Col. Jennison Released

ST. LOUIS, May 1.

Col. Jennison received a letter from a Senator at Washington City, which stated in explicit terms that an order reliving Generals Sturgis and Denver of their commands in Kansas had been forwarded from the War Department.

Jennison was yesterday relieved of his personal parole, and is now only obliged to report by letter. Under this liberty he expects to leave to-day for Washington City.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 3, 1862, p. 3

Arrest of Col. Jennison

LEAVENWORTH, April 29. – In a circular just published, Gen. Sturgis says: The arrest of Col. Jennison was the result of representations made by Lieut. Col. D. R. Anthony, of his own regiment, and Col. John W. Deitzler, his immediate commanding officer, and was made at the earnest solicitation of the latter officer, who, in his appeal to me of the 15th inst., demands is immediate arrest and charges him with the most grave and serious crimes known to military law.

Hiram Rich, an old resident of the West and for a number of [years] a Sutler at Ft. Leavenowrth, died suddenly yesterday of apoplexy.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 3, 1862, p 3

Col. Jennison

Among all the men who have periled their lives in defence of the Union, none have had more at stake, or strong reason for being truly loyal to their government, than the citizens of Kansas. Living in the immediate vicinity of a vindictive and relentless foe, who hold against them an old grudge and through whose hearts hatred has percolated until they have become hard as adamant; a foe that had earned for themselves and gloried in the title of “Border Ruffians,” and who would take advantage of the license to villainy that the present turbulent state of affairs gave them to inflict every species of cruelty that the most depraved mind could conceive of; these men had the highest incentives to loyalty, to ridding the country of an organized band of traitors steeped to the eyes in double-dyed villainy. Their homes, their families, their Government, all that their hearts held dear, were at stake, and when occasion presented, they fought as men who have risked all on the result.

Among the bravest of the number was Col. Jennison, whose fault – his only fault – was uncompromising hostility to Border Ruffianism and the institution upon which it feeds, viz: slavery. Col. Jennison is a slender, delicate man, a physician; he immigrated from New York with his little family, to whom he was devotedly attached, a wife and an only child, accustomed as himself to all the delicacies of city life, to the wilds of Kansas. What tempted him, a man of cultivated mind, to leave the refinements to which he had been accustomed and bring his tenderly-reared wife, a hot-house plant, to meet the rough winds and rougher people of the Western prairies, we know not; but it is a question that men all around us can ask of themselves, and their reply may suit the case of this gentleman.

We have no account of Dr. Jennison pursuing other than a quiet life, until one day a troop of Boarder Ruffians passed his little domicil on their way to organize a provisional government for Kansas. Attracted by so many persons passing, his wife and child stepped to the door to look upon the cavalcade, and there, upon their own doorstep, they were both shot dead by those ruthless villains. Is it any wonder when Dr. Jennison returned home and saw the idols of his household thus butchered, that the hot blood coursed impetuously through his veins and he vowed hostility forever to Border Ruffianism? Yet, because he has since harassed these scoundrels at every opportunity, and sought to overthrow their beloved institution of slavery, the Democrat of this city calls him “the most heartless villain that every cursed the border.” Our neighbor is ignorant of the antecedents of Col. Jennison, or he never could utter so calumnious and libelous expressions. He has gleaned his knowledge from pro-slavery sheets, or he never would be guilty of such language toward one who has passed through the experience of Col. Jennison. That he is bitterly opposed to Border Ruffianism and an avowed abolitionist, we admit, and heaven knows he has good reason to be, but that he is a heartless villain, is as false calumny as ever was uttered. The very quotation that the Democrat makes from the covert secession sheet, the St. Louis Republican, shows that the man, so far from being heartless, is possessed of tender sensibilities, notwithstanding the terrible ordeal through which he has passed.

Col. Jennison has resigned his command and since been arrested, for what reason no one knows, further than that the officer who arrested him, Gen. Sturgis, is a man of drunken habits and suspected loyalty. He is no doubt, the victim of the dirty malice of the pro-slavery Generals – Sturgis, Denver and Mitchell. The noble and gallant Colonel, we are happy to hear, has been released on giving bonds, and now stands ready to meet his accusers face to face and show them he has done no wrong. Perhaps, as our neighbor of the Democrat says that “his crimes are legion,” he may be able to put his finger upon a single crime, just one, that ever Col. Jennison committed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, April 28, 1862, p. 2

Col. Thomas W. Sweeny

The gallant Col. Thomas W. Sweeny, who, from the news just received, has again been wounded at the recent great battle at Pittsburg in the defence [sic] of his country’s flag and in the maintenance of its laws, was born in Ireland, and came to this country with his parents when about ten years of age. On the passage across the Atlantic he was washed overboard, but in the providence of God was saved. At an early aged he went to Patterson, N. J., where he was apprenticed to the printing business. He afterward came to this city, and was engaged as a compositor till the war with Mexico was declared. He was among the first to volunteer in the service of his adopted country in the capacity of Second Lieutenant. He was at the storming of Vera Cruz, and was twice wounded in the battle at the taking of the City of Mexico, losing his right arm. On Col. Sweeny’s return to this city he received the commission of Second Lieutenant, 2nd Regiment U. S. Infantry, and was soon ordered to California, where he performed many arduous duties, from which he never faltered; among the first of which was the taking a detachment of recruits in a state of disorganization across the desert, from San Diego to the interior, without losing a man. He was afterwards assigned to Fort Yumah, on the Colorado, with a command of ten men; and shut off for ten months from all communications with the settlements, and surrounded by a large band of hostile Indians, but for this watchfulness and indefatigable intrepidity would have been massacred before being relieved. From California he, with a portion of his regiment, was ordered to Fort Pierre, in Northern Nebraska, where he served as Aid to Gen. Harney; and when arduous duty was required he was always at his post. At the commencement of the rebellion Col. Sweeny was on the recruiting service, but was ordered to Newport Barracks, and soon afterward to the command of St. Louis Arsenal. This was previous to the time when Gen. Lyon took the command. He was second in command at the surrender of the notorious rebel Claib. Jackson, when Gen. Lyon being disabled by a kick from his horse, the negotiations were conducted by Col. Sweeny. He was afterward appointed Brigadier General of the Three months Missouri volunteers. Previous to the battle of Wilson’s Creek, when it was decided not to attack the Rebel General Price, Gen. Sweeny was so impressed that a retreat would be worse than a defeat, that he prevailed on Gen. Lyon to make the attack. In that battle he was again wounded and still carries the ball in his leg. At the close of the battle, when Gen. Sturgis assumed command, Gen. Sweeny was urgent in following up the retreating rebels, believing that had it been done, they would have been compelled to surrender. Gen. Sweeny is as noble and generous as he is gentlemanly and brave. Devoted entirely to his adopted country, when the rebellion broke out he expressed himself in a letter to a friend: “I will, through flood and flame, sacrifice, if necessary, any remaining limb in defence of my country’s flag.” Such merit as his is not likely to be overlooked by the Government. – {Tribune.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Tuesday, April 15, 1862