USA > Missouri > Official proceedings of the tenth annual reunion and Convention of Missouri Division, United Confederate Veterans > Part 11
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Surrendered at Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn. 5,029
Total 40.700
In April, 1865, the aggregate present and absent of the Confederate Army was about 275,000 men. Of this number 65,387 were in the Fed- eral military prisons, and about 52,000 absent by reason of disability and other causes. Deducting these amounts would make the total effective strength of the Confederate Army 157,613 at the close of the war.
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SUMMARY.
Present. Absent. Aggregate.
Strength of Federal Army at close of war. 797,807 202.700 1,000,507
Strength of the Confederate Army at close
of the war 157,613 117,387 275,000
Federal excess of strength. 640,194 85,313 725.507
It will be observed that the excess of strength of the Federal Army in 1865 exceeded the entire enrollment during the war of the Confeder- ate Army by 40, 194.
Mortality in Military Prisons.
The following statistics are of the deepest interest as bearing upon the question of the treatment of the prisoners during the Civil War: Number of Federals confined in Confederate prisons. 270,000 Number of Confederates confined in Federal prisons 220,000
Excess of Federal prisoners 50,000
Confederates died in Federal prisons.
26,436
Federals died in Confederate prisons 22,570
Excess of Confederate deaths. 3.866
These figures are taken from the reports of the U. S. Secretary of War Stanton and Surgeon-General Barnes, U. S. A. They show that with 50,000 more Federal prisoners held by the Confederates there were 3,866 fewer deaths than among the Confederates in Federal prisons; that the death rate of Confederate prisoners was over 12 per cent, while that of the Federal prisoners was under 9 per cent. By an act of the Confederate Congress, passed soon after the war was inaugurated, it was provided that prisoners of war should have the same rations in quantity and quality as Confederate soldiers in the field. By an act afterwards passed, all hospitals for sick and wounded prisoners were put upon the same footing with the hospitals for sick and wounded Con- federates. This policy was never changed. There was no discrimina- tion in either particular between Federal prisoners and Confederate soliders. Whatever food or fare the Confederate soldiers had, whether good or bad, fill or short, the Federal prisoners shared equally with them. Whatever medical attention the sick and wounded Confederate soldiers had, the Federal prisoners in like condition received. Where the supply of the usual standard medicines was exhausted and could not be replenished in consequence of the action of the Federal government in holding them to be contraband of war and in preventing their intro- duction by blockade and severe penalties, and when resort was had to the virtues of the healing herbs of the country as substitutes for more efficient remedial agents, the suffering Federals shared these equally with the suffering Confederates.
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Confederate Prisoners Confined in Federal Prisons and Number of Deaths in Each.
Number
Name of Prison.
confined.
Deaths.
Per- centage.
Point Lookout, Md.
38,073
3,446
9.
Fort Delaware, Del.
22,773
2,502
10.9
Camp Douglas, 111.
22,30I
3,759
16.8
Camp Chase, Ohio
14,227
2,108
14.8
Camp Morton, Ind.
10,319
1,763
17.
Elmira, N. Y.
9,167
2,980
32.5
Louisville, Ky.
8.438
139
1.7
Alton, Il1.
7,717
1,613
20.9
Johnson's Island
7,357
275
3.7
Old Capitol, D. C. .
5,761
457
7.9
Newport News, Va.
5,459
89
1.6
Fort McHenry, Md.
5,325
33
. 62
Ship Island, Miss.
4,879
162
3.3
St. Louis, Mo.
4,585
589
12.8
Camp Butler, Ill.
4,154
816
19.6
Hart's Island, N. Y.
3,117
230
7.4
Rock Island, Ill.
2,484
1,922
77.4
Totals
176,136
22,883
12.9
The remaining 43,864 of the 220,000 Confederate prisoners were confined in Fort Warren, Fort Lafayette and other prisons.
