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Title: Examination of William H. Rymer
Description: This is William H. Hymer's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Hymer, a 34-year-old resident of Liberty, Missouri, states that he was born in Kentucky and that he demonstrated his loyalty to the United States Government during the Civil War by "staying at home and attending to my business." He admits that when he heard of Gen. Price capturing Gen. Mulligan's army at Lexington, Missouri, "I thought both sides wrong." The oath, labeled No. 67 in a bound volume, was signed by Hymer in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Examination of William Brining
Description: This is William Brining's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Brining describes himself as a 46-year-old resident of Liberty, Missouri, who was born in England. He states that he felt "Grief beyond Description" when he heard that Gen. Sterling Price had captured Gen. Mulligan and his army at Lexington, Missouri. The oath, labeled No. 30 in a bound volume, was signed by Brining on September 29, 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: September 29, 1866

Title: Examination of Jefferson Slide
Description: This is Jefferson Slide's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Slide, a 48-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri, states that he was born in Canada and remained loyal to the United States Government during the Civil War. He claims that he "felt a little sorry for Old Mulligan" when Gen. Sterling Price captured Gen. Mulligan's army at Lexington, Missouri. The oath, labeled No. 53 in a bound volume, was signed by Slide in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: From Sue Brawner to All at Home
Description: This letter of July 24, 1859 is from Sue Brawner in Linneus, Missouri to “all at home.” She describes a recent trip from Lexington, Missouri to Linneus via the city of Brunswick. Along the way she and her traveling companions visited relatives. Sue writes of staying with Tom, a relative in Linneus who owns several slaves: “They have a black girl as large as I am.”
Object Type: Letter
Date: July 24, 1859

Title: Examination of John G. Price
Description: This is John G. Price's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Price, a 19-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri, states that he was born in Kentucky and that he helped feed Union soldiers during the Civil War. The oath, labeled No. 88 in a bound volume, was signed by Price on October 6, 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: October 6, 1866

Title: Examination of M.C. Drake
Description: This is M.C. Drake's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Drake, a 58-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri, states that he was born in Kentucky and that he remained loyal to the United States Government during the Civil War. The oath, labeled No. 105 in a bound volume, was signed by Drake on October 6, 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: October 6, 1866

Title: From Leigh R. Webber to Mrs. Brown
Description: This letter, dated January 11, 1862, is from Leigh R. Webber in Lexington, Missouri to Mrs. Brown. Webber reports that his regiment has been marching in rough weather since January, and the long march "has used up our men pretty badly," leaving many men ill. He adds that life in his undisciplined regiment, with its drunkenness, rioting, and stealing, "is a perfect hell to me." The letter is written on stationery featuring an eagle and the caption "Union Forever."
Date: January 11, 1862

Title: John R. Howe against William Mitchell
Description: Dated November 7, 1859, this document states that its signers will pay a sum of $400 to John P. Bowman, Lafayette County sheriff, for a female slave aged about 42 years. The slave was “sold by said sheriff...in the Probate Court of Lafayette County” as part of a lawsuit brought by John R. Howe against William Mitchell.
Object Type: Legal Document
Date: November 7, 1859

Title: From William S. Field to George R. Smith
Description: On May 27, 1856, William S. Field writes from Lexington, Missouri to Gen. George R. Smith in Georgetown, Pettis County, Missouri. Field states that he has consented to run for Circuit Attorney if he becomes the nominee for the American party, and will likely run against Mr. Crews of Saline County, Missouri. He refers to "the contest for Congress" between Smith and Mr. Akers, and warns Smith that "Many here are trying to slay you on the negro question, which is unjust & wrong."
Date: May 27, 1856

Title: From "C." to "Col."
Description: This letter, dated September 21, 1861, is from "C." in St. Joseph, Missouri to "Col." C. reports that the Federal troops surrendered at the Battle of Lexington on September 20. He writes that "our country has been rob[b]ed by both parties . . . nearly evry body that is worth any thing has been rob[b]ed more or less, no matter what their politics are." He adds that people are "bitter" about the Platte Purchase, and predicts that fighting will ensue.
Date: September 21, 1861

Title: Order for Funding from Lexington, Missouri
Description: This is an order for funding issued by the headquarters of the Sixth Military District E.M.M., Lexington, Missouri. The order, issued by Brigadier General Vaughn and dated October 29, 1862, declares that “the disloyal citizens of the City and Township of Lexington are assessed $15,000 for the subsistence of the troops, the families of such as are in indigent circumstances, and refugees.” Recipients of the order are directed to pay their “proportion of the said assessment” at headquarters within ten days.
Date: October 29, 1862

