Civil War

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 J.T. Peery to Dear Mother and Father
Description: This letter, dated November 22, 1856, is from J.T. Peery to his parents. Peery, a preacher, mentions his new assignment to a church in Independence, Missouri. He describes the volatile conditions of the area: "The land is overrun with men who have thrown off all moral restraint & appear to act as if they do not fear God . . . in this part of the country some are becoming awake to a sence of the dangers."
Object Type: Letter
Date: November 22, 1856

Title: Court Martial Proceedings of Captain Lyman D. Rouell
Description: This military document includes proceedings of the general court martial of Lyman D. Rouell, Captain of the 2nd Colorado Volunteers, Company F. In this court martial held at the Headquarters District of the Border in Kansas City, Missouri, Captain Rouell pleads "not guilty" to: charges of drunkenness while on duty at Fort Lyon in the Colorado Territory and at Council Grove, Kansas; and for driving contraband stock into Kansas from Hickman Mills, Missouri. The official charges included "Conduct unbecoming an Officer and Gentlemen" and "Neglect of duty to the prejudices of good order and military discipline." The verdict is not extant. This document shows how some military units took advantage of General Ewing's General Order No. 11 by accumulating and selling property from abandoned counties.
Date: November 1863 - December 1863

Title: George (Bud) Wigginton
Description: Charcoal portrait of George (Bud) Wigginton dressed in suit coat, vest, shirt, and tie. George, along with his cousin John McCorkle, joined Quantrill in August of 1862. He fought at Independence, August 11, 1862. He went to Kentucky with Quantrill and fought at Worthville. "John McCorkle and his cousin George Wigginton attached themselves to a regular Confederate command and surrendered to ensure that they received honorable terms" (Pettersen, Paul R. "Quantrill of Missouri." Nashville, TN: Cumberland House, 2003, pp. 409-410 [MVSC 973,742 Q12ZP].) After the war, Wigginton lived in Lee's Summit. He received the Southern Cross of Honor from Independence Chapter, U.D.C. in 1913. He died at Boulder, Colorado, on August 21, 1918, and was buried in Lee's Summit cemetery.
Object Type: Image

Title: Colonel McClurg Orders the Missouri State Militia 8th Cavalry Regiment to Shape Up
Description: By order of Colonel J. W. McClurg, 1st Lt. David Hunter writes that, "the Colonel Commanding trusts that this will be the last time... to insist upon the orders contained therein being strictly obeyed." These orders include commanding officers being properly uniformed, weekly inspection of equipment, and commanding officers not eating rations issued to the privates. Hunter warns that any offending officer will be sent before a General Court Martial.
Date: July 13, 1862

Title: From M. W. Johnson to James J. Akard
Description: In this military correspondence, Missouri State Militia 8th Cavalry Regiment Lt. M. W. Johnson instructs Lt. James J. Akard on how subsistence for his company should be procured and documented.
Date: June 15, 1862

Title: General Orders, No. 42
Description: Brig. Gen. James Totten and Maj. Lucien J. Barnes of the Missouri State Militia issued General Order No. 42 on September 18, 1862 in Springfield, Missouri. The order cites instructions from C.W. Marsh at the Headquarters of the District of Missouri in St. Louis. Marsh requests that Totten furnish a list of officers who have not complied with Order No. 11.
Date: September 18, 1862

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 of Capt. David D. Stockton the several articles of Clothing" that are listed along with the names and signatures of those enrolled in this company. The original first page of this document appears to be missing.
Date: 1862

Title: From John A. Bushnell to Eugenia Bronaugh
Description: On June 27, 1863, John A. Bushnell of Calhoun, Missouri writes a letter to Eugenia Bronaugh in Hickory Grove, Missouri, expressing fear for her safety. He shares a rumor of “men going to your house” and targeting the Bronaugh family. He makes reference to “a systematic effort to get you out of the country.” Bushnell also mentions the Kansas raids, but he expresses frustration about receiving inconsistent information and complains that neither newspapers nor rumors are reliable.
Date: June 27, 1863

