USA > Missouri > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Missouri : carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri ; the Constitution of the United States, and State of Missouri ; a military record of its volunteers in either army of the Great Civil War ; general and local statistics ; miscellany ; reminiscences, grave, tragic and humorous ; biographical sketches of prominent men and citizens identified with the interests of the country > Part 36
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Ballew's command scattered considerably, and all escaped in safety. Some made their way to the .. army of Gen. Price; others stayed in the country.
Nothing .vas talked of in the county but the "Hurricane fight," for some days after its occurrence, and the talk was usually of the wildest sort. It was reported that the number of federals killed was at least 20; that the wounded were twice as many; that the . federals were preparing to come down, "like a wolf on the fold," and avenge their defeat by kill-
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ing men, women and children, etc., etc. But as time passed the expected ravagers and spoilers came not, and other events transpired that engaged the attention of the people.
It is asserted that in September, nearly a month before the Hurricane fight, a skirmish took place on section 3, township 55, range 23, in what is now Stokes Mound township. The fight occurred on the farm, and indeed at the residence of Davis Perry Todd, since dead. The property is now owned by a Mr. Conger. A Capt. Peery, of Livingston county, had rendezvoused at Todd's residence, preparatory to joining the state guards at Lexington. Capt. Love came down from Laclede with his company, and drove Peery and his men away. Several shots were exchanged, but only one man, a member of Peery's company, was hurt, he being shot through the hand. Peery's men at first were in Todd's barn and about his premises, but retreated to the woods. Mr. A. J. Carson, of this county, one of Peery's men, died two days after, it is said from excitement occa- sioned by the fight, added to a low state of health. It was this Capt. Peery, who was killed by the militia north of Carrollton in the fall of 1864.
THE UNION TROOPS OCCUPY CARROLLTON.
In August, 1861, the state convention declared the offices of governor, lieutenant-governor, and secretary of state vacant, and appointed Ham- ilton R. Gamble, governor; Willard P. Hall, lieutenant-governor, and Mordecai Oliver, secretary of state in the room of Jackson, Reynolds, and Massey, proceeded to vacate the offices of all the other state and county officials who should fail or decline to take the "convention oath," or oath of allegiance to the United States and to the state government under Gov. Gamble.
In Carroll county the county officers signified their willingness to take the convention oath, if they could be protected from the secessionists who were manifesting very hostile dispositions. Accordingly, word was sent to Col. Tindall, of the 23d Missouri infantry, then at Chillicothe. Col. Tin- dall, thereupon sent down a company of men of his regiment, commanded by Capt. R. A. DeBolt, afterward member of congress from the 10th dis- trict and judge of the 11th circuit. The company numbered about 100 men, and with their blue uniforms and bright muskets presented quite a contrast to the confederate soldiers that had been seen in the county. The company reached Carrollton about the 1st of December. It formed and marched around the square, at different times, and extraordinary efforts were made to obtain recruits. Accompanying Capt. DeBolt was Capt. R. H. Brown, who had a squad already, but wished to fill out his company. He was soon enabled to do so. (See roster of company "K," 23d Missouri volunteers.) The sight of the flag, the guns, and drums and bayonets, and
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the light work and good pay promised, may have induced some to vol- unteer, but the most, if not all of the Carroll county recruits enlisted from a sense of duty, and were union men from principle. In those days it required considerable courage for a man to avow himself a decided union man or a decided secessionist.
Capt. Brown recruited his company, Capt. DeBolt drilled his, the county officials took the convention oath, and time passed. Many of the people of southern sympathies considered the secession ordinance passed by the Neosho legislature as valid and binding upon them, and, therefore, held Missouri to be no longer a member of the old federal union, but one of the " Confederate States of America." Of this class many prepared to go south to fight for the cause which they considered just.
APPEARANCE OF PRENTISS'S BRIGADE.
The next morning after Brown and DeBolt came to Carrollton, Gen. Ben. M. Prentiss, at the head of a brigade composed of an Ohio and an Illinois regiment and some Missourians, marching through Carroll county from west to east, reached Carrollton. Here they camped where the Catholic church now stands and on the adjacent grounds, remaining two nights and one day. When they left it is said that about a ton of chicken feathers covered the camp ground, mingled with a great quantity of hog hair and bristles.
