THE DIFFICULTIES IN KANSAS.; Reply of Col. Jennison to G.C. Bingham.
Col. JENNISON, who is now in Washington, has just issued the following document, which tells its own story:
G.C. BINGHAM, of Jefferson City, Mo., has published a letter, (which has been printed in pamphlet form, and distributed among the members of both Houses of Congress,) assaulting me with vindictive bitterness of feeling. It would be unnecessary, either in Kansas or Missouri, or wherever I am known, to refute his falsehoods or meet his malice; but here, where I am, comparatively, a stranger, my friends think it necessary that I should do both. I shall say but little in regard to Mr. BINGHAM.
It is well known that he was opposed to a coercive policy in Missouri. He was a neutral, and for neutrality, all through. He consented to serve in the Home Guards, provided they should not be sent out of the State, and for this end raised a company. Col. MULLIGAN was at that time in command at Lexington, Mo. He ordered Capt. BINGHAM, with his company, to that city. The men obeyed, but he refused to go, and left the service. For this conduct I reported him to Maj.-Gen. HUNTER, and pressed his immediate arrest, upon the charge of cowardice, and hence the violence and vindictiveness of Mr. BINGHAM against me.
The first charge which Mr. BINGHAM makes against me reads as follows:
"Several of his (JENNISON's ) band of jayhawkers made their appearance in the vicinity of Kansas City, early in last June, and were observed skulking about the pickets of the United States troops then temporarily stationed there, under the command of Capt. (now Major) PRINCE. This discreet officer, justly suspecting the purpose of their mission to be none other than pillage, peremptorily or-them beyond the limits of our Stated."
The facts are these: The Governor of Kansas ordered me to repair with my command to the city of Wyandotte. Capt. PRINCE afterwards directed me to proceed to Kansas City. I did so in person, and while there acted under his orders. I was not ordered out of Missouri by him. No, did I leave that State until commanded to do so by the Governor of Kansas.
The second charge made by Mr. BINGHAM reads as follows:
"Although reluctantly compelled to heed this mandate, (viz.: Capt. PRINCE's order, as Mr. BINGHAM falsely charges,) at the time, they held themselves in readiness to renew their visit, as soon as a favorable opportunity should be presented, and after the withdrawal of the troops under Maj. PRINCE, they again entered Missouri. They were led, on this occasion, by their chief. JENNISON, in person, and, unfortunately for the honor of our arms, were associated with Maj. VAN HORN and Col. WEIR, in their expedition against a formidable rebel force, assembled in Harrisonville, in Cass County. Col. WEIR, by virtue of his rank, was in command of the Union forces, and should be chiefly held responsible for the unbridled license which was given to the rapacity of these irregular and lawless attaches of his command."
Very true: I did return to Missouri, but it was under these circumstances: Col. NUGENT, of Missouri, commanding a regiment of Home Guards, sent a special messenger to me for help. He had been defeated by the rebels. Besides, Maj. VAN HORN, also of the Missouri Home Guards, while attempting to reinforce him, was met by the enemy, in overwhelming force, and routed, losing his entire train, all his ammunition, and driven into Kansas. I met him and Col. NUGENT at the head of Wea Creek, Miami County, without food, or any means of attacking or repelling the foe. A council of war was held. I was invited in, though at that time holding no office under the Government of the United States. It was ascertained that at Morristown, Cass County, Mo., eight miles from the head of Wea Creek, the rebels were encamped, and had a large supply of ammunition and provisions. The decision of the council was, that I should take what available force we had and attempt the capture of the foe and his supplies.
This council was held at night. The following morning I marched for Morristown. The enemy knew of my approach. When rearing the town, I found him drawn up in line of battle, and far stronger than we were. We had no alternative. We must have provisions and powder, and therefore the men were eager for fight. I threw out fifty picked men as skirmishers, on my right, while I attacked the rebels on the left. This was about 10 A.M. The light had been carried on near an hour, when I ordered a charge with our whole force. The enemy retreated in confusion. I captured five wagons loaded with flour, two with bacon, fourteen kegs of powder, &c. This property I turned over to the officers of the Government, and thus were the Home Guards of Missouri, under Col. NUGENT and Major VAN HORN, relieved, and the Union men of that part of the State of Missouri, protected from rebel outrages.
The night which followed this battle at Morristown, another council of war was held, and it was determined to attack the rebels in force at Harrisonville, Cass County, Mo., some eighteen miles from the head of Wea creek. Cols. WEIR and NUGENT and Major VAN HORN desired me, again, to assume command and conduct the attack. I ordered our forces -- seven hundred and fifty strong -- to be ready to move at sunrise on the following morning.
We reachd Harrisonville on the second day thereafter, near 2 P.M. When within two miles of that place, we met about five hundred rebels, drawn up in line of battle. As we approached, they fell back. As I came upon the city, I moved a portion of our troops over the prairie and secretly dispatched the rest through the timber, with orders to assail the enemy in his rear. A surprise was the result, and he fled in utter confusion, leaving everything behind, and this, too, without our losing a man. Thus, a second time, I contributed somewhat to aid the Home Guards of Missouri and to protect the true Union men of that part of the State of Missouri.
The third charge Mr. BINGHAM makes against me is this:
"As such a pretext (viz.: entering Missouri without cause) was no longer wanting, he soon came, pompously marching his forces in extended files through the streets of Kansas City."
