Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 10: Kansas City in the War, 1881

Chapter 10: Kansas City in the War

The Excitements and Events Preceding the Great Struggle - The Marshaling of the Hosts on Both Sides - Van Horn's Battalion - The First Fighting - Bush-whackers and Red Legs - The Depression of Trade and its Revival - Resumption of Railroad Building - The Great Raid of 1864.

The close of the year i860 saw Kansas City the most thriving and prosperous city on the western border, with the largest local trade, a monopoly of the trade to New Mexico, and much the larger part of that to Colorado. Two railroads - the Pacific from St. Louis, and the Cameron Branch of the Hannibal & St. Joseph were near completion, and both were expected to be done by the middle of the summer 1861.

A Feverish Community

But public sentiment was very unsettled and feverish. The presidential campaign of i860 was an unusually exciting one, and some time before its close it was apparent that it would be followed with excitement and possibly revolution. The division of the country on the slavery question, the division of the advocates of slavery between Douglas and Breckinridge in the campaign, and the unity of all anti-slavery elements upon Mr. Lincoln, early gave the issue an ominous aspect for the Democratic party and the friends of slavery. There were threatenings of revolt from the south before the close of the contest, and the sentiment of the Democracy of Missouri, or at least the dominant element of it, was rapidly crystallizing into the form of rebellion when the contest closed. The feeling through the campaign became so bitter toward Republicans, that out of about two hundred and fifty residing in Kansas City, but about eighty were bold enough by the day of election to take the chances of voting for that ticket. Outspoken Union Democrats were regarded with little less aversion. The Journal of Commerce supported Douglas, and it was apparent that it and its editor could not be led into any secession scheme. It was the leading paper in the city, and by reason of its warm support of the public enterprises, and the earnest advocacy of the interests of the city for the five years preceding had attained a very influential position. Its manifest anti-secession tendencies made it an object of profound concern to the rapidly forming secession element, and to control it in their interest became an object of first importance. Finding that its editor was implacable, a scheme to get rid of him was concocted, and as early as August ist, i860, he had to dispose of his interest. His partner, D. K. Abeel, became the purchaser, who retained him as editor, and soon let the embryo secessionists see that he was as little to be influenced by them as the editor whom they had sought to get rid of.

The winter of 1 860-1 was a season of feverish excitement and suspense. Where men had before stood shoulder to shoulder, forming the schemes of future commercial greatness, they now stood apart, narrowly watching each other's movements, and waiting the exciting news from the Southern States. As events in that quarter progressed, the secession sentiment in Kansas City and Missouri crystallized, and early in the winter business began to be neglected and to go down, and instead of preparing for an active spring trade, as had been the previous custom, people prepared themselves for the inevitable storm that threatened the country.

Public meetings that winter were frequent, not only in Kansas City, but in all adjacent parts of Missouri, as had been the case in previous years, but the resolutions adopted, unlike those of former meetings, were not declaratory of the sense of the people relative to some railroad or business project, but of their sympathy with the Union or with secession. Several of the Southern States having seceeded from the Union, and the State officers of Missouri, elected in i860, being all in ardent sympathy with them, a convention was called for February 28, 1861, to determine whether Missouri should follow them.

The election for delegates to that convention took place February 18th, and for the district composed of Jackson, Cass and Bates counties, James K. Sheeley, Abram Comingo and R. A. Brown were elected delegates. The first named two of these were opposed to secession and the other in favor of it. The convention failed to pass the necessary ordinance of secession, but that did not stop the movement; the threatening storm gathered faster and faster. The Legislature provided for calling out the militia, and Governor Jackson began to prepare actively to defend the State against invasion by the Federal Army. Under this pretext, treasonable as it was, many companies were organized throughout the State. Meantime the situation was constantly getting worse in this city, and by the time spring opened peaceful pursuits were quite abandoned. The Journal of Commerce, for the lack of support, was suspended on the 7 th of March. The Free State Republican, a Republican paper estabUshed in the campaign of i860, and edited principally by Dr. Theodore S. Case, was suspended March 25th, partly for the lack of support and partly because it was no longer safe to attempt the publication of a Republican paper in the city. The Missouri Post, German, and loyal, published by Mr. A. Wuerz, now Post and Tribune, was removed to Wyandotte, while another paper, under the different names at different times, of Enquirer, Star and Dispatch, but always secessionist, continued for a brief time to incite its partisans to overt acts of revolt against the Government. Early in the spring the mihtia pillaged the United States arsenal at Liberty, in Clay county, and armed themselves for the defense of the city.

