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 39
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About the last of January the house of a Mr. Glover, near Bogard's Mound, was burned by three bushwhackers. Mr. Glover was a member of the 2d Missouri cavalry, (Merrill's Horse,) and was in the service at the time. His wife was at home. She states that a little after dark three. men came to her house and demanded her money. They ransacked the house, set it on fire and left. ' The militia went out and scoured the country, but found no trace of the bushwhackers.
About the 1st of March Capt. Wm. M. Eads, who had been appointed commissary of exemptions for Carroll county, went to Jefferson City to ascertain the number of men that Carroll county had furnished for the federal service in order to determine whether or not the county would have to stand the draft then contemplated by the federal administration. The captain found that the county had already furnished 741 men, as follows:
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In U. S. Service.
In Mo. State Militia. .In Foreign Regts. Colored Recruits.
10th Mo. Inf. . 1 2d Reg. Cav. 1 Illinois. 1 2d Reg .... 56
18th Mo. Inf .. 50
3d Reg. Cav. 252 Iowa. 1 3d Ark .... 2
23d Mo. Inf ... 86
6th Reg. Cav. 11 Kansas 1 Unassigned. 53
24th Mo. Inf .. 23 26th Mo. Inf .. 7
30th Mo. Inf .. 1
35th Mo. Inf .. 20
2d Mo. Cav .. 24
7th Mo. Cav .. 102
12th Mo. Cav. 49 363 264 3 111
Taking into consideration the population it was learned that Carroll county had furnished more men for the union army than any other county in the district, and would not be subject to the draft, provided she obtained her proper credits. Indeed the county could have said to President Lin- coln, in the words of Gov. Bramlette, of Kentucky: "Come on with your draft; our quota is full on both sides!"
By the efforts of Mr. L. B. Ely and others the sum of $500 was raised in the county in aid of the United States Sanitary Commission, and sent to the Mississippi Valley sanitary fair, held at St. Louis. The nioney was all raised by voluntary contributions, and was designed for the aid and comfort of sick and wounded federal soldiers.
With the putting out of the leaves the confederate guerrillas began again to swarm. About the 1st of May Quantrell's, Todd's, and Ander- son's commands were all back from northern Texas, where they had spent the winter, and were on the war path in this part of the state on both sides of the river. Jackman, with a force half regular confederates and half bushwhackers and guerrillas, was down in Howard. Thraillkill was in Clay, Platte, Clinton, and Caldwell, as necessity demanded, and soon had a considerable force. Jim Rider and Charley Turpin (who called himself Burton then) were ranging through the woods in the northeastern part of the county, each with half a dozen followers.
About 15,000 pounds of cotton raised in the county was ginned by Messrs. Musser & Winfrey, who had put up a cotton gin in connection with their woolen factory at Carrollton. It was estimated that 20,000 pounds of a very good article of cotton were raised in the county in the year 1863.
On the night of the 2d of June the factory establishment mentioned in the preceding paragraph was totally destroyed by fire at Carrollton. The loss was about $20,000, nearly one-half of which was on the cotton and wool stored in the building, belonging to the patrons of the factory. A sad incident connected with this catastrophe was the burning to death of a lad about 15 years of age, named William Vickery, who was employed
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
in the factory and who was in the building when the fire broke out. His charred remains were found the next morning near where the engine stood.
On the 6th of June the Democrats of the county held a convention and appointed delegates to the State convention which in turn was to select delegates to the national convention. Col. Hale called the meeting to order. R. W. Dickinson presided and H. H. Brand acted as secretary. Dele- gates were appointed to the State convention as follows: Mr. H. Pate, John Calvert, R. W. Dickinson, R. W. Ridgel, W. M. Eads, and J. W. Montgomery. On motion of Col. Hale Gen. George B. McClellan was declared to be the first choice of the meeting for the Presidency.
There was quite a spirit of controversy between the two wings of the Union party-the conservatives or Democrats and the radicals or Repub- licans. (And the same exists to this day!) Sometimes this controversy assumed a bitter and malevolent character. The radicals sometimes called their opponents "rebel sympathizers " and "copperheads." The conser- vatives retorted in what they deemed proper language, suited to the occa- sion, and matters were warm at times. The Confederates or "rebels " proper, not being allowed to vote, sat back and looked on at the quarrel, it being one in which they where not especially interested.
