Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States. Soon after
the election they began to discuss the question of seceding from the
Government. The author again took the field in opposition to secession,
and delivered a number of speeches.
In a short time the people that had been the closest of friends and
trusted a neighbor with the most sacred thing they possessed became
bitter enemies and arrayed themselves against one another and as the
discussion of the great question of war continued to grow more bitter
the people appeared to align themselves for and against secession. The
people soon grew so bitter that they often talked of fighting each
other.
Before the firing on Ft. Sumpter and after several of the states had
actually seceded the Union sentiment prevailed so strongly in the
state of Missouri that Clabourn Jackson, the then acting Governor, was
compelled to order an election in the state of Missouri to settle the
matter by a vote, of the people as to whether Missouri should secede
or remain in the Union. The author then took the stump and advocated
that the state remain in the Union and manifest her loyalty to the
preservation of the Union. In this campaign the feeling of the war grew
more bitter. The result, however, of the election was that the state
remained in the Union. In the mean time, Ft. Sumpter had been fired
upon by the rebels.
Clabe Jackson, the Governor, appeared to be determined upon the state
seceding either by fair or foul means. Without regarding a majority
vote of the people of the state, Clabe Jackson, the then acting
Governor, issued his proclamation convening the Legislature in extra
session for the purpose of passing ordinances of secession.
At that time Gen. Frost was in the command of the militia and some
state troops stationed in St. Louis Barracks but he was in heart and
sympathy a rebel. Everything appeared to have been greased and prepared
for the occasion.
As the Governor had the whole machinery of the state completely under
his control he believed that it would be an easy matter for the
legislature to pass ordinances of secession and carry the state out of
the Union, but the Government authorities at Washington learned of the
critical condition and deep laid scheme of the Governor to carry the
state out of the Union and at once ordered Capt. Lyons of the Regular
Army, (who afterward became General of the volunteer forces and fought
the battle at Wilson Creek, Missouri) to come to St. Louis; he, being
a captain in the Regular Army, outranked Gen. Frost, took possession
of the troops, arms and amunitions, etc., reorganized and rapidly
increased the army by volunteers.
On information reaching Gen. Lyons that the legislature had been
convened in extra session he at once took his available troops and left
St. Louis with the intention of surrounding the Capitol and taking the
members of both houses, the Governor, with all his state officers,
prisoners; when the Governor learned that the Government troops were en
route for Jefferson City and their purpose, he ordered the bridge to
be burned across the Gasconade river near its mouth, on what was then
known as the North Pacific R. R. This delayed the troops for several
hours. On their approach to Jefferson City the Governor and state
officers and the members of both houses of the legislature and all the
troops that had been ordered to the Capital by the Governor retreated
to Boonville, Missouri.
I heard our representative in a speech delivered a short time
afterwards, say they came so near getting him while he was getting out
of Jefferson City that he lost his umbrella. Lyons pursued them and at
Boonville they made a stand and on Lyon's arrival with his troops he
attacked them and they fought for a short time. They again retreated,
went into the extreme west part of the state to a place known as Lone
Jack. There they made a stand again, Lyons still pursuing. He again
attacked then at Lone Jack and after a short fight they retreated again
into the State of Arkansas, and there Governor Jackson convened the
legislature and they passed ordinances of secession declaring the State
of Missouri out of the Union and that she was attached to the compact
forming the Confederate States.
General Lyon returned to St. Louis, increasing his force considerably,
several regiments being attached to his command from other states.
The government ordered him to prepare his troops and move west to
Springfield. The terminus of the South Missouri Pacific R. R., at that
time was at Rolla, Missouri. While Lyon was massing his troops and
preparing to march to Springfield the most intense excitement prevailed
in the entire State of Missouri.
A Big Confederate Meeting at West Plains.
The Confederate authorities at once commenced recruiting for the
Confederate service and the Confederate recruiting officers published
a public meeting at West Plains about the first or tenth of July and
while the Confederate authorities were moving, the union or loyal
element of the country was not idle, but was watching every move,
openly and secretly preparing for the conflict.
A few days before the meeting was to be held at West Plains the
Confederates sent to the pinery and procured a long pine pole, hoisted
it at the corner of Durham's store at the northwest corner of the
public square and swung to the breeze the stars and bars. At the
same time, or near the same time, the Union men sent to the pinery
and procured a pole. They hoisted it on the northeast corner of East
Main street by the corner of McGinty's store where the S. J. Langston
Mercantile Co., building now stands and swung to the breeze the stars
and stripes.
