Lafayette County, Missouri - Chapter 7: Military History of the County, 1910 (part 2 of 2)

Impartial Opinion

The truth in history in this matter is, without any partisan coloring, that when the first capture of the hospital occurred, which was between twelve and one o'clock, the Federals did not have an armed man in the building [the hospital], but its capture was a necessary incident of any success he might have in assaulting that part of the Federal lines. There were Confederate sharpshooters lying under the edge of the banks of a dug-down carriageway within eighty feet of the hospital building, and as soon as it became known that a charge was going to be made on the hospital front of the Federal works, and even before the assaulting column got in motion, some of the sharpshooters, probably not belonging to any command, had run across that eighty-foot space and up into the building, and commenced firing down on the Federals from the upper windows. Three eye witnesses of this movement have furnished the information that it was not over thirty seconds from the moment they started on the run until they were in the building and firing from the windows. It was this firing which was seen by some of the Confederate troops as they rushed forward in the regular assaulting column; but not knowing anything about the bit of independent and successful strategy which the sharpshooters had played on their own hook, these troops in line very naturally supposed that the firing from the windows was by the Federals, and so reported. This state of things shows plainly enough how it happened that such contrary assertions were positively made in regard to this matter, and both sides can now afford to accept. the truth of it - that the Federals did not perfidiously use a hospital building as a garrison, as Pollard, in his history of the Civil war, asserts; and the Confederates did not wantonly assault the hospital, as Colonel Mulligan and the Federal writers have claimed. The Confederate soldiers who took part in the second affair at the hospital knew nothing of the firing at the first assault, and were thus misled in their ideas about the first firing.

Miscellaneous Battle Items

On the evening of the 18th Doctor Cooley, being on parole, came up from the Federal hospital to the entrenchments on an errand. As he passed Captain Neet he whispered, "Look out! they'll charge you tonight." Thus a rope was stretched out about the place and when the charge was made late in the night, the enemy became greatly tangled in the same and their plans were thwarted.

Provisions were getting scarce in Mulligan's quarters. There were no crackers or "hard tack," and no water with which to prepare flour for baking. By some means a little was procured and some "slapjacks" made by some of the Irishmen on the night of the 19th. The Federals did not complain so much at this as at the lack of water to quench their awful thirst. Their supply of spring water had been cut off by the State troops. Their well-digging had proven a failure, though they went down almost a hundred feet.

When the Federal transports were taken, the lower decks of one of them were protected by hemp bales procured from some of the warehouses on the wharf. On the night of the 19th some of Harris' men themselves rolled some of these bales part way up the bluff and lay down to sleep behind them. After this all the hemp bales in Anderson's, McGrew's and Sedgwick's warehouses were brought forward and used with powerful effect.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, on Saturday, the Federal forces, having laid down their arms, were marched out of the entrenchments to the tune of "Dixie," played by the bands of the State Guard, while great cheers went up from Price's soldiers and the friends of the Southern cause. The same night the Illinois troops were sworn not to take up arms against Missouri or the Confederate states, and were sent across the river under an escort from Rains' division to Richmond. The next day they reached Hamilton station on the Hannibal & St. Joseph railway, and then took the cars for Quincy, Illinois. The next day Peabody's regiment and the Home Guards were turned adrift, on parole not to take up arms again until regularly exchanged. As some of the Home Guards lived in Lexington, they were soon at their homes. General Price even gave some of them up to their families the day of the surrender. Price admired the pluck of Mulligan and refused to take his sword. The loss of Lexington was a severe one to the Unionists, and Fremont was much chagrined and sought at once to retrieve what had been lost.

Recapture Of Lexington 1861-1864

When General Price marched south with his army after the first battle of Lexington, he left a small force to hold the place and guard the prisoners. On October 16, 1861, a force of two hundred and twenty Union cavalrymen, called the "First Squadron Prairie Scouts," under Major Frank J. White, dashed into Lexington, holding possession for thirty-six hours. They released Colonel White, Colonel Grover and twelve other wounded prisoners, sending them on a steamboat to St. Louis. Major White's official report says : "We made sixty to seventy prisoners ; took sixty stands of arms, twentyfive horses, two steam ferryboats, a quantity of flour and provisions, a large Rebel flag, and other articles of less value. After administering the oath of allegiance to our prisoners we released them."

Among the articles captured were General Price's ambulance, Colonel Mulligan's saddle, and the old national flag taken to Lexington by Governor Jackson from the State House in 1861.

Again, in 1864, General Price came to the vicinity of Lexington on another raid. The city had been occupied by Captain Rathbern and a party of recruiting officers sent out by General Shelby. Federal General Lane, coming in, obliged him to retreat. Price came in and Lane, who came down from Leavenworth, occupied Lexington in force, with every indication of giving battle. General Pleasanton had organized a large force of Federal cavalry to pursue Price, and in his official report says : "I assumed the command of this army, and by forced marches from Jefferson City came to Lexington October 21st, out of which place Price had driven General Curtis' troops under General Blunt that morning. I pushed on the next day to the Little Blue, engaged Price's troops, captured two pieces of cannon and drove them back to the Big Blue, through Independence."

