USA > Missouri > Platte County > History of Clay and Platte 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 Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. > Part 74
USA > Missouri > Clay County > History of Clay and Platte 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 Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. > Part 74
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Of course the people took the oath voluntarily - they could either take it and give bond to observe it faithfully or be sent off from their homes and families to die and rot in some loathsome prison.
They were required to swear that they would do what the laws of God declare they should not do - turn the sick and penniless and suffer- ing from their door without a crumb or kind words even for poor chari- ty's sake, though the unfortunate were their own flesh and blood. With what sacredness they regarded these oaths, with what fidelity they observed them, can be imagined. But many a citizen was sent off to prison and robbed and plundered, and not a few were mur- dered because they failed to observe them strictly.
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
These thoroughly American patriot soldiers from Hesse-Darmstadt, the lineal descendants of those of the same nationality mentioned in the histories of our Revolution, tarried in Platte county only long enough to teach Americans the great and true principle of American liberty, and then moved on to other fields of usefulness in their work of political evangelization.
SKIRMISHES AND ROBBERIES IN 1862.
The only other occurrences in 1862, worthy of mention, besides the enlistment of the Thirty-ninth Missouri State militia and of a few volunteers for the Southern service, which have already been men- tioned, were the skirmishes near Parkville and at Goose Neck, and a raid into the county of thieves and runaway negroes from Kansas.
The Parkville Skirmish. - In the summer of 1862 Capt. Henry Woodsmall enlisted a company of volunteers for the Southern service and was encamped about four miles east of Parkville, where he was engaged in drilling his men and preparing them for service in the Southern army. His presence was reported to Col. Penick, then with a regiment at Liberty. Col. Penick at once moved rapidly into the county and surprised Capt. Woodsmall, routing him and killing two of his men, James Robinson, a citizen of Parkville, and another man also of the vicinity of that place. Woodsmall, however, made his escape with the balance of his men. He continued in the South until the close of the war.
The Goose Neck Fight. - During the fall of 1862 several com- panies or squads of Southern recruits under Capts. James Sutton, - Rucker, and others and were rendezvousing at what is called Goose Neck, the principal creek of the Platte river above Platte City, and of course the fact soon became known to the Union forces in the county.
Maj. Herren, then of Weston, came out with the regiment sta- tioned there to surround and capture the Southerners. The latter were encamped under the bluff of the river, with the river bottom below them and a ridge above gradually rising from the embankment. This ridge was covered with a thick growth of trees and underbrush. The attacking party approached from the ridge and came upon the enemy before they, themselves, were aware of it. Both, therefore, were surprised. Both stood their ground for a few minutes to ex- change shots and then fled. Some of the Southerners ran at the first fire, thinking that they were surrounded. But most of them held their ground until several rounds were fired.
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
Finally, both sides fell back, each not knowing that the other was retreating, and as there were fewer Southerners than there were of the Union force, their number of fighting men of course gave out first. At last the Union force, seeing that the Southerners had beaten them getting away from the fight, returned to the scene of battle and took possession of the field.
The casualties were one Southerner, Elijah Ninemeyers, wounded (shot in the thigh ), and four Union men killed, including David Som- mers and Watt Brady, both of Weston. Several of the Union men were wounded. Ninemeyers lay out in the brush until he was able to travel and was attended professionally by Dr. Johnson, now of Kan- sas City.
Raid of Thieves and Negroes. - At night, during the fall of 1862, a negro was caught by Mr. Andrew Gutherie, residing about three miles northwest of Weston, in the act of stealing a horse from his farm. The negro was walking off with the horse, and on refusing to halt when commanded to do so by Mr. Gutherie, the latter fired upon him and shot him, but unfortunately not fatally. The negro escaped, but without the horse.
The following night about 150 negroes and white thieves came over from Leavenworth and stole five head of horses from Mr. Gutherie, including a wagon and team. They also plundered the people as they came and went, taking horses, wagons and teams, and loading the wagons with plunder of every description. Stopping at James Schultz's, they took three fine brood mares and four mules from him ; and other farmers along their route suffered in like proportion.