It was freely published throughout the county by the Rebels that if
any Union man attempted to open his mouth on that day he would be
shot as full of holes as a sifter bottom. There was a beautiful grove
then growing just east of the branch on East Main street running from
the town spring. Large preparations were made by the Rebels for the
occasion. It was published that there would be leading Confederates
from all over the state and different other states to speak on that
day and one of the main features of the day would be recruiting for
Confederate service. A big speaker's stand was erected with hundreds of
seats. When the day arrived the town was crowded with people and the
friends of both parties were armed and appeared to be ready for the
conflict. The stars and bars attracted a great deal of attention, being
the first flag that had ever been seen by the people that antagonized
the stars and stripes and threatened to destroy the United States
Government.
There was soon a number of determined men gathered under each flag.
A number of their prominent speakers were on hand, among them Judge
Price, of Springfield, known as "Wild Bill" Price. They readily took in
the situation and saw that a conflict was imminent, and as they were
not ready for it they met together in council and agreed that their
men should not bring on the conflict on that day. Quite a number of
the parties prepared themselves at the speaker's stand. When different
speakers were introduced to address the people, many of the men would
sit, either with their guns in their hands or with their guns near to
them, and the most fiery and extreme speeches were made that I ever
heard.
The author well remembers the speech of Judge William Price. He told
them that the lopeared Dutch had reached Rolla, Missouri, the terminus
of the railroad, and that they were complete heathens; that Abraham
Lincoln had given the state of Missouri to them, if they would send
enough lopeared Dutch to conquer the state, and that to his knowledge
they had gone out into the country and taken men's wives and daughters
and brought them into the camps, and that he saw them, in the presence
of the mothers, run bayonets through their infant children and hoist
them up and carry them around on their bayonets; that Abraham Lincoln
had offered a reward for all of the preachers that were in favor of
the South. He bursted into tears and asked the question, "I want to
know who the man is, and the color of his hair, that won't enlist in
the interest of his home, his wife, his children and everything that
is sacred and good, to drive out lopeared Dutch, a certain class of
Hessians, from our land." He urged them to come forward and place their
names upon the rolls. Nearly all the preachers present placed their
names on the recruiting list first.
The excitement grew still more bitter. In the afternoon they began to
threaten openly that the stars and stripes should be hauled down; that
no flag should be allowed to float in West Plains that countenances and
tolerates heathen in our land. The Union men declared that the stars
and stripes should not be lowered unless it was done over their dead
bodies. Quite a number of Union men had assembled under the flag. The
Union men were led by a man named Captain Lyle. He had been warned and
cautioned by his friends not to open his mouth, for the reason that he
would be shot full of holes. Late in the evening there was a lull in
the speaking. The author walked up into the speaker's stand, called the
attention of the people, saw a number of rifles grasped in their hands,
and announced to them that they had been sitting all day listening to
Confederate speeches, but on the next Saturday, if they would meet him
at Black's store, about ten miles west of West Plains, they could hear
Union speeches and the constitution of the United States would be read;
thanked the crowd and stepped down. Quite a number of guns were raised
in the hands of parties and a shower of groans and hisses, and remarks
openly from a number that "We ought to shoot his black heart out now."
It appeared for a while that it would be impossible to evade a conflict
of arms. A number of orders being sent to the Union men to draw down
their flag or they would fire on it and the men who supported it, an
answer was returned that the rebels were requested to draw down their
flag as it was a stranger in the land and unless they lowered their
flag the stars and stripes wouldn't be lowered an inch, unless it was
done over their dead bodies. At last a proposition came that they would
agree for the sake of averting bloodshed to commence lowering both
flags at the same time which proposition was accepted; so wound up that
day's proceedings.
On the Saturday following, the author, with several other Union
speakers, met at Black's store where there were several rebel captains
and lieutenants. The author made a speech in favor of remaining in the
Union and stated that the attempt to secede by some of the states would
eventually result in sad disaster, besides bringing untold suffering
upon the people. Several other Union speeches were made after which the
author read the constitution of the United States and urged that all
lovers of republican form of government would comply with the demand of
the supreme law of the land and, if necessary, sacrifice property and
life in defence of the same; so ended that day's proceedings.
McBride Establishes Military Law.
