West Cemetery, Iola, Kansas
THIS MONTH IN THE CIVIL WAR IN KANSAS
INFORMATION FROM "THE ANNALS OF KANSAS" BY DANIEL W. WILDER
PUBLISHED IN 1875
JUNE
1861
JUNE 1.-- F. P. Stanton appointed to take charge of military affairs in New Mexico.
-- Col. Emory and Maj. S. D. Sturgis arrive at Fort Leavenworth from the South with United States troops.
JUNE 3.-- Gen Lyon in command of the Military Department of the West.
-- Death of Stephen A. Douglas. He had given warm and efficient support to the Union cause and to President Lincoln.
-- Rebel flag captured at Iatan, Mo., and brought to Leavenworth by Frank H. Drenning, Frank M. Tracy, Thos. Merrick, G. Mellen Lewis, Richard D. Lender, Wm. Smart, James Liddle, Emil Umfried, Mr. Voeth, Fred. Amerine, Theo. Kroll, and Henry Laurenzier. These men were all from the Elmwood Guards, and the Leavenworth Steuben Guards, a German company, and all soldiers of the First Kansas. Drenning was struck by two balls; two bullets entered Umfried's body and one his leg, and Voeth was shot in the leg. It was the first Rebel flag captured, and created intense excitement, many prominent men opposing the act as illegal. A public meeting in Lawrence endorsed the act of the soldiers, and the Leavenworth Conservative for sustaining them.
JUNE 4.-- Adjournment of the Legislature.
-- The name of Lykins county was changed by the Legislature to Miami; of Dorn to Neosho, and of Godfrey to Seward. An act was passed providing for the election of a District Attorney in each Judicial District, and an act calling an election for the permanent location of the State capital. The acts authorizing the issue of bonds created much discussion.
JUNE 4.-- Organization of the First Kansas.
JUNE 10.-- Captain Alfred Sully goes from Fort Leavenworth to St. Joseph, with a force of regulars, to organize a Home Guard.
JUNE 11.-- Conway elected to Congress.
-- The Second Kansas organized at Lawrence.
-- Capt. Prince leaves Fort Leavenworth with regulars for Kansas City.
JUNE 13.-- Seven companies of the First Kansas leave Leavenworth for Kansas City. The Second Kansas starts from Lawrence for Kansas City.
JUNE 13.-- Sol. Miller publishes Legislative Sketches in the White Cloud Chief. This is one of them:
"W. F. M. &c. ARNY--Mr. Arny is one of the Representatives from the Anderson District. He was born on the Peak of Teneriffe, in a very dry season; and the soothsayers who were present upon the melancholy ocassion, predicted that wherever he went drought would follow him. Such has been his experience in Kansas. His name originally was 'Nary', and is supposed to have signified that 'nary' thing would grow where he cast his lot. Thus, Kansas has recently experienced the calamity of 'nary' corn, 'nary' wheat, 'nary' beans, 'nary' grass seed, 'nary' clothing for volunteers, etc. By some means, the letters forming his name have been transposed, and he is now called 'Arny'. His parents found great difficulty in deciding upon a name for him --they had so many from which to choose, and so many letters of the alphabet looked well in a name. They finally hit upon a plan to settle the question. The old man resolved to fashion all the letters of the alphabet out of potter's clay, then throw them against the side of the house, and as many of them as struck to the wall, those letters should form initials of his name; but those that fell off, should be discarded. He carried out his design--it was a good day for the business and nearly all letters stuck!"
JUNE 13.-- An article by R. C. Satterlee, in theLeavenworth Herald, on the Iatan flag matter, charging D. R. Anthony, of the Conservative, with falsehood, led to a shooting affray between the two men, in which Satterlee was killed. Anthony was tried before Judge McDowell, and acquitted.
JUNE 17.-- Gov. Robinson calls for more troops.
-- Gen. Lyon defeats Claib. Jackson at Booneville, Mo.
JUNE 20.-- Second Kansas organized.
-- The remainder of the First Kansas go to Kansas City.
JUNE 22.-- Fall of a brick block at Wyandotte.
JUNE 24.-- The First Kansas and regulars. under Maj. Samuel D. Sturgis, leave Kansas City for Springfield, Mo.
JUNE 25.-- James H. Lane publishes a statement in the Conservative in which he says: "On the 20th instant I was duly appointed a Brigadier General in the volunteer force of the United States."
JUNE 26.-- The Second Kansas leaves Kansas City.
1862
JUNE 2.-- The Senate meets as a Court of Impeachment. Counsel for defense, Wilson Shannon, Fred P. Stanton, and N. P. Case; prosecution, Samuel A. Stinson, Azel Spaulding, Davies Wilson, and W. R. Wagstaff.
