Yes, Private Stephens was doing his ~duty~ for whatever rationalization General Ewing declared. Yes, the 2nd Colorado were probably among the best soldiers that Quantrill, Anderson and some of my kinfolk went up against. But, because the Union Generals rationalized everything and made it admissible to imprison, rape and murder civilians (or allowed such actions to happen for political reasoning) because these people may or may not have been a southern sympathizer is a poor excuse for doing what one knows to be improper.
It never ceases to amaze me how the Union seemed to always justify their rationalization and persecute that of others. It was a member of Odon Guitars bunch that murdered Clifton Holtzclaw's father. It was not just Jayhawker and Redlegs, justify what you will... I find that I have at least eight men that rode with Quantrill and Anderson and went to Lawrence, Kansas, and I applaud these men. Remember the old saying, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth"...
I really don't think that Terrorism began during the War of the Rebellion, be it Union or Confederate. ~don