Civil War

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From Sarah Fitch to My Dear Father and Mother
Title
From Sarah Fitch to My Dear Father and Mother
Description
In an emotional letter dated September 2, 1863, Sarah Fitch informs her husband Edward’s parents that he was killed during Quantrill’s Raid on Lawrence. She estimates that 250-300 of Quantrill's men arrived in Lawrence on horseback and fired at everyone in sight, leaving bodies “scattered all over town.” She writes that they approached her home, “screaming and yelling like so many demons from the infernal pit,” then shot Edward in the heart and burned down their house. She suspects they targeted her family because her children had been playing "soldier" and had left a Union flag hanging on their woodshed.
Date
September 2, 1863
From Edward Fitch to Dear Parents
Title
From Edward Fitch to Dear Parents
Description
In this August 10, 1856 letter to his parents in Massachusetts, Edward Fitch reports a rumor that Border Ruffians plan to attack Lawrence, Kansas. He says he has been gathering firearms in preparation, but worries that “this may be the last letter” he ever writes. He also tells them about the Battle of Franklin and relates a rumor that Colonel Lane was there.
Date
August 10, 1856
From John Ordway to Dear Friend
Title
From John Ordway to Dear Friend
Description
This letter, dated January 19, 1856, was written by John Ordway in Roxbury, Massachusetts, to a friend, presumably in Missouri. John inquires about the progress of the railroads in Missouri, explaining that the newspapers choose to focus on “the Kansas troubles” instead of Missouri’s “internal improvements.” Of political sentiment in Massachusetts, John writes: “The extreme men here are few but an antislavery feeling is universal and the Kansas difficulties have rather tended to give it deeper root.”
Date
January 19, 1856
From A.J. Sexton to Catherine
Title
From A.J. Sexton to Catherine
Description
This letter was written on April 29, 1862, by A.J. Sexton in camp at Fort Riley, Kansas, to his wife Catherine. A.J. writes of his plans to send Catherine $20.00 after he is paid on May 1st. He reports that the health of his regiment is good, and he believes they will be sent next to Mexico. A.J. refers to the Battle of Shiloh, and writes with regret about the death of Wisconsin Gov. Harvey shortly after the battle.
Date
April 29, 1862
From J.M. Vincent to Thomas Carney
Title
From J.M. Vincent to Thomas Carney
Description
This telegram, dated May 11, 1863, is from J.M. Vincent in Washington, D.C. to Kansas Gov. Thomas Carney. Vincent denies Carney’s request for authority to raise a Home Guard, and informs him that U.S. Secretary of War E.M. Stanton “does not wish to raise more negro regiments at present.”
Object Type
Telegram
Date
May 11, 1863
From D.A.W. Morehouse to Robert M. Stewart
Title
From D.A.W. Morehouse to Robert M. Stewart
Description
This letter was written on June 7, 1858 by D.A.W. Morehouse in Papinsville, Missouri, to Missouri Gov. Robert M. Stewart in Jefferson City, Missouri. Morehouse refers to “the troubles on the border of the state touching Kansas,” and requests that a company of Rangers be stationed on the state line to protect local citizens. Morehouse asks Stewart for permission to organize such a company himself because he is "familiar with those characters Resident in the Territory."
Date
June 7, 1858
John Brown
Title
John Brown
Description
Painting of John Brown by Ole Peter Hansen Balling, 1870.
Object Type
Image
Date
1870
Quarterly Return of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores, 1864
Title
Quarterly Return of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores, 1864
Description
This military document is a return of ordnance and ordnance stores for Company "A" 8th Cavalry Regiment Missouri State Militia under command of Captain James J. Akard for the fourth quarter of 1864.
Date
January 10, 1865
Charles Ransford Jennison
Title
Charles Ransford Jennison
Description
Photograph of Charles R. Jennison posing in fur hat, coat, and gloves, with his rifle, and a dog at his feet.
Object Type
Image
The Homestead Act, 1862-1962 : 4 Cents, U.S. Postage
Title
The Homestead Act, 1862-1962 : 4 Cents, U.S. Postage
Description
U.S. postage stamp commemorating the 1862 Homestead Act.
Object Type
Image
Date
1962
From W.B. Spaulding to Daniel Peterson Woodbury
Title
From W.B. Spaulding to Daniel Peterson Woodbury
Description
This letter, dated April 17, 1858, is from W.B. Spaulding in Quincy, Illinois to Daniel Peterson Woodbury in New Hampshire. Spaulding criticizes James Buchanan for approving the Lecompton Constitution for Kansas Territory, and predicts that it will cause trouble for his administration and for the Democratic Party. He adds that "the whole proceedings seem to have been a farce."
