History of Caldwell and Livingston counties, Missouri, written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Caldwell and Livingston counties--their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens; general and local statistics of great value; incidents and reminiscences, Part 18

Author: Pease, Ora Merle Hawk, 1890-
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1260

USA > Missouri > Livingston County > History of Caldwell and Livingston counties, Missouri, written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Caldwell and Livingston counties--their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens; general and local statistics of great value; incidents and reminiscences > Part 18
USA > Missouri > Caldwell County > History of Caldwell and Livingston counties, Missouri, written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Caldwell and Livingston counties--their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens; general and local statistics of great value; incidents and reminiscences > Part 18

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).

In 1844 Hon. George Smith had removed from Ohio to the western part of the county and purchased a large tract of land, on which he lived for 24 years. He brought with him 1,100 head of sheep, the first large flock which had crossed the Mississippi into the State. He was, therefore, the pioneer wool grower of Missouri, a fact of which he was always justly proud. Through his influence a large number of other Ohioans became citizens of this county.

Mr. Smith became one of the prominent citizens of the county, and indeed of Missouri. In 1864 he was elected Lieutenant-Gov- ernor. The county was always proud of him, and he did much for its interest and for the general welfare of his neighbors. He removed to Cameron in 1868, and there died a few years since.

ANOTHER MURDER CASE.

January 14, 1854, Saml. Stonum, a resident of the northern part of Rockford township, was assassinated near his home and died eight

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days later. Before his death he accused one Nathaniel Lindsay of the murder, and thereupon he was arrested. It seemed that Stonum was at work in the woods engaged in chopping, when a man who, he declared, was Lindsay crept upon him and shot him with a rifle. Eventually Lindsay was admitted to bail and fled the country. When he had been absent a year or two his bondsmen attempted to have themselves released from liability on his bonds by proving that he was dead, but the jury disagreed. When the court-house was burned, in 1860, all the papers in the case were destroyed, and no further pro- ceedings were commenced against him at the time.

In June, 1864, Lindsay returned and was arrested at the residence of his father, a mile and a half west of Kidder, by Maj. Abe Allen, of Ray, Capts. Streater and Chapman, Lieut. G. W. Ray, Rueben Spevy and Mr. Betts. He was brought to Kingston and on examina- tion before Justices Falker, McGlothlin and Cormana, was discharged. Capt. S. M. Davis and E. S. Esteh were the attorneys for the prose- cution and J. M. Hoskinson and Capt. H. J. Chapman defended the prisoner. The prosecution offered in evidence the dying declarations of Stonum as remembered by certain persons; but as these declara- tions had been reduced to writing and afterward the writing destroyed, the defense objected to their introduction on the ground that they could not be proved by parol testimony, and the magistrates refused to receive them. The State also offered in evidence the record of proceedings of a former examination before a justice of the peace, but this was also objected to and the objection sustained. No further evidence being offered the prisoner was discharged.

Lindsay claimed he was not guilty, and stated that at the time the shooting was done he was a mile or more away from the scene. It is said that some time after his discharge he was either sun-struck or killed by a thunderbolt as he was riding on the public road.

CHAPTER VI.

LEADING EVENTS FROM 1860 TO 1863.

The Elections of 1860- Election of Delegates to the State Convention of 1861 -The Caldwell County Beacon - Beginning of the Civil War -- Secession Flags - Col. Jeff. Thompson's "Order No. 1." -The "Caldwell Minute Men" - The Union Home Guards-Their Part in the Battle of Blue Mills Landing - Roll of Capt. Johnson's Company of Home Guards - Mulligan's Men - Maj. James' Fifth Bat- talion - The " Cornstalk Fight " - A Rebel Raid from Ray - Killing of Judge James Steele. 1862 - Organization of Col. Catherwood's 6th Cavalry, M. S. M. - The Enrolled Militia - During the Poindexter Raid - The Tragedies on the Crab Apple- Killing of Capt. S. M. Longford by the Rebels, and of Four "Rebel Sym- pathizers," Three Out of One Family, by the Militia - House Burning, etc. - The Meaning of Civil War.

THE ELECTIONS OF 1860.

At the August election, 1860, in this county the vote stood as be- low recorded. There were then five townships, viz : Blythe, Rockford, Davis, Grand River and Elm.

Governor - Sample Orr, Bell-Everett, 364; C. F. Jackson, Doug- las Democrat, 325 ; Hancock Jackson, Breckinridge Democrat, 18; James B. Gardenhire, Republican, 21.

Congress - E. H. Norton, of Platte, Democrat, 409 ; John Scott, of Buchanan, Bell-Everett, 391; H. B. Branch, Republican, 1.

