History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 44

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

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Johnson came upon Todd's trail near Middle Grove and followed it as rapidly as possible. He found that the guerrillas had robbed nearly every house along the route, but had killed no one. He pushed on in a southeasterly course to the timber on Young's Creek and then moved due south to where the guerillas had crossed the railroad, about two and a half miles east of Centralia and in plain view of the town. Here he halted and decided to visit the village in search of in- formation, having no suspicion of the dreadful tragedy that had been enacted a few hours before.

When he arrived at the place and saw the smoking ruins of the depot and the cars, and the bloody, ghastly corpses of the slain soldiers,

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and the horror-stricken women and children, Maj. Johnson at once knew it was all the work of the guerillas, but speedily set about to learn the details. He conversed with some of the citizens, but more especially with Dr. A. F. Sneed. The latter informed him thoroughly as to what had occurred, of the location of the camp of the guerillas, and of their probable - at least their reported - number. Maj. Johnson and Dr. Sneed ascended into the attic of Mr. Sneed's hotel and looked out southeast over the prairie toward Singleton's. Very soon they saw a squad of 15 or 20 men ride out from a little belt of timber along a small branch near Mr. Yates' residence, a mile from town, and halt. " There they are now," said the Major, and he hastily descended. On the ground, Doctor Sneed asked him if he in- tended marching out to attack them. " I do," he emphatically re- sponded. Dr. Sneed remonstrated and urged him not to risk a fight with the guerillas. " They largely outnumber you," he said, " and they are much better armed and mounted, having four good revolvers each and splendid horses."

" How many do you think there are of them ?" asked Major Johnson.

" I do not know to a certainty, but there are said to be about 400," replied Dr. Sneed.

" But you say there were only about 80 in town this morning."

" The remainder were down in the camp."

The Major seemed somewhat incredulous as to the number of the foe, thinking, no doubt, they were largely overestimated, as was commonly the case.

"And they are armed only with revolvers?" he again queried. " Well, they may have the advantage of me in numbers but I will have the advantage of them in arms. My guns are of long range and I can fight them successfully at a distance." Soon after he added, " I will fight them anyhow."

JOHNSON DETERMINES TO FIGHT.

Johnson spoke like a soldier. It was his duty to march forth and attack his enemy at any hazard. He had been following him for sev- eral hours with orders to fight him when found. He had come upon him; and here was a town with its railroad buildings in ashes, its citizens robbed and plundered and the dead bodies of twenty-three Federal soldiers, brutally murdered in cold blood, lying stark and stripped and lifeless in the sun ; and those who had done the burning, the robbing, and the murdering were only a mile or so away. Sup-

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pose he had acted the craven and the coward and retreated to Stur- geon in safety, leaving the guerillas to pursue their way in peace, all . future generations would have justly condemned his conduct and ex- crated his memory. Major Johnson is better off, dust and ashes in his grave in Marion county, than if he were alive under such a cloud of contumely and shame. He has been censured deeply and often by those who did not know the facts or did not rightly interpret them. Various silly statements have been made concerning him ; among them that he entered Centralia cursing and swearing at the citizens. and left using the most violent threats and denunciations ; that he knew nothing of the force he was confronting - their numbers, char- acter, etc. ; that he carried a black flag at the head of his command ; that the people of the place, even " beautiful girls," implored him not to go out against the bushwhackers, with much more misrepre- sentation and falsehood.

The truth is, as related by the then citizens of Centralia now living, and who speak that which they know, and by the few surviving mem- bers of Johnson's command, none of the ridiculous utterances or actions attributed to him were ever said or done. He treated the citizens respectfully, even kindly. He had on his person a written order from Gen. C. B. Fisk commanding him to " exterminate the murderous, thieving bushwhackers," but he made no threats against the people of Centralia. He knew something of the character of the force he was about to engage, having followed them long enough, and conversed with people who had well observed them, to get an accurate idea of them. Doubtless, he was mistaken as to their numbers, as it is said he told Lieut. Stafford that he did not believe they exceeded 150. He conferred with Dr. Sneed and one or two other citizens of Centralia, and was advised by them not to attempt an attack, but no " beautiful girl " implored him to remain. He floated no black flag. He had a United States flag carried in his command, by Isaac Howard, and this was brought unstained and unhurt from the field. Practi- cally, it may be, both sides were fighting under the black banner of " no quarter." The guerillas killed every Federal that fell into their hands, and this fact was well known to Johnson, whose orders were to " exterminate " them if he could.

