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 20

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 20
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 20

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When George Baker was killed and his house burned, his widow and children took refuge at old man Baker's. Here also was Daniel Baker's wife. The latter writes : " The night father Baker lay a corpse we all sat out in the woods. It was quite cold and rainy, and George's widow was sick. We had nothing to eat until the next day, although we did not feel much like eating."

Wm. Baker, Sr., was a gentleman of good character, and, but for his politics, was generally esteemed. George Baker also bore a good reputation. But the entire family were strong Confederate sympa- thizers from the beginning. On the 9th of December, 1861, the house of W. T. Filson, in the eastern part of the county, was raided by some Confederate partisans, said to have been Daniel Baker, Wm. Baker, Jr., Joseph Baker, Wm. Kesterson, Wm. H. Kesterson, Mor- timer Kesterson and John H. Pemberton. Capt. Filson lost two saddles, an overcoat, a shot gun, revolver, bowie knife, and some other articles of personal property, including some papers. In 1864 he brought suit against the parties named for $2,400 damages, ob- tained judgment by default, and bought in to satisfy the judgment certain lands belonging to the Bakers. Four years later the Bakers appeared and the former proceedings were set aside and annulled, and their lands restored to them. They now live in Nebraska.

Jim Baker and Dan Baker escaped from the county and made their way to Kansas. Here, some time later, they were identified by a Caldwell county man who chanced to be in Leavenworth, and were arrested, and word sent back to Kingston. A squad of militia was sent after them. At St. Joseph Dan Baker sprang away from his guards and made good his escape. He said he knew it was death to be taken back to Caldwell county, and he preferred to die in trying to effect his freedom. He is yet alive. Jim Baker was taken to

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Breckinridge, examined by the military authorities and discharged, or at least ordered to be released on oath and bond. A squad of Ross' company started with him to Kingston, but two miles north- east of town they shot him. Baker died bravely. Ordered to turn his back he refused, and just before he was shot called out to his execu- tioners, " I want you to know that I die a true Southerner." His body was taken charge of and buried in the McClelland graveyard by Col. T. N. O. Butts, John H. Dustin and others. At the time of his death, November 17th, Jim Baker was but 19 years of age. He had in his pocket his discharge from the Confederate army, and the Federal bullet that wounded him at Pea Ridge.

The bodies of George Baker and Alex. Richey were buried in the Knoxville graveyard. It was proposed to bury the body of old Wm. Baker there. A man was sent down to have a grave dug, but another man named Lee Henry sent him back with the word that " no rebels" should be buried there, and the body was then in- terred in the Yoakum or Petrie burying ground.

George Baker and Alex. Richey were killed on the morning of September 10th; Capt. Langford, September 11th ; Wm. Baker, Sr., September 12th, and James Baker on the night of November 17th, all in the year 1862.

CHAPTER VII. EVENTS OF 1863-1864.

Miscellaneous Events in 1863 - Miscellaneous Events in 1864-The Rebel Raid of Thrailkill and Taylor - Full Details and Particulars - The County Treasury Robbery - The 44th Missouri Infantry - Some Tragedies of the War- Killing of Certain Alleged Rebel Sympathizers, John C. Myers, Rev. Frazee, R. S. MeBeath, Absalom Harpold, H. D. Whiteneck, and Henry Gist.

1863 - MISCELLANEOUS.

In the spring of 1863 Capt. W. D. Fortune and Lients. Joshua Orem and Wm. H. Anderson, of the 33d E. M. M., and quite a num- ber of other men from this county were detailed to serve in Co. B, of Hall's 4th regiment of Provisional Militia. They performed service about six months, when they were relieved from duty.

This year also there were a few more tragedies in the county. Capt. Fortune's company was stationed at Breckinridge in the spring and summer, and made frequent incursions into the county. It was on one of these when Robt. MeBeath was killed.

A vast majority of the Union men of the county had grown to be Radical Republicans, and were for the immediate abolition of slavery throughout the Union. President Lincoln's proclamation freeing the slaves of those in rebellion had been well received and heartily in- dorsed, and now the general sentiment was in favor of universal abolition. A minority of the Union men, those whose loyalty had been demonstrated and could not be doubted, were, however, opposed to emancipation or abolition. A few opposed abolition under any circumstances, but the majority of the anti-emancipationists favored freeing the slaves of disloyal men without compensation, but insisted that all loyal men should be paid for their slaves that might be eman- cipated by law.

