This unsigned letter, dated September 30, 1861, describes a recent Missouri state convention, which resulted in a majority vote against secession. The writer expresses ambivalence about the motivations for this vote: "As the Union at that time was hanging on a pivot, and all were anxious that it should be preserved--few having the boldness to assert that they were for secession--of course we elected good Union men . . . but there is no telling what men will do when they have the power."

September 30, 1861

Missouri military units (Union)
Surviving a Guerrilla War

Abraham Lincoln

Missouri Valley Special Collections

SC 40 - Peery Family Papers, Folder 5: Series 1 Correspondence, 1857-1861

For more information on using this image, contact Missouri Valley Special Collections at: Central Library, 14 W. 10th Street, 5th Floor, Kansas City, MO 64105 Phone: (816)701-3427 E-mail: lhistory@kclibrary.org Publication, commercial use, or reproduction of this image or the accompanying data requires prior written permission from Missouri Valley Special Collections. Use of this image also requires that credit be given to Missouri Valley Special Collections.