Raising The Rebel Flag

Toward the latter part of April the Unionists raised an American flag on the public square just east of the market house. This gave great offense to the secessionists, and they proceeded at once to cut the halyards, availing themselves of the cover of the darkness of night for'^hat purpose. The flag, however, caught in some way at the top of the staff and did not fall as they had intended it should. They then determined to offset this circumstance by raising a rebel flag, and prepared to make the occasion one of great ceremony. Militia companies and volunteer companies were invited from the surrounding country, and responded liberally. The day set for the occasion was the 30th of April, and early in the day companies of mihtia and in regular companies came in from Westport, Independence, Sni-a-bar township and from Clay county, and uniting with local companies and sympathizing citizens and a large concourse of citizens from the country, paraded the streets, flying a rebel flag, led by bands playing rebel airs. At the same time, numerous rebel flags were displayed from residences and business houses in all parts of the city. The procession moved to the top of the hill, east of Main and north of Second street, near where the county court-house now stands, and raised the flag with great eclat, attended with the beating of drums, martial music, and the firing of artillery, the gun used on the occasion being one they had stolen from the United States Arsenal at Liberty. Speeches of the most inflammatory character were made and cheered to the echo by an excited concourse of people, large for those days. Union people feeling it unsafe to remain in the city after this began to pack their property and fly.

The Increase Of The Excitement

At the spring election the question of secession or Union had come squarely before the people, R. T. Van Horn being the candidate of the Union men, and Dr. Maughs, the incumbent, the candidate of the secessionists, and the Unionists had been victorious. But when Mayor Van Horn came into office he found himself almost powerless to preserve order, for among other acts of the Legislature during the winter, was one creating a metropolitan police system for Kansas City, granting the commissioners extraordinary powers, so that through them the Governor might bind Kansas City to the cause of secession, no matter how the people might vote. Hence, Mayor Van Horn found himself unable to control that important part of the municipal machinery, or direct its use to the preservation of public order.

All the spring was spent by the people in excitement and preparations for the struggle. Gov. Jackson meantime marshaling his militia forces. The first formal assemblage of these was at Camp Jackson, St. Louis, where they were dispersed by Gen. Lyon, May loth. The news of this affair proved very exciting throughout the State, and nowhere more so than in Kansas City. On the 15th, Mayor Van Horn issued a proclamation urging the people to quietude, and forbidding all unlawful and tumultuous assemblages. Excitement now ran very high, and more of the Union men left the city. But Mayor Van Horn found himself powerless to preserve order in the city, as the police had not only been taken from under his control but had actually become a source of apprehension to Unionists. In this situation, and with the secessionists arming all over the State and breathing threatenings toward Union men, nothing was left them but to prepare for defense or abandon their homes. Mayor Van Horn then went to St. Louis, by the way of St. Joseph, and obtained authority from Gen. Lyon to recruit a battalion of troops for the defense of Kansas City, and procured an order, also, for troops to be sent here from Fort Leavenworth to protect Union men while being enlisted.

Militay Occupation

In pursuance of this order, Captain Prince, U. S. A., with two companies of infantry and three of cavalry came to Kansas City, June 12th, and took up camp on the hill, near the Catholic church. This was the first military occupation of this city.

As soon as it became known that Federal troops were coming, the secessionists began to withdraw and collect at Independence. The next day after his arrival. Captain Prince sent Captain Stanley (since better known as Gen. Stanley), with a party of soldiers, under a flag of truce, to interview Captain Halloway, who had command of the secessionists collected at Independence, to ascertain his' purposes, etc. Captain Halloway was very equivocal in his replies to Captain Stanley, and as the latter saw evidences of hostilities among Halloway's men, he ordered his own to retire, when fire was opened upon him. A sharp fight ensued, in which the secessionists were repulsed, with a loss of three killed. Captain Halloway, J. B. McClanahan and a Mr. Harbaugh, while Samuel Ralson and Pery Stonestreet were wounded. This was the first fight in Jackson county. The rebels then retired to Blue Springs, and the next day Captain Prince went with part of his command to Independence, and after marching about the town, returned to camp in this city.