Some of the Democratie and Bell-Everett Union men were greatly displeased when it became evident that abolition would be the re- sult of the war, and indeed some of them were more mortified and disheartened than displeased, in the common sense of displeasure. They had held from the first that the object of the war was the restoration of the Federal Union simply, and not the destruction of slavery, as claimed by the Secessionists and rebels. Now that the predictions of the latter were about to be verified, and their own as-

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sertions disproved, these Union men were much cast down. They had no thought of abandoning the Union cause, but they much re- gretted that the policy of the government toward slavery had been changed, not that they were such ardent admirers of the institution and desired its indefinite perpetuation, but they feared for the effect of the abolition policy upon the Conservative Union men of Missouri, and dreaded the charge of inconsistency and insincerity against their cause and its leaders. Many broke from President Lincoln at once because of his Emancipation Proclamation, but remained steadfast in their devotion to Unionism, and unchanged in their detestation of the rebellion and the rebels.

The Radical Republicans were not satisfied with President Lincoln, because he had not made emancipation universal throughout the Union - in Missouri as well as in Mississippi. Doubtless a majority of these had for years been Abolitionists and now rejoiced at the prospect that they should live until their eyes had seen " the glory !" They declared that even if the slaves were not naturally entitled to their freedom "the treason of their masters" had made them so en- titled ; while in the case of the loyal slaveholders it was held that if they were " good Union men," they ought to be willing that their slaves be emancipated without any compensation save the approval of conscience and the praise of Abolitionists.

A controversy between the two factions of Unionists arose. The Republicans called the Democratic pro-slavery men " Copperheads," "rebel sympathizers," etc., and the feeling grew to be very intense and the enmity deadly. It is yet charged that many a pro-slavery citizen was murdered by the Radical members of the militia charged with being a rebel or a bushwhacker or something of the sort, when in fact it is claimed, he was only a Democrat.

MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS IN 1864.

Thursday morning, June 9, Capt. Merrill Givens, of Co. A, 33d E. M. M., was killed in an accidental encounter with some Livings- ton county militia near Breckinridge. Some military prisoners had escaped from St. Joseph and passed near Kidder Wednesday, going cast. Capt. Givens, who resided in Daviess county, three miles from Kidder, took a small party and started in pursuit. At dawn the next morning he reached the Weldon settlement, near Breckinridge, and came suddenly on the picket of some militia that had been sent ont from Chillicothe to head off the fugitives. Each party took the other for an enemy, and in the fight that resulted Capt. Givens was killed,

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and a man of his company named Ward, of Kidder, was seriously wounded. The same night a party of militia went into the Weldon settlement, took out Humphrey Weldon and murdered him and burned the Widow Weldon's barn.

Saturday, June 9, John D. Casey, of near Gallatin, and his son, John Casey, of Hamilton, were both killed in an affray at the latter place. The Caseys were intoxicated. The old man struck at Wm. Briscoe, a citizen of the vicinity, with a knife, and Briscoe knocked him down. The old man rose, went to Buster's saloon, where his son was, and in a few moments young John came out with a revolver and fired at Briscoe, who was standing in a store door. Briscoe re- turned the fire. Other parties also opened fire on Casey, and he started to run, but was shot and brought to the ground. Springing up again he followed Briscoe into a store, where they exchanged shots and then clinched; while they were in this position the elder Casey ran in and cut Briscoe in the neck. The latter succeeded in pushing young Casey out of doors, when he again cocked his pistol to shoot Briscoe, but the weapon was caught by Henry Snyder, a returned veteran of Catherwood's regiment, and Briscoe then put his pistol to Casey's head, fired and killed him instantly. Old man Casey, seeing Snyder's interference, seized him, and it is said attempted to knife him, but Henry Singleton, a discharged soldier of the 25th Missouri infantry, fired at him and brought him down. He was taken to Gal- latin, and died next morning. Both of the Caseys were considered to be rebels, or " sympathizers."

Saturday, June 11, Lient. W. T. Filson, of Capt. Noblett's com- pany (F) of the 33d E. M. M., captured two men, supposed to be of the St. Joseph escaped prisoners, at or near the Widow Guffey's, eight or nine miles east of Kingston. The two men at first said their names were Fortney and Rhodes, but soon admitted that their true names were Biggs and Dr. McCamey. In a few minutes the militia killed Biggs, and he was buried four miles east of Hamilton. Dr. McCamey was taken to Hamilton and turned over to another com- pany of militia, and the next day was killed near the place where Biggs was buried, east of Hamilton.

