Controversy in the control of firearms

A few days ago, we were shown by Captain Folmsbee an order issued by authority of General Craig and signed W.D. McDonald Assistant Adjutant General, the substance of which was that Captain Folmsbee should forthwith return the arms he had received but a few days previous to the ordinance officers at Hamilton. What reason there was for the issuing of such an order is to be developed. At the date of this order, the enrolled militia of the county were on duty out of the county, and the only company left that had arms was Captain Folmsbee’s, and there were not arms enough even to complete the arming of his company, and yet at a time when ‘every loyal man should have a gun in his hand for the protection of his home and family, an order comes from General Craig disarming the only men that had arms for the protection of our county. Yes men that had been armed and sent back from the front to protect the citizens of the county against guerrillaism daring the absence of the enrolled militia. Was Gen. Craig, because with a little brief authority, taking this means of securing McDonald’s election, or did this Assistant Adjt. Gen., as he designates himself, usurp authority in issuing such an order, that no armed body might be left in the county on the day of election, and by this means secure his election by rebel votes who would swear themselves loyal for the purpose of voting the Democratic ticket. In either case, whether by authority of Craig or this thing McDonald, such an order is at variance with the wishes of the loyal people of this county, and will be denounced as a traitorous act.

There is another feature about this order that gives it a bastardly appearance. It is headed 33d E.M.M. and signed W.D. McDonald, Assist. Adjt. Gen. by order of Gen, Craig. This is the first case of the kind we venture to say, where a Brig. Gen. commands a regiment with the Maj. of the same for his Assistant Adjutant Gen. while the Lieut. Col. is with it and able for duty.

We have yet to learn from the army regulations, where it gives authority for the Major of a regiment to sign himself Assistant Adjt Gen. If detached from his regiment in the Adjt. General’s Department, he can only sign himself acting Assistant Adjt. Gen. This Maj. McDonald, however, would like to be considered something of a man, and therefore desires to make some improvements on the army regulations. In order that the loyal people of this county may not be deceived in what we say in reference to this order, we insert it verbatim:

HEAD QUARTERS, 33 REGT. E.M.M.
HAMILTON MO. Nov. 3rd, 1864.

W.H. Folmsbee, Capt. Com’d’g Independent Co — will return to John A. Brown acting Ordinance Officer at these Head Qr’s without delay all arms equipment and ammunition which were issued to you at this post on monday oet. 24th, prox.

By order of Brig. Gen. Jas. Craig,
W.D. McDOWEL Ast. Adg. Gen.

Since writing the above, we have learned that Lieut. Nichols of Captain Woodruff’s company, who was left here with a few men and guns to guard the city from any unexpected dash the guerrillas might make here, has also received orders from this same General Craig, to forthwith return all arms and ammunition in his bands to the Ordnance office at Hamilton before the election. What reason or excuse there can be for issuing such an order, is beyond the comprehension of loyal men — without it is that those three hundred men who in 1862 enrolled as disloyal in this county should go to the polls and vote undisturbed, and against loyal men. If this was Gen. Craigs object, under his so called Assistant Adjutant Gen. McDonald (who is from this county and as disloyal as those who enrolled themselves as such,) he missed the mark wonderfully. Gen. Fisk, in whose veins there never was found a drop of treasonable blood, on his return to St. Joseph on the 6th inst., issued a circular order to the citizens of his district, and more especially to the judges and clerks of election, which knocked Gen. Craigs order out of existence, so far as allowing those disloyal men to vote.

The Gen., like a true patriot comes out and says, that those who in 1862, under general order 24, enrolled as disloyal, are not entitled to vote, consequently can’t hold office if any, of them should be elected. This timely order of Gen. Fisk’s, although issued but one day before the election, has prevented hundreds of order number 24 men from voting. This is just as it should be, and the loyal men of North Missouri will never forget Gen. Fisk for this bold and defiant stand he has taken, in favor of America and her liberties; while they will look upon such men as Craig and his cooperators with utmost contempt.

The guns and ammunition, in obedience to orders were returned to Hamilton to satisfy these semi-State militia copperhead officials, Had we been in command of a company, or part of a company, we would have bid defiance to such orders under the circumstances, until after the election, and in so doing we are satisfied our course would have been approved by both District and Dept. commander, we say the good of our county and the purity of the ballot-box would sustain us.

The time for issuing such orders has passed. General Fisk after an absence of several weeks in pursuit of the enemy has returned and assumed command, and while he is with us, nothing that will advance the Union cause will be withheld, and everything that will discourage treason will be encouraged.

Much credit is due Provost Marshal Haver for the manner in which the election in this county and especially in this city was conducted. Everything passed off as quiet as could be expected; and with the exception of one poor unfortunate drunken fellow, who was trying to butt wbat little brains, be had out, in making a speech, for McClellan in front of Davis Drug store, (the center of Democratic gravitation for that day,) not a boisterous word would have been heard. He was no doubt urged by his Democratic friends to get up some kind of a fuss with the Provost Marshall, but finding after considerable cursing and swearing to the apparent, satisfaction of his McClellan hearers, that Captain Haver had business of more importance to attend to be gave up the stand and drew himself into some hole where he remained, quiet the remainder of the day.

We stepped into, the court house on the day of election to see how voting was done. in Missouri; and we found but little difference in the mode of conducting elections from that which we had always been accustomed to, with the exception, however, that here we found men claiming to be strong Union men defending these poor devils who enrolled as disloyal, and urging upon judges of election the right of this already condemned class to vote. These same defenders of treason when shown Gen. Fisk’s circular, tried their best to snake it appear that Gen. Fisk had not returned, and that the, whole thing was a fraud. It did not work, however, and soon after the mail from St. Joseph brought the intelligence of Fisk’s return.

Men who will argue that those men who in 1862, enrolled as disloyal, are entitled to vote under existing laws and orders are no better than they. Hell is already full of such loyalty; and the devil is becoming ashamed of the numerous applicants of this, class for admission.

Oh, ye generation of vipers flee from the wrath of loyalty that is to come.

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Gallatin North Missourian, November 10, 1864, Page 2. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/gallatin-north-missourian-civil-war-ar/199263040/ : accessed June 9, 2026), clip page for Civil War – Arms dispute by user darryl_gpc54