USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > St Joseph > History of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. : from the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1915 biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead > Part 19
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Excitement now ran high in St. Joseph and there was great uneasiness, as threats had been uttered against the loyalists, those who had voted for Lincoln being especially unpopular with the Southern sympathizers. At this time an incident occurred which hastened the impending crisis. John L. Bittinger, a prominent Re- publican, who had been appointed postmaster by President Lin- coln, raised the United States flag over the postoffice, which was then located in a building on the east side of Second street, just north of Francis. This incensed the Southern sympathizers and was construed by the military companies as a direct affront to them. One morning in May, 1861, several days after the flag had been raised, a mob collected at Market Square and an angry dis- cussion of the affair took place. Colonel Thompson, who was then engaged in the real estate business with Thomas Harbine, oppo- site the postoffice, went down and addressed the mob, denouncing the postmaster's course, but counseling moderation. Then, as if seized by a sudden impulse, he did the exact opposite. Proceeding to the rear of the postoffice building, he ascended the roof by a shed, and when his associates saw him again he had torn the flag from its pole and was waving it to the mob at Market Square and excitedly blowing a tin horn. The mob charged up Second street and swarmed upon the roof to join Colonel Thompson. The flag
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was torn to shreds, the pole was broken off and carried in tri- umphant procession by the mob to the river, where it was de- molished and cast into the water. No resistance was offered to this piece of violence and the frenzied rabble had clear field.
A contingent, headed by Alonzo W. Slayback, proceeded to Turner Hall, where the United States colors were also displayed. Several members of the Turnverein, guarded by Robert Bradshaw, saved the flag here by taking it down in the face of danger. Rebel flags were raised in various parts of the city.
As a result of this outburst a company of United States dra- goons, under command of Captain Sully, was sent here to protect loyal citizens. The dragoons broke up the camp near the Patee house and the State troops scattered.
Colonel Thompson joined the Confederacy and rose to the rank of brigadier-general. He was known as the "Swamp Fox," and his career in the great struggle is now a part of the nation's history.
Capt. John C. Landis had secretly formed a company for the South. In July, of 1861, he had the Liberty arsenal arms and am- munition secretly loaded into wagons, covered with hay, and taken through the Federal camp in the daytime to avert suspicion. Out- side of the city Captain Landis' company received them and carried them successfully to Price's army, then encamped near Springfield.
This was the only company that went to the South from St. Joseph. The others who fought on that side went singly or in small, unorganized squads. Among these was A. W. Slayback, mentioned above, who, after the battle of Lexington, was elected colonel of a cavalry regiment and served under Kirby Smith. He was killed some years ago by John A. Cockerill, then the editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Captain Landis fought at Corinth, Champion Hills and Vicksburg, where he surrendered and was ex- changed. Subsequently he commanded a battery and surrendered at the close of the war with the Army of the Gulf.
Elijah Gates went out as a private in a company formed at Easton and joined Governor Jackson in the summer of 1861. He served with distinction at Lexington and Elkhorn, also at Corinth, was promoted step by step for bravery and retired only after the guns had been silenced. He came out a brigedier-general, but left an arm upon the battlefield.
A regiment to join Price at Lexington was organized from Buchanan, Andrew, Nodaway and Atchison counties, in August, of 1861. John Saunders was colonel, J. H. R. Cundiff lieutenant-col- onel, and J. C. C. Thornton major. These troops fought heroically under Colonel Green at Lexington. Thornton's men rolled a bale of hemp before them as they ascended the hill to attack the Union breastworks. The bullets did not penetrate the hemp bales. and the cannon balls only bounced from them to the ground. Thus they reached and took the entrenchments.
It is estimated that between 1,600 and 2,000 men "went South" from Buchanan County during the war. As there are no records to
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refer to it is impossible to give details of their achievements in the field. Reuben Kay of St. Joseph was in command of a company in the Confederate service, as was also Thomas P. Penick, a brother of Col. William R. Penick, who was an extreme Union man. The late John S. Tutt, county assessor, lost a leg at the battle of Corinth. John Kemper, son of Simeon Kemper, also a captain, was killed in battle, as was also George Baxter, an attorney, who went from St. Joseph and joined Stonewall Jackson. John R. Boyd, another attor- ney of St. Joseph, was killed at Independence. Sidney Cunningham, who had taught in the public schools of St. Joseph, joined John Morgan, was with that leader throughout his career, and escaped capture by swimming the Ohio River. Ephraim Kelly of the county commanded a battery under General Price and also distinguished himself. It will be impossible to state more in this brief work con- cerning the sons of Buchanan County who fought and suffered and gave their lives for the cause that was lost. But there is no doubt about the valor and the heroism of these men, nor of the loyalty and patriotism of those who live to see the nation reunited and prosper- ous.
