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Ewing, Thomas (1829-1896) to Thomas Ewing

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03599 Author/Creator: Ewing, Thomas (1829-1896) Place Written: Kansas City, Missouri Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 14 September 1863 Pagination: 4 p. ; 26 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

General Ewing, commander of the District of the Border (Kansas-Missouri), writes to his father following the Lawrence Massacre. States "I have received your two letters from Washington, and am glad to be assured that the demoniac ravings of the rabble in Leavensworth over the Lawrence Massacre and their threats of ill directed vengeance, have only created with the Administration contempt for the base demagogues who make the excitement their stock in trade." Writes that United States Senator, James Henry Lane, criticized General John McAllister Schofield following the Massacre and Ewing's issue of orders expelling persons from the border area. Encloses a newspaper clipping (not included) with proceedings of the Union League of Kansas City discussing his expulsion orders. States "The truth is, both populations on the two sides of the border, were being worn & thinned out by abrasion- and the Missouri side becoming rapidly deserted by all except the families of guerillas. The inevitable fate of the population on the Missouri side- especially after the Lawrence Massacre- was, removal..." States that in his opinion, Schofield is supportive of the expulsion orders, and that Schofield formerly advised a similar order which would have allowed neutral families to remain in the border area. Discusses the impracticality of allowing neutral families to remain in the border area. Written on Headquarters District of the Border stationery.

Ewing Sr. served as Senator 1831-1837 and 1850-1851. The Kansas-Missouri border area experienced frequent raids on both Confederate and Union sides. In August 1863, guerrilla General William Quantrill's raiders committed a violent massacre in Lawrence, Kansas.

Ewing, Thomas, 1829-1896
Ewing, Thomas, 1789-1871
Lane, James Henry, 1814-1866
Schofield, John McAllister, 1831-1906

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