Representatives - W. S. Pollard, Bell-Everett, 462; Charles J. Hughes, Democrat, 390. .

Sheriff-R. G. Murray, Democrat, 431 ; John C. Lillard, Bell- Everett, 424.

County Clerk -Ed. Eunis, Democrat, 424; Lemuel Dunn, Bell- Everett, 418.

There were quite a number of Republicans in the county, but only a few of them, comparatively, voted the ticket representing their real principles. The majority voted for Sample Orr, the Bell and Everett, or Union nominee, regarding him as the candidate most likely to defeat Claiborne F. Jackson, whose election they ardently desired to prevent.

At the Presidential election in November, the vote in Caldwell re- sulted as follows: For Bell and Everett, 367 ; Douglas and Johnson, 263; Breckinridge and Lane, 186; Lincoln and Hamlin, 43. Al- though not all the Republicans in the county had voted, enough had

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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

done so to make it evident that there was a considerable Free Soil element here. As many had voted for Orr for Governor to defeat Jackson, so many had voted for Bell to prevent Douglas from carry- ing the State. But it was also true that many Democrats, not only in this county but throughout the State, and even throughout the Southern States, voted for Bell in order to defeat Lincoln !

ELECTIONS OF DELEGATES TO THE CONVENTION.

Except during the special election February 18, 1861, to choose delegates to the State Convention, no very important political inci- dents occurred in this county between the Presidential election and the firing on Ft. Sumter. In this district, composed of Clinton, Caldwell, Ray and Carroll counties, there was only one secession can- didate, Rev. Augustus H. F. Payne,1 of Clinton. The four other candidates, James H. Birch, of Clinton, Ex-Gov. A. A. King and Geo. W. Dunn, of Ray, and R. D. Ray, of Carroll, were all uncon- ditional Union. men. Upon these candidates the vote in Caldwell stood : R. D. Ray, 577; Austin A. King, 503; Geo. W. Dunn, 501; J. H. Birch, 404; A. H. F. Payne, 124. The vote indicates the overwhelming sentiment in the county at the time in favor of the Union, a sentiment, too, that never changed.

Messrs. Birch, Dunn, and Ray, who were the successful candidates to the convention, acted throughout their experience with the conser- vative Union men, opposing secession in any form, and rejecting abolition in every guise.

THE " BEACON."

In October, 1860, the first newspaper in the county, the Caldwell County Beacon, was established at Kingston. Wilbur F. Boggs was editor. The paper was Democratic in politics, and on the outbreak of the war was secession in sentiments. Prior to the firing on Sum- ter, however, it had been conservative, but its editor and those con- trolling the policy of the paper were understood to be secessionists. It excited what influence it had in favor of the Southern cause, and being the only paper published in the county, and the only paper read by many, it of course contributed something to the formation of pub- lic opinion.

When war had actually broken out the people were quite well pre- pared to take sides. The Union men, or " submissionists," as their

1 Killed in the spring of 1863, in Platte county, by Federal militia.

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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

enemies called them, were largely in the majority, and were cool and determined. The Secessionists made up in spirit and demonstration what they lacked in numbers. The Beacon newspaper was stoutly in favor of " arming to resist the despot Lincoln," and every issue teemed with editorials bustling and bristling. The number for May 3 con- cluded a spirited " leader " as follows : -

In the name of their honor, their chivalry, their devotion to justice, and, if incorrigible upon these points, in the name of their self-interest, which will arouse even Black Republicans to battle, we appeal to Mis- sourians whether they will lie supinely upon their backs crying " peace, peace," while the instruments, the grappling irons of their destruction and degradation, are being fixed upon them? Or will they rather, as freemen, men who cherish the principles fought for and obtained by their Revolutionary sires, say to the negro-loving autocrat, who dis- graces and pollutes the helm of State, that although they are devoted to the Union, and are willing to make sacrifices (pecuniary ) for the perpetuity of this glorious experiment of self-government, yet they will not be trodden under the feet or made the tool of a Black Repub- lican military tyrant. That they will not stand with their arms folded and see their commerce destroyed, their prosperity retarded, and their notions of decency and propriety insulted by the quartering of an army of abolition, negro-thieving, subjugating, mercenary troops in their midst, although it is done in the hallowed name and for the pro- fessed protection of the Union. Missourians have but to act as becomes men to be free, but by inaction they will become what they would then deserve to be - slaves !

SECESSION FLAG.