The Rock Island military prison was established in December, 1863. During its existence of a little more than one year 2,484 Confederates were sent there for confinement. Of this number 1,922 died; only 562 survived.
Federal prisons were generally located in fruitful and salubrious sections of the country and in or adjacent to large and prosperous cities. All conditions were favorable to the good health of the prisoners.
Troops Furnished by Different States to the Federal Military Service, 1861-1865.
The following shows the number of troops furnished to the Federal Army during the war by the several States. It was prepared by Gen. Marcus J. Wright, Agent for the Collection of Confederate Records, War Records Office, War Department, Washington, D. C.
Maine, 70,107; New Hampshire, 33,937; Vermont, 33.288; Massachu- setts, 146,730; Rhode Island, 23,236; Connecticut, 55,864; New York, 448,850; New Jersey, 76,814; Pennsylvania, 337,936; Delaware, 12,284; Maryland, 46,638; West Virginia, 32,068; District of Columbia, 16,534; Ohio, 313,180; Indiana, 196,363; Illinois, 259,092; Michigan, 87,364; Wis- consin, 91,327; Minnesota, 24,020; lowa, 76,242; Missouri, 109, III; Ken- tucky, 75,760; Kansas, 20,149; Tennessee, 31,092; Arkansas, 8,289; North Carolina, 3,156; California, 15,725; Nevada, 1,080; Oregon, 1,810; Wash- ington Territory, 964; Nebraska Territory, 3,157; Colorado Territory, 4.903; Dakota Territory, 206; New Mexico Territory, 6,561; Alabama, 2,576; Florida, 1,290; Louisiana, 5,224; Mississippi, 545; Texas, 1,965; Indian Nation, 3,530; Colored Troops, 99,337; Total, 2,778,304.
Strength of the Confederate Army.
Col. Robt. C. Wood, in his Confederate Hand-Book, says that after earnest and conscientious efforts made by impartial men, it was ascer- tained that the entire enrolled strength of the Confederate Army did
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not exceed 600,000 men, and that of this number never more than two- thirds (400,000) were ever available for active duty in the field. The necessity of guarding a long line of exposed seacoast, of maintaining permanent garrisons at different points, inland, deprived the Confeder- ate Armies in the field of an accession of strength which, in all prob- ability, would have changed the result of many important battles and campaigns. The large preponderance of the Federal forces was mani- fest in all important battles and campaigns of the war. The largest force ever assembled by the Confederates was at the Seven Days' Battle around Richmond. General Lee's Report showed 80,835 men present when the movement against the Federal Army commenced.
Relative Strength of the Armies in Seven Important Engagements.
The following statement shows the relative strength of the Con- federate and Federal Armies in the seven important engagements.
Battle. Confederates.
Federals.
Seven Days' Fight around Richmond
80,835
115,249
Antietam
35,255
87,164
Fredericksburg
78,110
1 10,000
Chancellorsville (90,000 Federals engaged) .
57,212
131,661
Gettysburg
62,000
95,000
Chickamauga
44,000
65,000
Wilderness
63,981
141,160
Date of Secession of the Southern States.
South Carolina
December 20, 1860
Mississippi
. January 9, 1861
Florida .
. January 10, 1861
Alabama
.January 11, 1861
Georgia
January 19, 1861
Louisiana
January 26, 1861
Texas
February 1, 1861
Virginia
April 17, 1861
May 6, 1861 Arkansas
North Carolina
May 20, 1861
Tennessee .June 24, 1861
Missouri October 31, 1861
Kentucky
November 20, 1861
The ordinance of secession was passed by the Missouri Legislature at Neosho, but was never submitted to the people of the State.
The ordinance of secession was passed by the people of Kentucky, assembled in convention at Russellville, November 8, 1861. There were 68 counties represented in 120 delegates.
The First and Last Confederate Gun.
The first gun was fired at Fort Sumter, in Charleston harbor, at 4:30 a. m., April 12, 1861.