JOHNSON MARCHES TO BATTLE AND TO DEATH.

Getting his command together, Johnson ordered Capt. Theiss and Lieut. Stafford, of Company H, with 35 men to remain in Cen-

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tralia with the two teamsters, the wagons and the prisoner. With the detachments of Company A, Capt. Smith, and Company G, Lieut. Jaynes, Major Johnson advanced toward the southeast. He did not have exceeding 120 men. An advance under a commissioned officer, numbering perhaps 25 men, rode in a trot toward the guerilla picket force, near Yates's. When the forces were within 200 yards of each other, the guerillas retreated southward ; the Federals fol- lowed slowly, but never losing sight of their enemy. The guerillas rode leisurely along, halting occasionally to be sure that they were being followed. Half a mile south of Yates's there was a field. The fence was thrown down, the guerillas entered the field and marched in a trot up a gentle slope. Johnson closed up with his advance in the little hollow and skirt of timber near where the fence was, and entered the field through the same gap the guerillas had passed. He marched up the slope in a walk to the crest of the hill, and entered a piece of fallow land where, the previous year, had grown a crop of corn. Here he halted his command and " fronted " it, his line now running north and south and facing the east. Near half a mile away, on the crest of another hill, sloping down east to Young's Creek, he saw perhaps 75 men, Anderson's company. The remainder of the guerillas were out of sight, save a few that could be seen in a hollow to the right. Johnson dismounted three-fourths of his men, ordered them to " fix bayonets," and, himself at their head on horseback, moved forward about 100 yards and halted, leaving behind one-fourth of his men to hold horses, as is customary with cavalry and mounted infantry when fighting on foot.

PREPARATION OF TODD FOR THE FIGHT.

When Bill Anderson returned to the main camp, near Singleton's. and reported what he had done, he had a considerable altercation with George Todd concerning his conduct. Todd denounced the killing of the defenceless soldiers and the robbery of the citizens. Ander- son was on the point of withdrawing from the command, when Thrailkill's pickets came in and reported the approach of Johnson's command. The officer in charge of the scouts (said to have been Thrailkill himself), said he had counted the Federals as they marched up the railroad track and that their number was one hundred and fifty- five. It was soon agreed that this was the command of which Bryson's men had informed them that morning. " They have only old muskets and no revolvers, then," said Anderson to Todd, " and

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it will be only fun to clean them up." All differences were forgotten, and the command, " saddle up !" rang through the camp. Todd was soon prepared for battle. Fullenwider's fence lay in front of the camp to the west. Every other panel was thrown down, and the guerillas passed into the fallow field. Todd and Thrailkill planned the battle line. To the right of the field was a slough, or " branch," running northeast into Young's Creek. To the left was a slough running southeast into Young's Creek. Up the slough to the right were sent Thrailkill and Tom Todd. Up the slough to the left went George Todd and Si. Gordon. Up the centre went Bill Anderson, and his company line running from north to south and facing the west. Behind, and partly overlapping Anderson's company, was Dave Poole.

Before the line of battle was formed, Todd sent out a squad of Thrailkill's men to observe the movements of Johnson. This squad moved up near Yates's, and was the squad seen by Maj. Johnson and Dr. Sneed from the attic of Sneed's hotel. When Johnson's advance rode down to near this force, the Federal leader called out, " Come on ; we are ready for you." In a minute he again shouted, " Wait for us, then, you d-d cowards." The guerillas (but he did not, of course, know it ) were only waiting for him. Report was sent to Todd of the approach of the Federals, and he directed the squad to " toll " or lead them into the trap which he was setting for them, which they successfully accomplished. As soon as the guerillas got into the old corn-field they galloped away to their command. The Federals came on as before described.

As the forces stood confronting each other, there was profound silence for a minute or two. Each party waited for the other to be- gin the attack. Five paces ahead of his soldiers sat Johnson on his fine gray horse, his left hand holding the reins, his right grasping his pistol -a Colt's dragoon. If he spoke to his men, no one is now alive that heard what he said. Anderson had halted at the head of his company. He looked over to the right and to the left and saw that Todd and Thrailkill were in position. Then he rode behind his company, and said to his men: "Boys, when we charge, break through the line and keep straight on for the horses. Keep straight on for the horses ! Keep straight on for the horses !" It had been arranged that Anderson was to open the fight and draw the Federal fire. It had also been arranged that he was to lift his hat as a signal for the attack, which would be observed by Poole and the other lead- ers. As soon as the Federals fired, Todd and Thrailkill were to

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charge. All of Anderson's men kept their horses, and kept in line ; none of them dismounted, as reported in some accounts. Anderson scanned narrowly the dismounted Federals in his front, with their muskets and gleaming bayonets. "Not a d-d revolver in the crowd !" he exultingly exclaimed to Arch. Clements.