At this time, I was an officer of the United States Government. I had raised a regiment of hardy and heroic men, and was under the command of Capt. PRINCE, of Fort Leavenworth. I was ordered by him to Kansas City, Mo., to protect Union men and disperse the rebels. I obeyed the order. More than that, I met HAYS and his band, capturing from him forty government wagons, a large quantity of salt, medicinal stores, &c., and four hundred head of cattle, all destined for Gen. PRICE, and drove the rebel robber and his followers from that part of Missouri. All the property thus captured I turned over to the Government officials at Fort Leavenworth, and received the hearty thanks of Maj.-Gen. HUNTER, who was at this time in command of the Kansas Department, for my success.
Let me state here, once for all, that I never entered the State of Missouri with an armed force except by order of the regular officials of the United States Government, and then only for the purpose of upholding loyal citizens and defeating rebels. Let me state another fact: that when I was ordered by Maj.-Gen. HUNTER to repair to Fort Levenworth, that place being threatened by the enemy, Kansas City and Independence sent pressing messages to him, backed by the strongest petitions on the part of these cities, urging him to let me remain in command in that section of Missouri. I think I may now dismiss all and every charge of interfering improperly, with the people or with the affairs of the state, as utterly false.
Mr. BINGHAM makes against me wholesale charges, involving guilt of the deepest dye. Invading "the sanctity of private dwellings; robberies which inaugurated that infernal system of predatory warfare; murders; tyrannical abuse of authority, stealing watches and jewelry; dry goods, groceries and drugs; meles, horses, and wagons, of farmers; burning houses," &c., &c. These charges are false.
First -- All property taken by me or my command in Missouri was taken from rebels, and turned over to the Government officials, whose receipts therefore are now in the hands of the Quartermaster of my regiment.
Second -- I abused no man in Missouri, whether Union or rebel.
What Mr. BINGHAM states as to the teamsters and the three "respectable" citizens of Kansas City, is true. I did order them to haul hay and wood. I made them work, and saw that their work was well done. But who were they? Rebels! Men who had helped to erect a secession pole in Kansas City, and to rob the United States Arsenal at Liberty Mo. Union men are forced to work, when serving their country; are rebels better than they, when fighting against that country?
Third -- The heroic men whom I command, with myself, are charged with being cut-throats and marauders, and instances are given by Mr. BINGHAM to sustain these charges.
My special order, No. 57, published in Missouri and throughout the West, proclaimed my position. That order declared that every soldier of my command, who should enter any house, either of friend or foe, and take therefrom any property, without orders, should be tried, and, if found guilty, shot. One instance, and only one, of the violation of that order occurred. The soldier, who was guilty, belonged to Company C. Upon complaint being made, he was arrested, tried, found guilty, and shot.
But why dwell further on these charges of Mr. BINGHAM? They are wildly made, and, as I have said, falsely put. One fact, with all who know me, will be conclusive on this point. He charges me with cowardice! I have never claimed to be a brave man. I have never set myself up for a hero; all I have ever done has been to defend the rights and principles of my country, and in doing this I have met danger in every form, and never shrunk from responsibility under any circumstances.
It seems to me that another fact, and a very simple one, should close conclusively, this whole matter. All these charges, so rudely and vindictively made by Mr. BINGHAM, were put in form before Maj.-Gen. HUNTER. My accuser stood in his presence to urge them. He brought whatever proof he could bring, direct or indirect, to sustain them. But AFTER Maj.-Gen. HUNTER had heard Mr. BINGHAM, AFTER he had examined in detail the testimony which he had offered without calling upon me for explanation or reply, he dismissed these charges.
Nor is this all. He appointed me Acting Brigadier-General, assigned me to a command of over three thousand men, and placing me in one of the most responsible positions on the borders or Kansas and Missouri, in that very port on of Missouri where all these enormitus are said to have been committed by me. Nor did Maj.-Gen. HUNTER stop here. Without a word from me, without my knowing, even, what he intended or wished, he wrote to the President of the United States, urging him strongly to appoint me one of the Brigadier-Generals of Kansas Volunteers.
I could multiply proof without end on this subject. I will only add one class of testimony, and that Pro-Slavery in part, and wholly Missourian in character. I refer to the following leading and loyal citizens, well known throughout Missouri, as to my conduct while in that State:
Maj. R.L. Van Horn, commanding post at Kansas City, Mo.; Dr. Thorne, Surgeon of Post at Kansas City; Messrs. Carney & Co., merchants, Kansas City; Judge Bonton, Kansas City; Hon. C. Hopkins, Kansas City; C.S. Case, Quartermaster of Post; Capt. Van Dorn, Kansas City: Milton McGee, Kansas City; Wm. Miles, Marshal of Independence; Hon. J.B. Perry, Independence; Capt. Oliver, Lieut. Doyle, Capt. Howard, of the Missouri Seventh; Col. Nugent, Lieut.-Col. Mawhiney, Maj. Dean, Capt. Stewart; Capt. Simpson, all of the Missouri Home Guards; Judge Wells, U.S. District Judge; Judge Grover, of Criminal Court. St. Louis; Dr. Stark, of St. Louis; Dr. Hilguartner, St. Louis; McGill & Fishback, Editors Missouri Democrat, St. Louis.
A word and I close. I have done my duty. Before God and my country, I fearlessly assert that. But I am willing to forget myself, if thereby I could advance the interests and uphold the character of the resolute and intelligent men who have stood by me in this fearful conflict now desolating the land. They have been true. They have fought for Kansas, for Missouri, for the Union. They have fought amid peril and privation, often barefooted and without proper clothing, for a long time, without tents and without pay, for our common liberties, and be is no patriot who brands them as robbers and marauders.
C.R. JENNISON.
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 10, 1862.