Before leaving, Gen. Prentiss assembled the citizens on the square and made them a speech full of reproaches for their past misdeeds, and of warnings and threats against them should they transgress in the future. Gen. Prentiss, when in the service, was of an imperious, haughty, domin- eering disposition, and his conduct was not at all times above criticism and reproach. His speech at Carrollton may have been intended for good, but it did hone, having the effect to exasperate instead of conciliate those of confederate sympathies.
By order of Gen. Prentiss, five hundred sacks of flour belonging to Mr. Hiram Wilcoxson, then proprietor of the Wild Moss mills, were siezed by Quartermaster Strachan, the latter afterwards notorious for his con- nection with the infamous Palmyra massacre. Mr. Wilcoxson had been especially active against the federal authority in the beginning of the troubles, but had taken the oath of allegiance to the Gamble government, and it is believed was religiously observing it, but his flour was taken all the same, and he never was paid for it.
CAPTURE OF ROBINSON'S REGIMENT AND TWO HUNDRED CARROLL COUNTY CONFEDERATES.
About the first of December, a considerable number of men in the county prepared to "go south" and join the army of Gen. Price, then in
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southwest Missouri. Capt. Frank S. Robinson, of Saline, had been sent up in the region about Miami to recruit, and very soon several hundred men were organized and ready to join him. Word had been 'sent to the confederates in Carroll to ."muster the clans," and preparations to that effect were speedily and quietly made. About 175 men crossed the river and joined the designated rendezvous, at the Grand Pass, church, in Sa- line county. The forces from Carroll comprised Capt. Logan Ballew's company, Capt. M. Floyd's company, and a number of men that were not organized into companies. The men for the time furnished their own arms and equipments or went without -- many had no arms.
At the Grand Pass Church the Confederate recruits were organized into a regiment of which Robinson was elected colonel and Col. Alexander lieutenant-colonel. Col. Robinson, now a citizen of Carrollton, states that this regiment numbered 780 men in all, the greater portion of whom were from Saline county. -
On the 16th of December, 1861, this regiment commenced its march south, and on that same night reached Blackwater creek, in Johnson county, and encamped in a horse-shoe bend of the creek. Worn out with their long day's march of near forty miles, the whole regiment slept, sentinels, pickets and all; and two prisoners whom they had captured, escaped, and, it is supposed, 'carried the news of their whereabouts to Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, who with two or three thousand Federal troops. was cruising about to intercept just such gatherings of men as this.
The next day, in the forenoon, Robinson's pickets were driven in by a detachment of Merrill's Horse,* a body of Federal cavalry, who came in on the Knob Noster road. Gen. Davis, with his 2000 infantry, followed Merrill rapidly up, and the Confederates soon found themselves surrounded by a force much larger and better armed every way. However, the regiment was immediately drawn up in line and delivered two volleys, which the Federals returned, killing one man, and then retired about 400 yards. Gen. Davis then sent under a white flag, a communication stating his force and position and demanding an unconditional surrender. Com- paratively unarmed, and wholly undisciplined as they were, to fight with any hope of success, was out of the question, and the whole regiment surrendered-except those, who by scattering, each man for himself, escaped and returned home, and those, who, in the same manner, suc- ceeded in reaching Col. Clarkson's command, sent up by Gen. Price, to convey through this regiment and a body of men who had crossed the river at Lexington. Many of the very best and. most substantial citizens of this and Saline counties were in this Blackwater capture. The prison- ers, in all, 585, were marched to Sedalia, and there put upon a train and sent to St. Louis, where they were incarcerated in .the old McDowell
* Second Missouri Cavalry Volunteers.
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college. Here, and afterwards at Alton, Illinois, they were held until they all gradually took the prescribed oath, and were released, except about 100 of them, who were regularly exchanged in the summer or fall of 1862 and entered the Confederate army. .
Upon the authority of a certain Federal officer, who was engaged in the capture of Robinson's command, it may be stated that the Federals had information of the raising of the regiment and its designs long before it left Saline county.
Col. Robinson states that when the demand for surrender was made, he called his officers together and held a consultation. All were in favor of surrendering on terms, except one captain, who, when questioned, ad- mitted that he had but two rounds of ammunition for his men. There was plenty of powder in the command, but no lead or caps. Col. R. also states that a major of the second Iowa cavalry informed him that the two volleys delivered by the Confederates killed and wounded 37 men.
