History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 40

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1220

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

Col. John M. Glover commanding, and sharpshooters of Col. J. W. Birge, all under command of Gen. Prentiss, and a confederate force com- manded by Col. Caleb Dorsey, culminated in an engagement at Mt. Zion meeting-house, fifteen miles northeast of Columbia, which as- sumed the proportions of a battle. The following is

GEN. PRENTISS' OFFICIAL REPORT.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTH MISSOURI, PALMYRA, Mo., January 4, 1862.

Capt. John C. Kelton, Assistant Adjutant-General Department of Missouri:

In pursuance of a special order, received on the evening of December 23, 1861, I proceeded from Palmyra for Sturgeon on the morning of the 24th day of December, with five compa- nies of the Third Missouri Cavalry, Col. John M. Glover commanding. 1 arrived at Sturgeon on the evening of the 26th. During the following day, having learned that there was a con- centration of rebels near the village of Hallsville, in Boone County, I sent forward one com- pany of cavalry, commanded by Capt. Howland, to reconnoitre in that vicinity. Capt. Howland proceeded to Hallsville, but found no rebels. After proceeding about two miles beyond, his advance guard encountered the rebels in force, commanded by Col. Caleb Dor- sey. Capt. Howland endeavored to draw off his company, having taken nine prisoners, but was overpowered. Being wounded, and having lost his horse, he was taken prisoner, with one private of his company. The remainder of his men made good their retreat, arriving at Sturgeon at nine o'clock P. M. Having learned the position of the enemy, I immediately or- dered five companies of cavalry, Col. John M. Glover commanding, and five companies of sharpshooters, Col. Birge commanding, numbering in all four hundred and seventy, to march at two A. M., at which hour I started, and after marching a distance of sixteen miles, at eight o'clock A. M. of the 28th inst., I found one company of rebels, commanded by Capt. Johnson, in position to the left of the road leading from Hallsville to Mt. Zion. I ordered two compa- nies of sharpshooters to pass to the rear of the enemy, and one of cavalry to dismount and engage them in the front, it being difficult for the sharpshooters to attain their position un- perceived, the enemy manifesting a disposition to retire.

Col. Glover opened fire, and succeeded in killing five, and capturing seven prisoners, from whom I learned the number and position of the main force. The enemy being posted at a church, known as Mt. Zion, in Boone County, and one mile and a half in advance, numbering near nine hundred men, I ordered the cavalry under Col. Glover forward, accompanied by two companies of Birge's sharpshooters. Col. Birge, with them, arriving near the encamp- ment, one troop of cavalry were ordered to dismount and engage the enemy. The sharp- shooters were afterwards ordered through a field on our right to skirmish with the enemy's left, and if possible drive them from the woods.

The firing being heavy, these three companies not being able to drive the enemy from his cover, Col. Glover, with his available force, moved in double-quick to the aid of the three companies engaged, and for half an hour longer the battle raged and became a hand-to-hand fight. Capt. Boyd's company of sharpshooters were in the midst of the rebel camp. Also, Major Carrick, with Company C, Third Illinois Cavalry. When Col. Glover arrived, the rebels could not stand the fire of our rifles and retreated, leaving in our hands ninety (90) horses and one hundred and five (105) stand of arms. The battle was brought to a close about eleven A. M.

The reserve of two companies coming into action at the moment the enemy gave way, our victory was complete. After collecting our wounded, we proceeded to collect those of the enemy, placed them in the church, and sent for farmers and friends in the vicinity to render assistance. I collected wagons, made our wounded as comfortable as possible, and at four

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

P. M. started for Sturgeon, where we arrived at nine P. M. Our loss in the battle of Mt. Zion and in the engagement of the evening previous is as follows : Killed, three ; slightly wounded, forty-six ; severely wounded, seventeen, Rebel loss : Killed, twenty-five; wounded, one hundred and fifty.