Title: From Ordnance Office to James J. Akard
Description: The War Department Ordnance Office in Washington D. C., under the charge of Captain of Ordnance George T. Balch, replies to Captain James J. Akard's Return of Ordnance Stores for Company "A" 8th Cavalry Regiment, Missouri State Militia.
Date: December 17, 1863

Title: Remarks on property accounts of Captain James J. Akard
Description: Remarks on property accounts of Captain James J. Akard. Co "A" 8th Cavalry M.S.M. for July, August, and September 1863.
Date: 1863

Title: George Caleb Bingham
Description: Self portrait of the famed painter George Caleb Bingham, who served as Missouri's State Treasurer during the Civil War. Bingham opposed the development of the dominion system and General Ewing's Order No. 11.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1877

Title: From John A. Bushnell to Eugenia Bronaugh
Description: John A. Bushnell writes a letter to Eugenia Bronaugh on September 13, 1863, a few weeks after Order No. 11 was issued. He advises her to stay in Henry County as long as she can do so safely, but says that it is likely she will be forced to leave. He tells her that several military captains are in St. Louis, and that they have been inquiring about every man in town from Henry County.
Date: September 13, 1863

Title: Charles Fletcher (Fletch) Taylor
Description: Charcoal portrait of Charles Fletcher Taylor (Fletch) dressed in suit coat, shirt, tie, and hat. Fletch Taylor was one of the first members of Quantrill's raiders. He took part in the Lawrence, Kansas, massacre on August 21, 1863, and lost his arm from a gunshot wound in 1864. After the war he became a wealthy and respected citizen as vice president and general superintendent of the Joplin Mining and Smelting Co. Date of death is uncertain but may have been sometime between August 1916 and August 1917.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1893

Title: Missouri State Militia List of Soldiers to Transferred
Description: By order of Major John Cosgrove, Captain William T. Kittredge provides a list of enlisted men to be transferred from Missouri State Militia 8th Cavalry Regiment Company A to Company K.
Date: January 10, 1865

Title: Missouri State Militia Notification of New Command
Description: This General Order notifies the Missouri State Militia that Lt. Col. Joseph W. McClurg replaces Major William Dean Colman as Commander of the State forces.
Date: January 18, 1862

Title: General Orders, No. 4
Description: Maj. W. Dean Colman of the Missouri State Militia issued General Order No. 4 on January 10, 1862. The order states that his battalion received a donation of clothing from a group of women in Springfield, Mass. Colman states that his soldiers have an obligation to "conquer this wicked rebellion" and make every effort to gain the approval of their families and the general public. The order was signed by S.B. Shaw, Post Adjutant, at the headquarters of the Missouri State Militia in Jefferson City.
Date: January 10, 1862

Title: From Joseph W. McClurg to David D. Stockton
Description: In this military correspondence, Missouri State Militia 8th Cavalry Regiment Lt. Col. Joseph W. McClurg informs Captain David D. Stockton that his company has consumed too many rations for late February 1862.
Date: March 19, 1862

Title: General Orders, No. 10
Description: Maj. Gen. Samuel Curtis issued General Order No. 10 from the Department of the Missouri Headquarters in St. Louis on February 4, 1863. The order details the proceedings of a recent General Court Martial in Lexington, Missouri, where officers and soldiers were tried for war crimes, including disobedience of orders, neglect of duty, desertion, and mutiny. It is signed by Assistant Adjutant General H.Z. Curtis.
Date: February 4, 1863

Title: Statements of Clothing and Camp and Garrison Equipment Costs
Description: This document, issued by U.S. War Department, Adjutant General's Office, dictates the cost of clothing and camp and garrison equipment for the Army of the United States, along with the allowance of clothing to each soldier during his elistment and his proportion for each year.
Date: December 9, 1862

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

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