Jasper County, Missouri - Chapter 5: Preceding Actual Warfare, 1912

Civil Organization Destroyed - Molding Inplubncbs - ^Armed Neutrality Urged - ^Votbs to Remain in the Union - ^Divided Sentiment AND Action - The Border Guards - ^Pruitlbss Conferences - First Engagement at Boonville

Jasper was one of the counties in the state where sentiment on the slavery question was divided and as the great strife came on, old friendships were broken, neighbors and frequently families took different sides on the question which was soon to plunge the nation into the War between the States.

It is estimated that at least eight hundred men in Jasper county took up arms during the Civil war, some of them in the Union army and others following the fortunes of the Confederacy.

One great battle and numerous small engagements and skirmishes were fought within its confines. The county during the first three years of the war was occupied alternately by the armies of both the north - and the south and in securing substance for their soldiers each took a liberal share of the crops that were raised, so that those who stayed at home had a hard time to exist; and when it is remembered that many of the families were political enemies, holding allegiance to different governments, it will be readily seen that the people during this period were in a constant state of excitement. As a result the civil organization of the county was completely destroyed.

In order that the reader may have in mind the condition in Missouri at the breaking out of the war and therefore be better able to understand the reasons why southwest Missouri came to be the theater of action at the beginning of hostilities, we give here a brief recital of the imi>ortant events which transpired in the state and helped to mold public opinion and influenced the acts of its citizens.

On December 20, 1860, South Carolina, through her legislature, passed an ordinance of secession, and almost within a month, six other states - Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Texas - withdrew from the Union and a call was made for the formation of the Confederate States of America. The other southern states were invited to join with them and help organize the proposed Southern Union.

At this time Missouri was the largest in population of the slaveholding states and it was very much desired by the promoters of the organization of the Confederacy that she should cast her lot with the new government.

When the news came that South Carolina had seceded. Governor Stewart, who was bringing his administration to a close, sent a special message to the legislature and expressed himself as sincerely desirous of keeping Missouri in the Union, but as opposed to the use of force to ' bring South Carolina back into* the Union. He also opposed sending troops into ^lissouri, either to wrest her from the Union or to keep her in it, and gave it as his opinion that the only proper course for ^lissouri to pursue was to maintain *'an armed neutrality.*'

Governor Stewart, w^ho had been born and reared in New York state, sympathized with the north, but, living as he did in a slave-holding state and having heard the arguments put forth by the leaders of the south, he desired if possible to avert war and bring about a solution of this great question in some other way. He was very much respected by the people of the state and his idea of maintaining an armed neutrality met with popular approval.

Governor Claiborne Jackson, who took his seat as the chief executive of the state January 3, 1861, unlike Governor Stewart had been reared in the south and believed that Missouri's interest was with the Confederacy. He did not, however, think it proper for the south to take the aggressive and held that they should not fight until the Federal government attempted to force them back into the Union. His plan was for Missouri to be prepared to repel invasion from the north, but to make no aggressive movement unless attacked. He declared that if the Federal government attempted to force South Carolina and other southern states back into the Union, the proper course for Missouri to take would be to secede and join the Confederacy.

Governor Jackson at first advocated secession, but after the state decided to remain in the Union took Ex-Governor Stewart's position of an *' armed neutrality" and urged that i\Iissouri defend herself but take no part in the conflict between the states.

Lieutenant Governor Thomas C. Reynolds, who presided over the senate and through the appointment of committees helped in a large way to mold the sentiment of that body, favored secession, believing that an armed neutrality was impossible. He urged an enlargement of the organized militia and a complete equipment of the state's troops in order to be in a position to fight should occasion demand it.

Governor Jackson urged the calling of a convention to determine the relations of the state to the Federal government and, acting on his advice, a bill passed the legislature January 18th calling for a convention of ninety-nine delegates to meet and determine the question of secession. A majority of the members of the legislature favored it. The vote in the house on the bill was 105 for and 18 against. The law provided that should the convention pass an ordinance of secession that it should not become effective until it was ratified by a majority of the voters at an election held for that purpose. It will be observed that whatever might have been the individual wishes of the members of the legislature they did not want to take Missouri out of the Union without the people of the state by their vote declaring in favor of that act. The election was held on February 18th and the convention was called to meet at Jefferson City on the 28th of that month.

