USA > Missouri > A History of Northeast Missouri, Volume I > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90
"As soon as the delegation entered my headquarters and before Mr. Biggs or any other member of it had spoken a word, I said, 'Mr. Biggs, you don't have to tell me what you or your friends have come here for. You want to save the lives of these men who are under sentence of death, which I am ordered by my superior officers to carry into effect. I have not the power to cancel General Merrill's orders however much I might desire to do so, but I can tell you who can can- cel these orders and how you can save the lives of these men.' At that
. "With Porter in North Missouri, " pp. 130-133 .- Mudd.
218
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
remark a female voice in the crowd cried out in great anguish, 'Oh, for God's sake, tell, tell, tell us quick.' And I replied, 'Hasten to the railroad station and catch the morning train to St. Louis and as soon as you get there, go to the headquarters of General Curtis and tell him what you have come here to tell me. He is one of the most humane and tender-hearted men you ever saw and when you have told your story, he will at once revoke General Merrill's orders, and send me an order to that effect. Have him send his order to me by telegraph and give you a duplicate to fetch to me, so that if the wires are cut and the order by telegraph does not reach me, you will be sure to get here with the one intrusted to you. Now go quickly and catch your train.' 'Major Caldwell is right,' said Biggs, 'we must act on his advice, come let's go.' And they hastened to the station, caught the train, got to St. Louis and by eleven o'clock the next day. I had received an order from General Curtis revoking the orders to shoot the men, and directing me to send them to St. Louis."*
Major was sent to prison at Alton, where he remained for some time and was regularly exchanged, reentered the Confederate army, and after the close of the war removed to California, where while city marshal of a town in that state, died.
Major Caldwell was in charge of the post at Mexico through the summer and fall of 1862. During the time here, he with his command, fought Porter at Florida, July 22d; Santa Fe, called by the Federals, but by the Confederates, called Botts' Bluff, July 24th ; and Moore's Mill with Colonel Guitar's regiment, July 28th. After the battle at Botts' Bluff, Caldwell pushed Porter south in Audrain county, north of the Callaway line on the north fork of Salt River, where Porter's men rested for a day or two before the engagement at Moore's Mill. Major Caldwell has always been well and favorably remembered by the people of Audrain county.
After the battle of Lexington, Silas L. Hickerson, a member of Murray's command, returned to Audrain county with a commission as a captain, for the purpose of recruiting a company. He was never able to get back to Price's army, but with his company, joined Porter and remained in Audrain and surrounding counties. He was in the battles of Florida, and Santa Fe, and was looked upon by both sides as a guerilla.
Another man of Audrain county, with a company. was Young Purcell. Before the war he was a farmer on Littleby. With his band he was part of the time with Porter, and at other times out carrying on the usual work of a bush-whacker on his own account. On August 13, 1862, he and another, with a company of two hundred men, entered Columbia and liberated the Confederate prisoners there in jail, one of whom was Wm. R. Jackson, son of Judge James Jackson, of pioneer days of the county.
After the battle of Moore's Mill, Porter's command divided up into small detachments. some going to their homes, some to their rendez- vous but the main body was removed to the northern part of the state.
After the battle at Kirksville, Porter's command again divided into small detachments, some surrendering under Lieutenant Todd at Mexico and some going south with Captain R. K. Phillips, among whom were Joe Inlow and Sam Murray, both of Audrain county.
The. Confederate forces were never at any time able during the war to enter Mexico. After the battle at Moore's Mill the last of July. 1862, Col. Odon Guitar, with the Ninth Missouri moved into Mexico and in doing so cut off a Confederate force from entering Mexico and
* Official Records. War of the Rebellion, Series II, Vol. IV. pp. 604, 657.
219
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
which was coming in that direction from Concord. Guitar was here a short while and afterward was promoted to brigadier general and placed in charge of the northern district of Missouri.
A great deal of recruiting took place in various parts of the county and a great deal of bush-whacking was done. Small numbers of men would get together, stay under cover and at the first opportunity, make an effort to get south of the Missouri river to join Price's army. Sometimes they succeeded, sometimes they did not. The number of men going into the Confederate service from Audrain county was probably about four hundred.