JUNE 3.-- The Conservative is printed on a Hoe Cylinder Press, the first one brought to the State. Francis J. Nutz puts it up.
JUNE 3.-- Stephen A. Cobb sworn in as the successor of Senator O. B. Gunn.
-- Thos. A. Osborn elected President pro tem. of the Senate over John J. Ingalls, on the fourteenth ballot.
-- The trial of John W. Robinson, Secretary of State, begins.
JUNE 6.-- Byron Sherry elected Journal Clerk, and Richard J. Hinton and Robert Parham, Reporters.
JUNE 11.-- The following is copied from the argument of Attorney General Stinson:
"Now, may it please this honorable Court, where is the first word of legal or competent testimony tending to show that Hillyer and Robinson might not have sold these bonds without the assistance or intervention of Stevens? We have the unsupported and somewhat interested opinion of Stevens on the point. We have the testimony of counsel in their Congressional experiences.
"Mr. Stanton: I did not testify.
"Mr. Stinson: I meant this remark in no disrespectful sense. I referred to the Congressional experiences which I understood you and Gov. Shannon to favor the Court with.
"Mr. Stanton: The Attorney General is mistaken; I gave no Congressional experiences.
"Mr. Stinson: Then I will throw the burden on Gov. Shannon. He must stand it, for he is not here to defend himself.
"The only reason seems to be that they understood from Senator Pomeroy, that they better not try. Take this testimony together, and if it all be true, that distinguished Senator seems to have been drawn into the meshes of this web of conspiracy and fraud. He testified in his deposition, that he is 'a laborer.' The Scripture says 'the laborer is worthy of his hire.' Let us, for the honor of the State, if we can, so liberally and charitably construe this testimony as to exclude the idea that the laborer received his hire in this transaction. Even this allusion may do injustice to an innocent man; but he who touches pitch must be defiled. The people of the State will gratefully accept, and at the same time earnestly insist upon, a full explanation of Mr. Pomeroy's conexion with this transaction."
JUNE 12.-- The following is copied from the Report of the Trial:
"The first Article of Impeachment was read by the Secretary pro tem.
"ARTICLE 1. That the said John W. Robinson was, prior to the third day of June, A. D. 1861, ever since has been, and still is, Secretary of State of said State of Kansas. That on the fifth day of June A. D. 1861, the said John W. Robinson, as Secretary of State, together with the Governor and Auditor of said State, was authorized and empowered to negotiate and sell bonds of the State, the issuance of which was provided for in the act authorizing the negotiation of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars of the bonds of the State of Kansas, to defray the current expenses of the State, approved May 1, 1861.
"That bonds of the State of Kansas, to defray the current expenses of said State as aforesaid, were prepared, executed, and issued according to law.
"That the said John W. Robinson, being so empowered to sell and negotiate said bonds, did authorize and empower Robert S. Stevens to negotiate and sell bonds, to the amount of eighty-seven thousand two hundred dollars, at any price over sixty per centum upon the amount of the said bonds, he, the said Stevens, paying to the state no more than sixty per centum of said amount; that under said agreement, and with full agreement, and with full knowledge and consent of said Robinson, said Stevens proceeded to sell and deliver a large amount of said bonds, at the rate of eighty-five per centum on said amount of fifty-six thousand dollars, all of which was well known to said Robinson; and under the said agreement, with the full knowledge and consent of Robinson, said Stevens paid over and accounted to said State for only the amount of sixty per centum on said bonds so sold as aforesaid, which said agreement, so made and entered into by said Robinson, was in direct violation of the laws of said State in this, that under the said laws said bonds could not be sold for less than seventy per centum on the amount of said bonds; and was in violation of the official duties of the said Robinson in this, that the said State was, by said agreement, defrauded out of its just rights, in that said State was entitled to receive the full amount for which said bonds were sold, while in truth and in fact, with the full knowledge and consent of the said Robinson, said bonds were sold for eighty-five per centum upon the dollar of the amount of said bonds, while in truth and in fact the said State did not receive more than sixty per centum upon the whole amount of said bonds so sold: whereby said John W. Robinson betrayed the trust reposed in him by the State of Kansas, subjected said State to great pecuniary loss, and has thereby been guilty of a high misdemeanor in said office of Secretary of State aforesaid."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"The President pro tem, then took the opinion of the members of the Court respectively, in the form following:
"Mr. ------, how say you." In the respondent, John W. Robinson, Guilty or Not Guity of a High Misdemeanor, as charged in this Article of Impeachment."