As the organization of the confederates proceeded they still grew more
bitter against the Union men and declared, by meeting and passing
resolutions, that every Union man should show his colors in favor of
the South or be hung as high as Hamen. In the meantime the Union men
had secretly organized and met together, to take into consideration as
to the time when they should act.
The prevailing sentiment was, that they should remain dormant and let
the rebels shed the first blood, while the minority thought the time
had come for action, and that they ought to act before the rebels
crippled them and tied them up in such a manner that, when the time did
come, they would be entirely helpless and at their mercy.
McBride, who had been elected judge of the 18th Judicial circuit,
which included Howell county, whose home was in Texas county, was made
Brigadier General of the Confederate forces and commenced organizing
and massing his troops. On the arrival of the federal troops at Rolla,
Missouri, he became fearful that they would attack him, rout him and
destroy his forces, so he concluded to march south to West Plains
and make his headquarters at that place until he could organize his
forces and prepare for marching west, where he intended to join the
forces of Gen. Sterling Price and Gen. McCullough who then were massing
their forces to march on Springfield, Missouri, to attack the federal
forces who were then stationed at Springfield under the command of
Gen. Lyon and Gen. Seigle. On his arrival at West Plains he opened
up headquarters, issued his proclamation that all Union men or any
men that were unfriendly to the Confederate cause should come in and
take the oath and the civil law was declared to be suspended and the
military law completely in force.
Then was when the dark day and trouble began to hang over the Union
people. As soon as it was known that the civil law was suspended
little bunches of rebels organized all over the country and also in
the state of Arkansas. In a short time after Gen. McBride's arrival in
West Plains a man who was a door neighbor to the author came into his
field where he was cutting wheat, asked him if he had seen the order
of McBride. My answer was "No." He remarked, "Well, he has made a
general order, requiring all Union men, especially those who have been
open and active in behalf of the Union, to come in and take the oath,
and unless they do they are going to hang them as high as Hamen." The
author replied to him that he was a Union man and he knew it; he had
been open and outspoken for the Union and had voted for McBride when he
was elected Judge, but now he thought he was acting outside of the law
and humanity.
I had neither violated the law of my land nor harmed any man and I
didn't consider that McBride had any right to order me to take an oath
to take up arms against my country or support those who had taken up
arms. If this did become a general war, I thought they were making a
blunder, for the Government, or the lopeared Dutch, as they termed
them, would have the advantage in the way of transporting forage
and commissaries and amunitions of war, while the Confederates would
have to rely mostly for their resources upon the county; that I was
a peace officer and while I was a strong Union man wasn't taking up
arms and I thought that those who wanted to fight, if there had to
be a fight, should go out into the open fields, and not force the
war onto non-combatants, and that the country would suffer enough at
best. Now you know I am a Union man, and I know that you are in favor
of the Confederate cause, and I think this is the course that ought
to be pursued at the present time. The Confederates are in control of
the country, and they will come around and say they must have forage
for the support of the army, and ask you if you know of any Union men;
you could tell them, "My neighbor right here is a Union man, but he
is not disposed to take up arms and go into the fight; take as little
from him as you can possibly do with, and as little from myself;
in return, if this war goes on, and the Federal authorities extend
their jurisdiction, they would be out hunting rebels for the purpose
of getting forage and commissaries, and I could say to them that my
neighbor here is a rebel but take just as little as possible from him,
and as little as possible from me, as we are going to have a hard time
to get through the war any way. But if you pursue the policy you say
has been adopted by the Confederates, you will force all non-combatants
into arms or drive them from the country and completely depopulate
it." He burst into a big laugh and remarked, "Your promises are like a
broken stick, you will never see the lopeared Dutch in this country." I
said to him, "My friend, if this war goes on, before the end of it you
will see what you call lopeared Dutch as thick as blackbirds;" and we
separated.
General Lyons Drives Rebels from Rolla.
About June 10, 1851, the rebels were having a big meeting at Rolla,
Phelps county, Missouri, for the purpose of recruiting. General Lyons
at St. Louis, learned of the meeting, and at once placed quite a
force in the cars, well armed and closed them up so they would not be
detected and started for Rolla with the intention of capturing the
whole outfit.