In May, a pole bearing a secession flag was raised in Breckinridge, under the auspices of the " Breckinridge Guards," a Secession company com- manded by Capt. E. R. A. Stewart, G. W. Withers, and perhaps others ; and Miss Sallie Napier, on behalf of the ladies, made a spirited address, calling on the men of the community to rally in defense of their homes against " the Lincoln invaders." But when the Federal troops 'came a Mr. McWilliams, himself a Secessionist, cut down the pole, and the flag was secreted. In the summer of 1864 the militia officers forced some of the citizens of the town of Confederate sympathies to dig up the stump of the pole and cast it away.

JEFF. THOMPSON'S ORDER.

The authorities of the State being in sympathy with the rebellion, and - it is but the truth to say it - preparing for secession, the Union people were placed at a disadvantage. They could not organize regu-

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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

larly and legally under the State laws and orders of the Executive unless they placed themselves in an attitude of hostility to the General Government. Prior to the convening of the special session of the Legislature Gov. Jackson had ordered the militia of the State into encampments " to attain a greater degree of efficiency and perfection in organization and discipline," and on the 23d of April Col. M. Jeff. Thompson, then inspector for this military district (the Fourth), is- sued the following order : -

GENERAL ORER NO. 1, DIVISION NO. 17.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo., April 23, 1861.

To the People of the Fourth Military District of Missouri, Atchison, Nodaway, Worth, Gentry, Harrison, Daviess, De Kalb, Andrew, Holt, Buchanan, Clinton, Caldwell, Platte, Ray and Clay Counties :

FELLOW CITIZENS - Through the dark and troublous times which now overshadow our country it is necessary, if we desire to live as freemen and maintain our rights, that the most perfect order, account- ability and discipline that can possibly be maintained under the circun- stances should be observed. Therefore,

1. Do not act from misguided impulse or on partial information, for there are statesmen and soldiers guarding your interests.

2. While you exercise untiring energy and display eternal vigilance, let your actions be guarded by dignity, prudence and chivalry.

3. All information must be sent to and received from the head- quarters of this district, at St. Joseph, through Maj. F. M. Smith, commanding 1st battalion, except when otherwise ordered from the quartermaster at Jefferson City, Mo. By these means system, effici- ency and safety, so much to be desired, can be obtained.

4. It is requested that your colors be for the present a plain white flag, with the coat of arms of Missouri emblazoned thereon, and we can hereafter paint as many stripes as we please with the blood of our invaders. [!]

5. All in my district who desire to enter into the legally constituted military organization of Missouri will find me ever at their call night and day to muster them into the service of the State, and no other organization should be encouraged.

6. It is particularly desired that infantry and riffe companies should be formed.

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Colonel and Inspector of the Fourth Mil. Dist. of Mo.

THE " CALDWELL MINUTE MEN."

In the latter part of April a company of Secessionists was formed in the county and called the " Caldwell Minute Men." S. T. Bassett was captain and A. A. Rial orderly sergeant. The members were

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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

from different portions of the county, but only a few were from the western or southwestern part. In a few days the following notice in writing was posted in Kingston and elsewhere, and published in the Beacon :-

MINUTE MEN ATTENTION !

The Caldwell Minute Men are hereby ordered to rendezvous at King- ston on Saturday, the 4th day of May, 1861, at 1 o'clock, for the purpose of completing the organization of said company, and to trans- act other important business. Every one being requested to bring whatever arms they have.

Done by order of the Captain.

A. A. RIAL, O. S.

This company numbered about 75 men, and met frequently in King- ston for drill. Hon. Chas. J. Hughes was an active promoter of the interests of the company, and frequently addressed it and his fellow- citizens generally in aid of the Secession cause. The company eventu- ally became the Caldwell Light Infantry, and rendered efficient service in Gen. Price's army.

The first officers of the company were : Dr. Samuel T. Bassett, captain ; G. W. Withers, John Burroughs and Wilbur F. Boggs, lieutenants. After its muster-in in the State service it became Co. D of Col. John T. Hughes' regiment, and though belonging in Gen. Stein's division was attached to and did service in Gen. Slack's.1 Mr. Harpold was orderly sergeant at the time. Near the middle of June the company, about 65 strong, left the county, obedient to the orders of Gov. Jackson, and marched to Lexington, where it was regularly organized and mustered into the Missouri State Guards. Leaving Lexington the command proceeded to Southwest Missouri under Gen. Price. The Caldwell company took part in the battles of Carthage, Wilson's Creek and Lexington. At Wilson's Creek it had five men severely wounded. A few days before the Carthage fight Capt. Bassett was promoted to be surgeon of the regiment, and David Thompson, who had hitherto been a private in the ranks, was chosen to the captaincy. After the capture of Mulligan at Lexington Lieuts. Burroughs and Boggs left the army and came home. The lieutenants then were George W. Withers and John George.