"The following gentlemen voted Guilty, in response to the Chair; Messrs. Bayless, Cobb, Connell, Curtis, Essick, Holliday, Hubbard, Keller, Knowles, Lambdin, McDowell, Osborn, Rankin, Ross, Roberts, Sleeper, and Spriggs--17
"Those voting Not Guilty were: Messrs. Barnett, Ingalls, Denman, and Lappin--4"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"The President then arose, and recapitulated the votes thus:
"On the first Article of Impeachment, seventeen gentlemen having voted Guilty, and four Not Guilty; on the second, ten gentlemen having voted Guilty, and eleven gentlemen Not Guilty; on the third, eight gentleman having voted Guilty and thirteen voted Not Guilty; on the forth, five gentlemen voted Guilty, and sixteen Not Guilty; on the fifth seven gentlemen voted Guilty, and fourteen gentlemen Not Guilty; on the sixth twenty-one gentlemen voted Not Guilty; on the seventh, twenty-one gentlemen having voted Not Guilty; on the eighth, twenty-one gentlemen having voted Not Guilty--it therefore appears, that John W. Robinson is found Guilty of High Misdemeanor in office, as charged in the first Article of Impeachment, and is acquitted on the secon, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth Articles."
The Senate then voted to remove Secretary Robinson from office, by 18 to 3.
The trial of Geo. S. Hillyer, Auditor, followed.
JUNE 15.-- The Leavenworth Inquirer suppressed by Gen. Blunt.
JUNE 16.-- The following is copied from page 396 of the Trial:
"The President then arose and recapitulated the vote thus:
"On the first Article of Impeachment, seventeen gentlemen having voted Guilty, and four Not Guilty; on the second, nine gentlemen having voted Guilty, and twelve Not Guilty; on the third, six gentlemen having voted Guilty, and fifteen Not Guilty; on the fourth, five gentlemen having voted Guilty, and sixteen Not Guilty; on the fifth, no gentlemen having voted Guilty, and nineteen voting Not Guilty; on the sixth, four gentlemen having voted Guilty, and seventeen Not Guilty; on the seventh, twenty-one gentlemen voted Not Guilty-it therefore appears, that George S. Hillyer is found Guilty of High Misdemeanor in office, as charged in the first Article of Impeachment, and is Acquitted on the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh Articles."
The Senate then voted, by 18 to 2, to remove Auditor Hillyer from officer. The following is the Article on which he was found guilty:
"ARTICLE !. That the said George S. Hillyer, as Auditor of State of the State of Kansas, was together with the Secretary of State and Governor of said State by the laws of said State, authorized and empowered to negotiate and sell the bonds of the State, the issuance of which was provided for in the act authorizing the negotiation of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars of the bonds of the State of Kansas, to defray the current expenses of the State, approved May 1, 1861.
"That bonds of the State of Kansas, to defray the current expenses of the State as aforesaid were prepared, executed, and issued according to law.
"That said George S. Hillyer, being so empowered to sell and negotiate said bonds, did authorize and empower one Robert S. Stevens to negotiate and sell bonds, to the amount of eighty-seven thousand two hundred dollars, at any price over sixty per centum upon the amount of the said bonds, he, the said Stevens, paying to the state no more than sixty per centum of said amount; that under said agreement, and with full agreement, and with full knowledge and consent of said Hillyer, said Stevens proceeded to sell and deliver a large amount of said bonds, at the rate of eighty-five per centum on said amount of fifty-six thousand dollars, all of which was well known to said Hillyer; and under the said agreement, with the full knowledge and consent of Hillyer, said Stevens paid over and accounted to said State for only the amount of sixty per centum on said bonds so sold as aforesaid, which said agreement, so made and entered into by said Hillyer, was in direct violation of the laws of said State in this, that under the said laws said bonds could not be sold for less than seventy per centum on the amount of said bonds; and was in violation of the official duties of the said Hillyer in this, that the said State was, by said agreement, defrauded out of its just rights, in that said State was entitled to receive the full amount for which said bonds were sold, while in truth and in fact, with the full knowledge and consent of the said Hillyer, said bonds were sold for eighty-five per centum upon the dollar of the amount of said bonds, while in truth and in fact the said State did not receive more than sixty per centum upon the whole amount of said bonds so sold: whereby said Hillyer betrayed the trust reposed in him by the State of Kansas, subjected said State to great pecuniary loss, and has thereby been guilty of a high misdemeanor in said office of Auditor of State aforesaid."