The Battle Of Wellington

The famous Confederate guerrilla, Charles Quantrell, made Lafayette county his headquarters for several years during the war. Immediately after the issuance of the famous "Order No. n" he took up his headquarters upon a very secluded spot in the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section number 28, township 50, range 27. This insured the peace of that neighborhood, for the leaders of these companies were shrewd enough to make no demonstration anywhere near their rendezvous. Before this, however, he operated rather extensively in the western part of the county and in September, 1862, had a clash with the Federal militia in the little town of Wellington, in Clay township. The following is an account of the fight written by Charles M. Bowring :

On the morning of September 18, 1862, a company of thirty-three Federal militia under the command of Lieutenant Matt. Reid discovered some of Quantrell's bushwhackers encamped on the banks of the Big Sniabar creek in the vicinity of where the Chicago & Alton railroad line is now located, just east of the residence of Robert Keene. There were but few men in the camp, the other members of the band being scattered out among the neighboring farmers, Quantrell with one of his men being at Keene's for breakfast. The Federals fired upon them and captured their camp. The noise of the firing aroused Quantrell's scattered men, who quickly gathered in such force as to cause the Union troops to retreat hastily towards Wellington. They came on into town, leaving two men, James Crews and Neal Summers, on picket duty in the western part of the town. The others on reaching the main part of the village scattered in all directions among the citizens, seeking dinner. They acted in a very careless manner, many of them even unsaddling their horses and turning them into stables or lots. Just at 12:30 P. M. Quantrell at the head of a column of about forty men was discovered coming up the Independence road at full speed with their hats off, hanging down their backs, suspended from strings around their necks, their long and disheveled hair streaming out on the wind, a revolver in each hand and with bridle reins in their teeth, forming in all anything but a reassuring picture to the astonished pickets, who at once fled headlong, shouting "Quant ! Quant ! Quant !" at every jump in energetic efforts to spread the alarm, their pursuers coming on with eager and terrific haste. Quantrell's men divided just west of the town, Quantrell himself with one-half going north with the intention of getting into the river road and heading the militia off from Lexington, while the other half pressed straight ahead. By some mistake Quantrell took the wrong direction and came south up the hill, joining their comrades in the direct pursuit, thus leaving a route open for the retreat of the militia.

The full force thus united pursued the Federals on towards Lexington about four miles, the Federals making but one short turn just east of the Big Sniabar creek. During this pursuit, the pursuers kept up a constant fire. On their return they burnt the bridge over the Big Sniabar creek. Quantrell rounded up his men on the public square, where an investigation revealed the fact that but one man had been hit, he receiving only a flesh wound in the upper part of the left arm. As to the number of Federals killed in this affray, accounts vary. Dr. G. W. Love, the attending physician, then a resident of Wellington, says that three were killed outright in town, a fourth mortally wounded, who died twenty- four hours later in Lexington. One was killed just west of the ferry crossing to Wolf's Island. One, Neal Summers, was killed at the lower end of Wolf's island, his body being found in a clump of brush several days later. It is safe to estimate the total Federal loss at ten or twelve. Only the names of George Williams, Neal Summers, W. and J. Powell and James Pointer are known positively. Williams and Pointer were both killed at the home of Peter Wolf, where they had stopped for dinner.

About four o'clock in the afternoon a command of three hundred Federal troops, under Major Burnette, reached Wellington from Lexington by way of the Warder ford on the Big Sni, who at first made dire threats of vengeance against the town and its people, but when they saw how carefully the wounded were cared for and the preparations for burial of the dead, relented and went on their way west after Quantrell. Conveyances came in from Lexington and carried off the dead and wounded and just how many of the wounded subsequently died was never clearly known.

Several members of the militia company were scattered over the village for dinner and were cut off by the furious charge of the bushwhackers through the place ; some of these escaped by hiding in the cellars and some by slipping into the adjoining fields and hiding in the corn and hemp shocks. Several of them did not emerge from their hiding places for two or three days.

Long lists of names or rosters of soldiers, at this late date, are not interesting to the average reader of local history. The military publications give all of this information more accurately than can be presented in this connec- tion, but it may not be without some general interest to note the different commands, on both the Confederate and Union sides, which went forth from Lafayette county to do battle for the right as they were given to see the right at that day.

Confederate Commands

Bledsoe's Battery was originally a Lafayette county organization, and was formed about June 15, 1861, when Governor Jackson called for fifty thousand state militia. The officers then were : Hiram M. Bledsoe, captain ; Curtiss O. Wallace, first lieutenant ; Charles Higgins, second lieutenant ; Frank S. Trigg, third lieutenant.

This battery was engaged under its original commander (Captain Bledsoe, of Lexington) in the battles of Springfield (Wilson's Creek), Elkhorn, Dry Fork, Lexington, Carthage, Corinth, Iuka, Franklin, Nashville, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold Gap, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Jackson, Atlantic, Columbia. No battery won greater laurels on either side during the four years' conflict than Bledsoe's Battery, made so famous on many a hard-fought battlefield.

Among the brave men from Lafayette county who served in this battery should never be forgotten the following: Capt. H. M. Bledsoe, Lexington; First Lieut. Curtiss O. Wallace, Lexington, resigned 1862; Second Lieut. Charles Higgins, Lexington ; wounded in hip with grape shot at the battle of Carthage ; Third Lieut. Frank S. Trigg, Lexington ; wounded at Pea Ridge.