The fourth of July was observed by a dinner at Deigle's hotel, and the reading of the Declaration of Independence by Col. Hale. There was a great deal of excitement in the county just then, owing to the presence in the country of numerous bands of bushwackers and guerrillas. Saline and Lafayette were infested with them, and 100 of. them under Cliff. Holtz- claw raided Keytesville, destroying county records, robbing citizens, etc. Frankford, a German village on the river in Saline county, was also raided; nine houses and a church burned and one citizen killed. About 100 of them appeared at Miami and at other points opposite this county and seemed desirous of crossing. Fourteen citizens of Union proclivities were murdered in Chariton County in two weeks. Two guerrillas induced the ferryman at Brunswick to cross them and on arriving at the north bank put spurs to their horses and galloped through the town firing at every- thing that wore a blue coat.
GUERRILLA RAID ON MILES' POINT.
In the early morning of July 7, about 15 guerrillas, under one Silas Gor- don made a raid on Miles' Point, and sacked the place. The stores of Mr. Lutz, Mr. Barbee, Mr. Hill, and the residences of other citizens were robbed of money and goods. About the time they left town a part of Capt. Francis' company of Enrolled Militia and some citizens that had been collected the evening before as a guard or watch rode up and fired on them. This caused the robbers to retreat in hot haste, and in attempt-
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
ing to cross a slough near by five of there horses mired down and the riders took to their heels and escaped. The horses were captured, together with some of the stolen property, and brought back to the Point. In mak- ing arrangements to pursue the guerrillas, soon after, a gun was accident- ally discharged, killing Mr. F. J. Francis and wounding Peter Burchet and Samuel Kratcer.
MURDER OF GEORGE SCHMITT.
On the morning of the 5th, at about 1 o'clock, three guerrillas went to the residence of Mr. George Schmitt, a discharged soldier from the 3d M. S. M., living near the bluffs 12 miles west of Carrollton, and after entering the house demanded his money, which he gave them to the amount of about $130. They then took some of his clothing. After questioning him as to his being in the Federal service they informed him that they meant to kill him. His family entreated the guerrillas not to kill him, especially after they had robbed him and he had not resisted, and as he had never harmed anyone; but the roughest member of the three said: " Well, by-, we will kill him, and if you inform the militia before to-morrow we will come back and kill all of you." Notwithstanding the entreaties of Schmitt's wife and sister the guerrillas carried him about 100 yards from the house where he was found next morning dead, shot through the head. A detach- ment of militia under Lt. Hudson was sent out from Carrollton upon receipt of the news, but no trace was found of the miscreants, who' were said to be Thraillkill's men.
Bill Anderson was at Waverly a few days prior to this, and attacked the steamboat "Live Oak," which escaped by pulling out into the river, and it is said by some that Schmitt's murderers were not Thrailkill's men, but Anderson's.
GEN. ROSECRANS' ORDER.
On the 28th of June; Gen. Rosecrans then in command in Missouri, with headquarters in St. Louis, in view of the situation in this and other parts of the State, called upon the people to co-operate with the military in securing protection. He requested them to hold meetings in every township, and say whether or not they were in favor of co-operation, and if so to organize and officer companies, irrespective of party, and apply to the nearest military post for assistance.
In Carroll county, these meetings were generally held, and the senti- ment was overwhelmingly in favor of doing everything possible to keep the guerrillas from entering the county, or drive them out, should they succeed in coming in. The meeting at Adkins' school-house was broken up by the presence of the guerrillas themselves.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
BILL ANDERSON'S FIRST RAID ..
About 5 o'clock, (some say 3 o'clock,) Tuesday afternoon, July 11, 1864, the famous guerrilla chieftain Wm. T. Anderson, with 22 men crossed the Missouri into Carroll county about 8 miles above Miami, and near the residence of Mr. George Adkins. But one skiff was used in crossing, and to obtain this cost Anderson one of his best men, a guerrilla named Thomas Bell. Anderson had followed the river down from Wav- erly, looking along both shores for a boat. At the point named he saw one, a skiff, on this side of the river. He called for volunteers to swim over and bring it, and two men, Jesse Hamlet and the man Bell stepped out and took the water. Bell was either seized with cramp or became exhausted, and about the middle of the stream ยท sank and was drowned. Hamlet, (now a citizen of Lexington), from whom the writer obtained these particulars, reached the north bank and brought the skiff to Ander- son very soon and in safety. Into this the men stepped, a boat-load at a time, and, holding them by the bridles and swimming them the entire distance, the horses were crossed without the loss of one.
