Capt. John, with a company of Federals, burns the Headquarters
in Green county, Arkansas.—He is “bushwhacked,” routed and
killed.—Raid into Washington county with fourteen men.—Attacked
by twenty Federals.—Killed a Union man for piloting Capt. John.
A few days before my arrival in Arkansas, our little community of women
and children at headquarters, were suddenly aroused from their slumbers
one morning by the firing of a gun, and found themselves surrounded
by a whole company of Federals under the command of Capt. John from
Ironton, Missouri.
All the men were absent on different scouting expeditions, except
eight men, who happened to be in camp that morning; they seized their
guns and endeavored to make their escape, but seven of them were shot
down, and the other made his escape unhurt. The Federals immediately
commenced burning the houses, after taking all the provisions and
clothing they could find.
The women in great consternation, gathered their children, and in their
night clothes huddled together in the centre of the square; there in
their helpless condition to watch the devouring flames that was fast
winding around them and reducing their homes to ashes.
Before the houses were all in flames however, Capt. John ordered his
men to supply the women with what clothing they could snatch from the
flames.
After their hasty toilet was concluded their terror subsided, and with
perfect composure they watched the progress of the flames without
betraying any emotion; they were determined that the Federals should
be deprived the satisfaction of believing that they had triumphed over
their spirit of eternal enmity to the Federal cause.
Some of our boys who had been out on a hunt now returned toward the
camp, and before they were aware the Federals fired upon them and
killed two of their number. As the scouts were in the habit of coming
in from various directions, it was impossible to give them warning
before they were completely in the Federal trap.
A few hours after the tragedy commenced, the Federals had all left, and
the women in squads of five or six, went in different directions and
camped a few miles off to meet the scouts as they returned.
My wife and her party had camped near the St. Francis river, and
were living on fish when I returned. The Federals were still in the
neighborhood, burning the farm houses, mills and shops.
On the same night that I learned these particulars, I sent all my men
out in different directions to ferret out the enemy and to meet at a
designated place before daylight. With much difficulty we succeeded in
finding several squads of the Federals, from which we inferred, that
finding our men mostly absent, they had divided into many little bands
to finish their work of devastating the country as soon as possible.
We met at the time and place designated, and concluded that our only
chance was to “bushwhack” the Federals, and thus drive them out of
the country as soon as possible. Two men were detailed to take a trip
up Black river, to notify Capt. Bolin, and as many men as they could
find, of what was going on, that they might intercept the Federals
and “bushwhack” them after I should succeed in routing them from the
country.
In less than an hour our company was increased to fifteen men. We
hastened on foot toward the lower end of the settlement, and on getting
within half a mile of a farm house, we saw about thirty Federals
engaged in burning the buildings. We heard the discharge of a gun, and
on looking in that direction, we saw a Federal reel in his saddle and
then fall to the earth. Two soldiers on horseback immediately dashed
toward the point where the shot proceeded from, and in an instant we
saw a boy about thirteen years of age, crawl out of a gully and start
toward the point of the hill where we were with the soldiers after him.
The boy had so much the start of them that we saw he could easily reach
us before the Federals could overtake him. We lay concealed in the
thick brush and let the boy pass without seeing us; the soldiers were
soon in our midst; we rose up and made them surrender without creating
any alarm. We tied them securely and awaited the approach of others who
might be sent out in search of these two.
The boy was greatly overjoyed when he found out who we were. In about
half an hour ten Federals came riding up toward us. Our prisoners had
been removed back half a mile and hung to prevent an alarm. We saluted
the Federals with a sudden discharge from our rifles, and six of them
dropped from their horses; the others suddenly wheeled and made their
escape. The other soldiers hastened on to an adjoining ridge and kept
up a harmless fire against us for two or three hours; they did this
to divert our attention as it appears, for before we were fully aware
of the fact a fresh force of Federals, numbering perhaps forty men,
commenced a deadly fire upon us in our rear, and soon drove us from
our position. Our retreat was rather disorderly, and before we had
succeeded in crossing a ravine and gaining the opposite ridge, four of
my men were killed and two others slightly wounded. We continued our
retreat for five miles, and then placed ourselves in position to rake
the Federals without much danger to ourselves. Here we remained for
several hours, and were loth to leave the place, but it finally became
apparent to us that the intention of the Federals was to burn out the
neighborhood, and then to hasten back before we could collect our men
together.
We wound our way through the woods toward our old headquarters. Late
in the evening we heard firing in front, and in an instant we started
in that direction, but were soon met by eight of our men who had just
returned from a scout, without knowing what was going on. As they were
on the retreat we did not feel justifiable in trying to make a stand
against such superior numbers, so we diverged to the right and let the
Federals pass without attracting their attention.
On the night following we succeeded in finding the Federal camp, and
during the whole night continued to “bushwhack” them at intervals,
until we had killed eight or ten of their pickets. The next morning
they seemed to have taken up their march for Missouri, but during
the whole day we annoyed them all we could, by posting ourselves in
positions where we had the advantage, and thereby picked off several
of them. Late in the evening they made an attempt to follow us into
the woods, but we attacked the party on every side; the slaughter was
terrible, and we finally put them to rout after killing Capt. John
himself, and quite a number of his men.