At the battle of Wilson's Creek the battery had forty men engaged. David Morris was killed; William Young (author of this work), Lexington, had his left arm shot off at the shoulder and his right hand, all except the thumb and forefinger; H. P. Anderson, shot in the face and breast; horses nearly all killed.

At Dry Forks, Captain Bledsoe was severely wounded, but recovered sufficiently to reach Lexington in time to take part in the last day's fight.

'Another incident worth mentioning here connected with this famous Bledsoe Battery occurred at the battle of Nashville, Tennessee : "The enemy came out above Nashville on our left, in strong force, and succeeded in breaking our lines. Our division was ordered to reinforce the left, but the artillery was ordered to remain on the right to defend that part of the line should the enemy advance. While the fight was progressing on the left, and we were on a high elevation anxiously gazing on the scene, someone called out 'look! look! here they come !' 'To guns, to guns !' was the order. We were at once ready for action, and Captain Bledsoe gave orders to hold fire - not to fire until the enemy were within twenty paces. Captain Bledsoe had his own battery, besides Captain Goldtwait's and Captain Beauregard's, making twelve Napoleon guns. Our guns were double charged with canister, awaiting the near approach of the enemy. Soon we discovered a line of battle - colored troops advancing upon us through the blue grass pastures, and behind them a line of white soldiers. We held fire until they were close, when it seemed that every gun was fired at the same time, which created great confusion and panic among the enemy. We fired as fast as we could ; the enemy were fleeing in the greatest disorder; we kept up the fire until they were out of sight. We found the field strewn with dead and wounded in our front ; one of our men counted sixteen Federal soldiers touching each other, so close were the dead lying." This is from a well written article on this battery, by W. B. Steel, Esq., an ex-county clerk of Lafayette county, and may be relied upon as authentic.

Other Confederate commands in which many of the men from Lafayette county served were : The Second Missouri Artillery ; Collins' Battery ; First Missouri Light Battery, Confederate States Army; the Missouri State Guards, organized in the spring of 1861 ; General Shelby's men, who numbered many score ; Gordon's Missouri cavalry regiment ; Colonel Elliott's regiment Missouri cavalry ; with possibly others.

Promotion Of George P. Gordon

In 1861 George P. Gordon was a captain in the State Guards; in 1862 in the Confederate service; in 1863 promoted by General Hindman to the rank of major, at the suggestion of General Shelby, and in 1865 was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, by Shelby, as division commandant; was discharged from the state service in December, 1861, going into the Confederate service the following August. He fought at Carthage, Wilson's Creek, Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Springfield, Hartsville, Cape Girardeau, Helena, Bayou Metre, Shelby's raid, Dardanells, Neosho, Greenfield, Warsaw, Tipton, Marshall, on Price's raid, Lexington, Westport. He surrendered in June, 1865, Shelby's division, to Gen. Frank Herron.

Promotion Of Benjamin F. Gordon

Lieut. -Col. Benjamin F. Gordon enlisted in the service in 1861 ; was lieutenant-colonel of Shelby's regiment, afterward colonel and at one time commanded Shelby's brigade ; left the command at Texarkana, went to Old Mexico in 1865, returned in 1866. While in the Confederate army he was in the battles of Carthage, Springfield, Wilson's Creek, Pea Ridge, Cane Hill, Newtonia, Prairie Grove, Little Rock, Bayou Metre, Hollman, Mark's Mill, Jenkin's Ferry, Hartsville, and Price's raid to Westport. Was wounded at Wilson's Creek.

Federal Commands

The Union army was represented from Lafayette county by the following commands : Pirner's Battery, originally the Lexington Home Guard Battery, in charge of Capt. C. M. Pirner. As a result of the battle of Lexington, the whole organization was broken up and never reorganized. Every member save two were wounded and all taken prisoners by Price and released on parole, sometime in 1864. Nevertheless, Gus Pirner and Charles Probst enlisted in another battery ; Probst died in Arkansas, from the result of wounds received, probably at the battle of Lexington. Gus Pirner lived through the war and was finally in Sherman's army.

Capt. F. R. Neet's company (F) of the Tenth Regiment Missouri Cavalry Volunteers was another which had Lafayette county soldiers who bravely fought for the side of the Union. They numbered about sixty men.

Company A, Seventh Regiment

The muster and pay-rolls of Company A, Seventh Missouri Regiment, had the following officers : Captain, S. H. Taggart ; first lieutenant, Elisha Stillwell; second lieutenant, Joab Worthington ; sergeants, Oscar V. Perdeau, William Murphy, William Sanders, John Meyers and James J. Perdeau; corporals. John R. Smelsor, F. W. Stoosburg, James B. Johnson, James H. Hickman and Uriel Ferrel.

The killed from this company were : Caleb W. Cole, private, drowned in the Missouri, August 15, 1862; William Haggarty, private, killed at Wellington, by bushwhackers ; James L. Pointer, private, killed at Wellington, by bushwhackers ; John H. Williams, private, killed at Wellington, by bushwhackers.

Company C, Seventh Regiment

Captain, C. H. Ehlers ; first lieutenant, J. W. Pauling ; second lieutenant, August Brockhoff; orderly sergeant, Henry Miller; second sergeant, William Oelschleger; third sergeant, Henry Bodenstale ; corporals, Peter Meyer, H. C. Meyer, Henry Holtcamp, Henry Bredshoef.

