Civil War

Title: From Alex M. Bedford to Mary E. Bedford
Description: On August 2, 1864, Alex M. Bedford writes from Fort Delaware, Delaware, to his wife Mary E. Bedford in Savannah, Missouri. Alex says that although he is eager to return home on parole, he will not do so now because of troubles with the bushwhackers: “I am done on bushwhackers…it is a dishonorable warfare.” Alex asks Mary to tell Samuel Lewis that Capt. Charles D.S. Jones sends his respects, and adds that “Bohart joins me in love to you & father.”
Date: August 2, 1864

Title: From Hamilton Gamble to Hamilton R. Gamble
Description: On August 26, 1863, Hamilton Gamble writes from Headquarters, State of Missouri, in St. Louis to his father, Missouri Gov. Hamilton R. Gamble. Gamble reports, "The Democrat abuses you as usual, and charges the horrible massacre at Lawrence to the sympathy of the Hamilton Dynasty with the bushwhackers." He adds that Gen. Schofield issued "a bombastic order in reference to the Lawrence outrage, and…is preparing to cut loose from the 'Gamble Dynasty.'"
Date: August 26, 1863

Title: From Thomas McCleary to Hugh D. Fisher
Description: On September 25, 1863, Thomas McCleary writes from Blairsville to Rev. Hugh D. Fisher. McCleary says he was glad to hear of Fisher’s “Providential escape from the hands of the Rebbels.” He expresses hope that Kansas may rise in her strength and demolish border ruffians…and all that opposes freedom.”
Date: September 25, 1863

Title: From Daniel L. Chandler to John Stillman Brown
Description: This letter, dated September 11, 1861 is from Daniel L. Chandler to John Stillman Brown. Chandler reports that his regiment just arrived at Fort Scott, Kansas after a forced march from Lawrence. He complains that the unnecessary march and a lack of blankets caused a number of soldiers to fall ill.
Date: September 11, 1861

Title: Examination of Edwin Leitch
Description: This is Edwin Leitch's 1866 Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Leitch, a 31-year-old Virginia native, states that he has lived in Missouri for 12 years, and was enrolled by the military authorities as "loyal" in 1862. The oath is No. 249 in a bound volume.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Nathan Bedford Forrest, CSA General
Description: Carte de visite portrait of Confederate General and first Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, Nathan Bedford Forrest, circa 1863-1870.
Object Type: Image

Title: From Leigh R. Webber to Charles Brown
Description: On March 23, 1862, Leigh R. Webber writes a letter from Fort Scott, Kansas to John Stillman Brown. He describes daily life in the "cheerless camp," complains about the disobedient and rowdy soldiers in his regiment, and expresses a longing for the "excitement of battle." He reports that his regiment has been ordered to advance to Fort Smith.
Date: March 23, 1862

Title: Clay County Court House at Liberty, Mo
Description: A drawing of the Clay County Court House in Liberty, Missouri, included in an 1877 plat book of Clay County, Missouri.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1877

Title: Soldier, Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry
Description: This sepia carte de visite, ca. 1861-1865, depicts an unidentified soldier who served in the Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. The carte de visite was produced by Brown's Photographic & Ambrotype Gallery in Paola, Miami County, Kansas. Carte de visites were small photographs that were often used as calling cards and became very popular during the Civil War.
Object Type: Image

Title: From W.W. Phillips to John B. Ward
Description: W.W. Phillips writes a letter from Auburn, Kansas to his friend John B. Ward on May 21, 1861. Phillips tells Ward that Kansas is full of excitement: “War. War. is the cry.” He says that troops are organizing in preparation for defense, and he declares that “We are Ready for Missouri.” He also anticipates there will be a conflict with Native Americans living nearby.
Object Type: Letter
Date: May 21, 1861

Title: Quarterly Returns of Clothing, Camp, and Garrison Equipage 1862
Description: This military document is a collection of quarterly returns of clothing, camp, and garrison equipment for the use of the Missouri State Militia 8th Cavalry Regiment Company "A". These returns are documentation of the second and third quarters of 1862.
Date: 1862