We discovered among the Federals, several citizens, whom we afterwards
learned had gone from Missouri for the purpose of giving all the
assistance in their power toward ferreting out our headquarters.
Wearied by constant fighting, I and my men now returned to the
neighborhood of our old camp, leaving a fresh supply of Capt. Bolin‘s
men to continue “bushwhacking” the Federals until they should return to
their hive in Ironton.
After we had completely routed Capt. John‘s incendiaries and driven
them from the country, our condition was indeed deplorable.
Without shelter for our families save a few huts that the Federals did
not consider worth burning, into each of which two or three families
were huddled, without bedding or a change of clothing, and but little
food, we were indeed in adverse circumstances. Several of our men were
compelled to remain at headquarters several months to repair damages.
Our families, in their crowded condition, became unhealthy, and several
of the children died. While we were arranging matters for the comfort
and convenience of our families, we obtained our supplies from the
border counties of Missouri by making short raids; our bedding and
provisions, however, we obtained in a great measure, from our friends;
but we occasionally branched out further to rob the stores and houses
of Union men.
Another great difficulty under which we labored was the entire absence
of surgical aid for our wounded, for the want of which many of our
men who recovered were so deformed that they were forever afterward
rendered unfit for active duty.
The whole available force of our community now only amounted to eighty
available men, and by the time that we had rebuilt twenty houses and a
temporary mill, our numbers were still further reduced by desertion,
for many of them now left and went into Texas. While these repairs were
going on we held a council, in which it was decided that half our men
might take the field against our enemies in Missouri, and make them
pay for the damage that we had sustained. In doing this, however, we
had no intention of applying the torch to the dwellings of our Union
enemies; we were never mean enough for that; we made no war upon women
and children; that kind of warfare was exclusively used by our enemies
of boasted civilization, refinement and magnanimity.
I started to Washington county, Missouri, with fourteen men to obtain
supplies of clothing and ammunition. With a great deal of caution we
made our way up Black river through Butler and Reynolds counties, and
entered Washington county on her extreme southern line, traveling only
at night, and concealing ourselves each day among the rugged hills of
Black river.
We visited a store and packed several horses which we had taken in the
neighborhood, with shoes, domestics and calicoes; and here we found
some concealed ammunition, which we appropriated. On starting back we
traveled slowly; not having heard of any Federals in the neighborhood,
we imagined ourselves safe, and designed traveling in the day time. As
we were so familiar with all the roads and by-paths in this section of
country, we generally felt safe while on our return to Arkansas, but on
this occasion we were doomed to disappointment.
We had gone but a short distance into Reynolds county, when we were
suddenly attacked by a party of Federals, numbering perhaps twenty or
twenty-five; they had trailed us from the store we had robbed, and now
they came upon us with a perfect fury.
Being heavily packed and encumbered with the horses we were leading,
we could not run; at their fire one of my men was killed, at which I
took advantage of their empty guns, wheeled my men into the brush,
dismounted, and in an instant returned their fire, at which three
of their number fell; I dashed forward with about half my men and
succeeded in gaining their rear. My party in front and my men in the
rear now made a simultaneous charge upon them with our revolvers,
killing two more and wounding several, in which two of my men were
wounded, but not mortally.
In the fight all the other Federals charged over us and got away, with
the exception of eight prisoners, three of whom were wounded. The
result of the little fight was, five dead Federals, thirteen horses,
eighteen guns and ten revolvers; having lost one man killed and two
wounded, but not sufficiently to keep them from traveling.
After I had inspected the damages, I turned my attention to the
prisoners, who were dismounted, disarmed and sitting by the roadside,
under guard. On approaching them two of them arose, called me by name
and asked permission to shake hands with me. After a short conversation
I found that they were two of the men I had captured on Lost creek,
in Wayne county, during the month of May, 1863, whom I released after
negotiating with them for the escape of two of Capt. Bolin‘s men in
prison at Ironton. On recognizing them I again gave them my hand in
reassurance that I appreciated the services they had rendered us in
proving true to their word, and could not help telling them that I was
glad to see them. After the ceremony incident to the renewal of our
acquaintance was over, I began making preparations for continuing our
journey after having first buried the dead.
I told our two Union friends that they were again released, together
with their three wounded comrades, but that I would take the other
three along with me; they, however, plead manfully for the release
of their three friends, but I told them that I was compelled to have
their assistance in getting along with our stock, until we reached
Greenville, at which place, for their sake, I would release them, and
true to my word, I did so.
We made our way to Green county with as much haste as prudence would
permit; being too much burdened to “bushwhack” any of those citizens
who had accompanied Capt. John into our little confederacy, we
concluded to let them rest for the present; but having accidentally met
one in the road, I shot him through the head and rode on. We found all
things cheerful about headquarters, and soon divided our goods among
the needy families.