The Banner of Liberty spoke jocularly of MeCamey's death, as fol- lows : "He died about four miles east of Hamilton, in consequence of not having money enough to pay his railroad fare ! As the boys hadn't time to hunt up his friend, the prospective Conservative can- didate for Lieutenant-Governor [Gen. Odon Guitar ], they summoned a few of the secesh about Breckinridge and saw them do up the work

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neatly." Lieut. Filson, of the " Wolf Hunters," as Noblett's com- pany was known, made the following report of this affair to Gen. Fisk : -

KINGSTON, CALDWELL COUNTY, MO., June 16, 1864.

Gen. C. B. Fisk -SIR: - I have the honor to make the follow- ing report : On the 9th inst., I learned that several desperadoes had escaped from St. Joseph, and that some of them were traveling east. I called out a few of Co. F, 33d E. M. M., and turned out to search for them. On the evening of the 11th I succeeded in captur- ing two of them. They gave their names as Fortney and Rhodes, but upon further investigation it appeared to be Dr. MeCamey and Biggs or Briggs. While questioning McCamey, Biggs or Briggs attempted to escape, but he soon "played out." Capt. G. W. Noblett in- structed me to take Dr. McCamey to Hamilton. I done so on the 12th and turned him over to Lient. Wm. Lewis, by order of Capt. E. C. Crandall, of Brookfield, Mo. I then continued the search until last evening, when I relieved the men and returned home.

Yours truly, W. T. FILSON, First Lieut. Co. F, 33d Regt. E. M. M.

THE THRAILKILL AND TAYLOR RAID.

The most exciting incident occurring in Caldwell county during the year 1864, and perhaps during the Civil War, was the raid into and through the county in July by a body of Confederate recruits and guerrillas, led by two noted chieftains named John Thrailkill and Chas. F. Taylor. The latter was and is generally known by the name of Fletcher, or " Fletch." Taylor. Perhaps a full account of the origin and termination of this raid ought here to be given, since it is believed this can be done fairly and accurately at this time. The writer has taken great pains to ascertain the facts, and has confidence that in the main he has done so.

Fletch. Taylor had been in the war from the start. He was one of the prisoners captured at Camp Jackson by Gen. Lyon, was at the battle of Belmont, then in Lee's army, where he was taken prisoner, paroled, and sent home to Independence, Mo. Here, in the latter part of 1862, he was arrested by the Federal military authorities and ordered to work on the breastworks, but he escaped in a day or two and joined Quantrell. In a year he was Quantrell's first lieutenant, and in the latter part of June, 1864, crossed the Missouri into Clay county at the head of 75 guerrillas, 12 of whom were Quantrell's old men. John Thrailkill was from Holt county. Orig- inally a Secessionist in sympathy, he took no active part until late. in the war, when he was recruited into the regular Confederate service

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in Platte county by Col. J. C. C. (" Coon ") Thornton. He was a man of near middle age, with a superior education and of fine ability.

By some means Thrailkill and Taylor met in Clay county soon after the latter crossed the river. Recruits were joining Taylor's company very rapidly, and Taylor says he made Thrailkill captain of a company. In a brief time the two had 300 men, and Clay county became too small to hold them. Taylor resolved to make a raid with his guerrillas into Iowa, and sent a courier to Bill Anderson, then in Chariton county, to join him. Thrailkill swore the men under his immediate command into the Confederate service and announced his intention of crossing the river and joining Gen. Price's army in Arkansas the first opportunity.

All of Western Missouri was ablaze at this time. The Confeder- ate guerrillas had been at work and the Federal troops were unusually active. Taylor captured Platte City and held it long enough for Jesse James and others of his band to have their " tin-type " piet- ures taken ; Col. Ford, of the 2d Colorado cavalry and 300 militia defeated " Coon " Thornton and 150 of his men at Camden Point, Platte county, and afterward burned the town and killed a number of its citizens, and passed on to Platte City, which was also partially burned and some of its people put to the sword. Men were being killed every day by each side.