Company D, Seventh Regiment Company I, Seventh Regiment

- J. W. Baker died of smallpox, December 21, 1862; Cornelius Summers, killed in action, at Wellington ; Joseph Whittsitt, killed in action in Saline county, October 11, 1862.

Colonel Neill'S Missouri Militia

This was an early and important military command on the Union side. Among the men who served in this regiment from Lafayette county were James J. Perdue, Charles Bergman, Frederick Meyer, John B. Jones, Oscar V. Perdue, William H. Perdue, E. N. Waggoner, August Brockman, Henry Deke, George Brockman, C. H. Uphaus, J. R. Taggert, Jacob Worthington, Uriah Farrell, P. Whitworth, Thomas Welsh, W. A. D. Mayer, George K. Smith.

Second Missouri Volunteer Infantry

Emil Ninas, sergeant, Company D, enlisted May, 1861 ; transferred to Company E, September, 1861. Fought at Pea Ridge, Corinth, Perry ville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, with Sherman to the sea, Franklin, Nashville; wounded at Chickamauga. Discharged, September, 1865.

Fifth Missouri Volunteer Infantry

Henry W. Theiman, corporal, Company E, enlisted 1864; discharged 1865. In 1861 enlisted in Colonel Grover's regiment, "Horse Guards." Captured and paroled at Lexington.

Dr. E. A. Taylor, surgeon. Company B, transferred from Colonel Stieffle's regiment, Company A ; engaged in battle of Lexington ; was there captured and paroled. Re-enlisted in 1862. Acted as hospital surgeon until discharged in 1865.

W. F. Walkenhorst, private, Company B, enlisted 1861 ; fought in battle of Lexington, Blues, Independence, Westport, Mines Creek, Marshall. Discharged July 9, 1865.

Henry Fiene, private, Company B, enlisted in 1862 ; fought at Jefferson City, California, Blues, Westport, Mines Creek; taken prisoner in southwestern Missouri, and escaped. Mustered out 1865.

Lafayette Men In Miscellaneous Regiments

Ben. H. Wilson, captain, then major, enlisted in Company F, Seventyfirst Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia; was in twenty or thirty skirmishes with guerrillas.

Harmon Brand, private, enlisted in 1861, in Captain Becker's company, under Colonel Mulligan; was in the battle of Lexington; surrendered, was paroled, and then went home.

J. L. Youngs, Jr., second lieutenant, Company K, Fourteenth Missouri, under Colonel White, enlisted in 186 1 ; fought at Lexington with Mulligan, Mines Creek, Newtonia, Blues and Independence ; was taken prisoner at Lexington ; paroled and sent south.

W. K. Saunders, fourth sergeant, Company C, Seventy-first Regiment Enrolled Militia, enlisted August 16, 1862 ; was in the fight at Wellington. .

Mordecai Gladdish, first lieutenant, enlisted July, 1861, under Colonel White, United States Volunteers, and was at the battle of Lexington, was taken prisoner, and paroled at the same place.

David McClure, private, enlisted July, 1863, First Regiment Missouri State Militia, Company G; was stationed at Lexington. Discharged in 1865.

Fritz Storberg, enlisted 1861, Company C, Twenty-sixth Missouri Infantry ; was in the battles of Springfield, Mark's Mills, where he was captured and held prisoner for three months, and exchanged ; re-enlisted in Company C, Seventh Regiment; afterward consolidated with the First Missouri State Militia; discharged 1865.

Claus Halstien, private, enlisted 1862, in Company K, Eighth Regiment Missouri State Militia; the battles in which he fought were Independence, Jefferson City, Blue Mills, Westport, Newtonia, and discharged 1865.

Lewis W. Wernway, second lieutenant, Company C, enlisted 1861, Graves' regiment; was at Carthage, Oak Hills, Pea Ridge, Lexington, Corinth; discharged in 1863.

Z. T. Alkire, private, enlisted March, 1863, Company B, Seventh Regiment Missouri State Militia ; fought at Big Blue, Little Rock, Springfield, Greenfield; discharged in 1865.

William Boothman, private, enlisted September, 1861, First Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, and in 1864 in Seventh Missouri State Militia; participated in engagements of Lexington, Lone Jack, Prairie Grove, etc. ; captured twice, Lexington and Prairie Grove.

H. F. Utt, private, enlisted in the Federal army, in Company F, Seventh Regiment Missouri Volunteers, under Colonel Huston, August 22, 1861 ; was at the battle of Lone Jack and discharged December, 1863, on surgeon's certificate.

Lewis S. Stout, enlisted in 1862, in Company B, Seventh Regiment Missouri State Militia ; was blacksmith for his company, and discharged at St. Louis, in 1865.

Joseph Waring, corporal, enlisted, 1861, in Company D, Seventh Regiment Missouri State Militia ; was discharged in 1865 ; engaged at Lexington, Independence. Blue, Westport and Drywood.

