter
Date: May 28, 1862 - May 29, 1862

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