But while they were doing this Mr. A. R. Murdock, residing in the neighborhood, hastened to Weston for a detachment of soldiers. The troops were promptly furnished, and the thieves were overtaken at Kickapoo ferry, where they were fired upon and four of their number killed. Three horses and a Government mule - all the darkies ex- pected to get a Government mule and 40 acres of "Secess " land as soon as the war was over - were recovered.
1863 -A REIGN OF TERROR.
Morgan had been officially decapitated, dismissed from the service and disgraced for his high-handed crimes and depredations in this county, and he had left the country. But the influence of his evil example lingered. His methods and practices were observed with pleasure by some whose moral natures and conceptions of life were of a piece with his, and as soon as an opportunity was offered them they gladly im-
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
proved it to copy his example, only exceeding it in villainy and brutal scoundrelism as their natures were baser and more criminal than his. Morgan's character would have made a white mark on that of some of his disciples in this county at a later period.
People were robbed and plundered right and left, all classes - Southern sympathizers worst ; but if they were not convenient, then Union men were fallen upon, and occasionally a free negro, who had worked and saved to buy his freedom, and then worked and saved to provide a subsistence for himself in his old age, was filched of the little he had. Men were shot down in cold blood, houses were burned, and citizens of the highest character and guilty of no crime were cowhided through the public streets. " Loyal " newspapers were threatened and destroyed for even remonstrating in a friendly and conciliatory tone and a reign of robbery, arson, murder, rapine and plunder prevailed. No one when he retired at night had any assurance that he would live to see the dawn of the next morning, and even less that his house would not be destroyed.
We can not hope to give anything like a catalogue of the crimes and depredations committed. Only a few are mentioned.
Robbing an Old Colored Man. - Among the numerous robberies committed in the early winter of 1863, was that of an old colored man residing in the upper part of the county, not a great distance from Ridgely. He had worked and saved his money and bought his free- dom before the war. Afterwards he had worked and saved up a little means. It came to the ears of certain parties in the county, who were a disgrace to the Union service they were in, that the old man had some money about his house. They went there on the night of the 4th of February and demanded his money or his life. He gave of the little cash he had, $80, a small fortune to him. We learn from Sheriff Pack that the robbers were some of Capt. Phelps' company . The reputation of some of them could not very well be pleaded in mi- tigation of the charge.
Others. - We take the following list of robberies and depredations during this period, from the Platte County Sentinel, a strictly " loyal" sheet : -
On Thursday night the barn of Capt. Wells, near Weston, was set on fire and entirely destroyed. The barn was one of the largest and finest in the county.
George W. Robinson had his dwelling house, negro quarters and smoke-house burned, and a yoke of oxen stolen.
Monday night Mr. Hunt had stolen from him six horses, an ox team and a large quantity of meat.
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
Tuesday night William H. McFarland had a fine mare taken.
The same night Mrs. James Rees was robbed of three horses, one yoke of oxen and a wagon.
The same night Joseph Pines lost a pair of horses, a wagon and a pair of harness.
The same night Mr. Cole had some property stolen from him, what amount we did not learn.
The same night Mr. H. Lloyd was robbed of a fine mare.
The premises of two citizens by the name of Hughes, one resid- ing near Parkville and the other near Platte City, were raided and a large amount of property carried off from each.
A number of other robberies occurred, but we could not learn the particulars.
Such is life in Platte county ! Who envies us?
The above is from a single issue of the Sentinel, picked up at ran- dom. We have been able to find but four or five copies of the papers published in the county prior to 1864, and the few we have for 1863 are filled with accounts of roberies, murders and depredations .
Raid on Stump Cockrill .- In the Sentinel of the 30th of July is the following :
During a late hour on Thursday night of last week a band of white men and negroes from Kansas called on Mr. E. C. Cockrill of this county. Among them were negroes formerly owned by Mr. Cockrill. They compelled him to hitch up a team to a wagon, which they loaded with plunder of all kinds, carrying off wagon, team, plunder, the remainder of his negroes and all. One old darky who was helpless from age and decrepitude was left. On Friday night some of the gang returned and again raided Mr. Cockrill. They took horses, mules, wagons, oxen and a whole train of plunder. 1
The Murder of Toney Tinsley .- On the 18th of September, 1863, Toney Tinsley, a young man born and reared in the northeast part of the county, and a son of one of the old and substantial citizens of that vicinity, was taken prisoner by Capt. Fitzgerald and was hanged as a common felon.