While these events were transpiring at Kansas City, matters were assuming more definite shape throughout the State. On the 12th of June Gov. Jackson issued a call for fifty thousand troops to repel the Federal forces. With what forces he could collect under Gen. Sterling Price, he retired from Jefferson City to Boonville, burning the railroad bridges across the Osage and Gasconade rivers,

On the 19th of June the secession paper in this city suspended. On the 20th'news of the battle of Boonville was received, and the secessionists who then had a large encampment at Blue Springs removed to Lexington. On the 24th Mayor Van Horn's battalion being fully recruited, was mustered in and organized, with Mayor Van Horn as major. Captain Prince then withdrew, leaving Major Van Horn in command of the post. One of his first acts was to disband the disloyal metropolitan police force.

Dr. Thorne immediately made arrangements for the opening of a hospital. Lieutenant Case was detailed on the date of his muster-in as quartermaster, commissary and ordinance officer of the post.

On the 26th of July, Major Van Horn received orders to take two companies of his battalion, and go to the assistance of Colonel A. G. Newgent, who, in command of a battalion of Missouri State Militia, at Austin, in Cass county, was threatened by a superior force. The command took up line of march immediately. On the 28th, when three miles from Harrisonville, they were attacked by about five hundred secessionists, and after a fight of four hours repulsed them, kiUing fourteen and losing one. D. K. Abeel and Captain Biigher acted as aids to Major Van Horn in this engagement, and both distinguished themselves for gallantry and courage. At midnight that night. Major Van Horn retired from the field. Harrisonville was full of the enemy, who was being constantly re-inforced ; and Captain Dean had surrounded Westport, where there was a large party of the enemy, and needed his assistance; but near Jonesville, the command was met by Colonel New^gent's forces, and also by a party of the First Kansas, under Colonel Weir.

In the early part of September, the rebels, to the number of about 2,000, gathered at Blue Springs, and were preparing to attack Kansas City, when Colonel Peabody, who, with his regiment, the Thirteenth Missouri Infantry, were at St. Joseph, were ordeaed here. The rebels then moved down to Lexington, to attack that place, and Peabody, with his command, and Major Van Horn, with - Companies B and« C of his, went down there to reinforce Colonel Mulligan. General Sterling Price laid siege to the place on the 6th of September, and maintained it until the entire force surrendered to him on September 21st. Through the entire siege the Kansas City battalion was in active service. It was part of the force that had the severe fight in the lane, on the 12th, which was the severest fighting of the entire siege - four companies, under Major Van Horn, there engaging Price's entire army. On the 19th, Colonel Peabody was wounded, and the command devolved upon Major Van Horn, until he was wounded, and borne from the fight about two hours before the surrender. After the surrender, the officers and men of the battalion were released on parole, until exchanged in December, when the battahon was consolidated with Colonel Peabody's Thirteenth Missouri Infantry, with Major Van Horn as Lieutenant-Colonel, and the united command became the memorable Twenty-fifth Missouri Infantry, which was sent south, distinguishing itself in many of the battles on the march from Belmont to Vicksburg.

commissary and ordnance officer of the post at Kansas City, when the battalion was organized, continued in that position until June, 1862, when he was promoted to the rank of Captain and A. Q. M.; after which he continued as quartermaster at the post until the spring of 1863, when part of western Missouri and eastern Kansas were organized into the District of the Border, at which time he became quartermaster for the district. In the spring of 1864, the District of the Border was abolished, and he was assigned to duty as quartermaster of the District of central Missouri, with headquarters at Warrensburg. In March, 1865, he availed himself of an opportunity to resign, offered to' all officers who desired to leave the service, and in June following accepted the position of Quarter- Master General of the State on the staff of Gov. Thos. C. Fletcher.

Dr. Thome continued in charge of the hospital at Kansas City until the close of the war. In the spring of 1863, when the District of the Border was created, it became a general hospital, and as such received several thousand sick and wounded soldiers during the war.

