, 1862-02-08
Condition of Things in the Missouri Kan
sas Border Counties


The cars which arrived from the West recently,
brought here several families from Barton county
Among them were those of one Allen, formerly
Of New York, aud of Rose, formerly of Ohio
These gentlemen have been living for some time
in LAMAR the county seat of Barton county, and
doing business there-Allen had a store there
They are now taking their families to homes in
the East, intending that they shall remain there
until the return of more quiet times in Missouri
The account they give of the condition of the
more Southern counties bordering on Kansas is a
most painful one.
Early in June Governor Jackson's army came
through Barton county and pressed great deal
of property Of various kinds, giving State scrip in
exchange for it. Horses, mules and cattle were
taken groceries, dry goods, etc., flour, wheat ard
grain. After they left, the Kansas 'jayhawkers"
entered the county from neighboring counties a.
cross the line and seized stock belonging to Sc
cessionists. Large quantities of animals were dri
ven off. In one of these forays, three men who
were on their way to join Jackson were taken by
them and shot. The revenge for this was the
hanging Oftwo OF their men at subsequent time
As an offset to these jjayhawkers, force was got
together in Barton and adjoining counties These
did a great deal of plundering at the expense of
friend or foe, not limiting their seizure or rather
robberes, to farm stock or stuff but robbng stores
and dwellings. Every store in Lamar was emptied
of its goods either by Jacksons men or by his
Home Guard. The destitution which has follow
ed these successive scourges is extreme. There is
hardly anything in the shape of subsistence left
in the country. The horses and cattle have been
driven off; the wheat and grain have been seized
used up or wasted and there is an utter destitu-
ton of sugar and coffee, and even of salt There
are but few hogs eft-the most of them having
been killed for food or wantonly destroyed There
is some but not much corn in the county-the
crop having been destroyed by the destruction of
fences There is also great destitution of cloth
ing. The prospects for such of the people there
as are obliged to remain in that county the com
ing winter is gloomy one and there must inev-
itably be vast deal of suffering
The population of the town is reduced to about
a tenth of what it was, and that of the county
more than one half The condition of Barton
county is very much the same as that of Vernon
and Jasper and many adjoining counties The
town of Carthage was deserted a short time SINCE
when the inhabitants heard of the approach of the
Federal troops
Probably no part of the United States ever be-
fore presented so extensive scene of devastation.
Wasted now by one party and then by another
pillaged by banditti as well as plucked by militia
ry requisltiOns the suffering inhabitants have
been kept for months in continual state of alarm
and terror. Hundreds and thousands have not
dared to sleep in their houses more than half the
time. Such valuables as they could put out of
sight they have hid away, and many families
would now be starving had they not concealed
necessary supplies of food. In some cases all
they have to support life is corn No description
of the actual destitution would give an adequate
idea of the amount and intensity of the prvations
and distress through that whole region of coun-
try.-&. Louis Republican,