USA > Missouri > Jackson County > Kansas City > Kansas City, Missouri : its history and its people 1808-1908 > Part 12
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Kansas, which had been separated from Nebraska, became the seat of turmoil, the Northern immigrants coming in such numbers as to arouse in the South the fear that "squatter sovereignty" would result in the loss of their canse. Incursions of "border ruffians" were encouraged to prevent such a catastrophe. In Kansas the runaway negro received protection through the "underground railroad."
In retaliation for the activity of the Northern sympathizers, the "bor- der ruffians" defied the Eastern immigrants to settle in Kansas. And thus began the real conflict between the North and the South, as represented by Kansas and Missouri. The border warfare was conducted by such a con- glomerate force as could have gathered nowhere but in this locality, a mix- ture of races. The white man, the red man and the black man were engaged in confliet, with the negro as the "bone of contention."
In 1856 the conditions on the border were such as no one can easily conceive. So bitter were the prejudices, so fierce the hostilities, so desperate the strife on all sides that to be known as an anti-slavery or a pro-slavery sympathizer was to bring death at the hands of the opposing party that happened to be in power at the time. Murders were frequent. Men were called from their houses at night and shot down without warning, property was wantonly destroyed and general confusion reigned. Kansas "redlegs"
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raided Missouri and Missouri "bushwhackers" invaded Kansas. Kansas City suffered from both.
The strife was intensified, prolonged and made unnecessarily bitter by the sectional feeling that found its way into almost every home. Children quarreled over politics while at play, women made it an excuse for all man- ner of social discrimination, and preachers in their pulpits stirred up the faithful at every turn, making matters worse by their wrangling over the righteousness of secession or the holiness of abolitionism.
Thus the state of Missouri early became the seat of the conflict between the North and the South. In the period of disturbance between Kansas and Missouri, military forces were called upon, first, to protect the immi- grants of Kansas from the Missourians, and then to guard Missouri from predatory incursions of armed bands of Kansans. No important battles were fought in the years of doubt and delay between 1854 and 1860, but the border was disturbed with murders, routs and a petty, irritating war- fare. Brigadier-General D. M. Frost's skeleton brigade of St. Louis and later General William Harney of the United States army were stationed in Missouri to prevent Kansas invasions, and Captain James Montgomery in Kansas was active in subdning the Missourians.
South Carolina led the way out of the Union, December 20, 1860, a state convention on that date adopting unanimously the ordinance of seces- sion. The election of Lincoln on November 6, 1860, decided those who had wavered in 1852, and South Carolina seceded. Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas followed in close succession. With these, however, voluntary secession ended and it was not until measures of coercion were, employed that the other Southern states followed. Arkan- sas held back until May 6, 1861, and North Carolina until May 20, 1861. Virginia's ordinance was not ratified until May 23, 1861, and Tennessee's was not submitted to a vote until June S, 1861. The ordinance emanated from conventions in all of the states except the last named.
An attempt had been made to call a convention in Tennessee, but the proposition to that effect, submitted by the legislature, had been voted down, February, 1861, by a majority of 11,875. Soon afterwards coercive meas- ures by the seceded states were inaugurated and the legislature was sum- moned. It ratified' a league, May 7, 1861, which the governor had con- cluded with the Confederacy and then proceeded to frame an ordinance of secession, which was submitted to the people and ratified, June S, 1861, by a majority of 57,675. In two other states, Virginia and Texas, the ordinances were isubmitted to the people for ratification. In Texas there had been some irregularity in the call of the convention and, therefore, the approval of the people was desired. The ordinance, adopted February 1, 1861, was
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ratified February 23. The Virginia ordinance, adopted April 17, 1861, was ratified May 23, 1861.