I have not been able to get a correct report of the rebel missing; but having taken thirty prisoners from the barn, their punishment is a severe one. Sixty of the rebels, with Capt. Howland and four of our men as prisoners, arrived at the camp at night, twenty miles dis- tant from the field of battle.

Permit me to mention that our entire force behaved gallantly. I make special mention of the following officers : Col. John M. Glover, Maj. Carrick, Lieuts. Yates and Kirkpatrick, of the Third Missouri Cavalry; Col. Birge, Capt. Boyd, and Adjt. Temple, of Birge's Sharp- shooters, and Lieut. Edwin Moore, my aide. I also assure you that the men behaved with coolness and daring during the engagement.

Annexed please find list of names of our killed and wounded, and list of rebel wounded, left by us at Mt. Zion. I have the honor to be, Captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. M. PRENTISS, Brigadier-General.

LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED AT THE BATTLE OF MT. ZION, DECEMBER 28, 1861, OF THE FIRST REGIMENT OF SHARPSHOOTERS - COL. BIRGE COMMANDING.

Severely Wounded .- W. Derot, Company B, since died; Sergeant Larimore, Company B; J. Manar, Company B; P. Putnam, Company B; C. H. Machie, Company H; H. Gur- non, Company H; C. Atherton, Company H.

Slightly Wounded .- A. Henoesi, Company A; John Lynch, Jesse Chambers, L. Beach, D. Martimore; W. H. Blake. Tobias Miller, Peter Edwards, Company B; Sergeant Weeks, Company D; Sergeant Lemon, Corporal Carr, J. M. Parker, J. Vinton, M. Grady, T. Slevin, Company H.

REPORT OF KILLED AND WOUNDED AT THE SKIRMISH NEAR HALLSVILLE, DECEMBER 27, 1861. AND AT THE BATTLE OF MT. ZION, DECEMBER 28, 1861, OF COL. JOHN GLOVER'S THIRD MISSOURI CAVALRY.

Killed. - Hugh Gregg, Alfred Magers, G. Milton Douglass, Company C.

Severely Wounded. - Andreus Goodrich, Company A, since died; Wm. Wright, Com- pany B, since died; Charles Carnehan, D. H. Hindman, C. C. Washburn, Company B, since died ; John R. Stewart, George Barcastle, Isaac Black, Company C, since died; Wm. H. Hardin, Benjamin F. Tidell, Company E, since died.

Slightly Wounded. - Capt. J. T. Howland, Company A; F. S. Morris, Company A; Jo- seph Washburne, Company A; Daniel Barret, Company A: J. H. Warnesbry, James Eagle, Company B; Marion Morrell, Thos. Phillipot, Henry Ferguson, John Wessell, Thos. Kirby, John Scroggen, William Beman, Robert Allen, Company C; Herbert Reed, J. A. Flickiner, Company D; J. H. Turner, Henry Alters, Company A; Daniel Shannehan, Ju- lius Krenling, Company B; Henry Henry, Henry S. Akers, Jesse Steele, William H, How- ell, John R. Rogers, Millard Williams, Company C; William B. Davis, John Macklin, Geo. Lopez, John W. Donaldson, Allen H. Fite, Company F.

LIST OF REBEL, WOUNDED LEFT AT MT. ZION CHURCH, AFTER THE BATTLE OF DECEMBER 28, 1861.

W. C. McLean, arm broken; Wm. Phillips, shot through the stomach; Wm. Swader, Callaway County (since died), right breast; Wm. T. Ives, Lincoln County, through groin ; Major Thomas Breckinridge, Warren County, right arm and left breast; John H. Jones, Warren County, thigh; Samuel Barnum, Lincoln County, left shoulder; F. J. Brougham, Callaway County, neck; A. J. Parson, Montgomery County, left thigh ; Robert Snead, Lin-

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

coln County, both thighs; C. King, Lincoln County, both thighs; W. H. Vaughn, Lincoln County, throat; C. McDonald, St. Charles County, both thighs; Abram Bramberger, Calla- way County, left breast; J. E. McConnell, Montgomery County, right thigh; L. Davis, Callaway County, right cheek and neck; F. G. Henderson, St. Charles County, hand; R. S. Montford, Callaway County, calf of leg; J. Crossman, Boone County, small of back; C. Quisenberry, Boone County, right breast; - Kernan, St. Charles County, left hand and face ; John Bailey, Warren County, thigh ; Capt. Myers, Warren County, side; W. R. Smith. Pike County, left shoulder; - Martin, Pike County, leg; Lawrence Jacobie, Pike County, hand. Four names not obtained, dangerously wounded.