The last shot was fired by the Confederate cruiser Shenandoah in the Arctic Ocean, June 22, 1865. On August 2, 1865, while cruising in the Pacific, the Shenandoah received from an English steamer San Francisco papers announcing the surrender of the Confederate armies and the capture of President Davis. Captain Waddell, commanding the Shenandoah, immediately directed his cruise to Liverpool, England, and upon arrival there surrendered his ship to the British Government. He had captured 25 vessels, appraised at $843,038, in the time intervening between Lee's surrender and the news of the fall of the Confederacy.
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United Confederate Veterans. of Missouri.
At 10 a. m. on November 6, 1865, in the Mersey river, Captain Wad- dell ordered the colors of the Shenandoah to be hauled down. This was done with sad and sorrowful ceremonies, and the Confederate flag no longer floated over land or sea.
The Last Battle of the War.
The defense of West Point, Ga., April 16, 1865, by Gen. Robert C. Tyler, with 300 men, against a Federal raiding force of 3,700, was the last organized resistance of the Confederates east of the Mississippi river. General Tyler, who had been several times wounded previously, and had lost a leg, was killed in this engagement.
On May 13, 1865, at Palmetto Ranch, near Brownsville, Texas, an engagement took place between a Confederate force of 300, under Gen. James E. Slaughter, and a Federal force of 500, commanded by Col. T. H. Barrett. This was the last action of the war.
General Price's Official Report to Gov. Jackson of the Battle of Wilson Creek.
Headquarters Missouri State Guard, Springfield, August 12, 1861.
To His Excellency, Claiborne F. Jackson, Governor of the State of Mis- souri:
I have the honor to submit to Your Excellency the following report of the operations of the army under my command, at and immediately preceding the battle of Springfield:
I began to move my command from its encampment on Cowskin Prairie, in McDonald county, on the 25th of July, towards Cassville, in Barry county, at which place it had been agreed between Generals Mc- Culloch, Pearce and myself that our respective forces, together with those of Brigadier-General McBride, should be concentrated prepara- tory to a forward movement. We reached Cassville on Sunday, the 8th of July, and on the next day effected a junction with the armies of Generals McCulloch and Pearce.
The combined armies were then put under marching orders, and the First Division, General McCulloch commanding, left Cassville on the ist of August, upon the road to this city. The Second Division, under General Pearce of Arkansas, left on the first day of August; and the Third Division, Brigadier-General Steen of this State commanding, left on the second day of August. I went forward with the Second Division, which embraced the greater portion of my infantry, and en- camped with if some twelve miles northwest of Cassville. The next morning a messenger from General McCulloch informed me that he had reason to believe that the enemy were in force on the road to Springfield, and that he should remain at his then encampment on Crane Creek until the Second and Third Divisions of the army had come up. The Second Division consequently moved forward to Crane Creek, and I ordered the Third Division to a position within three miles of the same place.
The advance guard of the army consisted of six companies of mounted Missourians, under command of Brigadier-General Rains at that time (Friday, August 2), encamped on the Springfield road about five miles beyond Crane Creek. About 9 o'clock a. m. of that day Gen- eral Rains' pickets reported to him that they had been driven in by the enemy's advance guard, and that officer immediately led forward his whole force, amounting to nearly 400 men, until he found the enemy
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in position, some three miles on the road. He sent back at once to General McCulloch for reinforcements, and Colonel McIntosh, C. S. A., was sent forward with 150 men; but a reconnoisance of the ground having satisfied the latter that the enemy did not have more than 150 men on the ground, he withdrew his men and returned to Crane Creek. General Rains soon discovered, however, that he was in the presence of the main body of the enemy, numbering, according to his estimate, more than 5,000 men, with eight pieces of artillery, and supported by a considerable body of cavalry. A severe skirmish ensued, which lasted several hours, until the enemy opened their batteries and compelled our troops to retire. In this engagement the greater portion of Gen- eral Rains' command, and especially that part which acted as infantry. behaved with great gallantry, as the result demonstrates; for our loss was only one killed (Lieutenant Northcut), and five wounded. while five of the enemy's dead were buried on the field, and a large number are known to have been wounded.