Bushwhackers Or Guerrillas

The Civil war was noted for lawless bands of men, known as bushwhackers and guerrillas, who did not enter either army, but kept up a constant annoyance by their semi-organized efforts and general sympathy and aid to the Con- federacy. Among these bands were men wthout patriotism or character, and who devastated the country, killing innocent people, and burning the houses and farm buildings largely for plunder. Not that all the bad men in this section of Missouri belonged on that side, by any means, for many of the acts of the stay-at-home Unionists were subject to much condemnation. This was a perilous time in our country's history, and only those who lived in a border state can understand all that the people had to contend with. Foes within one's own household are usually the bitterest, most dangerous and hardest to manage. It would take a good sized volume to mention the many operations and bloody crimes perpetuated by the bushwhackers in Missouri, and it will not be attempted here to even narrate much concerning these lawless bands, even in Lafayette county, other than to mention how the United States government looked upon them and how they were handled when captured by the Unionists.

"The sum of five thousand dollars for every soldier or union citizen killed ; from one thousand dollars to five thousand dollars for every wounded person; and the full value of all property destroyed or stolen by guerrillas, will be assessed and collected from the rebel sympathizers residing in the vicinity of the place where the act is committed."

This military order provided that the money collected in such cases should be paid to the legal heirs, or else the person suffering injury or loss thereby. Also that the division commanders should appoint a civil board in each county, to consist "of not less than three members, who will be selected from the most respectable and reliable citizens of the county, who will take an oath to discharge faithfully and impartially all the duties required of them by this order." That each board must "proceed to enroll all the residents and property-holders of the county who have actively aided or encouraged the present rebellion." If the assessment was not paid within the time specified by such board, then the property of such persons* was to be seized and sold till the amount was realized.

Another paragraph of this order read : "In making an assessment of damages, the board will be governed by the wealth of the individual, and his known activity in aiding the rebellion - particularly in countenancing and encouraging guerrillas, robbers and plunderers of the loyal people. Each county board will keep an accurate account of its proceedings, and will send a duly certified copy of each case to district headquarters."

Not much more than one month after this order was issued by General Schofield its enforcement was commenced in Lafayette county. The following named had been selected as the board: R. C. Vaughan, William Spratt, Eldredge Burden, John F. Neill and John F. Eneberg. They met at Lexington to organize for business. All the officers and soldiers, whether United States army men or State Militia, were ordered to "render said board protection and assistance in the execution of their duties, whenever and wherever called upon to do so."

At the time, Col. Daniel Huston, Jr., was in command of Lexington post and on August 8th, he issued his general order No. 13, saying: "All persons in the county of Lafayette who have suffered any loss of property or injury to person, since the death of General Schofield's order No. 3, or may hereafter sustain injury or loss of property, are hereby notified to report the circumstances of their several cases to these headquarters, in order that assessments may be made to indemnify them."

The next day, August 9, 1862, the board published a card with their names attached thereto, announcing that they intended to "promptly and fearlessly discharge their duty without favor or affection."

On May 6, 1862, Capt. N. Cole, then commanding Lexington post, issued a circular, made up largely from orders given out by his superior, General Halleck, from which we here quote :

"Treasonable language is to be punished upon trial and sentence, by a military commission, under the charge of encouraging the rebellion against the government of the United States, while enjoying its protection. Neither sex nor age (after the age of legal responsibility) will be overlooked. All must be taught to obey and respect the laws of the land, or submit to punishment for their disloyalty, whether it consist of word, act or deed. Any who had been in arms under General Price are required to surrender themselves to the military authority and give bonds for their future loyal conduct, or they will be arrested and tried as spies, being within the lines of our army and in citizen's dress."

On June 18, 1862, Col. Daniel Huston, Jr., commander of Lexington post, issued his general order No. 9, in which he notified all who had been in arms against the United States government to report themselves to the provost marshal and take oath of loyalty and give bonds for their future good conduct, or "they will be considered as spies."

No. 3 of these orders said : "All bushwhackers or guerrillas taken with arms in their hands or without arms, will be shot upon the spot they are found. Commanding officers are strictly enjoined to enforce this order rigorously." This was from General Schofield's general order No. 18, of May 29, 1862.

I3O Lafayette County, Missouri

The devilish work of the detestable bushwhackers had been carried on with impunity, until it had become absolutely necessary for the government authorities to outlaw them and the soldiers to hunt them down. And a knowledge of the above and similar official orders is necessary to an understanding of many things done by the state militia which are even to this day matters of bitter contention and sad remembrance in Lafayette county.

The "Enrolled Militia" (organized local police), under the military laws of Missouri, for prompt and severe action against the bushwhackers and guerrillas, was set to work by Order No. 19, issued July 22, 1862. This order read as follows :

"An immediate organization of all the militia of Missouri is hereby ordered for the purpose of exterminating the guerrillas that infest the state." Every man subject to military duty was required to report himself, bringing whatever arms he had or could procure and be enrolled. And it was ordered, "that all arms and ammunition of whatever kind, and wherever found, not in the hands of the loyal militia, will be taken possession of by the latter, and used for the public defense. Those who have no arms, and cannot procure them in the above manner, will be supplied as quickly as possible, by the ordnance department."

After the war cloud has been forever swept away," the true animus of these military orders, sanctioned by Governor Gamble, seem almost unthinkable, and it is little wonder that such a terrible reign ensued here as is recorded for Lafayette county in those days that tried men's souls. At that day, not one-third of the population of this county was on the side of the Union cause, and the workings of the above orders in such a community can scarcely be imagined. At every man's door stood glaring and scowling grim-visaged warfare.

