The Diaries of Reuben Smith, Kansas Settler and Civil War Soldier

by Lana Wirt Myers (Editor)

In 1854, after recently arriving from England, twenty-two-year-old Reuben Smith traveled west, eventually making his way to Kansas Territory. There he found himself in the midst of a bloody prelude to the Civil War, as Free Staters and defenders of slavery battled to stake their claim. The young Englishman wrote down what he witnessed in a diary where he had already begun documenting his days in a clear and candid fashion. As beautifully written as they are keenly observant, these diaries afford an unusual view of America in its most tumultuous times, of Kansas in its critical historical moments, and of one man's life in the middle of it all for fifty years.

From his moving account of traveling from England by ship to his reflections on settling in the newly opened Kansas Territory to his observations of war and politics, Smith provides a picture that is at once panoramic and highly personal. His diaries depict the escalation of the Civil War along the Kansas-Missouri border as well as the evolution of a volunteer soldier from an inexperienced private to a seasoned officer and government spy. They take us inside military camps and generals’ quarters, to the front lines of battle and in pursuit of bushwhackers William Quantrill and Cole Younger. Later, they show us Smith as a state representative and steward of the Kansas State Insane Asylum in its early years. In historic scenes and poignant personal stories, these diaries offer a unique perspective on life in the Midwest in the last half of the nineteenth century.

Editor Lana Wirt Myers’s commentary and extensive notes provide the context and information needed for a full understanding of Reuben Smith's remarkable stories.

240 pages, Paperback

Published March 21, 2018

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating first hand account of the life and times of an early Kansas Settler, with relevant historical references, pictures, and maps to piece together diary entries. It is surreal to read about events that transpired in places one has lived and traveled to regularly. The narration lost pace for me when the entries transitioned from Civil War events into a summary of local politics, followed by a chapter of Smith's compiled speeches, but I would still highly recommend for anyone to read, especially fellow Kansans!

Some of my favorite quotes:
"The greatest and richest heritage I can leave to my children is that their father was a soldier of the War of the Rebellion and that he offered his life that his country might live."

"Let the rising generation remember that it cost us something to preserve Kansas: that we do not begrudge the inheritance to them, but claim an interest in it as long as we live."

"Earth has no infamy more damnable than corruption - no criminals to be execrated more than he who corrupts the representatives of the people in the furtherance of his private interest."

[Paul Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is first person history. The book consists of Reuben Smith's diaries. He was a keen observer and excellent writer. We learn amazing things about people during the mid-nineteenth century, such as walking from Iowa to Kansas. He describes in detail, sometimes a bit too much perhaps, the border battles between free-Kansas and slave-Missouri. Smith was a farmer (bare footed in the summer), Union officer, politician and the first superintendent at the "insane asylum" in Osawatomie. He passed through Lawrence but settled in Miami Co. Just fascinating.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And it was also a time when corruption and scandal permeated state and national politics." A line from this book that could apply today. Rueben Smith left behind a treasure in his diaries and Lana Wirt Myers does an excellent job of giving you the background to help you understand his stories. An excellent read showcasing his arrival in the United States, his life in Kansas territory, and the evolution of his life as a civil war soldier. It also gives a good view of early politics in Kansas.

[Scott Umphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The diaries give a great picture of early Kansas settles, the border war, and the Civil War.