were bitterly complained of. President Lincoln in answer, after justifying his policy and the action of his officers, concluded with the general remark :

provisional Governorship, at the close consented to hold it until the election of a successor on the regular day, in August. The ordinance providing for gradual emancipation, passed by the convention, "I do not feel justified to enter upon excited great opposition on the part of the broad field you present in regard to many of the people of Missouri, who the political difference between the were in favor of the immediate abolition radicals and conservatives. From time of slavery. An angry political dispute to time I have done and said what ensued, and the Unionists of Missouri appeared to me proper to do and say. became divided into two parties, the It obliges nobody to follow me, and I "Radicals" and "Conservatives." Al- trust it obliges me to follow nobody. though the question of slavery, the The radicals and conservatives each former being in favor of immediate, and agree with me in some things, and disthe latter of gradual, emancipation, was agree in others. I could wish both to the main cause of their contention, they agree with me in all things; then they soon became so antagonistic as to dis- would agree with each other, and would agree on all points. Gamble, who had be too strong for any foe from any been re-elected Governor, and General quarter. They, however, choose to do Schofield, who had succeeded General otherwise. I don't question their right. Curtis as the U. S. commander-in-chief I, too, shall do what seems to be my in Missouri, supposed to be exclusively duty. I hold that, whoever commands devoted to the Conservative interest, in Missouri is responsible to me, and not became especially obnoxious to the to either radicals or conservatives. It Radicals, who vigorously strove to de- is my duty to hear all; but at least I prive them of office. The Federal Ad- must, within my sphere, judge what to ministration having resolutely withstood do and what to forbear to do." their importunities, a committee was finally appointed by a committee of the Radical Union men, to address the President of the United States upon the condition of Missouri. A document was accordingly prepared and presented to Mr. Lincoln, in which the immediate abolition of slavery in the State was emphatically advocated, and the policy of the Federal Administration in regard to this subject, and the conduct of civil and military affairs in Missouri, and those to whom they were intrusted,

The "Conservatives" issued a countermanifesto to the address of the "Radicals." In this they justified the conduct of the military and civil officers of Missouri, and defended the plan of gradual emancipation of the slaves:

"The State Convention," they said, having adjusted the question of emancipation in manner which should afford general satisfaction, we reprobate the effort which is being made to disturb it. The destruction of the institution of slavery is quite as rapid under that

ordinance as the interest of society or the good of the slave would seem to justify, and we cannot but view the project of immediate emancipation, advocated by the radical party in this State, as not only impolitic and unjust to the master, but cruel and inhuman to the slave."

The "Radicals," moreover, were bitterly denounced as revolutionists, whose intolerance outstripped that of the secessionists:

"They misrepresent and calumniate every man who differs with them in opinion. They deny that there are any Union men outside of their own party, and charge such men as the President

of the United States, Major-General Blair, Major-General Schofield, General Totten, and other officers who have distinguished themselves on the battle-field, as Copperheads; and if the gallant Lyon could reappear in our midst, they would, no doubt, denounce him as the chief of Copperheads.

"These denunciations of our patriotic soldiers and most loyal citizens are uttered by the leaders of this party, who have remained quietly at home during the entire war. Such denunciations can deceive no one; but we allude to them as furnishing evidence of the means to which these lawless men resort to accomplish their purposes."

CHAPTER VIII.

The War in Kansas.-Quantrell's Raid on Lawrence.-Ravages committed.-Movements of Union Troops to intercept Quantrell. Failure to catch him.-Excitement in Kansas.-Revenge.-General Lane's Views.-Severe Policy of the Union Military Authorities on the Borders of Missouri.-A District depopulated.--Motives explained.-The Conflict in Arkansas.--Guerrillas.-Union Movements - Price and Marmaduke in Arkansas. -Their Movements.-Counter-movements of Union Troops.-Clayton's Expedition.-The War in the Indian Territory.—The Union Posts and their Defences.-Fort Gibson threatened, but the advancing Enemy driven back.--Supposed Advance of Price.-A Feint to Hide his Attack on Helena.--The Assault on Helena.-The Enemy repulsed.--Blunt's Campaign in the Indian Territory and Arkansas.-Blunt's Address to the Arkansas People.-Occupation of Little Rock by the Unionists.--Blunt and his Escort attacked by Quantrell.

KANSAS, less from elements of disorder | make a sudden raid in his rear, and within itself than from its conti

1863.

guity to the infected State of Missouri, was subjected to ravage by the guerrilla bands of the enemy. General Blunt, who had been stationed at Leavenworth, having moved to the south of Kansas, toward the Indian Territory, the noted Quantrell took the occasion to

pounce upon the unguarded city of Lawrence. Entering early at sunrise, he took the citizens by surprise, and shot them down before they were able to make the least attempt at resistance. One hundred and forty of the people of Lawrence were thus killed, twenty-four wounded, one hundred and eighty-five

buildings burned, and a large quantity set out at midnight in pursuit. of booty carried off.

Quantrell having gathered together about 300 of the most desperate marauders of the border counties of Missouri, passed into Kansas on the 20th of August, at a point about forty miles south of Kansas City, Missouri.

Brigadier-General Thomas Ewing, Jun., who held the command on the border, with his headquarters at Kansas City, had been for some time suspicious of Quantrell's movement, and disposed his forces accordingly. By an By an "error of judgment" of one of his subordinates, the opportunity of overtaking the marauders before they could consummate their design was lost.

Captain Pike, commanding two companies at Aubrey," reports General Ewing, "received information of the presence of Quantrell on Grand River, at half-past five o'clock P.M. of the 20th of August. He promptly forwarded the information up and down the line, and to my headquarters, and called in his scouting parties to march upon them. One hour and a half later he received information that Quantrell had just passed into Kansas. Unhappily, however, instead of setting out at once in pursuit, he remained at the station, and merely sent information of Quantrell's movement to my headquarters and Captain Coleman, commanding two companies at Little Santa Fé, twelve miles north of the line. Captain Coleman, with near 100 men, marched at once to Aubrey, and the available force of the two stations, numbering about 200 men,

But Quantrell's path was over the open prairie, and difficult to follow at night, . so that our forces gained but little on him. By Captain Pike's error of judgment in failing to follow promptly and closely, the surest means of arresting the terrible blow was thrown awayfor Quantrell never would have gone as far as Lawrence, or attacked it, with a hundred men close on his rear."

General Ewing, on receiving Captain Pike's dispatches reporting what he knew and what he had and had not done, strove to make up for the lost time by the utmost rapidity of action.

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"The first dispatch of Captain Pike reached here," says the General, writing from his headquarters at Kansas City, August 31, 1863, thirty-five miles north of Aubrey, at half-past eleven P.M.; the second, an hour later. Before one o'clock, Major Plumb, my chief of staff, at the head of about 500 men (which was all that could be got here and at Westport), started southward, and at daylight heard, at Olathe, twenty-five miles from here, that the enemy had passed at midnight through Gardner, eighteen miles from Lawrence, going toward that town. Pushing on, Major Plumb overtook Captains Coleman and Pike, six miles southeast of Lawrence, at half-past ten o'clock, Friday, the 21st instant, and by the light of the blazing farm-houses saw that the enemy had got six miles south of Lawrence, on their way out of the State. The enemy were overtaken near Palmyra by Major Plumb's command, to which were there

added from fifty to one hundred citizens at Aubrey, Coldwater Grove (thirteen who had been hastily assembled, and led in pursuit by General Lane.