Our whole forces were concentrated the next day near Crane Creek, and during the same night the Texan regiment, under Colonel Greer, came up within a few miles of the same place.
Reasons, which will be hereafter assigned, induced me on Sunday, the, 4th inst., to put the Missouri forces, under the direction, for the time being, of General McCulloch, who accordingly assumed the com- mand-in-chief of the combined armies. A little after midnight we took up the line of march, leaving our baggage trains, and expecting to find the enemy near the scene of the late skirmish, but we found, as we advanced, that they were retreating rapidly towards Springfield. We followed them hastily about seventeen miles, to a place known as Moody's Spring, where we were compelled to halt our forces, who were already nearly exhausted by the intense heat of the weather and the dustiness of the roads.
Early the next morning we moved forward to Wilson's Creek, ten miles southwest of Springfield, where we encamped. Our forces were here put in readiness to meet the enemy, who were posted at Spring- field to the number of about 10,000. It was finally decided to march against them; and, on Friday afternoon, orders were issued to march in four separate columns at 9 o'clock that night, so as to surround the city and begin a simultaneous attack at daybreak. The darkness of the night and a threatened storm caused General McCulloch, just as the army was about to march, to countermand this order, and to direct that the troops should hold themselves in readiness to move whenever ordered. Our men were consequently kept under arms till towards day- break, expecting momentarily an order to march. The morning of Saturday, the 10th of August, found them still encamped at Wilson's Creek, fatigued by a night's watching and loss of rest.
About 6 o'clock I received a messenger from General Rains that the enemy were advancing in great force from the direction of Spring- field and were already within 200 or 300 yards of the position where he was encamped with the Second Brigade of his Division, consisting of about 1,200 mounted men, under Colonel Cawthorne. A second mes- senger came immediately afterwards from General Rains to announce that the main body of the enemy was upon him, but that he would receive reinforcements. General McCulloch was with me when these messengers came, and left at once for his own headquarters to make the necessary disposition of our forces.
I rode forward instantly towards General Rains' position, at the same time ordering Generals Slack, McBride, Clark and Parsons to move their infantry and artillery forward. I had ridden but a few hundred yards when I came suddenly upon the main body of the enemy, commanded by General Lyon in person. The infantry and artillery which I had ordered to follow me came up immediately to the number of 2,036 men, and engaged the enemy. A severe and bloody
1.
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conflict ensued, my officers and men behaving with the greatest bravery, and, with the assistance of a portion of the Confederate forces, success- fully holding the enemy in check. Meanwhile, and almost simultane- ously with the opening of the enemy's batteries in this quarter, a heavy cannonading was opened upon the rear of our position, where a large body of the enemy, under Colonel Sigel, had taken position in close proximity to Colonel Churchill's regiment. Colonel Greer's Texan Rangers and 679 mounted Missourians, under command of Colonel Brown and Lieutenant-Colonel Major.
The action now became general, and was conducted with the great- est gallantry and vigor on both sides for more than five hours, when the enemy retreated in great confusion, leaving their commander-in- chief, General Lyon, dead upon the battlefield; over 500 killed, and a great number wounded.
The forces under my command have possession of three 12-pounder howitzers, two brass 6-pounders, and a great quantity of small arms and ammunition, taken from the enemy; also the standard of Sigel's regiment, captured by Captain Staples. They have also a large number of prisoners.
The brilliant victory thus achieved upon this hard-fought field was won only by the most determined bravery and distinguished gallantry of the combined armies, which fought nobly side by side in defense of their common rights and liberties, with as much courage and con- stancy as were ever exhibited upon any battlefield.