THE CONFEDERATE ACCOUNT OF THE FIGHT.

Neither Col. Dorsey nor any other confederate officer published an of- ficial account of the Mount Zion fight, otherwise it would be given here. But an intelligent gentleman, who was one of his command, and who was present during the engagement, informs us that on December 24, 1861, Col. Dorsey left Pike County, and on the 27th, at Grandview, in Boone County, which is near and west of the church, organized his forces, consisting of six companies, of about 350 men, not all armed. The officers in command were Col. Caleb Dorsey, Lieut. Col. Cole Kent, Maj. Thomas Breckinridge and E. W. Herndon, (now a citizen of Columbia ), Surgeon.

About 2 o'clock, P. M., of the 27th, this force took up the line of march, intending to camp at Mount Zion church. About a half a mile northeast of the church, the Federals came up and fired on their rear guard, wounding two of Dorsey's men, and then fell back. Dorsey pursued them, and three miles from the church overtook the retreat- ing force, and fired upon them. . A ten minutes' skirmish ensued, in which one Federal was mortally wounded, and Capt. Howland (Fed- eral ), was wounded in the thigh, and taken prisoner. Dorsey's sur- geon, Dr. Herndon, extracted the ball. None of Dorsey's men were killed or wounded.

On the morning of the 28th, the engagement was renewed, the force under Dorsey being about 100 yards east of the church, in the brush and timber. The Federal charge upon them was with both infantry and cavalry, but was repulsed. They again charged, and were again repulsed, after which they made a third charge. The ammunition of Dorsey's command being exhausted, he determined to fall back to his wagons. The Federals advanced upon him, and took some ten pris- oners. They then marched on to the church, and seeing soldiers in the building, fired on it, whereupon two of the prisoners who were in the church, ran out and said : " There are no fighting men here ; this is a hospital ;" hearing which the Federal fire ceased.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

Gen. Prentiss then gathered up his dead and wounded, pressed teams and wagons, and returned to Sturgeon, leaving the Confederate wounded on the field, whom Dr. Herndon distributed among the farm houses in the neighborhood. Dorsey's loss : 5 killed ; 35 wounded, and 10 prisoners. Prentiss' loss (estimated ) : 30 killed ; 60 wounded, and 10 prisoners.

The gentleman who makes this report to us, also desires it to be stated that Gen. Prentiss in every respect acted the gentleman and the soldier, in regard to the Confederate wounded, affording all the assistance in his power, and detailing a guard from his own command to keep soldiers out of the church.

We learn from a different source that among Dorsey's wounded were Clifton Quisenberry, of Boone, Capt. Myers, of Lincoln, a young man by the name of Thurman, and a Mr. Swaydor, all of whom, except Capt. Myers, died - Swaydor at John Reed's, who lives near the church. One of the wounded also died at James Ful- kerson's.

From another source, altogether authentic, it is learned that in the skirmish on the evening before the main fight at Mt. Zion, the fol- lowing men of Co. A, 3d Cavalry, Missouri Volunteers, were taken prisoners by the Confederates, viz. : Capt. Jas., T. Howland; pri- vates Geo. Hipkins, Thos. J. Maggard, John W. Peak, A. J. Johnson, Wm. B. Hatten, W. J. Morton, A. J. Goodrich and Chas. Carna- han. Capt. Howland was badly wounded in the leg ; Carnahan was struck on the occipital bone; Goodrich was the soldier mortally wounded, who died the same night.