He was left hanging from 3 o'clock in the afternoon until 9 o'clock the next morning, when his body was discovered and was taken down by neighbors and carried to the home of his aged and grief-stricken parents.
Tinsley was at the time under the supposed protection of an express pledge from the very authorities which Fitzgerald professed to be serving. It was, therefore, worse than murder. It was a murder and a shameless disregard of the obligation of a superior officer in the Union service.
Young Tinsley had been in Price's army. Went out at the first of
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
the war, and was third lieutenant under Capt. Rogers. By his bravery and personal worth he had risen to the command of his company. Subsequently he returned home on furlough, and while here he was taken prisoner. After lying in prison for a time, he was released on oath not to take up arms again, and also gave bond.
From the time of his release until Fitzgerald murdered him he had lived in the strictest observance of his oath and bond. He had not violated either in any way, and had not attempted to.
But unarmed and defenseless, guilty of no crime, and under the protection of his oath and bond, he was taken out and murdered - not shot as a brave man would execute a spy, and as even the laws of war require when the death penalty is decreed by a competent court-martial, but hanged as a cruel, base-hearted coward would mur- der a personal enemy against whom he had a greater spite than even the life of his victim could satisfy.
This was still worse from the fact that young Tinsley had been re- leased from prison for a consideration. Whilst he was confined at Weston it was intimated to his father and friends by several who had influence with the authorities, 1 that for several hundred dollars he would be released. The old gentleman and his neighbors raised the money and paid it over, and the young man was set at liberty, but only to be murdered a few days afterwards.
About this time, as well as before and afterwards, as we are in- formed by Col. Price, of Weston, the practice of having men arrested who were able to pay blackmail for their release, either from their own means or by the aid of friends, was a regular industry. Often a false charge would be trumped up, and a party who was able to pay for his release would be arrested. Then after he had paid the blackmail, the same parties who manufactured the evidence against him would bring forward testimony to clear him of the charge. Scoundrels of this class had the decent people of the county completely in their power. At the same time most of them were drawing pay and rations from the Government, and had drawn uniforms, arms and bounties. Doubt- less, since the war, they have also drawn back and other kinds of pay, and are now drawing pensions.
It is due to Col. Price to say, and it stands out greatly to his honor, that as soon as he discovered the blackmailing practice going on he summarily put a stop to it, even at the sacrifice of his own popularity with some, who, to punish him for his decency and sense of honor,
1 The names of these infamous characters have escaped us, otherwise we would have given them above. But they are well known to the people of the county.
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
went to the extent of trumping up charges against him, which, of course, failed for want of proof or truth.
Kansas Red-legs-Hangings and Robberies .- From the issue of the Sentinel of October 1, 1863, we take the following :-
On Friday night last a gang of five men visited the house of an old man by the name of Raff living near Farley. They took him from his house and hanged him until he was dead. Raff was a Ger- man, a widower, who had two of his children living with him.
The assassins then went to the house of Tipp Green, living near by, took him from beside his wife, marched him to the place where they had hung Raff and hanged him. Both men were left hanging until Saturday.
On Saturday, the same gang went to the house of Mr. Titter and swung him up, to make him reveal whether he had any property concealed. They took him down, however, before life was extinct, robbed him of some of his goods and a horse.
They then went to the house of Mr. Shepherd, who was not at home, fortunately ; they told his wife they would have hung him if he had been at home.
In the meantime, a squad of Col. Moss' men had started after them. They came upon them just as they were in the act of hanging an old man, eighty years of age. His wife of about the same age had secreted herself, but the old man was too feeble to make his escape. They were fired upon and one of their number wounded. They succeeded, however, in getting off, but fled so precipitately that they left ten head of stolen horses and a lot of store goods, among the latter of which was a burial suit, which Mr. Timberlake had kept in his house for a number of years. There were no mar- ble yards on their route, or doubtless each of them would have stolen himself a tombstone.