Where all behaved so well, it is invidious to make any distinction, but I cannot refrain from expressing my sense of the splendid services rendered, under my own eyes, by the Arkansas infantry, under General Pearce, the Louisiana regiment of Colonel Hebert, and Colonel Churchill's regiment of mounted riflemen. These gallant officers and their brave soldiers won upon that day the lasting gratitude of every true Missourian.
This great victory was dearly bought by the blood of many a skillful officer and brave man. Others will report the losses sustained by the Confederate forces; I shall willingly confine myself to the losses within my own army.
Among those who fell mortally wounded upon the battlefield none deserves a dearer place in the memory of Missourians than Richard Han- son Weightman, Colonel, commanding the first brigade of the Second Division of the army. Taking up arms at the very beginning of this unhappy contest, he had already done distinguished services at the battle of Rock Creek, where he commanded the State forces after the death of the lamented Holloway; and at Carthage, where he won un- fading laurels by the display of extraordinary coolness, courage and skill. He fell at the head of his brigade, wounded in three places, and died just as the victorious shouts of our army began to rise upon the air.
Here, too, 'died in the discharge of his duty, Colonel Ben Brown of Ray county, President of the Senate, a good man and true.
Brigadier-General Slack's Division suffered severely. He himself fell, dangerously wounded, at the head of his column. Of his regiment of infantry, under Colonel John T. Hughes, consisting of about 650 men, 36 were killed, 76 wounded, many of them mortally, and 30 are missing. Among the killed were: C. H. Bennet, Adjutant of the regi- ment; Captain Blackwell and Lieutenant Hughes. Colonel Rives' squadron of cavalry (dismounted), numbering some 234 men, lost 4 killed and 8 wounded. Among the former were Lieutenant-Colonel Austin and Captain Engart.
Brigadier-General Clark was also wounded. His infantry (290 men) lost, in killed, 17, and wounded, 71. Colonel Burbridge was severely wounded. Captains Farris and Halleck and Lieutenant Haskins were killed. General Clark's cavalry, together with the Windsor Guards,
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were under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Major, who did good service. They lost six killed and 5 wounded.
Brigadier-General McBride's Division (605 men) lost 22 killed, 67 severely wounded and 57 slightly wounded. Colonel Foster and Cap- tains Nichols, Dougherty, Armstrong and Mings were wounded while gallantly leading their respective commands.
General Parsons' Brigade, 256 infantry and artillery, under com- mand respectively of Colonel Kelly and Captain Guibor, and 406 caval- ry, Colonel Brown, lost, the artillery, 3 killed and 7 wounded; the in- fantry, 9 killed and 38 wounded; the cavalry, 3 killed and 2 wounded. Colonel Kelly was wounded in the hand. Captain Coleman was mor- tally wounded and has since died.
General Rains' Division was composed of two brigades-the first under Colonel Weightman, embracing infantry and artillery, 1,306 strong, lost not only their commander, but 34 others killed and III wounded. The Second Brigade, mounted men, Colonel Cawthorne com- manding, about 1,200 men, lost 21 killed and 75 wounded. Colonel Caw- thorne was himself wounded. Major Charles Rogers of St. Louis, Ad- jutant of the Brigade, was mortally wounded and died the day after the battle. He was a gallant officer, at all times vigilant and attentive to his duties, and fearless upon the field of battle.
Your Excellency will perceive that our State forces consisted of only 5,221 officers and men; that of these no less than 156 died upon the field, while 517 were wounded. These facts attest more powerfully than any words can the severity of the conflict, and the dauntless cour- age of our brave soldiers.
It is also my painful duty to announce the death of one of my aids, Lieutenant-Colonel Geo. W. Allen of Saline county. He was shot down while communicating an order, and we left him buried on the field. I have appointed to the position, thus sadly vacated. Captain James T. Cearnal, in recognition of his gallant conduct and valuable services throughout the battle, as a Volunteer Aid. Another of my Staff, Colonel Horace H. Brand, was made prisoner by the enemy, but has since been released.