The people divided into three parties, Secessionists, Conditional Union and Unconditional Union men. The Secessionists desired to see Missouri join the Confederacy. The Conditional Union men favored Missouri remaining in the Union, providing the Federal government did not attempt to force the southern states back into the Union, General Sterling Price, who afterward joined the Confederate army, and John S. Phelps of Springfield, who raised a regiment for the Union army, were among the leaders of this party. The Unconditional Union party was headed by Frank P. Blair of St. Louis.

Among the prominent Conditional Union men in Jasper county were J. R. Chenault; identified with the Unconditional Union men, Norris Hood, Colonel McCoy, J. R. Stemmons (although a slave holder), J. A. Hunter, John Crow, Samuel B. LaForce and others. The leaders of the secession movement were Colonel A. J. Fallion, Tom Livingston, A. J. Talbott, C. C. Dawson, General Raines and William Cravens.

Judge John R. Chenault was elected to represent Jasper county in the convention. He thought very much on the subject as (Jeneral Jackson did and favored, if possible, Missouri taking no part in the approaching conflict, but in the event of being drawn into a war between the states for her to secede.

The convention met at Jefferson City on February 28th, and after electing General Sterling Price, ex-governor of the state, president, adjourned to meet in St. Louis on March 4th, the day on which Lincoln was to be inaugurated president. Lincoln's inaugural address appealed very much to the delegates, imbued them with a spirit of his fairness and had much to do with influencing the action of the convention. On March 8th that body by an almost unanimous vote decided against secession, and determined that Missouri should remain in the Union.

was four regiments, and the secretary of war telegraphed Governor Jackson to enlist these for service in the Union army. Jackson declined to do so and declared that Missouri would not furnish a dollar or a man for the war.

Prank P. Blair, of St. Louis, and Captain Lyon (afterward General Lyon) began recruiting men at St. Louis, tendered their services to the government and soon had ten regiments enlisted and drilling daily ; nine of these were recruited almost entirely from the German citizens and Colonel Pranz SigePs regiment took part in the battle of Carthage which will be mentioned more fully hereafter. On account of the refusal of (Jovemor Jackson to furnish the four regiments called for by President Lincoln when Port Sumter was fired upon and his subsequent acts relative to the state troops, there was no organized effort put forth in Jasper county to enlist volunteers for the Union army until after Hamilton R. Gamble assumed charge of the governor's office.

Many Union men, however, went to Kansas and enlisted with the troops from the Sunflower state, others went to the larger towns in the state where recruits were being enrolled, and quite a few returned to their former homes in other stat^ and there enlisted with the soldiers from their home towns.

The southern sympathizers began organizing companies of minute men and began drilling for active service. Companies were drilling nightly at Sherwood, Medoc, Minersville and other places.

On April 20th the government arsenal at Liberty, Missouri, was captured by a company of southern sympathizers oi^anized in Clay county and 15,000 stands of arms and 11,000 pounds of powder carried away, and it was believed that Governor Jackson secretly desired the United States arsenal at St. Louis seized and the 40,000 stands of arms held for emergency.

General Prost, commanding the Missouri State Guard with 700 men went into camp near the arsenal, ostensibly for the purpose of drill, but Captain Lyon believed they were there awaiting a favorable opportunity to capture the arsenal.

On the 9th of May General Prost, having received a report that Captain Lyon intended making an attack on him, sent a letter to that officer disavowing any intention of making an attempt to capture the United States arsenal and invited the Union commander to meet him in conference and come to an understanding that would, if possible, keep the war out of Missouri.

General Lyon, however, refused to receive the letter and the next day made an attack on Camp Jackson and took the militiamen prisoners, releasing them however on their agreeing to take no part in the war. Many of the Conditional Union men now felt that Missouri should prepare for defense and General Sterling Price, who was the president of the con- vention which voted against secession, offered his sword to Gbvernor Jackson for service and was appointed major general commanding the Missouri State Guards.