Matters grew worse instead of better in St. Joseph after the arrival of the dragoons. These were supplanted by the Second Iowa Infantry under Colonel Curtis. This regiment remained from June until August, 1861. In September, the Sixteenth Illinois, un- der Colonel Smith, was here for a short time. This regiment and the Fifty-second Illinois returned and spent the winter of 1861-62 in camp on Prospect Hill. Some of the breastworks erected there are still in existence.
Early in September of 1861, St. Joseph was visited by a Con- federate regiment, under Boyd and Patton. These troops were on their way South from the upper counties and remained in the city several days, levying tribute and helping themselves to whatever they fancied. There was a reign of terror during their stay, be- side which the ordinary run of local dissension was mild and wel- come.
Following them, and before the arrival of the Illinois troops, came Major Cranor and a battalion of raw militiamen from the Grand River country. These remained only a short time and created much amusement by their grotesque awkwardness. They soon learned how to fight, however.
In the spring of 1862, Benjamin F. Loan of St. Joseph was appointed brigadier-general and placed in command of Northwest- ern Missouri, with headquarters at St. Joseph. In the fall of that year he was put into active service in an effort to run the "bush- whackers" from the central part of the State, and finally took com- mand of the Jefferson City district, where he remained until after he was elected to Congress. On his staff were the following. from Buchanan County: John Severance, major and aide-de-camp; Joseph Penny, major and quartermaster; James M. Wilson, major and aide-de-camp; Nicholas J. Schlupp, lieutenant and aide; Dr. R. P. Richardson, brigade surgeon.
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General Loan was succeeded by Brigadier-General Willard P. Hall in the fall of 1862, as commander of the Seventh Military District, which embraced Buchanan and Platte counties. He re- mained until February, 1864, when, as lieutenant-governor, he suc- ceeded Governor Gamble, who had died. On General Hall's staff were: Silas Woodson, colonel and inspector-general; Jonathan M. Bassett, colonel and inspector; Allen P. Richardson, colonel and aide-de-camp; Mordecai Oliver, colonel and aide-de-camp; Thomas J. Chew, Jr., major and quartermaster; Dr. William Bertram, major and brigade surgeon ; John L. Bittinger, major and aide-de- camp; James Hunter, major and aide-de-camp; Peter W. Fred- ericks, lieutenant and inspector.
Col. John F. Williams of the Ninth Cavalry was in charge of the district after General Hall. In the spring of 1864 General Clinton B. Fisk was in command of the forces in this county and remained until he was succeeded by Col. Chester Harding, in the fall.
In the winter of 1864-65, General James Craig was in com- mand. On General Craig's staff were these from the neighbor- hood : Isaac B. Halsey, major and aide-de-camp; E. S. Castle, major and aide-de-camp.
Colonel John Pinger was in command in the spring of 1865, and when the year closed William R. Penick was in command of the Missouri militia in this section as brigadier-general.
Among other citizens of St. Joseph and the county who held general staff positions are the following: John F. Tyler, colonel and aide-de-camp to General Schofield; James Rainsford, major and assistant aide-de-camp on the staff of General Guitar ; William Kemper, major and quartermaster on the staff of General Guitar. George H. Hall, brother to Governor Hall, and afterwards mayor of St. Joseph, also rose to the rank of brigadier-general, as did also Colonel Chester Harding and Robert Bradshaw.
Major William M. Albin was provost marshal under General Loan, Jonathan M. Bassett and Silas Woodson under Generals Wil- lard P. Hall and Guitar. General Bassett was also under General Fisk, and was followed by Captain Hardin, Captain Walser and Armstrong Beattie.
