Today in History:

477 Series I Volume XXII-II Serial 33 - Little Rock Part II

Page 477 Chapter XXXIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

KANSAS CITY, MO., August 26, 1863.

Major General JOHN M. SCHOFIELD,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

I shall not permit any unauthorized expedition into Missouri. No citizens are in now, and none went in except with my troops. I do not much apprehend any attempt of the kind, except, perhaps, secret efforts of incendiaries to destroy Independence, Westport, or Kansas City, although the people of Kansas are mortified and exasperated, and those on the border considerably alarmed. I will have to clear out a good many rebels in Independence, Westport, and Kansas City. I need Lieutenant-Colonel Van Horn, Twenty-fifth Missouri, to command this post. Please detail him, if you can. He is now at Saint Louis.

THOMAS EWING, Jr.,

Brigadier-General.

KANSAS CITY, MO., August 26, 1863.

Major General JOHN M. SCHOFIELD,

Commanding Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.:

My troops are still in pursuit. Quantrill's men are scattered, the worst having gone out of the border counties. At last reports we have killed from 50 to 60. I have ordered all families out of the border counties of Missouri in fifteen days, allowing Union men to remain at or come to military stations, or go to the interior of Kansas, and compelling all the rest to leave the district. I will destroy or take to stations all forage and subsistence left in those counties after date fixed for removal. I have written you the reason for issuing the order; I am sure you would approve if here. This raid has made it impossible to save any families in those counties away from the stations, for they are all practically the servants and supporters of the guerrillas. I anticipate the collection on the border of a large part of the guerrillas of Southwestern Missouri to resist or revenge the execution of this measure. If you can send me more troops, please do so. I can use the Twenty-fifth Missouri or the Tenth Kansas to good advantage garrisoning the posts. There has been no failure to exert every possible effort to catch Quantrill see that the censure for that falls where it belongs. The charges set afloat from Leavenworth are false and malignant, so far as they apply to me and Major Plumb, and are instigated and paid for by political Quantrills.

THOMAS EWING, Jr.,

Brigadier-General.

PILOT KNOB, MO., August 26, 1863.

Major-General SCHOFIELD:

The cavalry expedition, under Colonel Woodson, Third Missouri State Militia Cavalry, made a rapid march on Pocahontas, routing several bands of guerrillas and capturing about 100 prisoners; among them are Brigadier General M. Jeff. Thompson and all his staff. We have driven out from Southwestern Missouri nearly every gang of Confederate guerrillas and horse-thieves. I start another expedition from Cape Girardeau immediately, and mean to keep the border to hot for the rascals.

CLINTON B. FISK,

Brigadier-General.


Page 477 Chapter XXXIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.