Soon after the events in Platte county noted above, Taylor and Thrailkill, at the head of 300 men, left Clay county and passed eastward into Ray. July 17, Fletch. Taylor badly defeated Capt. Moses and his company of the 2d Colorado cavalry at Fredericks- burg, killing 6 and wounding others. Thrailkill's immediate com- mand did not take part in this fight. Plundering Gay's store, at Fredericksburg, the raiders passed on to Elkhorn, robbed the store of Maj. Allen, a prominent Unionist, and carried off even part of his clothing. They now threatened Richmond, but Capt. Clayton Tiffin, of the 4th Provisional regiment of militia, succeeded in throw- ing his company into the town ahead of the guerrillas, and when a mile from the place they turned north toward Knoxville. Of course Thrailkill followed, or accompanied Taylor.

Near Knoxville, on the 18th, some of Taylor's men killed Lieut. Jesse C. Tunnage and two other men named Shumate and Wilson, all of the enrolled militia. South of Knoxville, at Moses Yoacum's. they met and robbed the stage, destroying the mail, etc., and taking the stage company's horses. At that time the stage ran between Lex- ington and Hamilton.

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At Knoxville nearly 100 citizens had assembled, but as they had less than 50 guns of any sort, and as Capt. Tiffin had sent them word not to make a fight, they mostly fled to the brush. A few under Capt. Kelso, of the 6th M. S. M., and Lieut. Stone, remained in town until the rebel forces were in sight. Lieut. Stone rode out a mile south of town to meet them, and when he hailed them and asked who they were they answered, " Illinois 100-days men," a species of Federal soldiery then in the service. Stone galloped back to the vil- lage and Thrailkill formed a line of battle across the road as if expect- ing an attack. Soon after the guerrillas came up into the little hamlet, from which Kelso and his men had retired, and held it. They fired at a few fleeing citizens who were just entering the brush, shot and killed a poor half-witted negro belonging as a slave to Mrs. Stone, plundered the stores of Jacob Wright and O. H. White, and robbed the few citizens of their pocket money, and left the place after an occupation of less than an hour.

Following close after the rebels were nearly 400 militia and Colo- rado troops, under Maj. Pritchett or Prichard, of the 2d Colorado. These were but two miles south when Thrailkill and Taylor were in Knoxville, but Maj. Pritchett order a halt "to feed up," as he said, and remained until his enemy had departed. He then marched up to Knoxville, but refused to come any further north, although assured that his enemy was in camp only three miles away, and the same evening marched for Liberty, Clay county. For this singular conduct the major was severely censured at the time by the Unionists of the country. He had more men and they were better armed and mounted generally than those of Thrailkill and Taylor, but for some reason he avoided a fight.

After leaving Knoxville Thrailkill and Taylor came up the King- ston road two miles and turned east to John Rainwater's, where they arrived about 4 p. m. Here they remained until after nightfall, when the greater portion of the command went to old John Switzer's on the Flat fork of Crooked river, where they remained until 3 a. m. of Tuesday, July 19th. Then they again set out and about daylight went into camp, or halted, in Black Oak Grove, near the present vil- lage of Black Oak.

From Black Oak Grove a detachment of Taylor's company, said to have been under the command of Lieut. Frank James, went into the country to the northwest of the Grove early in the morning. Beating up the country for straggling militia, they came upon Joseph Cain and John Phillips, two residents of the locality, and members of

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Capt. Noblett's company of enrolled militia. Both Cain and Phillips were taken from their families, carried some distance away and killed. Cain was killed half a mile or more from his home, and Phillips a mile further. This was on Tuesday, and Cain's body was not re- covered until the following Sunday, when it was found horribly man- gled and nearly eaten up by hogs.

It is said that Phillips was by no means a radical Union man, and there were those who even doubted his loyalty. It is believed that had the guerrillas known the real character of the men - known that they were practically unoffending - they would not have killed them. But an ex-guerrilla, now residing in Jackson county, and who was present, says in a communication to the writer : -

The two men killed the day before we took Kingston belonged to a company of red-leg militia, that had sometime before killed an old man, 80 years of age, burnt his house and turned his distressed family out of doors. This company had also murdered many other unof- fending Southern men in that county, and done much other injury un- called for. We would have killed every member of this company if we could have caught them. Iremember that one of the men claimed to be a Southern man, but as soon as he told us what company he belonged to that settled his fate.