President Lincoln announced, April 15, 1861, that the execution of the laws of the Union had been obstructed in South Carolina, Georgia, Ala- bama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas by "combinations too pow- erful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the marshals by law." He called out the militia to the number of 75,000. Seeing that the insurgents had not dispersed in the .states named and that the inhabitants of Virginia, Arkansas, North Caro- lina and Tennessee had joined them, he issued this proclamation, August 16, 1861:
"Whereas, on the 15th day of April, 1861, the President of the United States, in view of an insurrection against laws, Constitution, and Govern- ment of the United States, which has broken out within the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, and in pursuance of the provisions of the Act entitled 'An act to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insur- rections, and repel invasions, and to repeal the act now in force for that purpose,' approved February 28, 1795, did call forth the militia to suppress said insurrection, and cause the laws of the Union to be duly executed, and the insurgents having failed to disperse by the time directed by the President ; and whereas such insurrection has since broken out and yet exists within the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas; and whereas the insurgents in all the said states claim to act under the authority thereof, and such claim is not disclaimed or repudiated by the persons exercising the functions of government in such state or states, or in the part or parts thereof in which combinations exist, nor has any such insurrection been suppressed by said states :
"Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, in pursuance of an act of Congress approved July 13, 1861, do hereby declare that the inhabitants of the said states of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Missis- sippi and Florida (except the inhabitants of that part of Virginia lying west of the Allegheny Mountains, and of such other parts of that state and the other states hereinbefore named as may maintain a loyal adhesion to the Union and the Constitution or may be from time to time occupied and con- trolled by the forces of the United States engaged in the dispersion of said insurgents) are in a state of insurrection against the United States; and that all commercial intercourse between the same and the inhabitants thereof, with the exceptions aforesaid, and the citizens of other states and other parts of the United States, is unlawful, and will remain unlawful until such in-
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surrection shall cease or has been suppressed; that all goods and chattels, wares and merchandise, coming from any of said states with the exception aforesaid, into other parts of the United States, without the special license and permission of the President, through the Secretary of the Treasury, or proceeding to any said States, with the exceptions aforesaid, by land or water, together with the vessel or vehicle conveying the same or convey- ing persons to or from said States, with said exceptions, will be for- feited to the United States; and that from and after fifteen days from the issuing of this proclamation all ships and vessels belonging in whole or in part to any citizen or inhabitant of any of said States with said exceptions found at sea or in any port of the United States will be forfeited to the United States, and I hereby enjoin upon all distriet attorneys, marshals, and offi- cers of the revenue and of the military and naval forces of the United States to be vigilant in the execution of said act, and in the enforcement of the penalties and forfeitures imposed or declared by it; leaving any party who may think himself agreed thereby to his application to the Secretary of the Treasury for the remission of any penalty of forfeiture, which the said See- retary is authorized by law to grant, if, in his judgment, the special cir- cumstanees of any case shall require such remission.
" In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
"Done at the City of Washington, this sixteenth day of August. in the the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the independence of the United States of America the eighty-sixth year.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The Missouri Secessionists held a public meeting, January 8. 1831, at which Thomas C. Reynolds, Lieutenant governor of Missouri, made a strong speech in favor of the Southern cause. This resolution was adopted at the meeting:
"Resolved, That we pledge Missouri to a hearty cooperation with our sis- ter Southern states, in such measures as shall be deemed necessary. for our mutual protection against the encroachments of Northern fanaticism and coercion of the federal government."
A number of political clubs, called the "Wide-Awakes," were organ- ized in St. Louis by the Republicans during the presidential campaign of 1860. After the election these clubs were disbanded, their usefulness seem- ingly over. Later. Francis P. Blair. Jr., advised their reorganization on account of political conditions, but another revolution of the wheel of pol- ities caused the Republicans to discontinue the organization of "Wide- Awakes." A meeting of Unconditional Union men, or Republicans, was ealled for the night of January 11. 1861, its purpose being to organize asso-
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ciations to be known as "Union clubs." Preceding the called meeting of Janu- ary 11, 1861, a number of meetings were held in St. Louis by different political bodies. Threats of breaking up the meeting of January 11 were made, but were not carried out, and the Unconditional Union men met in Washington hall, January 11, 1861, and provided for the organization of "Union clubs," to supersede the once famous "Wide-Awakes."