Guerrillas And Red Legs

In the formative period of the great struggle, the spring and summer of i86r, there was a general uprising of the people of Missouri. The Union men formed into companies of home guards, and the rebels were also marshaled into hostile bands. The ordinary avocations of life were in a great measure abandoned, and every neighborhood was divided into hostile and warring factions, fully realizing all the conditions of internecine war. Under the President's call for three months' troops in April, there were several regiments organized in Missouri and several in Kansas. About the time these were disbanded in the fall of that year there were several marauding bands organized in Kansas for the purpose of preying upon the rebels across the border in Missouri. The most prominent of these were Montgomery's in southern Kansas, a band of old free-state men of 1856, who seem never to have been entirely disbanded ; Cleveland's band in northern Kansas, and Col. Jennison's seventh Kansas regiment, which appears to have been so largely made up of the same class of men that it became as notorious in 1861-62 as jayhawkers as either of the other bands. Besides these there were many smaller bands, irregular and unauthorized in their formation, whose sole object seems to have been plunder. Over the border in Missouri there were similar organizations of rebels. These were composed of secessionists who had not joined Price's army and gone south, but remained to prosecute an irregular warfare upon the people of Missouri and the borders of Kansas. All the country adjacent to this city was infested with these bands. On the west and south were Montgomery, Jennison and sometimes Cleveland, and to the south, east and north were bush-whackers under Todd, Parker, Jackman and Quantrell. From the spring of 1861 to the fall of 1864, these irregular bands hemmed in Kansas City on all sides, so that it was very hazardous for people to get here to trade, although there was no regular foe to interfere with them. The Santa Fe trade suffered as much as any other, and was for time nearly cut off. The trade of southern Kansas, which had previously come to Kansas City, was diverted to Leavenworth. During all this time teams were scarcely permitted to come to Kansas City from that section, or to go from Kansas City to any part of southern Kansas. The irregular bands operating in Kansas, better known as the Red Legs, were largely composed of Kansans who had a grudge against Missouri because of the old struggle of 1855-56, and they, therefore, left nothing undone that would hurt Kansas City, because she was a Missouri town. It was largely through their operations that the trade of Southern Kansas was diverted to Leavenworth, for trains going to that place wer'e not molested.

Fort Leavenworth was military headquarters, andthe depot of supply for the army on the border, hence she had a large trade and grew rapidly. Boating on the Missouri was rendered hazardous, and the Government took so many of the boats for military use, that the trade between Kansas City and St. Louis was quite broken up. The Platte Country Railroad was built from St. Joseph across to Weston by the year 1863, so that all trade which had previously come up the river now came by way of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and the Platte County Railroad, and made Leavenworth headquarters. Leavenworth also became the headquarters of the Red Legs, at least the place, where their booty was disposed of, and became so notorious in that regard that in 1863 Gov. Ewing placed it under martial law, as a means of ridding it of the miscreants. The Leavenworth press all the time made the most of Kansas City's misfortune to warn people against coming here.

From the arrival of Capt. Prince, Kansas City continued in military occupation. In 1862, one Lieutenant-Colonel Buel had command here with headquarters at Independence. He was strongly accused of sympathy with the bush-whackers, and whether guilty or not, his administration was not calculated to extirpate them. Maj. Banzaf with a battalion of the First Missouri cavalry then occupied Kansas City. On the 23d of March, that year, Quantrell killed two men, and burned the bridge across the Blue. On the 25 th he was routed at Tait's house, sixteen miles from this city by Maj. Pomeroy, of the Second Kansas. On the 29th the guerrilla Parker was captured at Warrensburg. On the 13th of April Quantrell was again routed on the Little Blue, and again on the 17 th, near Ray town. These facts are sufficient to show the general condition of things existing here at that time. Col. Buel permitted the establishment of the rebel paper, and it continued to foster the spirit of rebellion and bush-whacking. This condition, this frequency of small fights, was continuous, until near the close of 1863. The brush on the one side of this city was literally full of bush-whackers, and the prairies covered with Red Legs.

In 1862 the militia of Missouri was all enrolled. The regiment raised in this city was numbered 77th; Kersey Coates was colonel and Frank Foster, lieutenantcolonel. None of this militia was ever called upon to do much, and that only in their own locality. During these years, from the spring of 1861 until the autumn of 1863, the adjacent parts of Missouri were in an entirely lawless condition. The civil power was entirely suspended ; while the country was completely overrun by small parties of Federal and Confederate troops, between whom fights and skirmishes were of frequent occurrence, beside which, it was equally overrun by the irregular bands of guerrillas and bush-whackers on the one side, and jayhawkers and Red Legs on the other. There was absolutely no security for either life or property ; industrial and productive pursuits were impossible ; people on all sides were ruthlessly robbed of whatever they possessed that could tempt robbers, and many men were murdered at their homes for no better reason than that they were found there.