When the Third Iowa Cavalry was removed from here, it was suc- ceeded by a company of militia under Captain John McRoberts, then he was followed by Colonel Smart and the Third Missouri State Militia, Cavalry. Smart's regiment was located here until January, 1863, when he was succeeded by the return of McRoberts' Company. McRoberts in turn in May, 1863, was succeeded by Col. Joseph B. Douglass and Douglass remained in Mexico and the vicinity until the close of the war. Douglass was in charge of a district.
In August, 1864, a company of Home Guards was organized in Mexico, for the purpose of helping to defend the town from the vari- ous guerilla bands operating throughout the county. John M. Gor- don was captain; W. D. H. Hunter, first lieutenant; and F. M. Shryock, second lieutenant. There are many living in Mexico and its vicinity now who were members of Captain Gordon's company. It was their duty to keep the town picketed and to keep guards at the blockhouses at the railroad bridges on either side of the town.
In 1864 when Price made his raid north, there was again a fresh outbreak of activity in Audrain county, as well as all over Northeast Missouri. Three hundred Confederates crossed the river near Glas- gow and got as far northeast as Paris, where they compelled Captain William E. Fawkes with a company of seventy militia, to surrender. This was October, 1864.
The excitement at this time caused Captain Gordon to take extra precautions to guard the town. On this occasion or some similar one, the town was picketed for fear of an attack from the Confederates. In those days it was not always just exactly safe to be too free about expressing one's sentiments in the presence of strangers, and until it was known which side the stranger belonged to, cautious men were careful, and it becoming known that the stranger was a Federal or Confederate, it was not unusual to express great sympathy for his cause, especially if he was serving either. At the time referred to, Jim Carroll and John Jeffries were sent out to picket the road com- ing in from toward Centralia. They were stationed at suitable dis- tances apart along the road, with Carroll the farther out. They were instructed that if they heard gun shots in their direction, they were to give the alarm by firing their guns and immediately retreat into the town to give further alarm. Carroll while handling his gun, allowed it to go off accidentally. Jeffries hearing this, immediately fired his gun and started to run for the town. Carroll, becoming panic-stricken, struck out at his best lick to town and in his excitement ran against Jeffries, knocking him down and falling on him. Jeffries mistaking Carroll for a large part of the rebel forces, concluded that he had been taken prisoner and without looking to see who had him, began to pro- fess adherence to the rebel cause, swearing that he was as good a rebel as anybody and "for goodness sake to let him go the way of a good rebel." By this time Carroll had recovered sufficiently to recognize his friend Jeffries, and said to him, "John, don't make a fool of yourself.
220
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
I'm no rebel, it's nobody but Jim." When Jeffries discovered that it was Carroll, and looking round to see that no one else was there, and to make sure they were alone, said, "Being as it is you Jim, and there is nobody here but you and me, we'll just stick to our principles."
