Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-20
ON THE BORDER IN '64.
Condensed History of the Stirring War
Days liz Missouri and Arkansas.

Days III Missouri and Arkansas.
Especial Correspondence
CENTRALIA, Mo-, Nov. 19-The failure
of BANKS Red river expedition had dis
heartening effect on the Union cause in
Arkansas in 1864. Gen. Frederick Steele's
force guarded the state, with headquar-
tiers at Little Rock After the failure
on Red river in the spring, Gen. Steele aban-
doned to the Confederates all Of Arkansas
south of the Arkansas river. The Confed-
crates Immediately took possession of all that
had been abandoned. With renewed hopes
they organized again their state government
il September, 1864 and elected A. P Gar
land Confederate senator from Arkansas to
the Richmond congress. Hon. A. p Gar
land was United States attorney general I'M
der President Cleveland's administration
An armed invasion of Missouri by Price
was also organized Gen Rosecrans was at
this time commander of the Union depart
ment of Missouri, headquarters at St Louis
The peculiar detective talent for which this
general was noted enabled him to ferret out
a powerful Confederate conspiracy in Mis-
souri,.
The state was filed with members of a
league variously known as knights of the
Golden Circle" American Knights and
'Sons of Liberty" The grand commander
of the order in the south was Gen. Sterling
Price, Of Missouri, known among the soldiers
as Pap Price. The same secret organiza-
ton had also many members and lodges in
the north, notably in the lake states. The
grand commander of the order in the north
was Clement L. Vallandigham, OF Ohio.
The programme of the knights, " Sons
etc, included the invasion OF Missouri by
Price in the autumn of 1864. Gathering what
force ne was able. he was to cross the border
from northwestern Arkansas and suddenly
appear in Missouri. Then from all over thu
state, members of the secret orders named
and other Confederate sympathizers would
fock to his standard, thus forming with the
force he already had a large army.
Gen Joseph Shelby had been making
demonstrations in Arkansas as early as June,
and captured one post after another. until no
more than half a dozen important stations
yet remained in Union hands in the fall
of 1864. Among these stations were Little
Rock, Helena, Van Buren, ard Duvall's
Bluff.
Shelby had 1000 men, northwestern Ar
kansas and southwestern Missouri swarmed
with guerillas and ''bushwhackers. These
and Shelby's force were both ready to join
Price when be should appear.
Rosecrans secret agents discovered and re-
ported that a strong Confederate force was
ready to join Price. Rosecrans laid his dis
coveries before the government at Washing
ton. His representations were disbelieved.
Rosecrans' information was however, cor
rect. He found, indeed, that the Belgian con-
sui was the state commander in Missouri Of
the disloyal body and arrested him. The ar
rest caused great stir, bat it was fully JUS
titled by facts.
Sept. s, 1864, Gen. Washburne, at Mem
phis gave Rosecrans information that Price
was ready T. invade Missouri. "A j. Smith,
with his COCO troops, was then on his way 10
join Sherman in Georgia. Halleck halted
him at Cairo and sent him and ms men hastily
to st. Louis TO REINFORCE Rosecrans. Smith
arrived none too soon, for Price was already
on the border with his army.