My thanks are due to three of your staff, Colonel Wm. M. Cooke, Colonel Richard Gaines and Colonel Thomas L. Snead, for the services which they rendered me as Volunteer Aids, and also to my Aid-de- Camp, Colonel A. W. Jones.
In conclusion, I beg leave to say to Your Excellency, that the army under my command, both officers and men, did their duty nobly as became men fighting in defense of their homes and their honor, and that they deserve well of the State.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, Your Excellency's obedient servant. STERLING PRICE,
Major-General Commanding Missouri State Guard. List of "killed and wounded in General Parsons' Division:
First Regiment of Infantry-Colonel Kelly commanding.
Captain Coleman's Company-Killed-Captain S. O. Coleman, mor- tally wounded, since dead; First Sergeant Stephen Lowry, Second Sergeant Bernard McMahon.
Privates-Chas. Clark, Thomas Neinor, J. O'Hara, John Blake and John True.
Wounded-Corporal Kinsella. Privates-Peter C. Nugent, Thomas Skahan, S. G. Gibson, James Conroy, Robt. Lidwell, Wm. May, John Morissey, James Kelly, James H. Kelly, Jas. Malloy, Orville J. Pome- roy, Jas. Fitzzimmons, J. H. O'Hara and Lawrence Mooney.
Captain Champion's Company-Killed-J. M. Larue.
Wounded-N. B. Thebald, Thos. Sullivan, Dennis Casey, J. M. Mar- tin, W. H. Robinson and David Powers.
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Captain Livingston's Company-Wounded-Second Sergeant Jas. K. Estes; Corporal S. C. Ward.
Privates-J. W. Lustre, Wm. Nevis and Jacob Weistner.
Captain McCarty's Company-Wounded -- Privates W. C. May and Jno. Clifford.
Lieutenant Still's Company-Killed-Corporal S. R. Lynch. Wounded-First Lieutenant Jno. Still; Corporal P. I .. Blyze, Private Joab Watson, J. N. Morrow, R. C. White and W. C. Wilson.
Captain Williams' Company-Killed-Sergeant Wm. Fry.
Wounded-Lieutenant P. W. Fisher, Private Robt. Davidson, Lewis Crandell and Peter Moran.
Missing-Jas. Bain.
Artillery, Captain H. Guibor commanding -- Killed-Corporal J. Fo- ley, Privates W. H. Douglass and W. N. Hicks.
Wounded-Sergeant J. J. Corkery, Privates R. J. Brown, N. Day- ton, M. O'Neil, F. G. Studdard, J. G. Shockley and C. D. Zumalt.
First Regiment Cavalry, Colonel Wm. Brown commanding. Lock- ett's Company-Missing-Jos. J. Bolton and Mat. Hall.
Captain Bond's Company-Killed-Private Thos. Moran.
Wounded-Private Wm. Wilson.
Missing-George Berry.
Captain Butler's Company-Killed-J. F. Murray.
Wounded-J. C. Wilson.
Missing-John Berry.
Captain Sutherlin's Company-Wounded-Privates Jas. Martin, Jno. Nowland and Geo. Potter.
Captain Crews' Company, attached to Colonel Brown's Regiment -- Wounded-Wm. Bishop.
Missing-Thos. Wheeler, David Lindsey, M. B. Cave, J. F. Priman and Fred Priman.
Total killed, wounded and missing-78.
I shall not single out any particular instances of valor on the part of my officers and privates. From what came under my own observa- tion, and from reliable information, they all discharged their duty like heroes.
It is due to my regiment of infantry to state that their force, on the day .of the engagement, was only 142 men; and the report showing a loss of 50 killed and wounded. This is a sufficient commentary on their gallantry. Brave Coleman fell at the head of his company, in the midst of the conflict, and the gallant Colonel Kelly was wounded in the hand while leading his gallant little regiment in the thickest of the fight.
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