ELECTION FOR MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
The last event of public importance to transpire in the county in 1861, was the special election for member of Congress to fill the vacancy occa- sioned by the expulsion of Hon. John B. Clark. There were but two can- didates presented for the suffrages of the voters of Carroll county, Hon. Wm. A. Hall, of Randolph county, and M. C. Hawkins. No votes were cast in this county for Mr. Hawkins, the votes being all thrown for Hall. Every man who refused to take the convention oath was disfranchised, and, as there were many men of this class in the county, only a light vote was polled. Mr. A. Hall was a union democrat. At the regular elec- tion he was again chosen.
CARROLL COUNTY IN 1862-THE SECOND' YEAR OF THE WAR.
Nothing of a very remarkable nature occurred in the county in the winter of 1862, save that prices of all kinds of merchandise advanced. rap- idly and largely. The people, some of them at least, went back to the practices of the early pioneers, as regarded fare and apparel. For coffee rye was used instead of Rio and sorghum took the place of refined sugars and syrups. Flax and cotton had been raised, and were being used in the preparation of fabrics. Mr. Barrier, of Carrollton, in the early spring, was kept busy manufacturing flax spinning wheels. Mrs. Shirley, north of Big Creek, and other ladies raised, carded, and spun considerable quan- tities of cotton.
On the 24th of March, Capt. Josiah Goodson, of Co. C., Col. King's
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BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF KANSAS CITY, MO., ISS1.
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3d Missouri, M. S. M., died of pneumonia at his residence, eight miles west of Carrollton, aged 32.
The union ladies made a beautiful flag for the court house, another for Capt. Loves' company, purchased one for the 3d Missouri, and a large banner waved from a pole 100 feet in height on the public square. A storm on the 2d of April destroyed the last named flag. The same storm blew down the reformer church in Carrollton.
On the 24th of April, Mr. Burton Godsey, a soldier of the war of 1812, died at his home, six miles north of Carrollton. He was 80 years of age.
Numerous bodies of federal troops visited the county from time to time occasioning great alarm among the citizens of confederate sympathies. Upon this subject the Carrollton Democrat of May 17 was moved to say that a volume of history in the form of a collection of facts ought to some day be published containing incidents ludicrous and laughable for the entertainment and instruction of posterity. Said the Democrat:
Among this collection of items it would be interesting to narrate the ludicrous incidents wherein people, raised in the United States, were so little acquainted with the United States troops that when a body of the military drew near a neighborhood, scores of alarmed people would be busy at night hiding their bacon under straw and hay stacks, burying their spoons, bed clothes, trunks, clothing, etc. Sometimes a false alarm would be raised that the federals were coming and a sudden stampede would be made to the hazel brush or to some neighboring house, in the night, where, after the agreed countersign being given, the trembling fugitive was admitted. . After a few days familiarity with the federals, and fear became assuaged, the bacon was resurrected from the hay stack, the spoons and clothing were brought back, and all became quiet. * * Many such incidents have happened in this county already. Our seces- sion friends have acted very funnily at times. Their conduct has been like that of the old crones of 1800, who, when it was known that Jefferson was elected President, in great consternation, hid their bibles, lest the infi- del President would send soldiers to seize them. Such a book as that we have indicated should be made up of incidents collected from all parts of the county and state. Millions might be made from its publication.
About the 1st of May Col. J. A. Poindexter returned from the confeder- ate army to his home in Randolph county on recruiting service. He was known to the federals as a brave, dashing officer, and they manifested much uneasiness upon learning that he was in the country. The confed- erates had confidence in him, and it was believed that many of them would rally to him-and they did.
"One blast upon his bugle horn was worth a thousand men."
It was said at the time that Col. Poindexter came directly from Mem- phis, Tennessee, by boat to St. Louis, from thence to Renick, on the North Missouri Railroad. Being in disguise, he represented himself as a Mr.
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Arnot, of St. Louis, and procured a horse at Renick and rode into the country, among friends.