They escaped into Kansas, where they reported that they had been driven out of Platte county because they were good, honest Union men, " truly lial," as it were.
They were unquestionably loyal. They gave the most undoubted proof of that fact.
Thus affairs had gone on from bad to worse, until the organization of the Paw-paw militia, with Col. Moss at its head, for home protec- tion. The county was robbed and plundered by thieves from Kansas and by thieves at home- generally representatives of the lowest, worst class of society in the county. Everything that was stolen was of course taken to Kansas, for that was the great retreat, and in this way the people across the border were made to appear worse than they really were. Some of the worst scoundrels who plundered the county and murdered its citizens resided here, and became loyal for the
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
opportunity loyalty gave them to plunder and gratify their malice against their better-to-do and more respectable neighbors.
Destruction of the " Sentinel " Office. - It was, of course, danger- ous for any one to say anything against the depredations and high- handed outrages of these scoundrels -even for decent Radicals to criticise them. They were loyal, and that covered all the moral scrofulas which humanity is heir to ; whilst to be even suspected of Southern respectability and decency blasted a man's character for- ever in the estimation of these fragrant " loyalists." If one criticised them in the least he was at once denounced for disloyalty and his life and property considered fairly forfeited to the glorious cause of the Union, as represented by them.
The editor of the Sentinel fell under their disfavor for remonstrating with them in a brotherly tone and manner, and his office was raided and a large part of its material destroyed. The Sentinel had been an extreme Radical organ up to the time that stealing became general and without order or system, and had been instrumental in having the Conservator newspaper at Platte City suppressed the spring before, for not being loyal and hating rebels enough.
During the war it was generally a race between rival county news- papers which could be the most loyal, and the one whose stomach proved the weaker and fell behind even for the width of a hair was generally suppressed with promptitude and dispatch. So in the spring of 1863 the Conservator went as far as it could go for loyalty's sake, but the Sentinel went a little further and won. But in the fall of 1863 the Border Times outshone the poor Sentinel in loyalty, and the latter was kicked and cuffed about and finally drooped and with- ered and died.
But, as we have said, the cause of the destruction of the Sentinel office was that its editor gently remonstrated with some of the loyal- ists against unorganized, indiscriminate stealing. The following is a specimen remonstrance it published, for which it fell under the ban : -
Remember This. - Every dollar's worth of property held by rebels is properly the property of the Government; and when legally con- fiscated will go to relieve loyal citizens [save the mark !] of so much of the tax necessary to meet the expenses which the rebellion has brought on the country. Therefore every dollar's worth of property stolen from rebels is that much indirectly stolen from loyal citizens. Consequently, it becomes the interest, as it is the duty of every tax- paver, to do all that in his power lies to discountenance and put a stop to thieving of every kind. The more especially so, as the fine, fat horse of the loyal man is no more sacred in the eyes of the marauders
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
than the poor, lean horse of the rebel and sympathizer.1-Sentinel, September 24, 1863.
In other words : " Now, boys, don't be in a hurry ; it isn't fair. Wait until there is a regular, fair divide all around, and then take your share like upright, good, honest, loyal men."
If that isn't an argument addressed to a constituency of thieves, who are assumed to be devoid of the single principle necessary among organized thieves - the honor among thieves -then the English lan- guage is a failure as a means of expressing thought, feeling and action.
Affairs assumed the shape we have outlined above under the military administration of Col. Herren, who was at the head of a force of Mis- souri militia and was stationed at Weston. To still the voice of criticism and hush the whisper of censure, though to do so is to com- pel truth to be silent, we say nothing of Col. Herren's official career in this county. The greater and deeper the wrong endured the nobler and more generous is the charity that forgives if it does not forget it. Judge Herren had some bad men under him, and bad men of this county took advantage of his personal friendship and of his own antipathy against the South and anything Southern to cast a stain upon his name. Too much, perhaps, he himself was driven into excesses by the soul- less, merciless passions of the hour, and the too lax state of the moral code at the time ; but he suffered a rebuke severe enough for one with even a measurable sense of honor to bear. His conduct was disap- proved by his own side and by his superiors, and his force was sum- marily disbanded. Other companies belonging in the county, but which had been identified with him, were also disbanded.