THE FIGHT AND THE CARNAGE.

At last some one of the guerillas gave a wild shout, and at once Anderson's line sprang foward in a gallop. Such a scene ! In a mo- ment Johnson's men fired irregularly and wildly, and in another moment Anderson was upon them, his pistols blazing, and his men cheering and shouting. " Surrender ! surrender !" was heard among other cries and yells. The revolvers cracked rapidly, so rapidly that the reports sounded at a distance like a heavy hail storm beating on glass roofs. In a few seconds Todd and Thrailkill had hurried for- ward and were taking part, and then Anderson and Poole swept on toward the reserve. The " fourth men," who were holding the horses for the Federals, made but feeble resistance, and sought safety by riding away as rapidly as possible. A few of them started when the guerillas made the first charge, turning loose the horses entrusted to them. Shooting all the time, now a man, now a horse, the guer- illas rode about the field in a perfect frenzy. Many Federals fought to the last, clubbing their muskets and thrusting with their bayonets, and a few of the guerillas received bayonet wounds. Some of the Federals knelt on the ground and implored mercy. "I am a Mason !" some of them cried out. Very many did not fire at all, for their guns were found loaded after the fight. To all on the field, with a single exception, death came in two minutes' time. Nearly all of Johnson's horses were killed on the field, a majority of them in the fight, the rest deliberately. In some respects the Centralia fight has

NO PARALLEL IN THE ANNALS OF THE CIVIL WAR.

It was the wildest and the most merciless, and in proportion to the number of the force vanquished, the most destructive of human life. Out of a total force of only about ninety, which was in line of battle, and thirty others detailed to hold horses in the rear, one hun- dred and eight fell before the remorseless revolvers of Todd's and An- derson's men - men who, fresh from the horrible scenes of blood and pillage and fire at Centralia that morning, were prepared for other

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scenes of carnage on a larger scale in the afternoon. To such men, with appetites whetted for blood and suffering and death, the carnage at Singleton's farm was a refreshment and a joy, and perhaps a pleas- ant memory. The pistol shots, the yells, the shouts and the cheers of the victors, mingled with the screams, groans, and prayers of the vanquished - the exciting spectacle of charging horses, of men wav- ing weapons and firing, of men fleeing and others pursuing, all made a scene without a parallel.

No quarter was shown to a single Federal. Capt. Smith caught a guerilla's horse by the bridle : " I always spare prisoners," he called out loudly ; " I never do," cried the guerilla, fiercely, and shot the officer dead. No quarter would have been shown the guerillas had they been taken prisoners, or had the fight gone against them, and they expected none. True, they might not have been shot down on the field, but they would in that case have been court-martialed, and probably shot for the cowardly massacre of the morning.

THE PURSUIT.

Anderson and Poole, as has been stated, passed on for the reserve with the horses. Some of the " fourth men " sat upon their horses in a state of stupefaction, with their muskets on their saddles in front of them, and never moved until they were shot dead from their sad- dles. A few dismounted and fired one round -no more. The others sought to escape, and turned toward Centralia and Sturgeon. But the old sickle-hammed brood-mares and plow-horses, and the sore- backed mules, were no matches in speed for the fine horses, the best in Missouri, ridden by the guerillas. The most of the fugitives were overtaken in a few moments and shot, falling from their saddles into the tall grass of the prairie. The remainder were pursued across the prairie as hunters pursue a quarry - chased as wild beasts.

The best mounted among Anderson's and Poole's men, and even among Todd's and Thrailkill's, led the chase. The little fence to the left of the field where the battle occurred was a weak and straggling enclosure, and was ridden over as if it had been made of reeds. Outside, to the west and north, was open prairie for miles and miles. It was but pastime for the guerrillas to gallop over this plain in pur- suit of the fleeing Federals, who, after the first fire, with their empty muskets were as harmless as children. Ever and anon white puffs of smoke would be seen at the muzzles of the guerillas' revolvers, and a flying Federal would reel in his saddle and tumble to the

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ground. Fifteen were killed between the fence, on the west side of the battle-field, and Centralia.