A few days after the fight an arrangement was effected between Gen. Prentiss and Col. Dorsey, commanding the Federal and Confed- erate forces respectively, for an exchange of prisoners. Capt. Hen- derson represented the Confederates and Col. Glover the Federals, and the exchange was made at Sturgeon. The following are the names of the Federals exchanged : -

Capt. J. T. Howland, Co. A, 3d Mo. Cavalry.

Wm. Morton, Co. A, 3d Mo. Cavalry. Wm. Hatten, « " .

Sergeant J. C. Miller, Co. C, 3d Mo. Cavalry. W. S. Grover, 66

Bugler Thos. Orton, 66 66 66 Corporal Rhino, 66 66 66

Private Frank Murray, 66 66

Sergeant Isaiah Null, Flagg's Regiment.

Private Walter Scott, 81st Ohio Infantry.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

After leaving Mt. Zion Church Col. Dorsey made his way west- ward into Perche township, and went into camp near Everett. Here heremained a day or two, when, pursuant to orders from Gen. Price, he ordered his command to " scatter," until such time as a concen- tration would be proper and could be effected. In February fol- lowing the major portion of the command crossed the Missouri and made its way to Price's army.

" MERRILL'S HORSE."

1862. One of the prominent incidents in the military history of Columbia, and of Boone County, was the advent into the former, on Thursday, January 2, 1862, of a large portion of the Second Cavalry regiment, Missouri Volunteers, known as "Merrill's Horse," and commanded by Col. Lewis Merrill, Lieut .- Col. Wm. F. Shaffer and Maj. John Y. Clopper. This force pitched their tents in the Uni- versity campus, made officers' quarters, and established a depository for Commissary's and Quartermaster's stores and a military prison, in the University. They garrisoned Columbia until about the 1st of July, when the headquarters of the regiment were moved to War- renton.

Merrill's Horse came to be well known in Missouri. It fought in almost every quarter of the State, from Cherry Grove, in Scotland County, to Bloomfield, Stoddard County. It fought at Silver Creek, Pierce's Mills, Compton's Ferry, Kirksville, and other places in this State, and did much service in Arkansas.

During the stay of this force in Columbia many citizens in various parts of the county were arrested, a few of them tried by court-mar- tial, some of them banished from the State, some of them condemned to death (but never shot) for bridge burning, recruiting within the Federal lines, violations of parole, etc., and several hundred of them required to give bond and take the following oath : -

- -, of my own free will and accord, do solemnly swear before Almighty God, and in the presence of these witnesses, without any mental reservation and with full' intent of mind and heart to keep the obligation, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Federal Government of the United States, above all allegiance to any other State or government; that I will support and uphold the Constitution of the United States and the State of Missouri, and that I will neither encourage, aid nor assist, by word or deed, any who are now or who may hereafter be in rebellion, against the Government of the United States as lawfully constituted, and that I will by all peaceful means in my power dis- courage and discountenance the present rebellion against the said Government. So help me God.

I, -

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

UNION MILITARY DISPLAY - A FEDERAL SOLDIER DISGRACED.

On Monday, February 11, 1862, there was a very imposing military pageant in Columbia, attended by an unusual exhibition of the rigor of military discipline.

On their march from Boonville to Danville, and en route for the field of battle in Tennessee, three infantry regiments under command of Col. Worthington, acting Brigadier-General, passed through Colum- bia and encamped near the farm of Dr. Jacobs, six miles east. The column consisted of the Fifth Iowa, Col. Worthington ; Forty-seventh Illinois, Col. Bryan, and an Ohio regiment under Col. Groesbeck, with a battery of six pieces under Captain Sharp, and about 130 wagons. The whole made an immense train. When the front of the column reached the brow of the hill west of town, a halt was ordered and Capt. Sharp discharged two of his pieces, waking up all the region round about, after which, with martial music by three bands, and the Stars and Stripes foating at the head of each regiment, the immense pageant marched through town.

