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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: 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: 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 Leigh R. Webber to Mrs. Brown
Description: This letter, dated September 5, 1863 is from Leigh R. Webber in Natchez, Mississippi to Mrs. Brown. Webber claims that in Natchez, "Nearly everybody has protection papers though they are avowed rebels of the deepest dye…It is an unendurable wrong and insult to the Union soldiers and foolish and wicked leniency to traitors for the Government and its generals thus to manage the war." Webber also expresses sadness about Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence: "It exceeds in atrocity our worst fears."
Date: September 5, 1863

Title: From Fred Brown and Sara Ann Brown to Michael H. Jose
Description: Fred Brown and his wife Sara Ann write a letter to Michael Jose on October 14, 1866 to share news of mutual acquaintances, including several that were killed by Bushwhackers or by members of the Missouri Militia during the War. They describe an atmosphere of political unrest in Vernon County but express a hope for peace in the aftermath of the conflict, stating “lets all do our next fighting at the Ballot Box.”
Object Type: Letter
Date: October 14, 1866

Title: Unidentified Civil War Soldier or Guerrilla
Description: Charcoal portrait of unidentified Civil War soldier or guerrilla in uniform with cloak. Drawing is signed by the artist with "93" immediately below the signature. Person in this drawing is from another drawing in this collection (MVO-101F).
Object Type: Image
Date: 1893

Title: Unidentified Guerrilla
Description: Charcoal portrait of man in typical guerrilla overshirt, wearing a hat with a plume, and holding two crossed pistols. Drawing is signed by the artist with "93" immediately below the signature.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1893

Title: From Lucie Davis to John Pigg
Description: This letter, dated September 15, 1864, is from Lucie Davis in Clay County, Missouri to John Pigg. Davis tells Pigg that her mother died after a long illness. She also tells him that Louis Vandiver was moved from a prison in St. Joseph, Missouri to one in St. Louis. Davis predicts that “The bushwhackers are about to take this country,” and adds that they robbed the mail in Clay County and had a fight near Fredericksburg.
Date: September 15, 1864

Title: Sentinel Extra: Mass Meeting at Platte City
Description: This September 12, 1863 article from the Platte County Sentinel describes a “mass meeting” held at Platte City, Missouri, on September 7, 1863. According to the article, attendees at the meeting passed several resolutions condemning the recent attacks on Lawrence. Attendees also passed a resolution calling for the immediate emanicpation of all the slaves in Missouri.
Object Type: Newspaper Article
Date: September 12, 1863

Title: Frank Shepherd
Description: Charcoal portrait of Frank Shepherd with suit coat, vest, shirt, and tie. Frank Shepherd served under Quantrill and Bill Anderson. He was part of the Lawrence, Kansas, massacre on August 21, 1863. During the Centralia, Missouri, battle on September 27, 1864, he rode on one side of Frank James; Richard Kinney on the other side. Both Kinney and Shepherd were killed, but James escaped unharmed.
Object Type: Image

Title: Letters and Telegrams Sent (Provost Marshal's Office, 6th District Missouri)
Description: This notebook contains copies of letters and telegrams sent from the Provost Marshal's Office, 6th District of Missouri, in Lexington, Missouri, between June 24, 1863 and May 19, 1864. Capt. A. Comingo was appointed Provost Marshal of the 6th District of Missouri in June 1863 and corresponded frequently with Missouri Provost Marshal General E.B. Alexander and U.S. Provost Marshal General James B. Fry. Topics addressed include the appointment of deputy provost marshals, military enrollment, recruitment of black soldiers, and the threat of attack by bushwhackers and guerrillas.
Date: June 24, 1863-May 19, 1864

Title: Archibald Clements (Arch or Little Archie)
Description: Charcoal portrait drawing of Archibald Clements (sometimes spelled Clement) with a cigar in his mouth, dressed in a suit with a cravat and holding a pistol. Little Arch, or Archie, at age 17 became William ("Bloody Bill") Anderson's lieutenant. It is said that in one short year Clements eclipsed the record of every known guerrilla by killing 54 men. He was part of William C. Quantrill's famous raid on Lawrence, Kansas, August 21, 1863, and a major player in the Centralia, Missouri, massacre. After the Civil War he took up robbing banks until he was killed December 13, 1866, in Lexington, Missouri, at age 19.
Object Type: Image