Meantime the militia of the county were swarming. The night be- fore Capt. Noblett, with a part of his company, stayed at Widow George's, west of Black Oak Grove. Other members of the militia stayed near Black Oak, and Noblett sent them word to come on to Kingston. Twenty-six men arrived at 9 o'clock Tuesday morning at the residence of Daniel D. Michael, who then lived and now lives two miles southwest of the present site of Black Oak. Here they halted to organize and await orders. The majority if not all the men be- longed to Capt. Fortune's company (E) of the 33d Enrolled Militia.

While these 26 men and 3 or 4 others were waiting at Michael's a messenger came up and said that Lieut. Joshua Orem, of Fortune's company, wished them to wait where they were for the arrival of Capt. Fortune, and accordingly they remained at Michael's for some time. One or two went on towards Kingston. The remainder were gathered in a little hollow, just west of Michael's house, on the road, when a column of men were seen approaching across the prairie from the northeast. Some of the militia called out, "There comes Fortune;" but others, who had seen more service, said, " It looks like d-d bad fortune for us - for they are the bushwhackers sure."

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The pun and the profanity were bad, but the statement was true. " They " were the bushwhackers. Uniting in the Black Oak Grove Thrailkill and Taylor started southwest towards Michael's, having heard of the presence of the militia and citizens there and deter- mining to bag them. Taylor with his company made a detour around to the east and south intending to come up on them from the south- west, while Thrailkill marched straight forward. Nearing the little hollow, where the militia were huddled, alarmed and flustered, Thrailkill's column spread out like a fan and swooped on and around them, calling out " Surrender ! " and capturing the entire outfit with- out the snapping of a cap.

Not all of the militia were armed, and there were only 26 of them all told, a few having broken away on the first appearance of the rebels. There was no officer in command, and, of course, no organization. Not all had ever seen service in the militia, or were regular members. There was, of course, great trepidation among them when they found they were prisoners, believing that they were all about to be put to the sword. But Thrailkill bade them be of good cheer, and assured them that their lives were not in danger. " You are fortunate that I captured you, and not Capt. Taylor's company," said he. " Taylor's men are guerrillas," he explained, " and it is very seldom that they receive or give quarter."

Very soon Taylor's company arrived, coming up from the south. The men were disappointed that they had not reached the militia first, but, as it was, they made sundry threats and demonstrations against the prisoners, and were only restrained by Thrailkill and the strong guard he placed about them. Some of the guerrillas succeeded in obtaining a few pocket-books, but Thrailkill forced them to restore all booty of this kind to its owners. All the prisoners were residents of the locality, and expected nothing else than that their property would be taken or destroyed, as it was well known that that section contained but few "Southern men." Consequently they permitted themselves to be robbed without much protest, quite content if they could get off so cheaply.

Thrailkill informed the prisoners that they would all be released and not harmed if they would give their paroles not to take up arms against the Confederate forces until regularly exchanged. Thrailkill himself claimed to be (and doubtless was) a regular Confederate officer, and had sworn his men into that service. He assured the prisoners that he wished to carry on his operations in true military style, and did not want to kill a single prisoner. " Your officers murder my men with-

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out mercy when they capture them," said he, "but I have never yet killed a prisoner. I hope, however, that whenever in the future any of my men are taken by yours, you will remember how you have been treated this day, and use your influence to prevent their being shot down like dogs." To this day the prisoners speak admiringly of Maj. Thrailkill, and commend him for his humanity and gener- osity.

Thrailkill bore himself throughout with coolness and dignity. He listened calmly to the oft expressed desire of Taylor's men to " shoot the d-d heads off" the prisoners, but saw to it that not a hair of one of their heads was harmed. They were marched up to Michael's house, where pen and ink were procured, and each man furnished with a written parole. Thrailkill wrote the first parole, and Wm. Wheeler, a recently discharged Federal soldier, one of the prisoners, wrote a sufficient number of copies. The paroles were signed, " John Thrailkill, Capt. C. S. A., commanding." The prisoners had their arms and horses taken from them, and all of either that were service- able were taken off.

The rebel force remained at Michael's from 8 to 11 a. m. A majority cooked and ate their breakfasts, and fed their horses. Michael was a Union man, and had left early that morning to join the militia at Kingston. His barn and kitchen were thoroughly " cleaned out," as thoroughly as 250 hungry horses and 250 hungry raiders could do it. A good horse was also taken. At about 11 o'clock the whole force left Michael's, going south at first, and then turning east towards Mandeville, in Carroll county.

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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