WHY we are to Keep and Bear Arms:

Benjamin F. Loan, Letter to Abraham Lincoln, Saturday, October 03, 1863 (Report on military affairs in Missouri)
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“...In many localities these guerrillas are in very considerable numbers for instance Col Jackman C. S. A had a force of some 400 or 500 men in the rich and populous counties of Howard and Boone in the central part of the state this band has been in those counties for several months -- are known to have been there recently and are supposed to be still there They have killed Federal soldiers murdered union citizens and stolen large quantities of their property those counties are intensely disloyal and the guerrillas remain with their friends in in perfect security-- recently a band of guerrillas belonging it is beleived to Cobbs command attacked Wright City on the North Missouri Rail Road killed one or two men and burned part of the town they were repulsed by the citizens The trains on that road have been stopped by the guerrillas on several occasions More recently the Steam Boat Marcella was stopped near Dover Landing just below Lexington on the Missouri river by guerrillas the passengers robbed Federal soldiers -- several being on board -- were taken prisoners and were afterwards deliberately murdered-- It was under this conservative policy that the guerilla chieftain Quantrell returned to his old haunts in Jackson County and under its benigne influence his usual force of some 200 or 300 was increased to some 2000 armed ruffians -- many of whom were farmers by day and robbers by night and who after killing or driving out most of the Union families on a territory 40 miles wide and 100 miles long on the border including the populous counties of Jackson Cass and Bates -- shocked the whole country in the commission of that unparalleled act of fiendish barbarity atrocity -- the sacking and buring of Lawrence and the murder of its inhabitants.-- and the most remarkable incident relating to that sad tragedy is the protection afforded by Federal soldiers to the guerrillas on their retreat being closely pursued by the indignant and outraged citizens of Kansas who were threatening them with annihilation They fled to the border with all possible speed and on crossing the state line found themselves fully protected and sheltered from pursuit by a column of troops which Genl Schofield who had just reached the disturbed district had thrown along the state line to check the Kansans in their advance into Missouri.
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“About this time there was sent to Clay County which did not have in it as citizens 200 loyal men but which did have a regiment of enrolled militia who it is beleived were fully armed -- some three hundred additional guns with which to arm the citizens-- The arms were sent from St Joseph by military authority and are beleived to be guns belonging to the United States-- In pursuance of orders issued by the officer commanding the District of North Missouri requiring the citizens to be disarmed it is beleived that many loyal citizens were disarmed and yet remain so....”
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“...Affairs are rapidly approaching a crisis in Missouri when union men will have to decide as they did in the days of Governor Jacksons treachery between voluntary exile and an independent but united armed defence of their homes-- And for what is this alternative forced upon them? It is that you Mr. President persistently and without any different especial reason that is known to us continue there as Department commander one whose policy has only brought discord and anarchy upon our state and ruin to our people and this you know has been the result of his policy for it has been told you by the largest delegation that has ever travel leded the same distance to ask a redress of grievances of the Chief Magistrate of the nation-- The removal of such commander is to you a very small matter it involves no question of principle-- it occasions no wrong or injury to any one-- Genl. Schofield may can be assigned to a command where there is no complaint against him and where his services may be valuable to his country on and to do so would bring releif to our suffering and desponding people and would at once would fill their hearts with joy and gladness."
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Ben Loan
Chairman
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[Note 1 ID: Benjamin F. Loan was a brigadier general of Missouri State Militia from 1861 until June 1863. Loan was elected to Congress as an Unconditional Unionist in 1862 and served from 1863 to 1869.]
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Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois.
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So then, we have Federal troops assisting in the escape of rebel guerilla's. Rebel's whom had just been robbing, murdering and plundering, and were now being put to flight by an armed people. The Fed. stopped the citizens from annihilating the menace that had caused so much destruction in their lives. And then the Fed. turns around and disarms the people that had used arms for their defense? My, my, doesn't THAT sound familiar?