Title: Harrison Trow
Description: Charcoal portrait of Harrison Trow in suit coat, vest, shirt, and tie. Harrison Trow served under Quantrill and was at the Lawrence massacre, August 21, 1863, and Centralia, September 27, 1864, as well as the Battle of Independence, August 11, 1862. After the war, Trow lived in Blue Springs, Missouri, until 1901 when he moved to Texas where he died February 24, 1925. He identified the body of Jesse James after James was shot.
Object Type: Image

Title: From Elizabeth S.C. Earl to Dear Mother
Description: This letter, dated September 22, 1863, is from Elizabeth S.C. Earl in Lawrence, Kansas to her mother. She assures her mother that she is safe and has survived Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence. She adds that "you cannot imagine the distress, and suffering, of our women and children," and states that the Raid left 180 women widows and 200 children orphans. Earl tells her mother that she has taken charge of the City Hotel after the owner was killed and his family went back East.
Object Type: Letter
Date: September 22, 1863

Title: Joseph (Joe) C. Lea
Description: Charcoal portrait of Joseph C. Lea (sometimes Lee) with artist's initials. Son of the noted Lee's Summit physician Dr. Pleasant Lea, Joe Lea was a member of Quantrill's Guerrillas. He was wounded during the raid on Lawrence, Kansas, August 21, 1863. After the Civil War, Lea moved to Roswell, New Mexico, where he became a buffalo hunter, lawman, rancher, banker, and instructor in the military department at the University of New Mexico. He died in 1904 at Roswell. ("The Encyclopedia of Quantrill's Guerrillas" [MVSC Q 973.742 L28e])
Object Type: Image

Title: Sarah and Julia Fitch
Description: This black and white photograph shows Sarah Wilmarth Fitch Stevens along with her daughter Julia Sumner Fitch. They both lived in Lawrence, Kansas and were survivors of Quantrill’s Raid. Edward Fitch, husband to Sarah and father to Julia, was shot and killed in the 1863 attack. Their house was burned down and the rest of the family escaped.
Object Type: Image

Title: Unidentified Man in Uniform
Description: Charcoal portrait of unidentified guerrilla dressed in coat or cloak, shirt, and hat similar to a beret adorned with a plume and three large and two small stars on the headband. Subject holds a pistol. Drawing is signed by the artist with "93" immediately below the signature.
Object Type: Image
Date: 1893

Title: Charles Otis Fitch
Description: This black and white photograph, taken circa 1890, depicts Charles Otis Fitch, son of Edward and Sarah Fitch. He was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1860. At the age of three, he survived Quantrill’s Raid on Lawrence, but his family’s house was burned down and his father was killed in the attack.
Object Type: Image

Title: From Amos Lawrence to Francis Granger
Description: This letter, dated September 9, 1856, is from Amos A. Lawrence in Boston to Francis Granger. Lawrence criticizes President Pierce and his administration for assuming that Kansas settlers are mounting an insurrection against the government. Lawrence insists that Kansans are loyal to the U.S. government, despite resisting the laws of Missouri. He adds that Kansans have "been on the defensive wholly" and have not retaliated against the Missourians who "robbed, burned & murdered" Kansas residents.
Date: September 9, 1856

Title: From Samuel R. Ayres to Lyman Langdon
Description: This letter was written on August 24 and 27, 1863 by Samuel R. Ayres in Moneka, Kansas, to Lyman Langdon. Ayres writes that “along our Missouri border we are subject to almost constant raids from the Bushwhackers over the line who rob our citizens burn their houses and murder prominent men.” Ayres offers a description of Quantrill’s recent raid on Lawrence, Kansas, calling it “an act of barbarity but seldom if ever equaled by the most savage tribes.” Ayres says that he and other local citizens are organizing to defend Mound City, Kansas from guerrilla attacks.
Date: August 24, 1863-August 27, 1863

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

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