Great excitement was created in Mexico and its vicinity when it was known that the notorious Bill Anderson was in an adjoining county and headed toward Audrain, shortly before the Centralia Massacre. A little after the middle of September, 1864, Anderson made an attack on the post at Fayette and was driven off. He then went through Randolph county to Paris and finding the federal forces there too strong for him, turned to the southward, coming in the direction of Mexico, until he reached a point where the Mexico and Paris road crosses Long Branch. Instead of continuing on his way toward Mex- ico, he turned southwestward and crossed the western part of Audrain county to Centralia. He was followed from Paris by Major John- son with about one hundred and seventy-five men and the next day the fight at Centralia occurred. Shortly before this Captain George W. Bryson, a regular Confederate soldier of the Missouri troops, who had been in the siege of Vicksburg, was transferred to the Trans-Mis- sissippi Department, then commanded by General Kirby E. Smith, made his appearance in this section on a recruiting expedition. In April, 1864, General Smith made a detail of ten men, of his best and most daring scouts to go to north Missouri to recruit men for the ser- vice. Pursued by Federals from the south side, these men got across the river just below Jefferson City. After traveling about twenty miles northward in Callaway county, they separated, each going to his former home. Bryson went to the home of John Barnes south of Centralia and there recruited four men. Near Centralia Bryson ran across a company of Federals guarding a wagon load of ammunition and guns, being taken from Centralia to Columbia. Bryson, with his men, opened fire on the Federals, and though Major Evans in charge of the troop, had a full company, they ran, abandoning their charge. Bryson captured 75 guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition and soon raised a company of sixty-two men. He soon afterward captured a train of Federal horses at Centralia. He then started on a scout to capture Mexico. While north of Mexico about ten miles one morn- ing, he divided his men into small bunches in order to breakfast at different houses. One of these houses was that of Peyton Botts. The lieutenant, who had ordered breakfast at the Botts' home, failed to leave a guard there to look out for Federals. While Mrs. Botts was preparing a breakfast, a Federal troop came along and seeing that unus- ual preparations were being made for breakfast, compelled Mrs. Botts by threats of killing her husband, to tell that the breakfast was for a band of rebels. The Federals concealed themselves and when Bryson with ten men returned to the house to eat breakfast, they were fired upon at close range by the Federals, killing one horse and wounding Bryson. Bryson fell back into the woods and rallied his men, but when he got back to Botts' house, they were all gone, carrying with them as a prisoner the man whose horse they had killed.
This fight occurred the day before the Bill Anderson fight at Cen- tralia, and for that reason in the minds of some, Bryson has been connected with Anderson in the guerilla warfare of North Missouri. Bryson was never connected with Bill Anderson though Britton in his "The Civil War on the Border." puts Bryson down as a guerilla, and classes him with Anderson, Todd and others. He was a regular Confederate soldier and at the time of these occurrences was recruit- ing. Captain Bryson was taken care of by Logan Mundy and John
221
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
Ellis of that neighborhood, until he recovered from his wounds. He was kept in the timber near their houses. Bryson was attended by Dr. W. R. Rodes, then of Santa Fe, now residing in Mexico. While Bryson was still unable for service, the first lieutenant of the com- pany, under Bryson's instructions, joined General Price near Boon- ville. ' By the time Bryson was able to travel, seventy-five men had come to him and he started to the southern army and after a long and tiresome march, rejoined Kirby Smith, with whom he remained until the surrender. Captain Bryson returned to Missouri after the war and married the daughter of Logan Mundy, with whom he became acquainted while being nursed for his wounds. He now lives in Gaines- ville, Texas, and is treasurer of Cooke county.
In addition to those already mentioned, the non-combatants killed by the Federals in and around Mexico during the Civil war, was Gabriel Turner, a citizen of Boone county, being in Mexico along the latter part of the war, was fallen upon by a number of soldiers and killed. Then the Barnett boys, two inoffensive young fellows, attend- ing to their own affairs at their home about two miles from Mexico, on the Florida road were also killed by the Federal Militia. The Fed- ' erals by virtue of military power had a means by which they could hold the other side responsible for murders and depredations, but there was no way to hold responsible the Federal soldiers, or militia- men, who were guilty of killing southern sympathizers, so that mat- ters of that kind went uninvestigated, unpunished and passed into a mere memory.
At the beginning of the war General Pope, by his Order No. 3, undertook to make all citizens, regardless of political belief, stand responsible for the destruction of the North Missouri Railroad.1 This was a policy he undertook to pursue throughout Northeast Missouri. Every man living within five miles of the railroad, he undertook to hold responsible for anything done toward destroying it. This and other things done by him, instead of restoring order and creating con- fidence in the Federal authorities, had the opposite effect, and the consequence was that so long as that policy was pursued, there was a general state of disorder, not only in this, but in all the surrounding counties of Northeast Missouri.2
Later in the war a committee of seven was appointed for each county, whose duty it was to assess the various counties of Northeast Missouri, their share of $300,000 with which to compensate for depre- dations done by all forces unfriendly to the Union cause. On Jan- uary 15, 1863, there was assessed by the Federal authorities against Audrain county as its part, $21,000, which was levied against the southern sympathizers of the county, and which they were compelled to pay. In many instances, people perfectly innocent of any wrong, and who had taken, and were living under the oath of loyalty, were compelled to suffer for the acts of irresponsible outlaws.
