MISSOURI. 



, r >03 



earnestly invited the people of the States interested to 

 take into consideration the said joint resolution ; be it 

 therefore 



J&wlnd I??. That in the opinion of this convention 

 the proposition contained in the said joint resolution 

 adopted by Congress, approved, 1S62, is entitled as 

 well from its source as from its intrinsic importance to 

 the deliberate aud respectful consideration of the peo- 

 ple of Missouri. 



Revolted ~2d. That while a majority of the conven- 

 tion have not felt authorized at this time to take action 

 in respect to the grave and delicate question of private 

 rights and public policy, presented by said resolution, 

 yet this body desires cordially to recognize as well the 

 generous spirit displayed by the Government of the 

 United States as the eminent patriotism and ability 

 which have distinguished the President of the United 

 - in his efforts to subdue this unholy rebellion, 

 and restore peace and order to this State. 



An ordinance was then adopted fixing the 

 time for all subsequent general elections on 

 the Tuesday next after the first Monday in 

 November, and the convention adjourned to the 

 4th of July, 1863, unless sooner called together 

 by the governor. 



On June 16th, in pursuance of a call issued 

 some time previous, a mass convention of eman- 

 cipationists, consisting of 195 delegates from 

 25 counties, assembled at Jefferson City, to 

 organize the party for the fall elections. * The 

 following, among other resolutions, were unan- 

 imously adopted by the convention, a consi- 

 derable number, if not a majority, of whom 

 were slaveholders: 



That the President of the United States, 

 by and with the approval of the National Congress, 

 having invited the loyal slave States to a considera- 

 tion of the propriety of initiating a system of gradual 

 emancipation for the purpose of relieving themselves 

 from the incubus of slavery, and removing causes that 

 are seized upon to promote disloyalty; and, further- 

 more, our own State Convention having had that sub- 

 ject before them for action aud thought, and having, 

 after mature reflection, resolved it was, in view of 

 present exigencies, one worthy of " the deliberate and 

 respectful consideration of the people of the State of 

 Missouri," therefore we take this the earliest oppor- 

 tunity of bringing the subject matter involved be- 

 fore our citizens for their consideration, in order that 

 they may take such action in regard thereto, both as 

 they have been invited to take, and as the public ne- 

 cessities require they should take in the premises. 



! hat we'are in favor of initiating forthwith 

 a system of emancipation for the State of Missouri, 

 gradual in its character, and the operation of which 

 shall be so adjusted as not to work injury to the pecu- 

 niary interests of any loyal citizens whose vested prop- 

 erty rights may be involved, and not to disturb by any 

 violent disruption present social relations in our com- 

 munity. 



Hesohfd, That the General Government, by the mu- 

 nificent tender of aid to the State, has relieved the 

 question of emancipation in Missouri of all constitu- 

 tional and financial embarrassment. 



Betolved, That it should be the duty of the next Gen- 

 eral Assembly of this State to take measures for secur- 

 ing from the National Government the aid pledged by 

 resolution of Congress to those States undertaking the 

 establishment of a system of gradual emancipation, 

 and that the same should be so disposed of as to insure 

 compensation to such as may be adjudged as entitled 

 to compensation for any losses that may be sustained 

 in the inauguration and consummation of such a 

 policy. 



Scarcely had the two conventions dissolved 

 when the State was threatened by a new and 



TOL. II. -33 



formidable outbreak of guerillas, who were 

 emboldened by the absence of the greater part 

 of the national forces to repeat on a more ex- 

 tensive scale their operations of the previous 

 year. The greater part of them consisted of 

 the disbanded troops of Gen. Price. 



On Jane 22, Gen. Schofield issued an order 

 holding " rebels and rebel sympathizers respon- 

 sible in their property, and, if need be, in their 

 persons, for damages thereafter committed by 

 guerillas or marauding parties." 



This had so little effect that by the middle 

 of July the whole northern and western parts 

 of the State were disturbed by rumors of gue- 

 rilla raids and outrages. In the northeast 

 quarter Col. Porter and Col. Qnantrell began, as 

 early as the last week in June, to gather fol- 

 lowers about them, and early in July the for- 

 mer was defeated and his band dispersed, at 

 Cherry Grove, in Schuyler county, on the Iowa 

 line. 



The increasing alarm in the State, heightened 

 by the apprehension that the sudden rising of 

 the guerillas was to be followed by another 

 invasion from the South, rendered necessary 

 vigorous measures of defence, and on July 22 

 the following important order was issued by 

 Governor Gamble : 



HKiDQrAETEBS. STATE OF MlSSOrEI. I 



ADJCTAXT-GENEP.AI/S OFFICE, ST. Lons, July 22, : 



The existence of numerous bands of guerillas in dif- 

 ferent parts of the State, who are engaged in robbing 

 and murdering peaceable citizens, for no other cause 

 than that such citizens are loyal to the Govern- 

 ment under which they have alwa'ys lived, renders it 

 necessary that the most stringent measures be adopted 

 to punish all such crimes, and to destroy such bands. 



Brigadier-General John M. Schofield", in command 

 of the Missouri State militia, is hereby authorized to 

 organize the entire militia of the State" into companies, 

 regiments, and brigades, and to order into active ser- 

 vice such portions of the force thus organized, as he 

 may judge necessary for the purpose ofpntting down 

 all marauders, and defending peaceable citizens of the 

 State. H. R. GAMBLE, 



Governor of the State of Missouri. 



This was followed on the same day by an 

 order from Gen. Schofield for the immediate 

 organization of all the militia of Missouri for 

 the purpose of exterminating the guerillas in- 

 festing the State. 



The organization of the militia was effected 

 with energy and rapidity, and in a brief space 

 of time the forces of the State were prepared to 

 make vigorous opposition to the guerillas in 

 all quarters. 



On July 28, Cols. Porter and Cobb were de- 

 feated in Calloway county, on the Missouri 

 river ; but within three days the former cap- 

 tured Xewark, in Knox county, with two com- 

 panies of national troops. About the same 

 time a new partisan leader, Col. Poindexter, 

 began to be active in the central counties on 

 the Missouri, and during the first week in 

 August his movements, together with those of 

 Col. Quantrell in the west, compelled the na- 

 tional commanders to take additional measures 

 of precaution. On August 6th, Col. Porter 