Trade

Trade, under such circumstances as have been described, was manifestly much embarrassed, yet our city continued to do some business with the southwest and west, and remained, by reason of military protection, the headquarters for the remnant of the Santa Fe trade. The long talked of express to Pike's Peak was realized in May, 1861, and that and the Santa Fe mail continued through the war, though robbed several times.

T^x^ Journal of Commerce, which had suspended March 7th, 1861, was resumed as an extra or bulletin May 15th ; stopped again August 20th, and revived again, full size, in March, 1862. Some time in the spring of 1862, Mr. McReynolds started the Intelligencer, which soon expired, and in June, 1862, the Fress was started, but continued only a brief time.

Union Pacific Railroad, he issued a circular relative to the trade of the various points on the Missouri River across the plains from 1857 to 1863, some extracts from which will serve to illustrate the effects of the existing situation on the trade of Kansas City. We insert first a table showing a comparison of river points in i860.

Table showing the amount of freight forwarded across the plains, from the various posts on the Missouri River, during the year i860, with the required outfit :

Where From Oxen

Note. - In the above table the government freight forwarded from Kansas City to western forts is included in the exhibits; the amount being 7,540,102 pounds, requiring 1,590 men, 1,307 wagons, 16,260 oxen, and 232 mules; cost of transportation, $890,300.

Exports Of New Mexico And Colorado 1857 To 1863

Table showing the kind, amount and value of the exports of Colorado and New Mexico received at the port of Kansas City from 1857 to 1863, inclusive :

Year

The great increase in the value of freight in 1863 was owing to the large percentage of dry goods and manufactured articles forwarded, and their extreme low prices.

Imports Of New Mexico And Colorado 1 85 7 To 1 863

Table showing the amounts and estimated value of freight transported to New Mexico and Colorado from Kansas City from 1857 to 1863 inclusive, with the number of men, oxen, horses, mules, and wagons required, the value of the outfit, and the cost of transportation :

Railroad Progress

The construction of railroads which had been stopped with the beginning of trouble in i86i, began to be agitated again in 1862. In May of that year Congress passed the Union Pacific Railroad bill. This bill provided for one main line from this city with a branch to St. Joseph by way of Atchison, one to Omaha, and one to Sioux City, and authorized the Leavenworth, Pawnee & Western Railway Company to construct a line from that city to intersect the main line on the same terms as the branches were built. Besides some surveying done by Col. Midbery, of Ohio, nothing was done on this road until 1863. In June, 1862, Messrs. Ross, Steele & Co., took a contract to build three hundred and fifty miles of the road and soon thereafter commenced operations at Leavenworth, on the Leavenworth, Pawnee & Western Branch. This company had no means and did but little. In June, 1863, Gen. John C. Fremont and Samuel Hallett took the contract to build the main line, and bought out the franchise of the Leavenworth, Pawnee and Western Branch. 'About the same time work was resumed on the Pacific Railroad in Missouri on a contract to complete seventeen miles of the line eastward from this city. It was expected to have the road completed to Independence by November, and finished early in 1864. On the 7th of July ground was broken for the Union Pacific Railroad at this city. By November i8th the first forty miles of the Union Pacific were graded, when there arose a controversy between Samuel Hallett on the one side and Fremont and Ross, Steele & Co. on the other, which with the approaching cold weather, stopped active operations. The Missouri Pacific, however, was not thus fortunate. The woods along the line were so full of bush-whackers that work had to be stopped. In August Cole Younger, with a party, burned Pleasant Hill, and Quantrell sallied forth from his headquarters in the Missouri borders, in August, and on the 21st burned and sacked Lawrence, retreating again to Missouri to renew his depredations.

A Memorable Epoch

Prior to this, in the spring of 1863, it had been determined to dislodge the bush-whackers and guerrillas, who were operating in western Missouri, and to that end the District of the Border, embracing par.t of western Missouri and eastern Kansas had been erected, and on the 15th of April Gen. Blunt was placed in command with headquarters at Kansas City. His methods did not, however, prove vigorous enough to accomplish the end designed, and on the i6th of June he was superseded by Gen. Ewing, whose policy, though more vigorous, was not sufficiently so to clear the woods of the predatory bands or prevent the affairs

The affairs above mentioned seemed to call for more vigorous measures still, and it appeared then, to the satisfaction of Gen. Ewing, who commanded the District, and of Gen. Schofield, who commanded the department, that the only effective way of ridding the country of bush-whackers, would be to rid it also of their aiders and abettors among the people. Accordingly, on the 23rd of August, Gen. Ewing promulgated his celebrated Order No. 11.