Date
April 17, 1858
From Charles Adair to Samuel Lyle Adair
Title
From Charles Adair to Samuel Lyle Adair
Description
On September 30 and October 1, 1860, Charles Adair writes from Akron, Ohio to his father Samuel Lyle Adair. Charles says that he is now staying at Cousin Jason’s house near Akron. He reports that he and Jason attended a Republican meeting in Copley, Ohio: “there were a great many people at the meeting, the Akron wideawakes were out...they made a grand show.”
Date
September 30, 1860-October 1, 1860
From Lewis Stafford to Kate Newland
Title
From Lewis Stafford to Kate Newland
Description
This letter, dated October 10, 1861 is from Lewis Stafford in Chillicothe, Missouri to Kate Newland. Stafford, a member of the 1st Kansas Infantry, Company E, expresses pride in his regiment and mentions their participation in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. He laments, however, that the regiment has lost a number of soldiers: “What sad havock war makes with the lives and health of men.”
Date
October 10, 1861
David Rice Atchison
Title
David Rice Atchison
Description
Half-length daguerreotype portrait of David Rice Atchison, facing three-quarters to the left. Atchison served as Democratic Senator from Missouri from 1843-1855.
Object Type
Image
Date
1844-1860
From A.W. Mitchell to J.T. Sweringen
Title
From A.W. Mitchell to J.T. Sweringen
Description
This letter, dated May 29, 1861, is from A.W. Mitchell in Huntsville, Missouri to J.T. Sweringen in St. Louis. Mitchell notes that there has been some controversy over the U.S. providing arms to the Kansas Militia, and expresses concern that it will be detrimental to Missouri. He tells Sweringen that planting season has begun, and thus people are too busy "to attend much to politics," but adds that "no matter what our sentiments are we are all forced at this time to be Union men."
Date
May 29, 1861
From Edward Fitch to Dear Mother
Title
From Edward Fitch to Dear Mother
Description
This unsigned April 11, 1858 letter, presumably from Edward Fitch to his mother, discusses the immigrants living in Kansas Territory. The Irish immigrants, Fitch says, are predominantly pro-slavery, while the German immigrants are mostly supporters of the Free State Party. He also describes to his mother the spring flowers in Lawrence, Kansas and his beautiful baby.
Date
April 11, 1858
From Charles Adair and M.L. Davis to Samuel Lyle Adair
Title
From Charles Adair and M.L. Davis to Samuel Lyle Adair
Description
On September 24, 1860, Charles Adair writes from Aunt Marthey’s to his father Samuel Lyle Adair. Charles describes seeing Stephen A. Douglas at the station that morning and says he was unimpressed: “he is a mean looking man if ever I saw one.” On September 30, 1860, Samuel’s sister M.L. Davis finishes the letter Charles began, explaining that Charles left the letter behind when he went away. She writes briefly about Charles's and Florella's activities during their Ohio visit.
Object Type
Letter
Date
September 24, 1860 and September 30, 1860
From Samuel Medary to Robert M. Stewart
Title
From Samuel Medary to Robert M. Stewart
Description
This telegram, dated January 3, 1859, is from Kansas Gov. Samuel Medary to Missouri Gov. Robert M. Stewart. Medary informs Stewart that he has ordered U.S. Troops to protect eastern Kansas and that he plans to organize a large force of Kansas citizens. He urges Stewart to keep troops on the Missouri side of the state line to protect his citizens if James Montgomery invades Missouri. He adds that Montgomery and John Brown have three forts and an armed force of 100-200 men.
Object Type
Telegram
Date
January 3, 1858
Quarterly Return of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores, 1865
Title
Quarterly Return of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores, 1865
Description
This military document is a return of ordnance and ordnance stores for Company "A" 8th Cavalry Regiment Missouri State Militia under command of Captain James J. Akard for the end of the company's service on January 25, 1865.
Date
February 19, 1865
From O.C. Stewart to John W. Geary
Title
From O.C. Stewart to John W. Geary
Description
This letter is from O.C. Stewart, mayor of Lecompton, Kansas, to Gov. John W. Geary. In the letter, dated October 3, 1856, Stewart informs Geary that he has issued a proclamation prohibiting the use and sale of liquor in Lecompton. He asks Geary for help enforcing the proclamation, “as I have no law to justify me in destroying the liquor of persons selling under law.”
Object Type
Letter
Date
October 3, 1856

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