Shortly before the close of the war, there was a fellow by the name of Nath Williams with a band in the southeastern part of the county, engaged in bush-whacking Union men and robbing men of both sides. A Federal soldier named James Davis returned to his home in that neighborhood, and Williams with his band, took Davis out and murdered him. This was unknown to and contrary to the desires of the citizens of the neighborhood, but notwithstanding that the Federal authorities caused Henry and James H. Shock, Thomas R. and Josiah Gantt and
1 Series III, Vol. I, Official Records, War of the Rebellion, pp. 417-424.
? "The Civil War on the Border."-Britton, Vol. I, pp. 144-146.
222
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
William Ragland, to be arrested and held in prison as a ransom for Davis, not knowing that he had been killed, and when that was ascer- tained, these men were compelled to raise a considerable amount of money to pay the Federal authorities, as a recompense for the loss of the soldier.
The number of men going into the Federal service from Audrain county was probably about five or six hundred. The secession senti- ment probably prevailed in the north and south parts of the county, but in Cuivre township, it was almost unanimously Union, from the beginning of the war until the end. Before the Civil war there had settled in that township a considerable number of French and a great many Pennsylvania Germans, and these men were strong adherents to the Union, and being generally men of strong character they domi- nated the sentiment in that end of the county. It has been said that eight out of every ten men of military age in Cuivre township were in the Union army. There were parts of three companies of militia made up in Cuivre, those of Captain Geo. M. Ross, Abraham Kempinsky, and Captain Lewis Musick. Another company, that of Captain M. E. Swift, was made up in the western part of the county while McRoberts company came more from the central part.
In this sketch, the Federal volunteer soldier and the militiaman is referred to as either Federal or Union. There was a vast difference in the conduct of the regular soldier from that of the militiaman. In many instances, the militia were as disorderly and unlawful as were the guerillas.
It is not attempted to give a full list of the murders and depreda- tions committed by the militiamen in the county during the Civil war Numbers of southern sympathizers and sometimes Union men were killed and mistreated of which no account has ever been taken.
The civil administration during the war was but a reflex of the military. In 1862 strong Union men were elected to all of the offices in the county. In 1864, armed 'soldiers guarded the polls while the voting took place and of course this resulted in the carrying out of the will of the military power. W. D. H. Hunter was elected to the leg- islature, where he opposes the adoption of the constitution of 1865 on account of the test oath and the disfranchisement provisions. In 1866, notwithstanding all of the ex-Confederates and southern syın- pathizers were precluded from voting, the Democrats were successful in electing a set of officers, all of whom had been Union men. In 1868 John D. Macfarlane, a Liberal Republican, was elected to the legisla- ture, over W. T. Cook, Radical. Cook contested and Macfarlane re- signed, and at another election M. F. Simmons, Liberal, was elected over R. M. Sturgeon, Radical. It was not until 1870 that the whole people had a voice in the elections. In that year the Democrats elected a good class of officers, all former Union men, among whom was William H. White, sheriff, who in 1861 had opposed the raising of the secession flag in Mexico. In 1872, Captain Daniel H. McIntyre was elected prosecut- ing attorney. He was the first ex-Confederate elected to an office in the county after the close of the Civil war. Since that time, there has been scarcely an election but some ex-Confederate soldier has been elected to a place in the court house.
On May 7, 1868, the county court, composed of John B. Morris. Increase Adams and T. J. Marshall, ordered an appropriation of $50,000 for the building of the third court house.
E. P. Cunningham, who in 1840 was one of the contractors to build the State University, was selected as commissioner. The con- tract was let for the building at $40,900. Including everything, the
1
223
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
house was built and accepted by the county court August 4, 1869, at a total cost of $42,807.76. At that time county courts had power without submitting the matter to the vote of the people, to create a county debt. The court house was built by a direct levy made by the court and by an issue of some short term bonds. It was one of the best buildings in the state at that time and except for lack of room since the increase of county business, it is one of the best court houses in this section of the state. It has been remodeled inside and is well preserved outside.