This order was rigidly enforced, and it made a desolation of all the country embraced in it. It stopped for a time all bush-whacking, and filled Kansas City and Independence with the refugee people.

In November, Gen. Ewing issued General Order No. 20, which provided for the return of all loyal people to their homes, and during the winter of 1863-4, the provisions of order No. 11 were entirely removed. In February, 1864, the District of the Border was abolished, Gen. Ewing was ordered to Pilot Knob and Col. Ford, of the Second Colorado Cavalry succeeded him in command at Kansas City, with headquarters at Independence.

The Railroads Again

When the river froze up in December, 1863, the Union Pacific Railroad had received at St. Joseph, iron and equipments for forty miles of road but could not get them to Kansas City untiLspring opened. The winter was spent in purchasing ties and making arrangements for a vigorous prosecution of the work in the spring.

Early in the winter the Leavenworth people invited Mr. Hallett to visit them. He much desired a connection to the east that would not subject him to the exigencies of river navigation, and they, the previous winter, had got through the Missouri Legislature, a charter for a road from that place to Cameron. Mr. Hallett went, accompanied by Mr. S. W. Bouton, of this city, and found that they wanted to turn over their charter and get him to work up the interest and built the road. This was a critical time for Kansas City, for had that arrangement been consummated, it would have given Leavenworth the Cameron Railroad and the bridge, and secured for her future pre-eminence. Mr. Bouton saw the danger, and used his best efforts, with s.uccess, to induce Mr. Hallett not to make a contract with them until after he should return to this city, promising him that if he would come back here he would procure for him all rights and franchises of the Cameron road from this city, on which $168,000 had already been expended, and the road-bed of which was already completed. Mr. Hallett returned, and Mr.' Bouton called the company together and got it organized as follows: Col. Coales, President; J. M. Jones, Vice-President; S. W. Bouton, Secretary; W. A. Morton, Treasurer; Col. Coates, M. J. Payne, E. M. McGee, C. A. Carpenter, S. W. Bouton, T. S. Case, J. M. Jones, Mr. Deering and Mr. Hall, Directors. Mr. Bouton then got himself appointed attorney for the transfer of the stock of Kansas City and Clay county, and offered the road to Mr. Hallett as a gift. This had occupied the time till July, 1864,. and Mr. Hallett appointed the 28th of that month to come over to this city and execute the necessary contract, when he was suddenly assassinated by O. G. Talcott, one of his engineers.

An incident in connection with this negotiation of Mr. Bouton with Mr. Hallett ought to be told, though it never was very generally known here in Kansas City. At the preceding fall election Col. Van Horn had been elected to the State Senate, and Messrs. E. M. McGee and M.J. Payne to the House. A leave of absence had been granted Col. Van Horn from the army and he was in Jefferson City at the time. As soon as Mr. Bouton returned from Leavenworth he made the draft of two bills and sent them to Col. Van Horn to be passed. One of them amended the character of the Leavenworth & Cameron Railroad by diverting it at Platte City to Weston, six miles above Leavenworth; the other suspended the operation of the general incorporation law of the State in Platte county, so that a new road could not be started under its provisions. The three gentlemen at Jefferson City soon got the bills passed and thus left Leavenworth without a charter that was worth anything to anybody.

While these negotiations were pending, there was much activity in railroad matters. The press began the agitation of a railroad to Olathe and Fort Scott. Some favorable legislation for the Missouri Pacific was secured in the Legislature that winter, which so encouraged the people of this city as to call forth the greatest rejoicing at a public meeting held for that purpose February ii, 1864. In February the Union Pacific company was re-oganized in St. Louis, at which General Fremont was dropped out; and John D. Perry of the Missouri Pacific, became vice-president and acting president. This led to another difficulty and more litigation between Hallett & Co. , on the one hand, and Fremont and Ross, Steele & Co., on the other, bat the latter was defeated, and the Government recognized the former as the rightful company. In February the Missouri Pacific began laying track between Warrensburg and Dresden, and grading between Warrensburg and Pleasant Hill. On the 24th of March the first locomotive and boat load of iron for the Union Pacific arrived at Wyandotte from St. Joseph.