In less than five minutes from the firing of the first gun, Lieut. Jaynes, of the Shelby County company, galloped back into Centralia, his horse covered with sweat-foam and his pistol smoking. He shouted to Capt. Theiss's men, " Get out of here ! Get out of here ! Every one of you will be killed if you don't!" A few seconds be- fore this Lieut. Stafford and Dr. Sneed were in the attic of Sneed's Hotel, looking toward the field. The officer exclaimed, " There they come ! they are routed !" and immediately descended and hastened to his company. He and three of his men at once set out for Paris, and made good their escape. Theiss organized his company as well as he could and started for Sturgeon. Some of them remained in - Centralia and watched the approach of the guerillas, and then attempted to hide themselves.

THE GUERILLAS RETURN TO CENTRALIA - HORRIBLE SCENES.

The guerillas were soon in town in search of their prey. Dave Poole was among the first. South of Sneed's Hotel, while galloping at full speed, he shot two Federals through the head, off their horses, fifty yards away. T. S. Sneed was standing on top of his kitchen and witnessed the shooting. Poole saw Mr. Sneed and turned his pistol on him, dropping a bullet one foot on each side of him. Mr. Sneed, like Zaccheus, of sycamore fame, came speedily down. Poole then rode up to the hotel, and, cursing Sneed, took his horse from him and rode rapidly in the direction of Sturgeon. As Theiss and his men were leaving town two guerillas, who stood by the roadside, shot four men out of the ranks. At Judge J. W. Hall's ( who then lived in Centralia ), his daughter, Miss Eliza, lay sick. A frightened Fed- eral took refuge in the house and cowered down by the bed whereon lay the sick lady. The guerillas followed him and slew him while he trembled and begged for his life. Two men ran into the privy of the Eldorado House, whither they were pursued and shot. Another was in the hotel. A trooper rode up to the fence and called out : " Come out and surrender, and you shall be paroled and not hurt." Dr. Sneed lived directly opposite, heard the guerilla, saw the Federal come out and throw down his gun, and then saw the guerilla shoot him dead. One guerilla called for a drink of water. As it was handed him, he saw one of Johnson's men jump over the back fence and run. Wheeling his horse he galloped after the blue coat, and in

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a second his pistol cracked, the Federal fell dead, and, returning, the guerilla said, " I'll take that drink now."

John C. Rowland, a citizen, was in town in a wagon with some- ladies, when the guerillas came into town on the heels of the Feder- als. Mr. Rowland drove the wagon behind a barn, intending to keep himself and ladies out of harm's way. Tom Little, one of Anderson's guerillas, rode upon the wagon, and struck at Mrs. Redman, one of the ladies, with his revolver. Mr. Rowland caught the weapon by the barrel and held on with such a grip that he was almost dragged . from the wagon. Little then killed him. Mr. Rowland was a well- respected young man, who had never been a soldier, but was regarded as a Southern sympathizer.

The Federals were pursued into Sturgeon, eight miles distant. One man was shot within half a mile of the town. Frank Barnes, a pri- vate in Theiss's company, was shot five times and not killed. He was taken prisoner by the guerillas, carried off, and saved by Todd's or- der. A German soldier left the battle-field and retreated in a south- west direction. He was not pursued. He crept in a corn shock on the farm of Mr. Cook, and was fed and helped by the latter on his way to liberty and life, and escaped. He made his way to Sturgeon by way of Hallsville. One man, Marquette, of the Shelby County company, died after reaching Sturgeon.

When the guerillas returned to Centralia from the pursuit, it was quite dark. A messenger had been sent from the battle-field for Dr. Sneed to attend Anderson's wounded. Dr. Sneed was forced to mount behind the messenger, his horse having been taken in the morn- ing, but soon a guerilla came back leading a very good horse that had been captured, and this animal the doctor rode to camp. He lost his instrument case on the way, and extracted one ball with a thumb- lance. Three of Anderson's men only were found to be severely wounded ; others only slightly. Three were killed outright and one mortally wounded. Those killed were : Frank F. Shepherd, Henry Williams (called " Hank " Williams ), and a young man named Pey- ton. Frank Shepherd was nearly seven feet high; Williams had, a short time before, deserted the Federals. Peyton was from Howard County. The mortally wounded man was Richard Kinney. All of those who were killed outright were shot in the face. Mr. Thomas T. Jennings, now a carpenter in Centralia, made coffins, by order of Anderson, for them, and they were buried in Pleasant Grove Cem_ etery, where they still repose.