Riding rapidly on, Anderson and his men, near Daniel H. Cary's, came upon and killed in detail, Alexander Skaggs, John T. Arterburn, Jr., and Richard Wilson. The latter was killed in a field where he was plowing. An old man, named Hiram Griffith, was caught, and a wretch named Archibald Clements threw him down upon the ground, and cut his throat from ear to ear with a bowie-knife, and left him weltering in his own blood. All of the men killed were robbed of their money, and of the best of their clothing, especially if any of it chanced to be blue. Other citizens' houses were visited, and the women inmates terrorized and commanded to reveal the whereabouts of their husbands, some of whom had had barely time to escape. The ladies invariably refused or prevaricated.
Anderson landed in that portion of the county called "the Gourd," now in Eugene township. Many union men and federal sympathizers were citizens of " the Gourd," and the locality was in very ill favor with the con- federates. In about an hour after landing, Anderson and his men met with John L. Neet, of company L., 6th cavalry, M. S. M., home on fur- lough and newly married, and Bennet Hartgrove, Wm. Allen and Henry Manning, all of whom lived in the neighborhood and were going to the Adkins school house to organize to protect themselves against guerrillas, pursuant to Gen. Rosecrans' order. Anderson and his men were all dressed in federal uniform, and Neet and his companions thought them fed- eral militia. Very soon they detected their real character, for the guer- rillas began firing, and Bennet Hartgrove fell dead. Neet, Allen, and Manning made all haste to escape and were closely pressed by the guer- rillas. Neet received a ball through his hat, and his left shoulder was
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
slightly cut. Getting a favorable opportunity he abandoned his horse and took to the brush, losing horse, saddle and bridle, but saving his life. Man- ning and Allen also escaped.
After cutting and slashing about the neighborhood an hour or so (not more), Anderson rode rapidly for the Rock Ford on Grand river, where he expected to cross into Chariton county. He picked up a Mr. McDavid and John Riffe, whom. he forced to accompany him as guides as far as Big creek, where others were procured. At Baum's mill, on Big creek, the guerrillas caught a young man, 18 years of age, named Solomon, a brother of Joseph Baum, of Carrollton, and a confederate sympathizer. Young Baum's residence was Carrollton, but he chanced to be at the mill that day on business. Anderson asked him if he was a union man, and Baum, thinking Anderson to be a ruffianly federal who would mistreat him if his answer was not favorable, replied that he was. Thereupon, preparations were made to hang him. A rope was taken from McDavid's horse and a limb selected for a gallows. The unfortunate man now realized the true situation, and began to plead for his life, averring that he was not a union man, but a sympathizer with the south, and that but for circumstances over which he had no control, he would have been a confederate soldier long ago. His entreaties and his explanations were listened to with indifference by Anderson, who at last said, " O, string him up; G-d d -- n his little soul, he's a Dutchman anyway." Thereupon, he was "strung up," and left to swing and sway in the evening summer breeze, while Anderson and his band passed on.
Not far from Baum's mill lived Cyrus Lyons, and with him was Edwin Matthews. A neighbor named John Henry chanced to be present. Lyons was engaged in digging a well. His wife was lying dangerously sick at the time. Anderson called Lyons out to the fence and asked him:
" Why aint you in the service?"
" I do belong to the militia," replied Lyons.
" Well, why in hell aint you out trying to drive out the bushwhackers? -didn't you know they were in the country?"
Lyons, supposing he was talking to federals, answered that he had not been informed that his services were needed; that he had belonged 10 Capt. Calvert's company, of Moberly's regiment, and while in service always tried to do his duty, and was ready to do it again.
" Well," said Anderson, ""I guess you have done enough. I am Bill Anderson, by G -- d," and instantly he shot Lyons dead.
Two or three of the guerrillas leaped their horses over the fence,. and shot down and killed Matthews and Henry. Then they went through the pockets of their victims and with a great deal of laughter and merri- ment at the sly trick they had played on the "three d-d milish," they rode away. When told that the shooting in the yard meant that her
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
husband was killed, poor Mrs. Lyons, sick as she was, got out of bed and crept on her hands and knees to the door to try to get to him.