Previous to the meeting of January 11, 1861, at Washington hall, St. Louis, a number of Republicans and Union Democrats had agreed to hold a grand rally of Union men at the Court house on Saturday, January 12, 1861, "to declare the sentiments of St. Louis on the great issues before the country," but on the morning of the day set for the meeting the newspapers announced that the "meeting was expected to assert its loyalty to the Union" and at the same time to endorse the Crittenden proposition, as a fair basis for the adjustment of all differences between the free and slave states. This proposition met with objection from the Republicans.
When the Southern states were threatening secession in 1860, John J. Crittenden of Kentucky offered a resolution that the Constitution be amended as follows: That slavery be prohibited in all territory north of 36° 30'; in all territory south of that line slavery was to be protected. The resolu- tion further declared that Congress had no power to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia so long as it existed either in Virginia or Maryland, nor without the consent of the inhabitants and compensation to non-as- senting slave owners. The fugitive slave laws were declared unconstitutional, and changes were recommended requesting the state legislatures to repeal or modify the "personal liberty " laws. The resolution concluded with a denunciation of the African slave trade. The resolution was not adopted.
The states that had seceded had blocked the way that would lead to a compromise ; South Carolina had laid down an ultimatum, the immediate evacuation of Fort Sumter or war; the Star of the West, sent to the relief of that fort, had been fired on; the Senators from Georgia, Florida, Ala- bama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas had advised their states to secede at onee and organize the Confederacy. Governor Joseph E. Brown of Georgia had sent a detachment of state troops, under Alexander R. Law- ton, to seize and occupy Fort Pulaski. which commanded the approach of Savannah, Georgia, which order was executed January 3, 1861: Governor Andrew B. Moore, of Alabama. had seized the arsenal at Mount Vernon, January 4, 1861, and Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines that guarded the ap- proach to Mobile, Alabama. were occupied: Florida seized the arsenal at Apalachicola, January 7, 1861: Louisiana took possession of Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson, that commanded the entrance to the Mississippi river, and seized the arsenal at Baton Rouge.
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In view of these events, President Buchanan declared in his message to Congress, January 9, 1861, "that the fact could no longer be disguised, that the country was in the midst of a great revolution." The Southern states had inaugurated war and committed acts of hostility against the United States government.
Francis P. Blair, jr., after consulting with the leading men of his party, decided that the proper course to pursue would be to declare unalterable fidelity to the Union under all circumstances. This result could not be accomplished under the manifest purposes of the proposed meeting in St. Louis, without causing angry controversies that might lead to serious re- sults and antagonism among the Union men. It was evident from the at- titude of the seceding states that no compromise would be acceptable to them, and that the Union men who still hoped for a settlement, finding that all of their efforts were in vain, would unite in forming an Uncondi- tional Union party, such as had been suggested at the meeting of January 11 in St. Louis. The following placard, announcing a Union meeting, was posted on the streets of St. Louis:
" To the Republicans-As it seems to be the determination of those who called the union meeting today to take narrower grounds in support of the union of the states than that which the Republicans of this city have already assumed, we have judged it expedient to advise the Republicans not to participate in the meeting today, but to maintain the position already assumed in favor of the union under all circumstances "; signed by F. B. Blair, P. L. Foy, William McKee, F. A. Diek, S. T. Glover and R. S. Hart.
The meeting held at the court house was largely attended. It was composed of many of the leading men of the city and some from the country. Republicans attended the gathering and there was one prominent Republican on the list of vice-presidents. All were sincerely desirous of preserving the Union. Colonel Robert Campbell was chosen president, and E. N. Tracy and J. B. S. Lemoine secretaries. Judge Hamilton R. Gamble addressed the meeting, and at the conclusion of his remarks. John D. Coal- ter, as chairman of the committee, reported the resolutions. The Critten- den propositions of compromise were approved, and the resolutions unani- mously adopted. The resolutions expressed ardent attachment to the Union and declared that its dissolution would be disastrous to our country and " as tending to injure the cause of rational liberty throughout the world."
