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On April 19, 1862, a
public meeting was held in
Independence pursuant to a
call previously issued, for
the purpose of mitigating
the rigors of war, which
during the previous years
had devastated the country
in the vicinity of
Independence.
An address to the people of
Jackson County declared that
"We now live in a sate of
anarchy and lawless
violence. ... If we have
been misled by exciting
appeals to our passions, or
if we have been moved by the
generous sympathies of our
nature to turn the channel
of our thought and action in
the wrong direction, it is
not too late to retrace our
steps."
The meeting issued a
"Declaration," which follows
and which was signed by the
citizens, whose names are
appended:
"We, the undersigned
citizens of Jackson County,
Missouri, desiring to make
known to the public
authorities and all others
whom it may concern, our
position in reference to the
present deplorable civil
strife in which our beloved
country is involved, do not
hesitate to declare:
"That whatever prejudices
swayed our judgments during
the political excitements of
the past, we are now fully
assured that the interest,
as well as the geographical
position of our state,
unites her indissolubly to
the Federal union,
established by our fathers,
and attached as we are to
her soil, and by education
and habit devoted to her
institutions, we earnestly
desire to share her destiny
herein.
"In harmony with the above
declaration, thus
voluntarily made, we hereby
solemnly pledge ourselves
that we will give no
countenance, aid or support,
in any manner whatsoever, to
any person, combinations of
persons or states who are
endeavoring by force of arms
or otherwise to overthrow
the Government of the United
States or impair its
constitutional authority
within the limits of our
state." (Names at the bottom
of this post)
Notwithstanding this
passionate declaration for
peace, there was no peace.
Killing and burning
continued; Bushwhackers and
Red Legs came often to
Independence, and in August
the following the above
Declaration, a bloody battle
was
fought on the streets of
Independence.
War conditions did not en d
in Jackson County when Lee
surrendered to Grant.
The Independence Sentinel in
its issue of Aug. 11, 1866,
contained an editorial which
proclaimed final peace in
Jackson County. The
subtitle to the editorial
proclaimed "Peace in Jackson
County -- The Last of the
War -- Glorious work of the
Law and Order Association --
Bush-Whackers give bonds
-- no more discord and
commotion." Quoting the
editorial in the Sentinel:
"For some weeks back a
growing anxiety existed lest
by some misapprehension of
the desire and intent of the
civil authorities
difficulties might arise
that would again involve us
in the wild and reckless
confusion that prevailed
during the war. It was
thought that the sheriff had
indictments in his hands
against many returned
Confederate soldiers, upon
which he was bound to
procure their arrest, and
they themselves being under
the same impression and
fearing that in case of
their arrest they might be
taken for trial otherwise
have an impartial
examination. Many of them
absented themselves from
their homes, and might be
induced to resist the
necessary enforcement of
legal process. Such being
the case it was easy to
perceive that a single
collision would put the
matter beyond remedy, and
hence it was sought on the
part of a few of our
citizens to bring about a
conference between these
parties and the Sheriff
(Major Williams) in the hope
that the erroneous
impressions which they had
as to the number of
indictments against them
might be corrected. ... A
meeting was accordingly
agreed upon to take place
some miles east of
Independence, it having been
mutually understood that no
arrests on the one hand nor
violence on the other would
be attempted."
The conference was
accordingly held between the
sheriff and the
ex-guerillas, and peace
established. The
indictments in the Sheriff's
hands were not against
Confederate soldiers in the
regular service, but only
against members of the
several guerilla bands,
chiefly Quantrell's band.
For some years the
ex-guerillas were
apprehensive of the civil
authorities, but there is
nothing of record to show
that any of them were
arrested, except Frank
Gregg, who stood trial and
was acquitted.
Although strongly Southern
in sympathy as we shall now
discover, we shall also
discover toward the close of
this Topic that the citizens
of Independence grew weary
of the war and wanted peace.
When news reached
Independence that Fort
Sumpter had surrendered to
the South, the purpose
quickly formed among the
Southern advocates, to cross
the river and rifle the
United States Arsenal at
Liberty Landing. This was
successfully accomplished by
men from Independence,
Kansas City, and Liberty.
Some of the cannon carried
away from the Arsenal were
secreted near Independence.
Firearms also were
distributed to those willing
to take the chance of having
the same in their
possession. A few years ago
somebody near Independence
unearthed a short sword,
which the late Capt. Ed.
Strode recognized as the
kind he had seen distributed
from the Liberty Arsenal
These swords were not more
than two feet in length and
were trophies brought from
Mexico by Missourians upon
their return from the
Mexican War.
The rifling of the Liberty
Arsenal was a habit with the
Missourians, who upon any
invasion of Kansas, used to
"borrow" whatever they
wanted from the Arsenal.
Such borrowed arms were,
according to the testimony
of the late Col. R. T. Van
Horn, faithfully returned,
as the Missourians were on
good terms with the
administration at Washington
City, but in 1861 the
National administration had
changed and was inimical to
Missouri methods. Therefore
the arms taken were not
borrowed, but captured, as
from an enemy, and were not
returned. |