Petition To Aid The Enrolled Militia, 1 862

"We, the undersigned citizens of Lafayette county, most respectfully ask your honorable court to appropriate a reasonable sum out of any money of the country treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purchasing of suitable clothing, blankets, etc.. for the militia, who have, or may, enroll themselves as militiamen in Lafayette county, under the late order of Governor Gamble.

This instrument was filed August 6, 1862, and Hon. J. F. Ryland was judge of the circuit court, and he marked on the back of the petition the following note : "Wait, and see how much can be spared, and is needed. Not to exceed two thousand dollars now."

On August 26, 1862, the county court passed an order to issue five thousand dollars of county bonds at ten per cent interest, "to be expended for the purchase of blankets, clothing, tents, etc., for the militia companies raised and to be raised in the said county of Lafayette, for the purpose of putting down and suppressing the inhuman guerrilla warfare in our county and state."

In April, 1863, Lieutenant-Colonel King, with one hundred soldiers from Lexington post, killed four bushwhackers, named Joe Fickel, Wagoner and two named Wingate, near the house of William Holmes, fifteen miles southwest of Lexington, on the road to Chapel Hill. Others of the gang escaped.

On September 9, 1863, a man named Carlyle, one of Quantrell's band, who had been captured after the massacre at Lawrence, Kansas, was executed by military authority at Lexington, Col. B. F. Lazear commanding.

In 1863, Dr. J. F. Atkison was post surgeon, and his report of November showed forty sick and wounded at the hospital, then known as the "Anderson House," but later the property of Tilton Davis, Esq.

Another Bushwhacker Incident

There were many clashes between the Federal soldiers stationed in Lafayette county and the Southern guerrillas, or bushwhackers, during the war. Of course it is impossible to give any of the details of all of these incidents. The following account of the killing of Jeff Wilhite and Alvis Estes by a detachment of Federal troops at the old Warder church, on the banks of the Big Sniabar creek, will give the reader a good idea of the times and surroundings of that memorable period. It was recently written by Thomas E. Austin, who was born and reared in Lafayette county and lived here for forty years and more, and who shortly after the fight at the church joined the Southern army at the age of sixteen years and was as brave and true a soldier as ever wore the grey, and now resides at Willow Springs, Missouri. His account of the church skirmish is as follows :

"The old Warder church house was filled full. The Big Sni creek was also filled full (back water from the river). A number of us boys were sitting outside the building when a man (Sewell) who lived above town at Wellington, on a horse rode up to us and asked if he could ford the creek ; we told him no, that if he wished to cross he must go up to the bridge. He then went. That Sunday morning seven or eight bushwhackers also came. They were led by Greene Austin. Among the number were Messrs. Jeff. Wilhite, Alvis Estes and John Prock. Prock had previously been shot in the hip (so said) and was lame. He entered the building to rest, and no doubt to gaze upon the pretty girls. He left his horse immediately in front of the door. Wilhite was acting rudely on the outside, so much so that old brother Renick came out and reprimanded him. Wilhite ordered him back into the house, but the old brother 'sasses' him back, repeating his reproval. About this moment the man who had made inquiries regarding the creek returned hastily and close upon his heels came a troop of Federal cavalry in a rush over the bridge. Austin called to his men, they formed quickly across the road some fifty feet in front of the church ; revolvers popped savagely, the horse of Estes was shot down and he climbed up behind Wilhite. The advance of the Federals, about twenty, had been checked ; but something like fifty men came rushing across the bridge, some of them flanking the seven men. While the scrap was most interesting, Prock had emerged from the church, but could not mount owing to his lameness ; our old friend who had reproved Wilhite took hold of Prock, while I held the horse, and shoved him into his saddle. As Prock's right foot swung over the saddle, a Federal with pistol in hand, eyes on Austin and others, passed within three feet of Prock, riding- ahead. Prock followed with pistol at the fellow's back, in which position they moved fifty feet or more. Prock did not fire, but pulled off to the left into the brush and escaped unnoticed.

"Expecting to see Prock shoot his man, my eyes were riveted to the little scene, wondering why he did not shoot ; but I saw the wisdom of his move as he glided off out of sight into safety. Turning to the melee in the road, men and horses seemed to be mixing - some of the bushwhackers were racing across the open field. Wilhite, with Estes behind, was making a black streak up the road on his powerful black mare, and was clearly outdistancing his pursuers. Estes jumped off, thinking to make it afoot to the bushes, but was cut off; he turned to the creek, as a last resort for safety, jumped in and swims part of the way over, but turned back towards the enemy, who killed him on the very bank of the stream. Wilhite, who was at a safe distance, flourished his revolver in the air ; a volley from rifles brings down the big black mare and so he was left afoot. Circumstances brings him back to the Warder home and towards the creek ; his leg is broken ; he empties his revolver, cutting the bridge of one man's nose, breaking the foot of a second and shot the pistol out of the hand of a third man, but is finally shot through the neck.

"The Federal command came down to the church and told the citizens to bury them. There was screaming and old-time terror among all on the grounds for a while. Miss Nettie Dean would have cleaned out the whole batch (one at a time) if she could have induced them to fight single-handed.

"This is as I saw it at the age of fifteen years. While the actual killing of the two men was up near the Warder home, some of us saw that. I gathered the names and data from the Federals themselves, as they talked, and I saw the men who were shot in the foot and nose ; also the man who claimed to have shot Wilhite last."

