Started with four men.—Surrounded in a thicket near
Fredericktown.—Escaped with the loss of three horses.—Stole
horses from the Federals at night.—Killed two Federal
Soldiers.—Suffered from hunger.—Killed Fowler.—Got a horse from
G. W. Murphy.—Went to Mingo Swamp.—Killed Coots for betraying
him.—Killed a soldier and lost two men.
I selected four good men and started on another trip to St. Francois
county, Missouri, on the 10th of November. We traveled altogether in
the night; arriving in the vicinity of Fredericktown about midnight, we
stopped at the house of a well-known friend, who expressed a great deal
of surprise at seeing us there, stating that the cry of “Hildebrand,”
had been raised in the community about ten days previous, and that the
Federals, with the assistance of citizens, had been scouting the woods
between that place and Farmington ever since. He was no little amused
when we told him that the report was utterly false, and that we were on
a scout out westward at the time.
The report of my having been in that part of the country ten days
previous, I was satisfied would work favorably to the success of our
present enterprise, for it was not probable that they would make
another search so soon after having made one so thoroughly.
From there we went to a dense thicket near the residence of Mr. North,
and being very tired and sleepy, we lay down, and slept very soundly
until the morning sun was looking down upon our quiet retreat. Our old
friend had supplied us with two days‘ rations and some shelled corn for
our horses, so we had a complete outfit for a good rest.
Whilst lying lazily around our horses, planning the future of our trip,
we were suddenly startled by the sound of a gun near by, which was
evidently discharged at one of us. A moment, however, was sufficient to
satisfy me in regard to the nature of the case; we had been spied out,
our horses tracked up, and our thicket surrounded. At a bound I lit
in my saddle and was soon out of the thicket in an opposite direction
from where the gun was fired. On reaching the open ground, I discovered
the Federals coming around the woods, not having yet completed their
circle. They fired on me, but the distance was too great, and I
remained unhurt. My men had not taken time to mount their horses, but
as they followed me on foot, one of them received a bruise on his back
from a spent ball. In a few minutes our complete escape was effected,
with no damage but the loss of four good horses. The Federals followed
us closely for about a mile, when we got far enough ahead to give
them the dodge by turning at right angles into the St. Francis river
bottom. We made our way back to within a mile of Fredericktown, where
we remained the rest of the day. When night came we went in quest of
our pursuers; we found them camped in a lane about six miles northwest
from Fredericktown.
Our object now was to get horses. We made our way on foot toward them,
but found that the end of the lane was guarded; we went around to the
other end and found it guarded also, while the horses were in the
middle, tied to one of the fences. We then went around through the
field, laying down the outside fence very carefully, and approached
the lane fence on the opposite side from where the horses were tied.
The night was very dark, but we could distinctly see a sentinel slowly
walking his beat of about fifty yards, ourselves being at the end of
the beat. When his back was turned, I laid the fence down easily; we
sprang to a horse a piece, cut the halters, mounted, and were off at
full speed before he turned on the other end of his beat.
Our hasty flight of course raised an alarm in the camp, but we saw no
more of the Federals that night. Being again mounted, we resolved to
give them employment for a few days in hunting us, and for that purpose
we took up our quarters in a place least expected, by going within a
mile of Fredericktown onto a certain eminence, after having made a
circuit around the side of a hill.
On the following day we slept by turns; I killed a pig with my knife
near the house of a farmer, and cooked it in a deep ravine where
the fire could not be observed; during the previous night we had
stolen a sufficiency of feed for our horses. I concluded to go into
Fredericktown to get a supply of ammunition, which I did about
ten o‘clock in the night, by meeting with an old friend there who
bountifully supplied us with all we needed.
We moved seven or eight miles in the direction of Pilot Knob, supplying
ourselves with horse-feed and provisions on the move.
When morning again made its appearance, I left my men in charge of
the horses, and after instructing them where to meet me again in case
of trouble, I went to the gravel road for the purpose of killing a
Federal or two. I concealed myself near the road, and about 10 o‘clock
in the day, two came along and I let old “Kill-devil” off at one of
them. They wheeled suddenly around and started back in the direction
of Pilot Knob; the one I shot was badly wounded and bled freely. Only
an hour afterwards a squad of perhaps ten came from the direction of
Fredericktown. It was a quandary in my mind whether it was best to take
a pop at them or not, a feeling of revenge settled the matter. I fired,
and one fell; at this they put their horses to full speed. Soon after
they were out of sight, another came along in a very great hurry as if
he was endeavoring to overtake the others; on coming up to the dead
man he made a momentary halt, of which I took advantage and shot him
through. I now concluded that I had done enough for the day, or enough,
at least, to raise an excitement, so I went back to my men and we moved
about twelve miles in the direction of Farmington, and near the St.