The trial of Gov. Robinson followed, and was concluded the same day. His acquittal is thus announced:
"The President then arose, and recapitulated the votes thus:
"On the first Article, two gentlemen have pronounced Guilty, and nineteen Not Guilty; on the second Article, there is an unanimous vote of Not Guilty; on the third Article, there is an unanimous vote of Not Guilty; on the fourth Article, there is an unanimous vote of Not Guilty; on the fifth Article, one has said Guilty, and twenty Not Guilty; hence it appears that there is not a constitutional majority of votes finding Charles Robinson Guilty on any Article. It therefore becomes my duty to declare that Charles Robinson stands Acquitted of all Articles exhibited by the House of Representatives against him."
The Court adjourns. The volume of "Proceedings in the Impeachment Cases" contains 425 pages. The printing was superintended by Senator Ingalls. The report was made by R. J. Hinton.
JUNE 18.-- D. R. Anthony, Lieutenant Colonel of the Seventh Kansas, issued an Order concluding as follows:
"Any officer or soldier of this command who shall arrest and deliver to his master a fugitive slave, shall be summarily and severely punished, according to the laws relative to such crimes."
For issuing this Order, Col. Anthony was arrested and deprived of his command in Tennessee.
JUNE 20.-- Decision of Attorney General Edward Bates published. Gov. Robinson had commissioned A. L. Lee as Colonel of the Seventh. Lieut. Gov. Root gave Chas. W. Blair a commission for the same position. Gen. Blunt referred the question to the U. S. Attorney General, and received this reply:
"The absence of Governor Robinson from the State did not create the disability contemplated by the Constitution of Kansas, by which the Lieutenant Governor would be authorized to perform the duties of Governor."
Since this time the Private Secretary of the Governor has acted as Governor when the Governor has been absent.
JUNE 22.-- Organization of the Second Indian regiment.
JUNE 24.-- Treaty with the Ottawa Indians. The Ottawas to become citizens in five years; lands to be divided between them; 20,000 acres set apart for the purpose of endowing a school; ten acres for the benefit of the Ottawa Baptist Church, etc. C. C. Hutchinson is the Ottawa Indian Agent.
JUNE 28.-- Treaty with the Kickapoos. A portion of their lands to be set apart and held in severalty; the remainder to be sold. New homes to be purchased in the Indian country. The Atchison & Pike's Peak R. R. Co. may buy the lands, to be sold at $1.25 an acre.
JUNE 30.-- Bill and Jim Anderson, Quantrell and others, make a raid into the State, shoot A. I. Baker and Segur, and set fire to the building they are in. Segur escapes and dies, while Baker dies immediately, and his body is burned to ashes. The Emporia News publishes the report.
1863
JUNE 1.-- Sidney Clarke appointed Provost Marshal for Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado.
JUNE 3.-- Two desperados, James Melvine and William Cannon, hung at Highland by citizens.
JUNE 11.-- Col. James Montgomery, of Kansas, with his colored regiment, leaves Hilton Head for a raid in Georgia.
-- Vallandigham nominated for Governor of Ohio.
1864
JUNE 1.-- Democratic State Convention at Topeka. Wilson Shannon, President; John R. Goodin, Secretay. Committee on Credentials: W. G. Mathias, Hugh S. Walsh, Isaac E. Eaton, J. P. Taylor, Judge Miller.
The following delegates to the Chicago National Convention were elected: W. C. McDowell, Wilson Shannon, Orlin Thurston, L.B. Wheat, H. J. Strickler, J. P. Taylor.
Presidential Electors: Nelson Cobb, Thomas Bridgens, John W. Forman. State Committee, W. P. Gambell, Isaac E. Eaton, Edward Carroll, E. J. Lines, H.S. Walsh, Dr. Milligan, Allen White, O. P. Haughawout, A. G. Otis.
The Convention passed a resolution declaring it expedient to establish a Democratic journal in Leavenworth, and the following, offered by Mr. Gambell:
"Resolved, That we are in favor of making Kansas a free white State."
JUNE 1.-- Railroad Convention of the Border Tier counties at Paola; W. R. Wagstaff, President. The Convention asks for a large grant and appropriations for railroad from the Missouri river to the Gulf.
JUNE 4.-- Neosho Valley Railroad Convention, at Emporia; S. M. Strickler, President. Articles of Association were drawn up for a railroad from a point near Fort Riley, through the Neosho Valley, in the direction of Galveston. Robert M. Ruggles was made President of the Association.
JUNE.-- The first catalogue published of the Agricultural College; there are 108 pupils.
JUNE 7, 8.-- National Republican Convention at Baltimore. Nomination of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.