Judge. Austin A. King, ex-Governor of the State, held his courts in this judicial circuit this spring, and transacted considerable business which had long lain unattended to, courts having been irregularly or rarely held, and not well attended. A correspondent of the St. Louis Republican, writing May 8, from Richmond, said:
This circuit is composed of the counties of Ray, Carroll, Caldwell, Clin- ton and Clay. The presiding Judge, Hon. Austin A. King, has just fin- ished holding the Spring term of the Courts in these counties. The good behavior of the people and their desires to have the law enforced in their respective counties, augurs well for the future peace and harmony of this section of our State. The Judge required every Attorney to take the oath of loyalty prescribed by the Convention, and not one refused to do so. but all cheerfully renewed their covenants with their country. Every Grand and Petit Juror was required to take the same. oath, and it is re- markable that not one refused or expressed an unwillingness to do so Lawyers, juries clerks and people, all seemed delighted that the safe guards of the law were again being thrown around their lives and prop- erty.
In two of the counties there were no Sheriff's or Coroners, but the Judge was determined to hold courts, and at once appointed elisors and court was held.
The dockets in each county, both criminal and civil were disposed of in a firm impartial and satisfactory manner. Grand juries did their business well and thoroughly. Cases of robbery, larceny, burglary, arson and murder were ferretted out and the criminals indicted. Many a poor delu- ded wretch and many a confirmed scoundrel, who imagined all laws bro- ken up, will find themselves tapped on the shoulder by an officer of the law to be held to answer to the indictments found.
Early in the spring many threats were made in our circuit that our ven- erable Judge should not hold courts. But crime, disorder and lawlessness disappeared wherever he went. A bold and fearless man and a staunch patriot as he is known to be, Judge King has inaugurated law and order among us once more. Such men as he are the bulwarks of society.
In the better days of our State, and for many years he presided as our, Circuit Judge with honor and dignity to himself and to the satisfaction of the people: but in speaking of his recent term of court holding he said; "I never witnessed, in all my experience of holding courts, a greater disposi- tion among the people to submit to the laws and sec them enforced." Is this not cheering when spoken of a small section of our State, where a few months since thousands of men were crazed and infuriated, ready and longing to shake friendly hands over the mangled and bloody corpse of law and order.
On the 19th of May a flag was presented to the battalion of the Third Missouri cavalry, M. S. M., to which the companies of Capts. Mayo and McMurtry belonged. The presentation speeches were made. by Misses Lucy B. Folger (now Mrs. W. S. Shirley) and Mollie J. Patti-
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son, and were full of patriotic sentiments and italicised words. Captain Mayo responded.
By the 1st of June the following justices of the peace had taken the Gamble oath and were exercising the duties of the office:
Grand River .- J. R. Finley and W. O. P. Thomas were re-appointed and John R. Kerby was appointed to the vacancy of Joseph Smith.
Hurricane .- Leland Barnes, Marcus Stephenson, C. M. A. Chaney and James' Rippetoe failed to take the oath. John W. Staten was appointed in the room of Chaney.
Sugar Tree Bottom .- David Evans, David Hudson and Sylvester Ful- ler failed at first . to take the oath, and Evans and Hudson were re-ap- pointed.
Wakanda-H. P. Ray and J. P. Minnis.
Morris-N. M. Frizel, J. W. Smith and Daniel Sherley failed taking the. oath. R. A. Taylor filed his oath in due time. The vacancies of Frizel. and Shirley were filled by Thomas Roney. and R. P. Scott.
About the 20th of June a Federal soldier named Langley, supposed to have been a member of Capt. McMurtry's company, was shot and killed in the bottom by some confederates as was supposed.
The home guards of the county, composed for the most part of union citizens, who armed and equipped themselves, performed considerable ser- vice this summer, in scouting after bushwhackers, re-capturing stolen horses, etc. They served without compensation. No regularly enlisted Union troops were stationed in the county, whereat there was great com -. plaint, as the county had already furnished several hundred men for the federal army, who were doing duty in other portions of the state and country. In the latter part of July, however, troops were sent into the county, and the people were not happy!
On the 4th of July the people, to the number of about 1,200, celebrated independence day at Carrollton. A bountiful dinner was served. The. stars and stripes waved everywhere, even from the large iced cakes on the table. John B. Hale and Dr. Logan delivered the addresses, Miss Nellie White read an address, and Miss Mollie J. Pattison recited an "()de to Washington and Liberty."
RAID OF THE CONFEDERATES UNDER CAPTAINS BALLEW AND MIRICK.