St. Joseph was a prominent base of military operations during the Civil War, and a number of regiments were organized here. In June, of 1861, the Thirteenth Regiment, Missouri Volunteers, was formed, of home guard battalions, under Major Everett Pea- body, Major Robert T. Van Horn and Major Berry. The regiment was employed in guarding a portion of the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad and upon garrison duty, until ordered to Lexington, in September. Colonel Mulligan, who commanded at Lexington, sur- rendered to Sterling Price on September 16, 1861, who paroled the officer's of the Thirteenth and released the men upon their oaths. Exchanges were subsequently effected and the regiment was re- organized as the Twenty-fifth Regiment, Infantry, Missouri Volun- teers, with Everett Peabody as colonel, R. T. Van Horn as lieuten-
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ant-colonel, James E. Powell and Fred C. Nichols as majors, and Dr. J. T. Berghoff as surgeon. There were ten companies and the aggregate strength of the regiment was about 600. Among those from St. Joseph who held commissions were Capt. Joseph Schmitz, Capt. B. F. Buzard, Capt. Robert C. Bradshaw, Capt. Joseph Thompson, Lieut. Litt R. Lancaster and Lieut. Augustus Salzman. In 1862 the regiment was sent to General Grant at Pittsburg Land- ing and was brigaded in Mckean's brigade, Prentiss' division. It participated in the battle of Shiloh, losing very heavily in killed and wounded, among the former Colonel Peabody and Major Powell. Chester Harding, Jr., was appointed colonel. In the advance upon Corinth the regiment was constantly on picket duty or engaged in the construction of earthworks. During the summer of 1862 the regiment constructed a chain of forts south and west of Corinth. It was ordered to Missouri in 1862, for the purpose of recruiting, but on its arrival at St. Louis was sent to Pilot Knob, Mo. Subse- quently it was assigned to General Patterson and became a part of the Army of Southeast Missouri. Upon returning to Iron Mountain in 1863, it was ordered to St. Joseph and actively employed in clear- ing the district of Northwest Missouri from bushwhackers until June, when it was ordeded to New Madrid, where it reconstructed the fortifications and constituted the garrison of the post. In November, of 1863, it was consolidated with the Engineer Regi- ment of the West.
Under Governor Gamble's call for 42,000 volunteers for six months' service, August 24, 1861, William M. Albin directed the formation of three companies of infantry at St. Joseph. These were mustered into service on September 19, 1861, as the First Battalion, under Major Albin, and assigned to guard duty and scouting in Gentry, Worth, Andrew, Buchanan and DeKalb coun- ties; also attached to General Prentiss's river expedition. The battalion was never in any general engagement, but had many skirmishes with the enemy, killing a number and taking over 200 prisoners. The officers were: William M. Albin, major; John M. Sullivan, adjutant; Thomas Evans, commissary. Company A had forty-eight men. James Stockton was captain, Philip Hug- gins first lieutenant and Alex R. Stockton second lieutenant. Com- pany B had fifty-four men, under Captain Horace Hunter, with Jackson Dye and Isaac Phillips as lieutenants. Company C had forty-three men, under Capt. Henry B. Rust, with Edwin N. Storms and John Ray as lieutenants.
Joseph's battalion of six months' militia was also organized in St. Joseph in September of 1861. It was conunonly known as the "Third," and was also engaged in scout duty. It was mus- tered out February 11, 1862. Peter A. Joseph was major, R. B. Linville adjutant, George W. H. Landon surgeon, Willis M. Sher- wood quartermaster and Samuel Rosenblatt commissary. There were four companies. Capt. John Pinger commanded Company A, sixty-four men, with John Watson and Henry Kelling as lieuten- ants. Company B, Capt. William Drumhiller and Lieuts. Elezier S.
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Castle and Aaron Widdle, had eighty-four men. Company C, sixty- four men, was under Alex McLarer and Frederick Downey. Com- pany D, fifty-four men, was under Capt. D. H. David and Lieuts. Christian Cook and Thurston Chase.
The Fourth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, was organized in St. Joseph, April 28, 1862, with eight companies, and two com- panies were afterwards added. George H. Hall commanded as colonel, William M. Albin as lieutenant-colonel, George W. Kelly as senior major, Douglas Dale as junior major and Lieuts. Joseph K. Robinson and David Bonham, Jr., as battalion adjutants. In 1863 Lieutenant-Colonel Albin was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Walter King. The regiment did service in Southwest Missouri and was attached to General Brown's brigade, taking part in the bat- tles of Springfield, Marshal, Huntsville, Ark., and in many skir- mishes. Colonel Hall was made brigadier-general. The regiment remained in service until 1865.