The guerrillas then went to the residences of the Messrs. Humes, both of whom they robbed, one of money and clothing and the other, L. F. Hume, of a fine horse and revolver. They threatened Mrs. Hume with instant death and that of her husband, if she did not produce such things as they asked for. Near the Rock Ford they arrested John Jenkins, whom they carried off with them across Grand river. It was now dark and the guerrillas were in Chariton county, but the people in Carroll were greatly alarmed.
Capt. Calvert's company from Carrollton, as soon as the alarm was given started after Anderson, struck his trail, followed it to Grand river, at the Rock Ford, and then turned back, having gone quite as far as was desirable or prudent, and soon returned to Carrollton.
Bennet Hartgrove, the first man killed by Anderson, was a native of Carroll county, about 36 years of age, and was a descendent of the pio- neer Hartgrove, who settled "in the Forks," of Wakanda. He left a wife and four children. He had been a member of Capt. Mayo's com- pany, of the 3d M. S. M., but had been discharged for a wound in the hand which nearly disabled him.
John T. Arterburn was a son of Nevil Arterburn, and also a native of Carroll county. He left a wife and two children. He had been a mem- ber of Capt. Love's company, 7th Missouri volunteer cavalry, from which he had been discharged for physical disability.
Alexander Skaggs had also belonged to Love's company, but had been discharged for physical disability, occasioned by wounds received at the Hurricane fight, when Ballew bushwhacked the company. He left a wife and two children.
Richard Wilson was a native of New York, and aged about thirty years. He left a wife and three children. He had been a member of Capt. Cary's company of the enrolled militia, but was not considered a very decided union man. He was a quiet man and never rendered him- self conspicuous during the troubles. He was universally respected and his death greatly deplored. One of the guerrillas has stated to the writer that he thinks it was Wilson who was killed because he refused to give information relative to the politics of his neighbors, and not especially because he had been in the militia.
Hiram Griffith, whose throat Arch Clements cut, was nearly sixty years of age. He was a union man in; sentiment, but universally regarded as quiet and inoffensive.
Cyrus Lyons was a native of Madison county, New York, but had been in Missouri for forty years. He had been in Capt. Calvert's com- pany of the E. M. M., but was not in the service at the time he was
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
killed. He was a church member, very pious, and Anderson, doubtless, regarded him as-
The fitter for the King of Heaven who made him.
He left a wife and three children, and it is said that all who knew him greatly regretted the fact and were horrified at the manner of his death.
Edward Matthews was born on the Yadkin river, North Carolina, and was about thirty years of age. He had married a relative of Mrs. Lyons. He was a religious man and generally respected. He had been orderly sergeant of the same company in which Lyons had served.
John Henry left a wife and family. He was extensively known through the country and is said to have been a good citizen. He also had belonged to the militia.
Solomon Baum, as has been said, was a young man and his home was in Carrollton. If he had decided political views they were. that the con- federate cause was right. He had been very quiet, however, and for . some time had been in the employ of his brother, Joseph Baum, the mer- chant, now the senior partner of the firm of Baum, David & Co., of Car- rollton. The only reason why young Baum was hanged was that given by Anderson,-he was " a Dutchman, anyway," and " Dutchmen," as the Germans were called, were all deemed to be federals."
THRAILKILL'S RAID.
Before the excitement occasioned by Bill Anderson's raid had passed away, the county was greatly stirred up by the report that John Thrail- kill, at the head of a band of guerrillas numbering from 300 to 500, was moving into Carroll county, with Carrollton as his chief objective point. On the evening of the 18th of July word was brought to Carrollton that Thrailkill and Thornton were coming, having been seen near Tinney's Grove, moving upon the county and the county seat. Scouts were immediately dispatched to reconnoiter and report the movements of the enemy, while the citizens of the county who lived near Carrollton, with- out distinction of party, old and young, repaired to town and organized to the number of probably 600, Col. Hale in command, to defend themselves and the place.