Title: Examination of R.P. Wood
Description: This is R.P. Wood's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Wood describes himself as a 52-year-old resident of Liberty, Missouri who was born in Kentucky. He states that he supported the United States Government during the Civil War and that he "volunteered here several times in defence of the town." The oath, labeled No. 87 in a bound volume, was signed by Wood on October 6, 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: October 6, 1866

Title: From Walthall Robinson to Sister Em
Description: This letter, dated October 25, 1863, was written by Walthall Robinson in Miami, Missouri, to his sister Em. Walthall provides a detailed account of Shelby’s Raid and the Battle of Marshall, declaring, "Affairs have not changed any for the better…I greatly fear a complete state of anarchy and terrorism.” He describes a violent encounter between some aquaintances and two “Jim Lane men,” and concludes that the November elections will determine “whether there will be any safety whatever” in Missouri.
Date: October 25, 1863

Title: From George Collamore to G.L. Stearns
Description: This letter was written on May 2 and 7, 1861 by George Collamore in Leavenworth, Kansas to G.L. Stearns in Boston. Collamore writes that Kansas is under threat of attack from Missouri and the Cherokee and Osage Indians, and that Kansas’s defenses are weak. He reports that Gov. Robinson offered him the position of Quartermaster General of the Kansas Militia, which he temporarily accepted. Collamore asks Stearns to send “thick colored blankets” and other items to Kansas, urging Stearns to keep his activities secret and to be cautious about what he writes in future letters.
Object Type: Letter
Date: May 2, 1861 and May 7, 1861

Title: Examination of Wiley C. Ellis
Description: This is Wiley C. Ellis's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Ellis describes himself as a 34-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri who was born in Tennessee. He states that during the Civil War, he sympathized "with the people on both sides," and maintained his loyalty to the United States Government "by obeying all the laws so far as I was able." The oath, labeled No. 81 in a bound volume, was signed by Ellis in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Examination of Nathaniel Grant
Description: This is Nathaniel Grant's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Grant, a 48-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri, says that he felt "a little sorry" when Gen. Sterling Price captured Gen. Mulligan's army at Lexington, Missouri, and that he felt "rather down in the mouth" when the Federal army was defeated at Bull Run in 1861. The oath, labeled No. 52 in a bound volume, was signed by Nathaniel Grant in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Slave Bill of Sale
Description: This slave bill of sale, dated March 31, 1860, is signed by Lafayette County sheriff John P. Bowman. Bowman attests that he sold a female slave and a slave boy named John to Nathaniel Mitchell at auction on November 7, 1859. Mitchell paid $400 for the female slave and $150 for John.
Object Type: Legal Document
Date: March 31, 1860

Title: From William S. Field to George R. Smith
Description: William S. Field writes a letter from Lexington, Missouri to Gen. George R. Smith in Georgetown, Missouri on June 10, 1856. Field informs Smith that M.W. Smallwood recently received a nomination to the Georgetown Convention. He encourages Smith in his candidacy for Congress: "you have many friends here & should you receive the nomination you will get a heavey majority here notwithstanding the howl of freesoilism against you."
Date: June 10, 1856

Title: Examination of Darius Gittings
Description: This is Darius Gittings's Oath of Loyalty to the United States. Gittings describes himself as a 50-year-old resident of Clay County, Missouri who was born in Maryland. He states that he demonstrated his loyalty to the United States during the Civil War by remaining "here with the citizens of the town all the time." He says that he "felt sorry for the defeat of the govt." when he heard that Gen. Price had captured Gen. Milligan's army at Lexington, Missouri. The oath, labeled No. 80 in a bound volume, was signed by Gittings in 1866.
Object Type: Government Document
Date: 1866

Title: Discharge for Richard H. Brown
Description: These are the official discharge papers for Richard H. Brown, who served as a private in the Fifth Regiment of the Missouri U.S. Reserve Corps from June 14, 1861 to August 11, 1861. The document, dated August 11, 1861, notes that Brown was born in Manchester, England and worked as a “Boundary man and Iron worker.” The 28-year-old Brown was discharged at Lexington, Missouri at the end of his term of service.
Date: August 11, 1861

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

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