A few miles west of town, that morning, one of the soldiers, who was on horseback, while passing the residence of James Watson, dis- mounted from his lame and jaded charger, and without license, bridled and saddled and rode away a gelding of Mr. Watson's. No sooner was Col. Worthington advised of this fact than he ferreted out the offender, returned the horse to his owner, and secured the unfortunate man with a rope to the hind gate of one of the wagons, with a file of soldiers to guard him.

ARRIVAL OF COL. ODON GUITAR IN COLUMBIA.

Early in January, 1862, Odon Guitar, a distinguished lawyer and well-known Union man of Columbia, was authorized by Gov. Gamble to recruit a cavalry regiment of Missouri State militia - the Ninth. He entered upon the duty with alacrity, and it was not long before his efforts were crowned with success ; and his regiment, after being organized, attained no mean distinction for efficiency and courage in sustaining the flag under which they marched.

On Tuesday, February 17, 1862, Col. Guitar arrived in Columbia with two companies of his regiment from Sturgeon, fully uniformed and equipped. Their entrance into Columbia was accompanied by the waving of handkerchiefs and many other tokens of greeting from the citizens and by loud huzzas from the people and from Col. Mer-

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

gill's cavalry ; the latter was drawn up in front of the Statesman office to receive them. It was a soul-stirring ovation. These com- panies of Col. Guitar's regiment were composed principally of young and able-bodied men from Boone and Howard.

The 22d of February, 1862 was celebrated in the court house in Columbia, Maj. A. J. Harbison acting as president and L. M. Switz- ler as secretary. Prayer by Rev. Isaac Jones. Reading of Wash- ington's farewell address by Dr. J. H. Lathrop. Short addresses by Col. Merrill and Capt. Howard.

MILITARY SUPPRESSION OF THE COLUMBIA "STANDARD " NEWSPAPER.

In March, 1862, a military commission convened at Columbia pur- suant to special orders No. 160, of February 20, 1862, from the Head- quarters of the Department of the Missouri, Col. Lewis Merrill, President, before which Edmund J. Ellis was arraigned and tried on various charges and specifications - substantially, that in the Columbia Standard, a newspaper of which he was editor and proprietor, he gave information for the benefit of the enemy and encouraged resist- ance to the government and laws of the United States, and that in doing so he violated the laws of war. The commission found him guilty, and sentenced him to be placed and kept outside of the lines of the State of Missouri during the war, and that the press, types and other material of the Standard office be confiscated and sold for the use of the United States. The finding and sentence were approved by Maj. Gen. Halleck, and by Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, and were executed.

The same military commission tried Wm. F. Petty, James Quisen- berry and James Lane, on the charge of railroad and bridge burning on the North Missouri Railroad, about December 21, 1861; found them guilty, and sentenced them to be " shot dead at such time and place as the Major General commanding the department shall direct." On recommendation of the commission Gen. Halleck commuted the sentence to taking the oath of allegiance, and giving bond in $2,000 each for future loyalty to the Government. Petty, himself, was finally released, and now lives in Texas.

COLUMBIA TRUSTEES OUSTED.

By a military order issued April 19, 1862, by Col. Merrill, W. H. Tillery, W. B. Quisenberry, Thomas Selby, J. M. Samuel and W. H.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

Duncan, Trustees ; John Lackland, Recorder, and W. H. Northcutt, Marshal of Columbia, were forbidden to exercise any of the func- tions of their offices, under penalty of being arrested and tried for military offence.

FLAG PRESENTATION TO "MERRILL'S HORSE."

On Monday, April 28, 1862, a flag was presented to the regiment of Col. Lewis Merrill ( Merrill's Horse) by the loyal citizens of Co- lumbia and vicinity, as a testimonial of their high appreciation of their services. At the appointed hour the portion of the commands of Cols. Merrill and Guitar, then stationed in Columbia, formed as infantry in the University campus, and with banners flying and to the music of the cavalry bugle marched to the front of the court house, where the presentation was made. J. H. Waugh, T. B. Gentry, Dr. Paul Hubbard and W. B. Selby acted as a committee of arrange- ment. Col. Switzler presided, and prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Landis, Chaplain of " Merrill's Horse." Dr. John H. Lathrop de- livered the presentation speech, to which Col. Merrill responded.