Upon the expiration of their six months' term of service in the Missouri State Guard, nearly all the members of the Caldwell com-

1 Johnson's Atlas sketch says there were two companies from this county in the Confederate service; but this is a mistake. "Thompson's and Withers' companies," referred to by Johnson, were one and the same.

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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

pany re-enlisted, this time in the Confederate service. Some Daviess and Livingston county men joined the company, which was Co. H, 2d Missouri infantry, C. S. A. Capt. David Thompson was continued as company commander, and Withers and George were the lieutenants. Ben H. Rives, of Ray county, was colonel of the regi- ment, and was killed at Pea Ridge, where fell also Lieut. John George, of the Caldwell company. The company went east of the Mississippi with Gen. Price and was at the siege and battle of Corinth, Miss., and in the Vicksburg campaign. It was captured with Pemberton's army at the fall of Vicksburg, and all but a few of its members were sent to a parole camp at Demopolis, Ala., until they were exchanged. John Whiteneck was killed in the siege of Vicksburg. Capt. Thomp- son left his company at Tupelo, Miss., in the summer of 1862, came back to Caldwell on recruiting service, was captured by the militia, and never was in active service again. The company continued until the close of the war, in Gens. Johnson's and Hood's department, east of the Mississippi.

The Union men of the county organized a little after their Seces- sion neighbors. On the 15th of June there was a large Union meet- ing held in Kingston. The stars and stripes were raised and heartily cheered, and Hon. James H. Birch delivered a spirited and earnest Union speech. While the Union men were organizing a com- pany of Home Guards, Capt. Bassett's Secession company was drilling in the eastern part of the town.

The next day there was quite a scare among the Secessionists at Kingston and in the vicinity. A report was brought to the county seat that the Federal troops had landed from the cars at Hamilton, and were marching southward, making prisoners or killing all the " secesh " citizens they encountered. The secession headquarters were at the store of Woodson & Ardinger, on the southwest corner of the square, and to this point ex-Sheriff John C. Myers, a leading Secessionist suddenly dashed up from the northwest and warned his friends to fly from the dreadful foe, who, he said, to the number of 1,500 were marching rapidly on Kingston. Capt. Bassett, Lieut. W. F. Boggs, and other members of the " Caldwell Light Infantry," in- continently fled, as did Hon. C. J. Hughes, Rev. Hughes and other citizens of Secession proclivities. Mr. Hawkins Green was stationed on top of the court-house as a look out or watchman, and discovering a cloud of dust to the northward he thought it denoted the Federal advance, and accordingly gave an alarm, " they are coming," when some very ludicrous and ungraceful scenes were enacted by the anti-Unionists.

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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

Afterward it was learned that the alarm was occasioned by the pas- sage through the county of a company of Secession troops from Daviess county on their way to join Gen. Price's and Gov. Jackson's army at Lexington. The company crossed the railroad west of Ham- ilton and passed through west of Kingston.

The fugitives did not return until the next day. Capt. Bassett's company, or a portion of it, rendezvoused at Berry Diddle's still- house, on Shoal creek, a few miles southeast of Kingston, and soon after set out to join Gov. Jackson's army at Lexington. Of course the alarm was false and the stampede unnecessary, but perhaps the Caldwell Light Infantry did as well to leave then as any other time, since the county was now under complete control of the Unionists, and Federal troops had appeared at Breckinridge, Hamilton and Kidder.

THE HOME GUARDS.

In June, 1861, contemporaneous with the organization of the " Cald- well Light Infantry," two companies of Union Home Guards were formed in this county. Although they were called " home guards," it was not expected that their services would all be rendered at home, or in guarding their own homes literally ; they were willing to go where they would do the most good. Both of these companies were organized in the vicinity of Mirabile, but their members were from various sections of the county. These companies were commanded by E. D. Johnson and Moses Lee James. The former was an infantry company and was armed by the government with good Springfield muskets. The two companies were among the very earliest to enroll themselves on the side of the Union in Northwest Missouri.

Capt. James' company was organized by authority of Col. Pea- body, then of the 13th Missouri infantry (afterward the 25th Mis- souri ), and the authority and organization were afterward recognized by Gen. Pope and Hurlbut. It was mounted and did duty as cav- Iry. Reporting at Cameron in July, the Home Guards were assigned to duty along the line of the H. & St. Jo. Railroad.