About this time the Union Pacific company directed its engineers to make a survey of the route of a road that had been chartered and had a land grant from Lawrence southward to the State line, now the_K. C. , L. & S. R. R., and also of the line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, which also had a land grant, from Topeka to the western State line.

Mr. Hallett, expecting to obtain control of the Kansas City and Cameron road, and wanting no rival line, caused himself to be elected a director in the Parkville & Grand River Railroad, and thus obtained control of it. This road had almost as much work done on it as had been done on the Kansas City and Cameron road and ran from Parkville, eight miles above Kansas City, to Cameron.

In April the Missouri Pacific company determined to complete the line between Kansas City and Independence, and in June sent the first engine and iron for the track to Kansas City.

In June, a treaty was made with the Delaware Indians for the surrender of their lands in Kansas, one of the provisions of which was, that a railroad should be built with the proceeds of the lands between this city and Leavenworth. This road is now the extension of the Missouri Pacific up the river from this city. About this time it was announced that the Union Pacific would be completed and opened to Lawrence on the i8th of August, but owing to the assassination of Mr. Hallett in July, it was not so opened until December igth.

In June 1864, the North Missouri Railroad Company came into possession of the charter and franchises of the Missouri Valley Railway Company, which was to build a line from Brunswick up the river to St. Joseph. Leavenworth turned her attention to this road, but effected nothing. It has since been built to this city, and is now the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific.

The Great Raid Of 1864

These enterprising measures were in progress only because of the practical freedom of Missouri from rebels and bush-whackers ; but they were not destined to continue without interruption from that source. In August it was discovered that Vallandigham, of Ohio, had, during his banishment, formed a conspiracy at

Historv Of Kansas City

Richmond to arouse the secession sympathies of the North, and during his stay in Canada had so far perfected the organization that associations of them had been formed throughout the North and West. Many of the prominent men engaged in it were immediately arrested, but not enough to stop it. A raid by Price into Missouri was to be the signal of their uprising, and that raid was to be made in October. He entered the State with about 18,000 men, by way of Pilot Knob, where he had a severe fight with Gen. Ewing, Sept, 27 th. Ewing retreated, but contested his march again at Harrisonville, from the 27th to the ist of October.

Price then continued his victorious march to the northwest, fighting at almost every step, and gathering reinforcements as he went. His entrance into the State was signalized by an uprising of his sympathizers throughout the State. The woods were again swarming with them, as in 1861. The very bushes seemed to hear them as they bear leaves, and eveti as far north as Atchison county the old scenes of 1861 were being repeated. Union men were equally prompt to rise. Missouri and Kansas were placed under martial law, and every man capable of bearing arms was ordered out. It was a time of the utmost excitement and agitation. There was but one cry - to arms ! to arms ! - and throughout the two States there was but one employment - preparing for the fray. About the 26th of October Gen. Blunt was driven out of Lexington. On the 21st there was serious fighting at Little Blue, Col. Moonlight's command of Kansas troops, engaging the entire army. Col. Ford, with the Second Colorado, abandoned Independence, and there seemed to be nothing but fire and pillage in store for Kansas 'City. However, General Curtis, in command of the Department of Kansas and General Rosecrans, in command of the Department of Missouri gathered force fast enough to divert Price to the southwest. From Little Blue he moved up the road toward Kansas City, until he reached the Big Blue, at a point where the roads for Kansas City and Westport cross. Here another sharp fight occurred. Thence Price turned toward Westport, and another fight occurred at that place. And from there he went south, fighting all the way. While these movements were being executed and these battles fought between Price's main army and the forces against him, fighting between smaller parties was going on all over the county, and north of the river in Clay, and adjacent counties. Price had sent out recruiting parties and his forces gathered fast, so that although he was in the State but little more than a month, and was fighting all the while, he left it with about 12,000 men more than he brought with him.

This was the last raid into Missouri, and, aside from bush- whacking, was the end of the war for this city. Peaceful pursuits were resumed, but the disorder and damage to the railroad enterprises in which Kansas City was interested, was such that nothing more was done on them that year except the Union Pacific, which was opened to Lawrence in December. The Missouri Pacific was so injured that it had to ask for aid to repair the damage, which was given by St. Louis, under authority of the Legislature, to the extent of $700,000, in January 1865.