Title: William (Bill) T. Anderson
Description: Charcoal portrait of Bill Anderson in jacket with top button closed, shirt, carvat, and a brimmed hat with a lone star on the upturned brim and embellished with an ostrich plume. Bill Anderson was a chief lieutenant under William C. Quantrill and earned the sobriquet "Bloody Bill." He later was a lieutenant under George Todd. He was part of the Lawrence massacre on August 21, 1863, and responsible for much of the Centralia, Missouri, massacre on September 27, 1864. He was killed October 26, 1864, near Orrick (Ray County), Missouri.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1893

Title: From Daniel L. Chandler to John Stillman Brown
Description: In a letter dated April 26, 1862, Daniel L. Chandler writes from Mound City, Kansas to John Stillman Brown. Chandler believes the consolidation of the 3rd and 4th regiments is complete, and "hereafter our Regt. will be the 10th." He reports on the movements of various staff officers, and says "I think I will remain, for when it was rumored in camp that my removal was contemplated a petition was spontaneously got up and some 500 persons put there names to it, to have me remain."
Date: April 26, 1862

Title: Emancipation Day Celebration
Description: Photograph of former Texas slaves celebrating Juneteenth in the "East Woods" on 24th Street in Austin, Texas, June 19, 1900.
Object Type: Image
Date: June 19, 1900

Title: Joseph O. Shelby
Description: A black-and-white reproduction of a photograph of Confederate General Joseph Shelby is pasted onto a black card. The inscription reads “Compliments O.F. Redd Capt. A.A.D.C.” and the card appears to feature General Shelby’s signature. Shelby, a Confederate calvaryman, was a key figure in the many of military actions that occured during Price's Raid of 1864.
Object Type: Image

Title: Requisition, Camp Hunter
Description: This requisition document from Camp Hunter, dated September 3, 1861, certifies that “James M. Gatwood is entitled to the sum of one hundred and twenty five dollars for one horse furnished the State of Missouri for the use of Col. Hunter’s Regiment.” The document is signed by W.H. Taylor, the quartermaster for Colonel Hunter’s regiment.
Date: September 3, 1861

Title: A Negro Regiment in Action
Description: This is a print of a Thomas Nast wood engraving, originally published in Harper’s Weekly on March 14, 1863. It depicts the Battle of Island Mound, the first Civil War battle to include African-American troops. In that battle, the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers triumphed over a band of pro-Confederate guerrillas in Bates County, Missouri on October 29, 1862.
Object Type: Image
Date: March 14, 1863

Title: Thomas Coleman (Cole) Younger
Description: Charcoal portrait of Cole Younger dressed in suit coat, vest, shirt, and tie. Cole Younger was active in several Civil War battles and a member of Quantrill's guerrillas when they raided Lawrence, Kansas, August 21, 1863, and was part of the Baxter Springs massacre, October 6, 1863. After the war, he joined with Frank and Jesse James in several robberies. After the Northfield, Minnesota, bank robbery on September 7, 1876, he was arrested and sent to prison at Stillwater, Minnesota. He was granted a full pardon in 1903. He died March 21, 1916, at Lee's Summit, Missouri, and is buried in the Lee's Summit Cemetery.
Object Type: Image

Title: From Florella Brown Adair to Samuel Lyle Adair and Emma Adair
Description: This letter was written March 11, 16, and 17, 1861 by Florella Brown Adair in Grafton, Ohio, to her husband Samuel Lyle Adair and daughter Emma Adair. Florella writes of her recent visit to Oberlin, Ohio, where she spoke to many friends about donating money for their church in Osawatomie, Kansas. At one friend’s home, she was asked to give an account of the Battle of Osawatomie. Florella reports that she will leave for Xenia, Ohio soon with Charles and Ada.
Date: March 11, 1861-March 17, 1861

Title: From Frederick Starr to Unknown
Description: This is an excerpt from a letter written on December 1, 1854 by Frederick Starr to an unknown recipient. Starr describes a recent “outrage on the ballot box” during elections in Kansas, when “Some 1200 or 1400 Missourians armed with bowie-knives & revolvers took the polls.” Starr says that many free-soilers were unable to reach the polls at all, and declares that “Big times are coming.” He adds that circumstances in Weston, Missouri “look dark.”
Date: December 1, 1854

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

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