James' company numbered 56 men. Its officers were M. L. James, captain ; John G. Quinn and Isaac N. Henry, lieutenants, and M. R. Streeter, orderly sergeant. It remained in the Home Guard service until September 24, 1861, when it was regularly mustered into what was known as James' battalion of Missouri militia - six months' men.

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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

THE FIGHT AT BLUE MILLS LANDING.

The most important incident in the experience of the Caldwell County Home Guards was their participation in the battle of Blue Mills Landing, on the Missouri river in Clay county, September 17. A brief description of the part taken in that engagement by the troops from this county may be of interest.

About the 1st of September Gen. Price, at the head of his army of 10,000 men, set out from Springfield for the Missouri river, in order that certain bodies of recruits in the northern part of the State might be able to join him. In Northeast Missouri were 2,500 men of Gen. Harris' division, under Gen. Harris himself, and in Northwest Mis- souri were 4,000 belonging to Gen. Stein's aud Gen. Slack's divisons, under Col. J. P. Saunders and others. On the 12th of September, Gen. Price reached the Missouri at Lexington, where was a Federal garrison of 2,800 men under Col. James A. Mulligan, and immediately sent out messengers to hurry forward his recruits from the north side of the river. This was September 12, and on the 15th the Secession troops in Northwest Missouri united near St. Joseph and set out at once for Lexington.

All told the Northwest Missourians numbered anout 3,500, as fol- lows : From the Fifth Military District (Gen. Stein's) there were five regiments of infantry, under Col. J. P. Saunders, one regiment of cavalry, under Col. Wilfley, and Capt. E. V. Kelly's battery, of three six-pounder guns ; from the Fourth District (Gen. Slack's ) there were five regiments of infantry, under Col. Jeff. Patton, and one battalion of cavalry, under Col. Childs.

At this time Federal troops were stationed at Cameron and at the railroad bridge across Platte river. At Cameron were the 3d Iowa infantry, Lieut. Col. John Scott, and four companies of Missouri Home Guards, one from Adair county, one from Macon, and two from Caldwell county - Capt. James' and Capt. Johnson's. All the troops at Cameron were infantry, except Capt. James' company, which was mounted and used as advance guard and for scouting. At Platte river bridge were the 16th Illinois infantry, some companies of the 39th Ohio, and some Home Guards.

Learning of the movement of the Northwest Missourians towards Gen. Price's army, Gen. Pope, then in command of all the Federal troops in North Missouri, determined to intercept them if possible. Pursuant to his orders, therefore, Col. Smithi set out from Platte

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HISTORY OF CALDWELL COUNTY.

river bridge, and Col. Scott from Cameron, with instructions to unite at Liberty in advance of the Secession troops and stop their further progress toward Lexington.

Col. Scott took with him, besides his own regiment, the four home guard companies, including the two from Caldwell and one piece of artillery. Capt. Johnson's company marched on foot, but Capt. James', being well mounted, had the advance, and did the scouting and courier duty. The march was a swift one, and withal very fati- guing. The last ten miles were accomplished between midnight and daybreak. Arriving at Liberty it was learned that the rebel troops had passed through the town the evening before, and that they were then engaged in crossing the river at Blue Mills Landing, some four miles distant.

Col. Smith had not reached Liberty and Col. Scott was in some- thing of a quandary. His force was very inferior to that of the rebels, and he feared the result of an attack with the force under his immediate command. Scott was a Kentuckian and had seen service in the Mexican war. He sent off one after another, a dozen messen- gers to Smith to hurry him up, for the rebels were fast escaping to the south side of the river.

At last, however, Col. Scott sent down about twenty men of Capt. James' company, under Lieut. James Call, of the 3d Iowa, to " feel the enemy." The rebel commander, Col. Saunders, had posted on the road from the river to Liberty Col. Childs' battalion of 300 men, to protect and guard his rear, while the rest of his command were crossing, and these were in ambush. Nearing the rebel position Lieut. Call was warned by at least one citizen of his danger, but he con- tinued to press on. The road was narrow and there were heavy tim- ber and dense thickets on both sides. Suddenly about 100 shots were poured into the company by the rebels, some of whom were concealed under a bridge. Five Caldwell county men were shot clean out of their saddles, four of them being killed instantly and the other desper- ately wounded. The remainder of the squad, under Lieut. Call, hastily retreated. The four men killed were Linus Miller, Daniel Strope, John Smith and James Bogan ; the wounded man was Wm. O. Dodge, who is still a partial cripple, and the present driver and pro- prietor of the Hamilton and Kingston hack line.

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Author: Pease, Ora Merle Hawk, 1890- Publication date: 1886 Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company Number of Pages: 1260

Author: Pease, Ora Merle Hawk, 1890-
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1260