DEATH OF LIEUT. THEODORE BROOKS.

On Saturday night, May 3, 1862, Lieut. Theo. Brooks, of Capt. Cook's Company, Guitar's regiment, with twelve men, stopped for the night at the house of John Long, four miles from Florida and eight miles from Paris, in Monroe County. Apprehending an attack during the night from about fifty armed Confederates, who were supposed to be in the vicinity, Lieut. Brooks posted sentinels at every available point. Between 12 and 1 o'clock about thirty shots were fired at the sentinel posted at the barn guarding the horses. The firing was heard at the house, and Lieut. Brooks proceeded immediately to the barn to learn the cause. As he was returning to the house he was mistaken by his own men for one of the enemy and one soldier, W. W. Conger, now of Centralia, after calling " halt," (which Lieut. Brooks did not hear) fired upon him, the ball breaking his right thigh and badly shattering the bone. He was the next day conveyed to Paris and accommodated with a room at the Glenn House, where he died on Tuesday night. His widow, who still resides at Ashland, has, ever since his death, regularly received a pension from the Government. A detachment of Capt. Cook's company escorted his remains to Salem Church, in Boone County, where they were interred.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

COL. GUITAR AT JEFFERSON CITY.

On May 6, 1862, Odon Guitar, having completed the organization of his regiment, was commissioned by Gov. Gamble as Colonel, and on May 31st Brig. Gen. James Totten issued an order forming a mili- tary sub-district with the following boundaries : "Northeast and south by the Missouri and Osage Rivers, and west by a line from Warsaw, through Versailles to Mount Vernon, in Moniteau County, and that Col. Odon Guitar, commanding the Ninth Regiment, M. S. M. Cavalry, will assume military control and surveillance of said district, keeping up & system of scouts throughout the same, so that at all times he may be perfectly informed of the whereabouts of guerrilla bands and other disloyal persons within his command." Col. Guitar assumed com mand on June 2d, and as far as known this is the first time at which his regiment was all stationed at the same place. Col. Guitar's encampment at Jefferson City was called "Camp Totten," and on June 9th he issued General Orders No. 2, attested by Thomas Ward, post adjutant, in regard to the government of his officers and the dis- cipline and conduct of his men.

JULY 4, 1862, IN COLUMBIA.

The portion of " Merrill's Horse " stationed in Columbia, together with many citizens, celebrated the 86th anniversary of American In- dependence, by a national salute at day break, a cavalry dress parade on Broadway, the reading of the Declaration of Independence by Lieut. Lee S. Watson, followed by a speech by Capt. Wm. Barr.

POINDEXTER'S RAID.

During the month of August, 1862, occurred what came to be known as " Poindexter's Raid." Col. J. A. Poindexter, of Randolph County, returned to Missouri from the Confederate army, in Arkan- sas, and recruited in this section of Missouri, a considerable force, estimated at from 1,000 to 1,500, and then sought to make his way back to Arkansas. He was pursued by Gen. Odon Guitar, and over- taken at Compton's Ferry, on the Grand River, Carroll County, and disastrously defeated, losing about thirty killed, a number of horses, arms, provisions, etc. Afterward he was again encountered by Gen. B. F. Loan, near Utica, in Livingston County, and turned south. Passing through the corner of Linn, and into Chariton County, he was again overtaken, at the crossing of Yellow Creek, by Gen. Guitar and his forces dispersed,

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

Poindexter's raid was a disastrous failure. His men rode for days without food or sleep, and were at last captured and defeated from sheer exhaustion. Guitar gave them no chance to halt and refresh themselves, and everywhere the militia were up and after them. Many of them were from Boone County, and a few returned home in safety, but many more were captured.

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History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 40

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1220

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1220