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Dr. Sneed left the field about 10 o'clock P. M., and soon thereafter Todd moved camp and went south a few miles and again encamped.

CITIZENS COLLECT THE DEAD ON THE FIELD.

The next morning Dr. F. J. Bruton, W. R. McBride, Jacob Kan- atzer, and other prominent citizens went out on the battle-field and gathered up the Federal dead. Where Johnson's line was formed they found sixty-eight dead men. Maj. Johnson's body, with a bullet through the temple, lay a few feet in advance of his line. His iron- grey horse was near him. The Major's pockets had been searched, and his papers lay scattered on the ground. His revolver was found by the guerillas with three of the chambers empty. His body was not mutilated, according to the accounts of the citizens named, who searched the field, and who are responsible for the statements here made.1

All of the bodies of the Federals had been searched and some of them stripped. A few of the bodies were mutilated. Three are known to have been scalped, one of these being a large red-headed man. Over in the prairie, west of the field, one body was stripped and mutilated in a revolting manner not to be described. Near Mr. Jackson's house one soldier lay dead, pinned to the earth with his own bayonet.

As the gentlemen named were gathering the bodies they were startled by one of them rising and asking for help. Unfortunately this man's name cannot be given. He had been shot through the head, but not killed, and remained conscious all through the fight and the following night. He heard the citizens when they came on the field, but feared they were guerillas and would not make known his condition until he was certain who they were. He was carried to Centralia in a blanket and sent down to Mexico, where, it is said, he died that night.

That morning Col. D. P. Dyer, of the 49th Missouri Infantry, in 1880 Republican candidate for Governor, came up from Mexico with a portion of his regiment and ordered the citizens to bring all of the dead bodies from the field to Centralia. He took away the bodies of

1 A silly statement has been published that Maj. Johnson was killed by the noted bandit, Jesse James. As learned from guerillas whose word can be depended on, and from other sources, Jesse James was not at Centralia at all. At that time he was lying wounded in Carroll or Chariton County. Frank James was at Centralia, and took a full hand.

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the soldiers taken from the cars and killed. Col. Dyer did not re- main in Centralia but a short time, and then returned to his camp. Col. Singleton furnished wagons and assisted himself in removing the bodies to town. It is believed that eighty-three bodies were brought. The next day the citizens buried seventy-nine of these in one large grave, near the railroad and east of the town, the other four, in- cluding Maj. Johnson, were buried elsewhere-the latter at his home in Marion County.

LIST OF THE FEDERALS KILLED.

The exact number of Federals killed, it is believed, has been cor rectly ascertained, together with their names. J. A. Waddell, Adju- tant General of the State, furnishes from the muster rolls of the companies of the Thirty-ninth Missouri, on file in his office, the name of every man reported killed at Centralia, as follows : -

LIST OF KILLED OF THIRTY-NINTH MISSOURI INFANTRY, AT BATTLE OF CENTRALIA, MO.,. SEPTEMBER 27, 1864.

Major A. V. E. Johnson,

COMPANY A.

Capt. J. A. Smith, Sergt. Wm. G. Elliott, Sergt. J. S. Nesbit, Sergt. J. C. Reynolds, Corp. A. W. Walters, Corp. Jasper May, Corp. Elijah Eitel.

Privates.

Josiah Adams,

Geo. W. Bragg,

O. C. Byrd,

John N. Braden,

Wm. H. Corbin,

A. J. Capps,

Geo. W. Cook,

Porter Cunningham,

A. J. Denton,

David R. Graves,

John B. W. Graves,

Alfred B. Hayward,

Valentine Hine,

John Hanlin,

Granville Hanlin, James Morrow, Mark S. Musick, A. B. Polly,

Joseph Morrow, Jas. K. P. Mock, Alfred S. Parsons,

Eli F. Osborn,

John S. Spicer,

Isaac Slaughter,

James C. Stuteville,

Wm. Shoemaker,

Daniel A. Simler,

Chas. Wilbaum,

David Wilbaum,

J. R. Williams,

Thos. Waugh,

John R. Wood,

C. C. Wise,

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History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 44

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