Civil War

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: Certificate of Lost Missouri State Militia Property
Description: Missouri State Militia 8th Cavalry Company "A" Captain James J. Akard completes this certificate of lost property on February 19th, 1865, indicating the loss of cooking equipment while traveling from Springfield, Missouri to Saint Louis, Missouri.
Date: February 19, 1865

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: 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: From A.M. Bedford to Mary E. Bedford
Description: This letter, dated February 3, 1865, is from Lieut. Alex M. Bedford in Hilton Head, S.C. to his wife, Mary E. Bedford. He tells his wife that he has been taking medicine, but that his health is still poor. He informs her that he will likely be home by the middle of March, but “if I cannot live at home in peace I can go to my Brothers in nevada territory.” He asks her to send him a check so that he has enough money to travel home.
Object Type: Letter
Date: February 3, 1865

Title: From John P. Scott to A. Comingo
Description: On December 13, 1863, John P. Scott writes from St. Louis to Capt. A. Comingo, Provost Marshal for the 6th District of Missouri, in Lexington, Missouri. Scott says he heard a rumor "that I am enrolled in Saline County under the conscription act," when he has actually fled the county out of fear for his personal safety. He asks Comingo to transfer his enrollment to St. Louis, and explains that he is part of the second class draft, "being forty four and a half years old."
Date: December 13, 1863

Title: From John A. Bushnell to Eugenia Bronaugh
Description: This letter, dated August 3, 4, and 6, 1862, is from John A. Bushnell to Eugenia Bronaugh. Bushnell states that two Missouri Militia companies came into his town and ordered every citizen over the age of fifteen to join arms. They also ordered women “not to give any encouragement to Southern men or Companies, not to waive a Handkerchief, not to talk or give advice to the enemy.” Bushnell also mentions an order issued in a recent newspaper for Southern sympathizers to stay at home and surrender their arms.
Object Type: Letter
Date: August 3, 1862-August 6, 1862

Title: From M. Jeff Thompson to Robert M. Stewart
Description: On November 27, 1860, Col. M. Jeff Thompson writes a dispatch from the Headquarters of the 4th Military District in St. Joseph, Missouri to Missouri Gov. R.M Stewart. Thompson suggests that Stewart send troops to guard the Missouri River to prevent the escape of guerrilla attackers and prevent further invasions. Thompson also states that Major F.W. Smith has 200 troops ready for orders.
Date: November 27, 1860

Title: From Frederick Starr to My Dear Father
Description: On February 22, 1855, Frederick Starr writes from Weston, Missouri to his father. Starr recounts a recent speech he gave regarding slavery: “I consider slavery a moral and political evil…and the only wedge of contention which threatens to disturb & divide the Union. I am a Colonizationist.” He derides anyone falsely accusing him of being an abolitionist, stating that their lies “steal not only my property, but my comfort, my friendships, my domestic quietude, my influence, respect, and good name.” Starr adds that after he gave his speech, Gen. Stringfellow incited the crowd by encouraging an armed invasion into Kansas.
Date: February 22, 1855

Title: From Sara Robinson to My Dear Sister
Description: This letter is from Sara Robinson, the wife of Kansas Gov. Charles Robinson, to her sister. Robinson, writing from Lawrence, Kansas on January 5, 1858, tells her sister that an election was held yesterday for the Lecompton Constitution. She states that Charles opposed the constitution and that voting against it was the only option that "promised victory to the Free State men." She also mentions that he has been attending sessions of the Topeka Legislature.
Date: January 5, 1858

Title: Examination of Carter Dale
Description: This is Carter Dale's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Dale describes himself as a 45-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri who was born in Kentucky. He states that he demonstrated his loyalty to the United States Government during the Civil War by "staying at home and giving everything to them they called for." The oath, labeled No. 107 in a bound volume, was signed by Dale on October 6, 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: October 6, 1866

Title: From James M. Boyer to A. Comingo
Description: This letter, dated November 22, 1863, is from James M. Boyer, Deputy Provost Marshal of Chariton County, Missouri, to Capt. A. Comingo, Provost Marshal of the 6th district of Missouri. Boyer states that he mailed Comingo vouchers for military expenditures and has not received any response. He also informs Comingo that he submitted a list of three hundred people who will not volunteer to join military regiments going south to fight the Rebels, but "will in good faith" agree to fight elsewhere.
Date: November 22, 1863

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

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