In the latter part of the month of July Capt. John L. Mirick, under commission from the confederate authorities in Arkansas, made his way into Carroll county for the purpose of recruiting for the confederate ser- vice. By strategem he passed the federal lines, embarking at Memphis, Tennessee, passing through St. Louis and up the Missouri river, landing at DeWitt. From here he went to the residence of Mr. John Campbell, in Hurricane township, where he began his mission. In a few days he
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was joined by Capt. Logan Ballew with his company of newly recruited forces.
Meantime, in the Missouri river bottom, Capt. Bob Austin was organ- izing a company of confederates, destined for service in this county. Bal- lew and Mirick determined to combine their forces with Austin's. Accord- ingly they left their camp on Big Creek, and proceeded toward Sugar Tree Bottom. About noon they reached Carrollton, but their stay in the town was short. While there, a dozen men visited the office of the Car- rollton Democrat, then on Virginia street, a few doors east of the public square, broke the press and "pied " the " forms," and threw all of, the cases of type into, the street but one. Mr. O'Gorman and Mr. O. J. Kerby, were the proprietors of the office at the time. Mr. Kerby hired the small boys of the town to pick up the type, after the confeder- ates left, and for some weeks thereafter, was engaged in sorting them, and placing them in their "respective boxes." . When the paper was re-issued the following January from these same types, an assessment was made upon certain disloyal citizens of the county, pursuant to the orders of Gen. Scofield, and Mr. Kirby was paid for about half of the damage done him.
The same evening Mirick and Ballew formed a junction with Austin. Many of the latter's men declared they would not fight outside of the county, and as Mirick and Ballew were recruiting-for the confederate ser- vice, and had already sworn in their men, there was some embarrassment. Matters were at last settled, by the entire command agreeing to join Col. J. A. Poindexter, who was at this time known to be on the borders of Randolph county, with a considerable force.
A few days before this Maj. Biggers, of the 5th Missouri cavalry, state militia, in command at Richmond, had sent two of his men into the Sugar Tree Bottom to distribute printed copies of an order from Gov. Gamble, and the federal military authorities of the state, requiring all able bodied male citizens of suitable age to enroll in the enrolled militia of the state, recently required to be organized. As these two men were on their way down the bottom, nearly south of where Norborne now stands, one John Hatton, a confederate, bushwhacked them, using a double-barrel shot-gun. One militiaman was killed and the other badly wounded.
Word of Hatton's exploit reached Richmond, and Biggers instantly dis- patched two companies of his regiment under Capt. Daniel H. David, of Company B, to the scene. This force went down, burned Hatton's house and that of Alphonso Fuller, on whose farm "Hatton' lived, and stirred up the country considerably. . Then they retired to Col. Dobbin's farm, where they were attacked by Mirick and Ballew. Desultory skir- mishing was kept up for about a whole day, but with no important or disastrous results. David sent to Richmond for reinforcemets, and Major
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Biggers sent some . Ray county militia, newly organized, under Capt. Tiffin.
The next morning the confederates, learning that the federals had been re-enforced, retreated in the direction of Poindexter, or toward the north- ern part of Chariton county. They passed through Carrollton without stopping, being closely pursued by the federals. In Ridge township the advance of the federals came up with the rear of the confederates, and a skirmish ensued. Three or four other encounters were had, in which two confedrates were killed .. One of these was named Erp. The fed- erals claimed they lost none in killed or wounded.
The federal pursuit was so harassing and was pushed so vigorously that Ballew and Mirick feared for the result should they attempt to cross Grand river with the 300 federals upon their heels. Accordingly Mirick resolved to check them. Choosing about forty of his best men he formed them across the road, and opened upon his pursuers when they came within firing distance. It had been agreed that while Mirick should hold the federals in check Ballew was to get well across the river and take the road directly, east to Poindexter's camp. The crossing was to be at- tempted at Compton's Ferry, in what is now Compton township.
Mirick fought his men so well that the federals gave up as a bad job the attempt to dislodge him by a direct attack, and sought to outflank. A few federals who had gotten into a corn field quite in his rear opened fire, and disclosed this move, which was checkmated by a half retreat and a spirited attack upon the flanking party. The federals thereupon fell back and directly took up their march back to Carrollton. Capt. David told Col. Hale and some others whom he met coming to his assist- ance that there were about one thousand rebels in his front, all well armed and that he had been forced to retreat because of the overwhelm- ing number of his adversaries. The truth was David's force outnum- bered the confederates three to one.
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