On May 26, 1864, the The Weekly Herald and Tribune from St. Joseph published an article about a Union militia captain from De Kalb County who was murdered. In light of this murder – after three years of devastating irregular warfare along the western border – citizens of St. Joseph were fed up with a lack of law and order in their community. The full article is shown below in the clipping:

Sources:

“Another Captain of the Militia Murdered,” The Weekly Herald and Tribune, St. Joseph, MO, May 26, 1864, Newspapers.com.