The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-03-01
GEN. EWING,s MISSOURI Or
DER.

OF tue first opportunity that has pre-
sented itself to reply in detail to your
letter OF the Both of December last,
y Itswas in May 1863, that the com.
mand OF the Department of the Mis-
souri, devolyed upon me,aud YOU were
soon after assigned to command the
District which embraced the border of
Missouri and Kansas. The condition
OF that border at once became the sub
ject of earnest consideration. The guer-
lila warfare which had been waged
in that district, with only tempo
rAry iIitermissions, for two years, had
finally degenerated, as all such con-
tests are liable to do, into revolving
barbarism. Civilization and humani-
ty demanded its prompt suppression,
whatever might be the means neces-
sary to that end.
!, A large majority of the people had
already been driven from their homes
or had voluntarily left them. None
remained beyond the immediate pro-
lection OF the military posts, except
such as were, whether voluntarily or
not, useful to the gueriilas. Those
who remained were simply purveyors
tor those border warriors, furnishing
them the provisions, forage and tenn
pOrary shelter necessary for their op-
eratlOns.
There were two, and onlo two Dos
sible ways by which this border war
could be stopped. The one WAS to
permanently station in that region
troops enough TO protect &Il the peo-
pie, drive out the guerillas and pre-
vent their return. The other was to
remove the source from which the
guerillas obtained their supplies. The
latter was proposed by you and at
once admitted by me as a measure alb
sOlutely necessary to be adopted if the
former was impracticable, but I pre-
fered the former and hence hesitated
to adopt the latter. Bat [ had the
states of Missouri. Arkansas, Kansas
and Nebraska and Colorado and the
Indian Territories-over four hundred
thousand square miles of disturbed
territory to take care of, and opera
tions against the Confederate army in
Arkansas to be prosecuted. 1t was
difficult TO spare even a small force to
guard the border OF Kansas aud Mis-
souri,. There had already come de-
mand upon me from Washington to
send all possible reintorcements to
General Grant who was besieging
Vicksburg. To this all minor consid-
erations had to yield. The preserva-
ton of few farms with their crops in
Western Missouri Or anywhere else
could not be considered for a moment
i'll comparison with the success OF
Grants army in opening the Mississip-
pi, to the Gulf. OF course had sent
10 General Grant all the troops [ had
in reserve and had at that time none
left to reinforce yOn on the border of
Kansas.
Soon after the guerilla operations
eliminated in the fieindish massacre
OF defenseless people at Lawrence.
There was 10 longer any question
what must be done aud you promptly
issued the order which had before
been contemplated and discussed. A
few days thereafter, | visited you at
Kansas City and went to Indepeu-
dence.- l spent several days in inves-
tigaiing the subject and in conversing
with The people who had left their
homes in obedience to your order.
There was lett no room for doubt of
the necessity of the measure that had
been adopted. Hence, after COM
Poi okANOly t0ht Is
[ approved your order and thus as
sumed the whole, or at least my full
share of the responsibility for it.
Upon returning to st. Louis, made
full report OF The matter TO Presi-
dent Lincoln. explaining the necessity
of what had been done aud assuming
the responsibility therefor. Neither
that humane President nor any other
officer OF the Government ever uttered
one word OF dissent As 10 the wisdom,
justice or humanity OF that policy.
And now repeat that the response
bility for that policy was fairly shared
with you by the President and by me
in proportion to our respective rank
and authority.
You understand that 1 have no de-
sire in this 10 throw responsibility on
President Lincoln nor to defend my
self. | have never regarded that act as
one requiring exculpatiOn. On the
contrary, it was an act of wisdom.
courage and humanity, by which the
lives of hundreds of innocent people
were saved and disgraceful conflict
brought to q summary close. Not q
life was sacrificed nor any great dis
comfort inflicted in carrying out the
order. The necessities of all the poor
people were provided for and none
were permitted to suffer,
A few unthinking people have no
doubt supposed that order was an act
of retaliation for the massacre at Law
renee. Nothing could be more absurd.
The farmers of western Missouri were
not regarded in any wise responsible
f<,.s ~ Anfp 0nfo AI
were willing or not made no differ
ence. Ii they raised crops his men
would live upon them, as did also our
troops when they had occasion. A
large proportion of those citizens who
were in good circumstances had vol
unfairly ceased this improbable pur-
yeying aud had gone elsewhere. 1t
was simply an act of dispassionate
wisdom aud humanity to stop it alto
ge.her. To call your order an act of
Inhumanity or of retaliation upon the
people of Missouri is like accusing the
Russian Commander of similar crimes
against the people of Moscow when
he ordered the destruction of that city
to prevent its occupation as winter
quarters by the army Of Napoleon.
For my own part, have been and
am still entirely content to leave to
impartial history the approval or
condemnation of each of my Official
acts during the late war. But it is
simply justice that you, who have been
centured by some for your celebrated
order, have this statement of the facts
in regard to it, for such use as your
Just vindication may require.
! am General, very truly your friend
and obedient servant.
j. M. SCHoFIEED.
Major General.