On September 14, 1863, an order was sent out for a commutation tax on all who had refused to serve in the "Enrolled Missouri Militia," and this order said : "The district commander shall cause each of such persons to be arrested without delay, and require them to perform military duty until said tax is fully discharged." Brig.-Gen. R. C. Vaughan, of Lexington, was then commanding the fifth military district of the Enrolled Militia of Missouri, which included Lafayette county, with M. Chapman as his adjutant.

Further Acts Of Bushwhackers

On February 22, 1864, two Union soldiers, going home on furlough, stopped for the night at Arthur G. Young's house, five miles out of Lexington on the Sedalia road. At ten o'clock that night five bushwhackers came in and captured the two soldiers, tied their hands behind them, took them into a field and shot them. One was a sick, old man, whose name and residence were not made known, for his murderers took away all his money and private papers, if any he happened to have on his person. They had shot him over the eye. The other man was Elzy Sanders, of Independence, who had enlisted in the Sixth Kansas Volunteers, at Westport, Missouri, in May, 1863. The two bodies were brought to Lexington and buried by the military.

Demand Surrender Of Lexington

To keep the record straight (not so much to dwell on unpleasant subjects), the following incident speaks for itself, and shows how affairs went in the heated days of the Civil war : "To Commander of Post, Lexington : immediate surrender of the city, in the name of the Confederacy. If the surrender is made, citizens and their property will be respected and all soldiers paroled. If it is not made, we will burn the town, and kill the men who fire upon us.

This demand was signed by two well-known citizens of Lafayette county. They were not, however, Confederate soldiers in the true sense of that term, but only bushwhackers, hence Lieutenant Shumate, then in command of the post, made no official reply, but told the alarmed citizens to "Let them come on; we're ready for them!" The note asking the surrender was brought into town by Lewis Smallwood, through compulsion. Alarm bells were immediately rung and the Home Guards mustered promptly at the call. The bushwhackers came up Franklin as far as Oak street, but were met and driven back by a few men under command of Sergeant Stone of Company M, First Missouri Militia. One bushwhacker was shot through the shoulder and another had his horse killed. They robbed the store of Mr. Kellerman, in Old Town, and took Mr. Smallwood's horse from him, and made their escape.

Men And Women Conspirators

By turning to the files of the Lexington Union of February 27, 1864, the following bloody incident is published, and very naturally finds a place in the military chapter of the history of Lafayette county :

"It will be remembered by our readers that some time in December, last, Otho Hinton, a noted guerrilla and robber, was captured at Mrs. Neills', twelve miles from this city, on the Sedalia road. Hinton was kept closely guarded with ball-and-chain attached, until last Monday night, when he was killed by his guard. The facts are as follows :

"Blount, the captain of the band of guerrillas to which Hinton belonged, entered into a conspiracy with Miss Anna Fickel, daughter of Helvy Fickel, near Greenton, Mrs. Ann Reid, of this city, and a soldier whom they believed they had bribed, to kill the guard and rescue the prisoner. The soldier was to have it so arranged that the prisoner, at precisely seven o'clock on Monday evening, would be at Mrs. Reid's house, which is near the house where the prisoners are kept, under the pretext of getting his supper, the soldier, of course, to be ignorant of what was going on. The time rolled round prompt to the moment. Hinton, under the guard, Sergeant Kinkead, walked down to Mrs. Reid's, where everything was arranged as had been preconcerted, and as their supposed accomplice had stated it would be.

"The signal to commence and plan to carry out the conspiracy was as follows : At precisely seven o'clock, Mrs. Reid was to step into another room, when Hinton was to gather up his ball and chain and propose to his guard to return to the guard house, and at the same time to advance to the door, open it, and step leisurely out and to one side, and as the guard came out he was to be met and killed by Blount, the guerrilla, and John Burns, a member of Company I, Fifth Provisional Regiment of the Enrolled Missouri Militia. They were to cut the guard's throat if possible, otherwise to shoot him, then remove Hinton's shackles and take him away. Mrs. Reid, at the appointed time, stepped into the adjoining room. Hinton gathered his ball and chain, and proposed to return and advanced to the door, but no sooner had he placed his hand on the latch than Sergeant Kinkead fired and killed him.

"The soldier who disclosed the whole plan to Lieutenant Kessinger, the commander of the post, was the lieutenant and Captain Johnson, who with a dozen men were laying in ambush one hundred yards from Mrs. Reid's house, waiting for the approach of the guerrillas. In a few minutes after Hinton was killed, Burns and Blount came walking up, instead of being on horseback, as was expected they would, and the officers, supposing them to be soldiers and ignorant of what was going on, halted them. Burns answered, 'I am a friend.' Lieutenant Kessinger replied, 'Advance, friend, and give the countersign.' Burns advanced boldly; Blount kept his position while Burns approached. Billie Savins, the noble boy, whom they had attempted with women and money to bribe, recognized Burns (he had served in the same company with him) and at the top of his voice cried out : 'Blount and Burns ; shoot !' Burns was instantly killed, but Blount turned and ran. Volley after volley was fired after him, but without effect. He ran through gardens, over ravines, and was pursued by cavalry. He jumped Judge Tutt's high paling fence, and young Asher, of Company H, rode to him, but before he could fire, Blount turned and shot him dead. Then he ran through Judge Tutt's garden into the woods, and made good his escape. Mrs. Reid is seventy-eight years old and Miss Fickel is not twenty. These women will be sent to Warrensburg, where they will be tried by military commission."