The resolution in regard to slavery declared: "That the possession of slave property is a constitutional right, and as such ought to be ever recog- nized by the federal government; that if the federal government shall fail and refuse to secure this right, the Southern states should be found united in its defense, in which event Missouri will share the common danger of
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the South." At that time there was no denial of the constitutional right to hold slave property, however much a large portion of the Republican party might deprecate the existence of the institution, as Jefferson and Washing- ton both had done. The Republican party at its national convention had disavowed an intention to interfere with slavery in the states.
John J. Crittenden, to whose counsel they appealed, had, in his prop- osition of December, 1860, opposed the repeal of the Missouri compromise, and was in favor of its restoration and of making it a part of the constitu- tion and also of providing by constitutional amendment against interference by Congress with slavery wherever it should be legally established. Crit- tenden also supported Lincoln's administration; and in July. 1861, by res- olution, held that it was the right and duty of the government to maintain the Union by force. It followed, therefore, that the able and patriotic men who spoke the sentiments of the meeting of January 12, would not be slow to unite with the Unconditional Union men in support of the federal gov- ernment in its efforts to preserve the Union when they should find that no compromise would satisfy the South, and that the slave-holding states were determined to form a Southern Confederacy.
The meeting of January 12 was not without the most beneficial re- sults. The leading men who participated in its proceedings and the large majority of men who composed it were sincerely desirous of preserving an unbroken Union. The voice which uttered such sentiments came from St. Louis; it came from the leading men in all departments of industry and from all professions, men whose names were respected and honored through- out the state. It fell upon the ears of anxious listeners, and had much to do with securing the election of the Union candidates for the convention. Between January 12 and January 31 there was a disposition shown to act with the Republicans under their resolution of January 11, by which all Union men were invited to unite with them in the foundation of a Union party. At the Library hall meeting of January 31, a committee was ap- pointed to name candidates for the convention. and February 6, fifteen can- didates for the convention were selected. four of whom were Republicans and the other eleven were composed of those who had supported Douglas, or Bell and Everett. The Unconditional Union ticket was elected by more than five thousand majority.
At the meeting of January 11 authority was given for the formation of a committee of safety and it was understood that Francis P. Blair, jr., and Dr. Porter, who were named as an executive commiteee of the Uncon- ditional Union men, should, upon consultation with others, appoint that committee with full power to act for the Union party. That committee consisted of Chauncey T. Filley, Samuel T. Glover, Francis P. Blair, jr., J.
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J. Witzig, John Howe and James O. Broadhead; of these C. I. Filley was chosen president and James O. Broadhead secretary. A detective force was provided for, of which J. E. D. Conzins, formerly chief of police, was the head. The detectives were paid for their services, and they were to report from time to time any material facts that came to their knowledge touch- ing the movements of the Secessionists. For a long time and during this most exciting period they met every night at Turner hall. Blair, of course, was frequently absent, as he was then a member of Congress.
The meeting at Washington hall in St. Louis on the night of January 11, at which the Republican party was for the time being dissolved and merged into the Union party, was the initial step in a series of movements which finally were instrumental in securing the state of Missouri to the Union. Had the Republican party in St. Louis insisted on maintaining that its members were the only true Union men or had they in force attended the meeting of January 12 at the court house and resisted the adoption of the Crittenden compromise, an antagonism, calculated to imperil if it had not destroyed all hopes of the Union cause in Missouri, would have resulted.
Local history receives the impress of national history. The four years of the Civil war disrupted the nation, and as the nation, so the smaller local- ities were affected. The little town of Kansas City was absorbed into the maelstrom. It was a time of feverish suspense; the feeling of uncertainty overwhelmed everything. Business interests were neglected and the devel- opment of the town, which had been uppermost in the minds of the best citizens, was swept aside in the suspense of the hour. The frequent meet- ings held to discuss civic improvements, to decide on a railroad proposition and to formulate business projects were abandoned, and instead the residents discussed the one important consideration of the day, whether to remain loyal to the Union or to sympathize with the Southern states. Where neigh- bors formerly had stood together in the united effort to improve the town, they now avoided each other in the fear of differences of opinion.