Francis river on a high bluff, which afforded us peculiar advantages
in the event of a fight, where we were compelled to remain several days.
My comrade, who had received a bruise on the spine, had by this time
become so disabled by that slight injury, that he could not ride. The
little amusement that I had taken on the gravel road was now creating
quite a stir in military circles, and their search for us was carried
on with a zeal worthy of a better cause.
Having called out the forces at Pilot Knob, Fredericktown and
Farmington, with a large majority of the citizens, the search was made
thoroughly and in earnest. Squads frequently passed in sight of us,
and within easy gun-shot, but none of them ascended the high bluff we
occupied. On the evening of the third day our provisions and horse-feed
gave out, and each night I went out in search of more. Obtaining
provender for our horses was a very easy matter, but getting provisions
for ourselves was not only very difficult but extremely dangerous. I
knew but few men in the neighborhood, and on approaching their houses
I invariably found our well-known signal of danger—a towel hung on
a nail outside of the door. We could easily have killed a hog or a
sheep, but we could not run the risk of making a fire to cook it. After
our provisions gave entirely out, we were twenty-four hours without
any food. During the second night I found some bacon in somebody‘s
smoke-house, I knew not whether he was a friend or foe, and cared still
less, but I took two hams to camp, which we ate raw.
On the sixth night our comrade was able to ride, and we moved about
fifteen miles, stopping south of Fredericktown. Here a friend supplied
us with the necessaries of life, and even brought food to our camp
ready cooked for our use.
Our wounded companion, who was too much disabled to take any part in a
raid, now obtained leave to return to Arkansas alone, while I and my
other men started on a trip to St. Francois county.
While living at Flat Woods, I became acquainted with a man named John
Fowler. He professed to be a strong Southern man, and having perfect
confidence in his veracity, I entrusted him with many things in regard
to my plans, that I withheld from the rest of my neighbors; but about
the time that I was run off from there by the Federals, my friend
Fowler joined the Union army.
On receiving this intelligence, I felt much mortified, and concluded
at once that he had betrayed me, notwithstanding he sent me word on
several occasions that I need not fear him. His duplicity, however, was
so apparent that I determined to kill him on sight; this I had some
hope of doing, as he seemed to enjoy some liberties, and often came
into the neighborhood, but generally in company with other soldiers. On
every visit he came to my house and conversed pleasantly with my wife,
but I regarded him rather as a spy.
As we were traveling along on the present occasion, I run suddenly on
him about five miles southwest from Fredericktown. We met in a narrow
path, and before he hardly had time to recognize me, I shot and killed
him instantly.
I will here state that I had cause to regret this act afterwards, for I
ascertained that he had deserted the Federals, and was on his way South
to join the “bushwhacking department” of the Southern army.
After passing Fredericktown in the night, we learned that several
companies of Federals, Home Guards and Militia, were hunting for me
in every direction. In fact, we came near being discovered by several
squads during the night. We hastened on into St. Francois county; Tom
Haile and myself being in front, we took Farmington without firing a
gun long before my other men came up. As we rode in the streets were
full of people, but we only had time to take a second look when the
place seemed to be entirely deserted. Not a man, woman or child could
be found, at which Tom laughed heartily, and remarked that he thought
cellar rent ought to be very high in that place. When my other men
came up Tom told them that we had found a beautiful town not claimed
by anybody, “just laying around loose,” and that he was very sorry we
could not take it along with us until we found an owner. We did not
haunt the town very long with our unholy presence, but after going into
a grocery, where we had to help ourselves, we took a hearty drink of
some good old liquor that had been left by the generation that once
lived there; then mounting our horses we left the lonesome place.
Tom remarked that as we had no wounded man to leave there to garrison
the town we had better leave for the “settlements.” We went on to Big
river to look after our old enemies; but their consciousness of having
committed such a catalogue of crimes against me made them the hardest
men in the world to find.
In our business of killing enemies, we met with good success everywhere
but on Big river. Up to the time of the present writing, a majority of
those miscreants, with hands dripping with the blood of my brothers,
are yet permitted to live. For several days and nights we watched
around the houses of my old enemies, but to no purpose; it was
impossible to find them. One of my men made his way around through the
neighborhood to ascertain their whereabouts, and reported that they
were all from home except Franklin Murphy; but Tom Haile was determined
that I should not kill him. He exacted a promise from me long ago that
I never would molest him or any of his property. Haile was a man who
wielded an influence over every one with whom he came in contact. He
was ever in a perfect good humor; the clouds of adversity never seemed
to throw a shadow on his brow; his heart was all sunshine, and his feet
ever trod in the vales of mirth and gladness.