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
Audrain county contributed to the Spanish-American war in 1898 one company, Company L, Fifth Missouri Volunteers, officered by Her- bert E. Black, captain; William C. Egan, first lieutenant; Hamilton B. Mckinley, second lieutenant. The company was mustered in in April, 1898, went to Chickamauga Park in May and remained in camp until September when it was ordered to Kansas City, where it was mustered out.
MEXICO
So intimately connected with the history of Audrain county, is that of Mexico, that necessarily a considerable portion of its history is woven into that of the county. It was first incorporated by special act of the legislature, approved March 5, 1855. By that act it was styled "The Town of Mexico," and the corporate limits confined to the original town and the county addition, as accepted by the commis- sioners when the county seat was located. The corporate powers were vested in a board of trustees, consisting of seven members chosen by the qualified voters. This board was authorized to select a chairman and also a town clerk, and the county court had power to appoint for the town, a justice of the peace, who should have the same power as other justices of the peace in Salt river township. This board also had power to appoint an assessor, collector, treasurer, constable and any other officers as might be necessary. Of course this board had power to enact ordinances for the government of the town. The act provided for the election of the board of trustees on the first Monday in April, 1855, but the organization of the town under that act, was neglected and as a consequence the town was not organized until the legislature passed an amending act providing for the election of the board of trustees, on the first Monday in January, 1856. This act also provided that the trustees hold their offices for a period of one year, and for the election of trustees thereafter.
At the election held for that purpose R. W. Bourn, Jacob Coons, John II. Slaughter, S. A. Craddock, A. Cauthorn, M. Y. Duncan and S. Scott were elected a board of trustees and subscribed to support the constitution of the United States and of the State of Missouri, and to faithfully demean themselves in office as trustees of the town of Mexico, on January 27, 1856, before Charles R. Ward, justice of the peace. R. W. Bourn, now living in Mexico, was elected chairman of the board. The first set of ordinances was adopted March 3, 1856.
The first chapter devoted itself to the office of assessor, his duties and the assessment of property for taxation. The second chapter pre- scribed the license for confectioners and the third was devoted to the regulation of persons exposed to or having smallpox. The fourth pro- vided for a town constable and provided his duties. Chapter V pre- scribed ten different misdemeanors, one of which prescribed a punish- ment "of ten stripes on the bare back, to be laid on well by the con-
1
224
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
stable instanter" against a slave for getting drunk. within the limits of the town.
Section 52, Chapter VI, on nuisances, regulated the use of fire- places, chimneys, stoves and flues. Chapter VII provided a license for peddlers, especially clock peddlers. The remainder of the ordi- nances were such as towns of that size would usually have at that time.
In 1855, John P. Clark, and in 1856 John P. Beatty, L. N. Hunter, John A. Pearson and S. W. Davis laid off additions to the town which were outside of the corporate limits.
The legislature, by an act approved February 17, 1857, granted the town a new charter, extending the corporate limits from the center of the court house square one-half mile in each direction, and changing the name to "The City of Mexico." The permanent officers by this last act were mayor, city council, clerk, recorder, marshal, assessor, treasurer, city attorney and street commissioner. The first mayor under the second charter was Israel Lander.
The town remained under that charter until 1872, when it was amended by an act of the legislature, giving the city some additional powers and extending the corporate limits one-fourth of a mile to the east, west and south.
The city remained under that charter until March 27, 1874, when an act was approved repealing the former charters and enacting an entirely new charter for the city. There was very little change in the charter of 1874 from that of 1857 and its amendments. The corporate limits remained the same.
The city remained under that charter until March 4, 1892, when by a vote, the third-class charter was adopted. By an ordinance approved March 24, 1890, the corporate limits were extended so as to include one mile south of the court house square, three-fourths of a mile north and remained three-fourths of a mile east and west. There being some dissatisfaction about this ordinance, the matter of extending the cor- porate limits as above stated was submitted to a vote of the people, and the limits were extended at an election for that purpose, the 21st day of March, 1892, by a vote of 259 for the extension and 31 against. In the meantime numerous additions have been made to the city, until now there is scarcely any land left within the corporate limits that has not been laid off into lots and blocks.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.