The election for delegates to a state convention to convene February 28, 1861, to determine the position of Missouri relative to secession, was called February 18. James K. Sheeley, Abram Comings and R. A. Brown were chosen to represent Jackson, Cass and Bates counties. The convention did not pass the necesary ordinance of secession, which only aggravated the situation. The domestic pursuits of Kansas City were deplorably neglected and irritation and resentment reigned in the hearts of the citizens.
A Confederate flag was unfurled in the principal square of the city amidst great enthusiasm, but was immediately torn down., Many "flags of the South" were displayed at the homes of the Southren sympathizers. The most influential newspaper of the city, the Western Journal of Com-
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merce, in existence about five years, suspended publication March 7, 1861, on account of lack of support and the condition of public sentiment in Kan- sas City. Theodore S. Case's Free State Republican, a campaign paper, ceased publication two weeks later, and the proprietor of a German news- paper, the Missouri Post, a publication that favored the Union cause, deemed it wiser to move across the state line into Wyandotte, Kansas.
In the spring election of 1861 the candidate of the secessionist sympa- thizers, Dr. G. M. B. Maughs, was defeated for the office of mayor. and R. T. Van Horn was elected by the Union party. Mayor Van Horn found a difficult situation when he entered on the duties of his office. In the win- ter of Mayor Van Horn's term the legislature created a metropolitan police system for Kansas City, granting the commissioners extraordinary powers. The commissioners acted independently of the mayor and they favored the cause of the Secessionists. The men in favor of the Union were no longer tolerated in peace, and Mayor Van Horn, finding that he could give no assistance himself, left the city and went to St. Louis to organize a battalion of troops for the preservation of law and order in Kansas City.
Kansas City realized the force of the war June 12, 1861. Through Mayor Van Horn's solicitation for United States troops in Kansas City, Cap- tain W. E. Prince, of Fort Leavenworth, came with two companies of in- fantry and three of cavalry and camped in the city. This was the first mil- itary occupation of Kansas City. The first conflict of the war in Jackson county was in Independence, June 13, 1861. The day after Captain Prince arrived the Secessionists withdrew to Independence. In a sharp conflict near Rock creek between Captain Prince's men and the Secessionists, three were killed and two were wounded. The Secessionists retired to Blue Springs, and Captain Prince, with part of his command, visited Independence the following day, but returned to Kansas City in the evening. No Confederate troops entered Kansas City, but they occupied Independence several times. and they were so close most of the time during the whole war that it was impossible for Union sympathizers to go to Independence or Westport in safety without an escort.
"Van Horn's Battalion of United States Volunteer Reserve corps" relieved the regular troops in Kansas City. June 24. 1861. There were three companies, respectively called the American, the German and the Irish companies, organized, recruited and mustered into service. The corps consisted of Major R. T. Van Horn : surgeon, Joshua Thorne; Company A. Captain William Van Daun: first lieutenant. Frederick Loos; second lieu- tenant. Frederick Klinger: Company B. Captain William Miller; first lieu- tenant. Daniel Cahill: second lieutenant, David O'Neill; Company C. Cap-
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tain George C. Bingham; first lieutenant, Henry Spears: second lieutenant, Theodore S. Case.
The first headquarters of the battalion were on Walnut street, between Eleventh and Twelfth streets, at the Smart homestead. Afterwards the Van Horn battalion constructed a small fort, called "Camp Union," at the south- west corner of Tenth and Central streets, just east of the site of the, Coates House. The foundation of the Coates House, which had been laid the pre- vious year, was boarded over and used as a cavalry stable. There breastworks were built, a large iron cannon mounted-a relic of the Kansas war-and two small howitzers. Drilling was done on Broadway, between Tenth and Twelfth streets, and maneuvering on the hills east and west of Broadway, south of Twelfth street, which was then covered with stumps and a dog fennel. Several false alarms were experienced, at which times the big gun was fired as a signal for the Union people to rally to the support at the fort.
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