There was, to be sure, the most intense excitement, and everything had . to be done in a hurry, and it is not much wonder that very many ludi- crous scenes transpired, and many things were done which viewed after- ward were very funny. Anderson had murdered so horribly his victims, and it was said that Thrailkill was another Anderson with ten times as many men. Two or three false alarms were given that "they are coming! they are coming!" and the hurrying and skurrying about to meet the foe (or as it is said, to keep from meeting him yourself, but to have every other man meet him) were very entertaining. On one occasion the pickets on
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
the Virginia street road fired "at a noise," and some of the newly organ- ized military in Carrollton nearly burst blood vessels in their efforts to get into line and out of range at the same time. In a short time the pickets southwest of town, across the Wakanda, fired on one of the scouting parties sent out to reconnoiter the movements of the guerrillas, returning late at night, having been in the saddle all day without having eaten any- thing, and the consequent confusion was something long to be remem- bered. Some of the defenders of the town were old confederates, or rather ex-members of Claib. Jackson's Missouri state guard, and more of them were confederate, but not guerrilla sympathizers.
Thrailkill, Thornton and their men passed through the Turkey Creek settlement to near the residence of J. W. Smith, Esq., southeast of Man- deville, where they pitched camp. At this camp Thornton made the men a speech. Between nine and ten o'clock at night they broke camp, moving first in a westerly direction, and afterward going into camp on Muddy creek, near Tinney's Grove. The next evening numbers of them were scouting about on Turkey creek again, near Mandeville. Of these and the subsequent movements of Thrailkill's men, Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, p. 89, "Caldwell County," says:
In July, 1864, the confederates, under Maj. Thrailkill, entered the southwestern part of the county, capturing Peyton Davis, whom they compelled to act as guide. The home guards were at Daniel Michael's, awaiting their commander, Capt. Fortune. They were surprised by the confederates, who, on their march thither, had killed John Phillips and Joseph Kain, and severely wounded Daniel Toomey. A part of the home guard escaped, and those captured were soon released through the representations of Judge S. D. Davis and others. Thrailkill marched to Tinney's Grove, thence into Carroll county, and two days later returned to Kingston. The home guards, finding themselves outnumbered, with- drew to Hamilton, and many of the citizens took to the brush. The con- federates broke open the court house vault and safe, taking therefrom about $8,000 belonging to the school fund. They burned all papers relating to the enrollment of the militia, but did not harm the other rec- ords. They broke open and rifled the store of Northup & Lewis. From Kingston they proceeded to Mirabile, breaking open the stores and scattering the goods in the streets, and took from Dr. Crawford's safe a large sum of money. The next day they passed on to Plattsburg.
About the 1st of August, another alarm was given at Carrollton. About ten o'clock at night the pickets got frightened, fired, and ran in. The militia, of course, speedily fell in and stood on their arms for some time. When the alarm was first given, John Anderson, a member of Capt. Calvert's company, ran to his tent, and getting hold of his gun, the cap exploded, discharging the whole load through his body, causing instant death. He left a wife and one child.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
BILL ANDERSON'S SECOND RAID.
On Monday morning, July 31, Bill Anderson with ten men entered the county on his way from Howard and Chariton to Clay county, to form a junction with another guerrilla chieftain, Fletcher Taylor, then operating in Clay county. Anderson crossed Grand river at a ford near the mouth of Grand river, and proceeded in a westerly direction to the Underwood farm, near which place he caught up Mr. Wm. Z. Darr, now a citizen of Carrollton, whom he forced to accompany him as a guide. The ten men with Anderson were Arch. Clements, John Maupin, Tuck Hill, Woot. Hill, Hiram Guess, Jesse Hamlet, Polk Helms, Wm. Reynolds, Cave Wyatt, and Ben Broomfield, the latter a half Indian.
From the Underwood place the march was continued westerly to Geo. W. Dean's. Soon after leaving Dean's the guerrillas met Isaac W. Dugan, who was on horseback, and on his way to a neighbor's to grind his ax. Dugan was an ex-militiaman. They forced him to turn about and accompany them. As Anderson's men were all dressed in federal blue but one, it is presumed that Dugan thought them federals at first, but he was soon undeceived. The guerrillas manifested quite a frankish dispo- sition, and began diverting themselves with teasing Dugan in various ways. Discovering that Dugan's horse was somewhat fractious, they had a great deal of sport by thrusting sticks under the horse's tail, causing it to kick immoderately and violently. This was repeated from time to time, as fun was wanted. At last the residence of Mrs. Mitchell, in the west- ern part of Ridge township, was reached, a double house with a covered porch between the rooms. Here Dugan was sent in to order dinner, Anderson opening the gate, and Dugan's horse, provoked by the exasper- ating sticks, entering the yard kicking wildly.
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