The Fifth Cavalry Regiment, Missouri State Militia, was also organized in April of 1862. There were ten companies. The regi- mental organization was as follows: William R. Penick, colonel; Phillip A. Thompson, lieutenant-colonel ; William Drumhiller and Thomas B. Biggers, majors ; Lyman W. Densmore, adjutant ; Josiah C. Spring, commissary; Joel H. Warren, Henry Douglass and Henry Frasse, surgeons; Joseph H. Hopkins, chaplain. The com- panies were officered, during the life of the regiment, as follows : A. William Drumhiller, captain, promoted to major; John G. Woods and David E. Shannon, captains, successively ; Morgan Jerman, Charles W. Leach, William Castle and Washington Bennett, lieuten- ants. B, Daniel H. David, captain; Benjamin T. Henry and Wil- liam H. Bixby, lieutenants. C, Joseph H. Richards, captain ; Don Alfonso Colvin and John W. Enoch, lieutenants. D, George W. Fitzpatrick and John S. Minick, captains ; Henry S. Hill and George W. Fairbrother, lieutenants. E, George Wakerle, captain; Nich- olas Schlupp and Herman Springer, lieutenants. F, John B. Van Zant, captain; Edward N. Roberts and Theron W. Crandall, lieu- tenants. G, Robert G. Hubbard, captain ; William F. Miller, Henry Ogle, Joseph Penney and John B. Magers, lieutenants. H, John Pinger, captain; Peter Lanenger and George Weber, lieutenants. I, William McCarthy and Luther Tillotson, captains; John W. Coughlin, Peter Simpson, Thomas Wilson, lieutenants. K, J. D. M. Thompson, captain ; Frederick Dony, George D. Tolle, L. Densmore and William Fowler, lieutenants. Lieutenant Densmore was made adjutant and Lieutenant Fowler quartermaster. This regiment was employed in fighting the bushwhackers and guerrillas in North- west Missouri. In July of 1862 the regiment was ordered broken up and the companies attached to the First and Ninth Cavalry regiment of the Missouri State Militia.
In 1862 Buchanan and Platte counties formed the Seventh Mili- tary District of Missouri, and three independent companies were. organized for duty at home. One of these, commanded by Capt. William Randall, with Benjamin F. Larkin and Jonas D. Butts as;
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lieutenants, was organized August 9, 1862. Another, commanded by Capt. G. E. Dandry, with Henry Harding and William Backer as lieutenants, was organized August 21, 1862. These were afterward merged into the militia. A third company organized among rail- road employes for the protection of railroad property was officered by John S. Kellogg as captain and John Broder and Horatio N. Turner as lieutenants.
The Twenty-fifth Regiment of Enrolled Missouri Militia was - organized in St. Joseph in July of 1862, with John Severance as colonel, Thomas Harbinue as lieutenant-colonel, Peter Walter and John T. Ross as majors, Gustave H. Koch as adjutant, C. W. Dav- enport as quartermaster, Alfred H. Starr as surgeon and Rev. A. H. Wright as chaplain. Colonel Severance resigned April 22, 1863, and was succeeded by Col. John Scott, who was transferred to the Eighty-first Regiment shortly afterward, and was succeeded by Col. Thomas Harbine. James Hunter commanded Company A, with Thomas Young and Ed Freeman as lieutenants. John R. Snyder commanded Company B, with James S. Barnes and E. E. Cramer as lieutenants. James Brierly commanded C, with Peter Davis and William Simmons as lieutenants. Louis Hax commanded D, with John Kieffer and Fred Riesenmy as lieutenants. Charles Mast com- manded E, with Charles F. Ernst and Phillip Arnholdt as lieuten- ants. Jonathan M. Bassett commanded F, with John A. Dolman and G. W. Davenport as lieutenants. He was succeeded by Captain Dolman, with Robert S. Gunn and Henry T. Gore as lieutenants. G was commanded by Capt. George Lyon, with William C. Toole and R. J. S. Wise as lieutenants. H was commanded by William Loving, with Joseph S. Browne, J. T. Ross and Anthony Volls as lieutenants. I was commanded by Ephraim Perry, with Peter A. Jones and Hamilton Wilson as lieutenants. K was commanded by James H. Davis, with Francis M. Hall, William S. Tyler and H. G. Goss as lieutenants. There were also three battalion companies, one under Capt. O. G. McDonald, another under Capt. Elias Parrott and a third under Capt. G. M. Brown. This regiment was stationed in Buchanan County. In consequence of an extraordinary reduc- tion in numbers, the regiment was disbanded November 1, 1863, and the commissions of the officers revoked, with the exception of those in charge of companies F and K. Colonel Scott was instructed by the same order to reorganize the militia of Buchanan County, which had become demoralized. He organized the Eighty-first reg- iment of Enrolled Missouri Militia, and used companies F and K as the nucleus. This regiment formed a component part of what was called the "Paw-Paw Brigade." *
The border was overrun with outlaws of all sorts-bushwhack- ers, Southern recruiting officers, thieves and robbers, without re- gard to politics. In addition to local troubles of that sort, great excitement prevailed in Kansas on account of the Lawrence mas- sacre, and an invasion of Missouri was threatened by Jim Lane and Jennison's "Red-Legs." The militia service hereabouts was in
