Today in History:

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

Page 488 MO.,ARK.,KANS.,IND.T.,AND DEPT.N.W. Chapter XXXIV.

A man was to-day tried in Lawrence, and found guilty of being a spy for Quantrill, and was hung.

The chiefs of the civilized Indians of the Delawares and Sacs and Foxes offered their services to Lane.

Reports just in say the buildings in Cass County, Missouri, are on fire, and over 100 of the sympathizers are killed. A fearful retribution no doubt awaits Missouri.

In views of these facts, your memorialist respectfully, but most earnestly, pray Your Excellency to rescind the order by which a part of Missouri is attached to the District of the Border, and to order that it be reattached to the Central District of Missouri, or to any other district in our State.

All that your memorialist desire in the premises, aside from the change above indicated, is that some tried and faithful officer may be placed in command over the soldiers and people in the counties of the border-some officer whose sense of duty and of love to this country rises far above his political aspirations and party ties and prejudices, and whose sole desire and efforts will be to guard and foster and interests of the Government in that region, and to bring law and order out of the chaos that now prevails.

This is all that the masses of the people desire, and for this your memorialist will ever pray, &c.

A. A. KING.

R. C. VAUGHAN.

A. COMINGO.

[Indorsement.]

It is not improbable that retaliation for the recent great outrage at Lawrence, in Kansas, may extend to indiscriminate slaughter on the Missouri border, unless averted by very judicious action. I shall be obliged if the General-in-Chief can make any suggestions to General Schofield upon the subject.

A. LINCOLN.

AUGUST 31, 1863.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, August 28, 1863.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose herewith, for the consideration of the General-in-Chief, a copy of a communication from His Excellency the Governor of Kansas, relative to the burning of the town of Lawrence and the massacre of its citizens, and demanding a "court of inquiry, with power to investigate all matters touching military wrong-doing in Kansas." General Ewin also requests a court of inquiry to investigate his conduct and management of his district since his assignment to that command, and especially with reference to his responsibility for the terrible disaster at Lawrence. I am not yet able to give an accurate report of that affair, nor to judge very accurately how much blame, if any, should attach to General Ewing. So far as I am able to judge at this time, I see no reason for attaching censure to General Ewing, but the feeling on the subject among the people of Kansas seems to be very intense. I believe justice to those people, to General Ewing, to myself, and to the Government demands a full and public investigation of the whole matter, so that the responsibility may fall where it properly belongs, and the public mind be relieved of any misapprehension that may exist.


Page 488 MO.,ARK.,KANS.,IND.T.,AND DEPT.N.W. Chapter XXXIV.