I plainly saw that so far as killing my old enemies was concerned my
present trip was a failure. During all the incidents of my previous
trips to Missouri, I never for once lost sight of that one leading
object of my mind. The killing of Federals, in which I had taken such
an active part, only afforded me pleasure by the reflection that they
were a part and parcel of the same stripe, and in sympathy with the Big
river vigilance mob.
I was now much in need of a good horse, and after talking the matter
over with my men, Tom Haile and myself concluded to demand a good
horse, bridle and saddle, from G. W. Murphy, a man whose nature it was
to be quiet and inoffensive, and who had attended strictly to his own
business during all the struggle.
He was abundantly able to assist us in the matter, and we considered
that he ought to contribute that much toward the Southern cause. We
were raised close together from boyhood, and I had nothing against him;
but as he was well able to spare me a horse, I made the demand. He
complied with the request after emerging (as I believe) from a barrel
of feathers. His novel appearance caused Tom Haile, who was always fond
of a joke, to tell him that he must not let Jim Craig see him in that
condition, or he might capture him for a spotted mule, which Murphy, in
his good humored way, passed off very well. We also took a horse from
Orville McIlvaine, who lived on the place known as the Baker farm. I
had some anxiety to see him in order to make him break his well-known
rule of never parting with a greenback after it got into his safe; but
his retiring nature prompted him to conceal himself in the garret until
we departed. We now rejoined the other boys and started back by the
way of Mingo Swamp. Before we reached that place we were warned by our
friends that the Federals were thick in that locality. About midnight
we arrived at the house of William Coots (well-known as old Bill
Coots,) who had heretofore invariably represented himself as a Rebel
of unusual bitterness. In answer to our inquiries, he told us that
there were no Federals in the neighborhood, neither had there been any
for more than a month. He also told us that the men we wished to find
were then at home. I felt very much gratified on hearing statements so
favorable to the success of our enterprise, and requested him to supply
us with a few days‘ rations and provender for our horses, while we
camped at a certain point not more than half a mile distant.
He readily consented, and gave us a very pressing invitation to come
and take breakfast with him about sun up. To this we agreed, and at
the time designated, we all left our camp and repaired to the house of
our generous host, who received us with a great deal of what might be
termed “Arkansas courtesy.” It may be readily supposed that the scanty
fattening process we had gone through while on the St. Francis bluff
had produced a streak of lean running the whole length of our mortal
bodies; and that the odor from the kitchen, of coffee, ham and eggs,
with other ingredients intermixed with spices, made us for a time
forget all other things on these mundane shores. When breakfast was
announced and we were about to seat ourselves at the table, old Coots
remarked: “Here, gentlemen, you can lay your arms on the bed,” but
it was not our custom to take off our arms at any time, so we seated
ourselves at the table with them on. We were perhaps about half done
eating when a ragged looking Federal stepped up to the door, and in an
exulting tone said: “Well, Coots! you got them, did you?” and bawled
out “surrender,” at which I sprang from the table, drew my revolver and
shot Coots, seized my gun which I had left near the door, and cleared
the door by about fifteen feet; I shot a Federal with my revolver which
I still held in my right hand, and in a few bounds gained the woods
unhurt, save a slight wound on the back of my head. My men attempted
to follow without their guns, two of them were killed in their attempt
to escape, while the remaining one (Tom Haile,) soon got with me, and
we made our way to our horses. Fortunately the Federals had not found
them. We tarried awhile for our comrades, but as they did not come up
we were fearful that they were slain. Mounting our horses and leading
theirs, we made our way to a canebrake about a mile off, and sent a
citizen back to ascertain the real state of affairs. After taking an
old bridle in his hand, he made his way over, inquiring of each person
he met for a grey mare and a black colt.
On passing the house of old Bill Coots he was halted, at which he did
not seem to be the least alarmed, but expressed the utmost surprise
when the whole tragedy was related to him. The worst part of the
whole affair was that two of my men were killed and were lying at the
time in front of the house. On receiving this news we started home to
get a force sufficient to clean out the Federals, but on arriving in
Green county, Arkansas, nearly all of our men were out on scouting
excursions, principally toward the West.
[Illustration: BETRAYED BY COOTS.]