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a very demoralized condition. Feuds that had been engendered between the border residents of Kansas and Missouri in 1854-57, were reopened or made pretexts by marauders and freebooters. A number of citizens of the county had returned from Price's army and were, of course, classed as disloyal. They were, however, fully as anxious to protect life and property from the marauders as were the loyal men. It was proposed by Gen. Willard P. Hall that all of. these be organized into militia companies, and President Lincoln, who sanctioned the proposition, saw in it the possibility of keeping many from re-enlstment in the Confederate service. A knowledge of the condition that existed at that time can be gathered from the testimony of Col. John F. Williams, who was in command of the district, with headquarters at St. Joseph, before a committee ap- pointed by the legislature to investigate the militia. Colonel Wil- liams testified as follows :
"When I took command (in July of 1863) I found portions of the district in a lawless condition ; mobs and riots were common in a number of counties in my district; I found also that a number of the troops then in service in the district were disobedient, and rather mutinous ; were under no discipline or control. I urged upon the officers to subject their men to the observance of the rules and articles of war; some succeeded, others failed. The condition of the troops was improving until Quantrell made his raid on Lawrence ; that created great excitement in the country, both among the troops and citizens ; numbers of them openly declared they would not resist an invasion by General Lane, or anybody else, made in retaliation from Kansas.
"Both before and after the Lawrence raid, raids from Leaven- worth city and other portions of the Kansas border were daily and nightly made into Missouri, the troops stationed at Weston failing or refusing to protect them. Those raids were made by armed negroes, assisted by white outlaws, called 'Red-Legs'; they were not in the military service, with the exception, perhaps, of some ne- groes. Just after Lane's speech at Leavenworth city, immediately after the Lawrence massacre, an expedition was gotten up at Leav- enworth city, of some magnitude, to invade Platte County, com- posed of 'Red-Legs,' outlaws, runaway negroes, etc. They took the ferryboat to start across. General Ewing telegraphed to the com- mander of the post at Fort Leavenworth to take the boat and pre- vent the raid, which he did.
"When I took command in St. Joseph and the district there, there were refugees in the city from several counties in the district, having been ordered to leave the state by a band calling themslves 'Midnight Rangers.' Their mode of operations was about this : They would leave a written notice, three or four matches enclosed in it, at a party's house, notifying him that he did not leave in five days, with his whole family, he would be hanged and his house burned. Then some other members of the gang, who were on friendly terms with the victim, would call and condole with him,. and advise him to stay. But the victim had already made up his.
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mind to go, which they knew, and they would take advantage of his fear and buy his property at nominal figures. Thus a system of wholesale robbery was carried on. The reorganization of the mili- tia, or the arming of the Paw-Paws, has entirely stopped this spe- cies of lawlessness.
"When I first took command at St. Joseph, countrymen who came in to trade were pulled off their horses, sometimes by soldiers and sometimes by citizens, and threatened with death if they ever came back. An old man from the country was knocked down by a soldier. The fact was reported to me and I had the soldier placed under arrest. The next day the old man came to me and begged that I do not compel him to testify against the soldier before the provost marshal, as he was afraid of being killed by the compan- ions of the soldier. There were hundreds of such instances. *
* * Most of the troops in the district are now concentrated on the bor- der along the river to prevent raids into Missouri from the thieves and outlaws of Kansas, assisted by their friends in Missouri. *
* I sent a squad of ten men over the river at St. Joseph to recover two mules stolen from a citizen of Buchanan County, having learned that they were secreted in a cornfield just back of Elwood. The squad recovered the mules, but were fired upon by citizens of Kan- sas on their return to the river. At another time I ordered Major Garth of the Ninth Cavalry with forty-two men across the river to recapture some horses, guns and money that were stolen from Judge Woodson and another citizen of Buchanan County. The military and civil authorities of Kansas drew up their forces-some hundred and fifty strong, composed of negroes and whites together -in line of battle, and resisted the crossing of my men. I then sent the major across with one man; he had a conference with the com- mander of the post at Elwood, who promised to recapture the prop- erty, but who failed to do so. These raids were frequent."
The Eighty-first Regiment was organized by Col. John Scott and there were many remonstrances to the arming of men who were known or suspected to have been at one time in sympathy with the South. Col. William R. Penick, who was an intense and uncom- promising Unionist, in his statement to the legislative committee, said of a portion of the Paw-Paws:
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