Forces more in sympathy with the peaceable, law-abiding citizens of the county were required - those who would be subject to no sus- picion of conspiring with thieves and plunderers or giving them in- formation or assistance. A general raid from Kansas was expected ; a raid of rapine, arson and murder, from which, it was believed, that not one stone would be left upon another, not one home to sentinel the desolation to be made. Lawrence had been raided in retaliation for Osceola, and now it was believed that Platte county and all the Missouri horder were to be desolated in retaliation for Lawrence. The follow- ing from a county paper voiced the fear and feeling at the time: -
Threatened Raid into Platte County. - We hear of projected raids upon Platte county. No good can come of this; but great harm,
1 The rebel's and sympathizer's horse was always poor, blind and lame, for he couldn't keep any other kind for fifteen minutes.
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
great wrong, terrible suffering, the innocent desolated, the unoffend- ing ruined, perhaps murdered and probably driven to be outlaws in a spirit of retaliation. It is true that Lawrence has been desolated, laid waste, swept as with the besom of destruction ; for this let ven- geance sweep with the arm of extermination against the perpetrators and their aiders and abettors.
But who is responsible? Not Platte county. She has not in the leastwise contributed to Quantrell's fiendish crusade. If she had par- ticipated in this horrible affair, then she should suffer her due share of retribution. She has not, but on the contrary, as soon as she learned of the massacre, she contributed to the .relief fund. Shall the innocent suffer for the guilty ?
The Missouri border counties, south of the Kaw, have furnished the " sinews " to the whole expedition. They, and they alone, should be held accountable. There is where the swift bolt of destruc- tion should fall - and even there, in God's name, let discrimination be made between the innocent and the guilty.
The storm-cloud that now hangs with such black and threatening fury over this ill-fated border must be guided with a wise and an iron hand, or it will burst upon us, involving all in common ruin. These are not idle words, but they are solemn words, " spoken in truth and soberness." We are drifting between Scylla and Charyb- dis ! Who has the foresight and the will to save us?
Something had to be done. A force that could be relied upon for home protection was necessary. By authority of the laws of the State and the proclamation of the Governor the Paw-paw militia was organized. This was in September, 1863.
PAW-PAW MILITIA EXCITEMENT.
Col. James H. Moss, a prominent Union man of Liberty, and who had seen service in the army, was placed in charge of the sub-military district composed of Clay, Clinton and Platte counties. Some who had been in the Southern army, but had returned, became members of the Paw-paw organization in order to be able to protect their homes. A large number who sympathized with the South enlisted.
When Col. Moss came to Platte City to swear in Capt. Johnson's company, a public meeting was held, of which we have the following account : -
Meeting Friday. - Col. Moss has been appointed to the command of a sub-district in this military district, composing Clinton, Clay and Platte counties.
Last Friday, in accordance with notice given a day or two before, he was at Platte City for the purpose of organizing into companies and arming such men as were willing to bear arms in defense of their homes and property and of the National and State Governments.
40
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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.
The town was crowded at a very early hour in the day, not less than 800 men being present. Capt. R. D. Johnson reported to Col. Moss that he had raised a full company of men who desired to be sworn in and armed for home defense. About 11 o'clock the men were formed in double file in front of the Virginia Hotel, and the roll being called, Col. Moss proceeded to swear them into the service. Before that was done, however, he told them the Government of the State had determined to arm all loyal men who desired to defend themselves against the thieves and robbers who infest the country ; that this was a temporary organization for home defense, until the militia could be organized ; that each man served at his own expense ; and closed by saying very earnestly : "Now, my fellow-citizens, before I administer this oath I desire to say to you that if there is, in these ranks, a single man who is not determined hence forth to be an active affirmative Union man, and a friend of the Government, I want him to step aside- we want him not." All having consented to be sworn, Col. Moss administered the usual oath to support the Gov- ernment of the United States and of the State of Missouri and to obey the legal orders of officers placed over them. The officers were then appointed, and the company was armed with United States muskets, which Col. Moss had brought with him from Clay.
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