Grovemor Jackson called for 50,000 volunteers to defend the state and also appointed brigadier generals to command the several brigades to be organized. James S. Raines, of Sarcoxie, was appointed one of the brigade commanders and a company of eighty men was recruited at Sarcoxie and entered the state service.

It is said that the first Confederate fiag ever raised in Missouri was flung to the breeze at Sarcoxie, the day when the company was mustered into the state service.

In the northwestern part of the county a company was formed and known as the Border Guards, being organized for the purpose of preserving order and protecting the lives and property of the citizens of Jasper county. The company was a cavalry command, every man having his own horse and small arms. They had no sabers and for the purpose of drill used wooden swords. The men met for military instruction every Saturday afternoon at the little town of Medoc. The officers of the Border Guards were A. J. Talbot't, captain; J. A. Hunter, first lieutenant; Tip Margraves, second lieutenant.

After the call for volunteers by Governor Jackson, Judge Chenault made a visit to Medoc on one of the drill days of the Border Guards and urged them to join Governor Jackson's army to defend Miss6uri, and Captain Talbott announced that the company would make a formal request for arms from the state. Lieutenant Hunter, who was a Union man, in most vigorous language opposed the company becoming a part of the State Guard, and after a heated discussion of the matter the members departed for their several homes to meet no more as the Border Guards. Lieutenant Hunter and the Union men in the company left the county and enlisted in the Union army, most of them joining in Kansas, while Captain Talbott and the southern sympathizers went into the State Guard.

General Harney, commanding the IVIissouri military division of the United States army, and General Price, of the Missouri State Guard, met in St. Louis and entered into an agreement that they would use their best endeavors to keep the war out of Missouri, and as a part of the agreement General Price disiriissed the state troops at Jefferson City and stopped for a time the organization of the State Guard.

General Harney was relieved by the president of the command of the division of Missouri and Captain Lyon, now promoted to brigadier general placed in command. (Jovemor Jackson, at the solicitation of a number of citizens accompanied by General Price and Thomas L. Snead, went to St. Jjouis to confer with General Lyon on the matter of preserv- ing peace in, Missouri. A conference between General Lyon and Qavemor Jackson took place at the Planter's Hotel on June 11th. (Jovemor Jackson proposed to disband the Missouri State Guards and use his best endeavors toward keeping peace, providing General Lyon would disband the Missouri volunteers (Union troops). General Lyons promptly answered that he would make no concession to the governor and sent an aide to escort Gbvemor Jackson and General Price out of the Federal lines in St. Louis.

Governor Jackson hastily returned to Jefferson City and after ordering the commanders of the several military districts to assemble their commands for active service issued a call for the legislature to meet in special session at Neosho. He then abandoned Jefferson City and started for Newton county, gathering his army as he went. At Boonville he was met by General John B. Clark, with 700 of the State Guards. General Price, realizing that time would be required to drill and discipline the army, advised a mobilization of the state troops at some place in the southwestern part of the state near the temporary capital which had been selected by Governor Jackson. General Lyon was active and ordered Colonels Sigel, Salmon and Brown with their regiments to proceed to southwest Missouri and intercept Governor Jackson's army and prevent a junction of it with other troops from the south.

Brigadier General Thomas Swinney was placed in command of the expedition and at once set out for Springfield, while (Jeneral Lyon with two thousand well armed men came up the Missouri river.

At Boonville a battle was fought between Colonel Marmaduke, of the State Guards, and General Lyon, and resulted in a decisive victory for the Union forces. (Jovemor Jackson now hastily retreated to the south, and General Price was sent to Arkansas to persuade General Ben McCoUough of the Confederate army to come to the relief of Governor Jackson, who was marching toward Neosho with the state troops, most of whom were raw recruits and fresh from the farm. G^eral Price expected to drill and prepare the volunteers for service at some point in southwest Missouri.