The above occurred on Monday evening. The next Wednesday night Mrs. Reid's house was burned to the ground by Dennis Gaughan, for which he was promptly arrested by Lieutenant Kissenger and delivered to Jacob A. Price, the sheriff, for trial by the civil authorities.

Miss Anna Fickel was sent to the penitentiary by the military court, but on February 4, 1865, she was pardoned by President Lincoln, and was afterwards sent into the Confederate lines.

Events At The Close Of The War

In the month of May, 1865, Maj. B. K. Davis was in command of Lexington post, and on the nth of the month he received the following sanguinary notice:

"Major Davis : Sir - This is to notify you that I will give you until Friday morning, 10 o'clock A. M., May 12th, 1865, to surrender the town of Lexington. If you surrender, we will treat you and all taken as prisoners of war. If we have to take it by storm we will burn the town and kill the soldiery. We have the force and are determined to take it. "I am, sir, your obedient servant,

The Lafayette Advertiser of May 24, 1865, published a list of seventysix ex-Confederate soldiers, or claimed to be, although most of them were only bushwhackers, who had come in and surrendered themselves, taken the oath of loyalty to the state and United States government and been dismissed.

First Negro Militia Acting In Lafayette

It was also in May, 1865, that ex-County Judge Schofield and his colleague, ex-County Judge Tetton, were arrested by negro militia and put in jail for abstracting the keys of the county clerk's vaults. This was a part of the contest as to the legality of the new county officers appointed by Governor Fletcher, under the state convention ordinance, vacating the civil offices of Missouri. The newly-appointed county officers were : Thomas Adamson, sheriff; William H. Bowen, county clerk; S. F. Curry, circuit clerk. The resisters were, J. A. Price, sheriff; R. C. Vaughan, circuit clerk. In July, 1865, an item appeared in the Advertiser, as follows: "A number of horses surrendered here recently by the bushwhackers were sold at the rate of twenty-five and thirty dollars per head. One man bought nine at these rates."

The last military company organized in the days of the Civil war in Lafayette county was a cavalry organization, formed as a sort of police in 1865, by Lieut. R. W. P. Mooney. They did not seem to belong to any state or national body of troops. On August 14, 1865, the county court ordered them to be paid, some sixty-five dollars and others forty-five dollars, according to their time of service, and county warrants were issued accordingly. The total amount thus paid by this county was six thousand four hundred and twenty-five dollars. On pages 94 and 95, of Book No. 10, County Records, appear the names of the members composing this company. They are as follows : Lieut. R. W. Mooney, William A. Kincaide, James L. Cox, William J. Hutchison, Samuel E. Durgin, James E. Huchison, George W. Wagoner, James M. Van Dyke, Henry Olslager, Samuel Boothman, Robert Buchanan, William Borcher, William L. Etherton, Green C. Davidson, Charles Duck, Peter Ferguson, Christ G. Gaston, Joseph Ganter, Absolem Harris, George Helm, Thomas Hutchins, B. Johnson, J. Kesterson, Patrick Keary, Charles Latham, Augustus H. Lynch, Samuel P. Mansel, William Martin, James C. Mooney, Asa McDowell, Isaac N. Moon, James H. Devill, Oldam

I38 Lafayette County, Missouri The Spanish-American War

In this war, as in all others, Lafayette county did her share in furnishing men. Through the kindness of Capt. J. J. Fulkerson, the author is enabled to give the following roster and other facts concerning the men who served in this war from Lafayette county as seen on the muster and pay-rolls. The men were all members of Company K, Fifth Regiment Missouri Volunteer Infantry :

These men all reported for duty April 27, 1898; were enrolled May 4, 1898, and mustered in May 18, 1898. The company was mustered out of service in November, 1898. But few of these volunteers were sent out of the United States, though they held themselves in readiness at their camp in the South.

Confederate Soldiers' Home

This institution, which is located at Higginsville, this county, originated in the earnest efforts of a number of charitable men and women of Missouri who began the commendable work of providing a home for old, infirm and dependent Confederate soldiers, their wives, widows and orphans. A large and excellent tract of land was purchased near Higginsville, and a number of frame cottages, a church building and a large, commodious two-story brick structure erected thereon. This land and the original buildings cost about sixty-eight thousand dollars.

By act of the General Assembly of 1897, the home was declared to be one of the charitable institutions of Missouri, and the commonwealth assumed the support of the institution for twenty years. The then executive committee of the home conveyed the property to the state. The main building accommodates eighty men, besides which there are fourteen cottages, soldiers' quarters, hospitals No. 1 and No. 2, a power house and electric plant, machine shop, laundry, barns, cribs, etc.

The cost of support and maintenance for the last biennial period per capita per diem was thirty-nine cents. The number of inmates cared for in the years 1907-08 was three hundred and eighty-seven; number died, fortynine; number discharged, nineteen; number inmates at close of 1909, three hundred and eleven.

Men of proper qualifications as to citizenship and service, no matter from what state enlisted nor what state the command served in, may be admitted upon proper proof as to eligibility.

Wives (first wives) over fifty years of age, with children under fourteen years, are admitted, the latter to remain only until fourteen years of age.