On the day set for the rebel meeting, quite a number of them had
assembled and a certain young lawyer was delivering an address, telling
them that one southern man could whip five lopeared Dutch and all
they wanted was just an opportunity; in the meantime Lyon's forces
had reached Dillon, the next station east of Rolla about five miles
distant. There the forces were taken from the cars and divided, some
marching southwest and the others northwest, making a flank movement
for the purpose of surrounding the whole place. While they were
marching some person, who was a rebel, went with all the speed possible
and informed the meeting that the Dutch were right upon them; that the
woods were full of them and to get out of there as quick as possible,
if they wanted to save their lives.
The lawyer who was addressing them sprang from the speakers stand and
holloing at the top of his voice as he went, "Get away from here, the
Dutch are upon us." It was said that the lawyer ran so fast that if
a glass of water had been sat upon his coat tail it would not have
spilled. They scattered to the woods in all directions. The Federal
force came in; but their birds had all flown and left the citizens who
had remained to tell the sad tale.
The rebel forces at once retreated to Salem, Missouri, where they again
concentrated their force. The Federal scout, in a few days followed
them to Salem, and there again routed them and they retreated directly
to West Plains, joining the command of McBride at that place. The
rebels, hurriedly, concentrated their forces from all the south and
southeastern counties of Missouri and from the northern counties of
Arkansas.
General McBride made an order to gather all the arms, amunitions, and
horses that were fit for the service, as speedily as possible and the
report was put in circulation that he had given the county over to the
leading rebels, who resided in it, whose action, whatever they did
touching the Union men, would be indorsed and carried out by General
McBride. The leading rebels of the county at once sent out word that
they were going to take all the arms, amunition and available horses
from the Union men and that McBride required each and every one of them
to report and take the oath at once, and if they failed to comply with
said order, speedy action would be taken against them.
They would either be arrested, imprisoned or forced into the
Confederate army to fight and their leaders would be hung.
On the issuing of the said order the wildest excitement prevailed among
the Union men. They immediately met for the purpose of consultation as
to what their final action would be. There were divers opinions among
them; some of them were for acting at once; others (and a majority of
them) were in favor of waiting until the rebels shed the first blood.
Those who refused to report and take the oath had to place themselves
in hiding at once. The rebels made a general move to raid, harass and
capture the Union men. Then real danger confronted a man who claimed
to be a Union man. The rebels had made a general amnesty, upon the
condition that they would join the Confederate army and become loyal to
the Confederate States. About two-thirds of the men who had been open
and avowed Union men saw the danger that confronted them, and joined
the Confederate army and claimed that they would be loyal to its cause.
The remainder of the Union men were disarmed at once, except those who
kept themselves concealed in the mountains and hills.
After they had completely disarmed them and forced many of them to join
the Confederate service, had taken most of their horses, cattle and
hogs for the use of the army, the leading rebels in the county claimed
that they had organized for the purpose of ridding the country of all
Union men who had refused to join the Confederate forces; that when
McBride moved west he was going to leave the whole matter in their
hands, and they intended to string up the Union men to limbs and shoot
them, so they would soon be rid of the class of men who were friends of
the lopeared Dutch and were nigger lovers.
The Testing of Loyal Hearts.
Small bunches of rebel troops came in from Arkansas and joined the
bands that were raiding the country, and the Union men were hunted
like wild beasts. Then set in the darkest day that ever any class of
patriots, true to their government, had to confront.
The author remembers well when the Union men would meet together, that
they took the proposition made by McBride into consideration, and it
was discussed pro and con. Some men would say, "While I am a Union
man and for the government, all that I have in the world is here in
Howell county; my little home, my property and, above all, my wife
and children. They have promised us protection provided we will join
the rebel army. Had we not better accept the proposition and wait for
results?" Others would arise, with tears dripping from their eyes,
and remark that this state of affairs is hard indeed. "Can I afford
to abandon my wife and children that I love so well and leave them
unprotected in the midst of an open state of war, at the mercy of a
mad and distracted people, who are thirsting for the loyal blood of
the nation, and be alienated from them, perhaps, never more to see
them?" Others would arise and remark that "We have seen this danger
coming for months and we are satisfied that the worst has not come,
and I know that I love my wife, my family, my little children, as I
love my own heart; I love to meet them around my fireside and enjoy
their sweet company, and I have delighted in laboring to furnish them
food and raiment and shelter while they were growing into manhood and
womanhood, but I have read and heard read that my highest duty was
to God and my second duty was to my country; and the organic law of
the nation requires at my hands that whenever it becomes necessary to
preserve my government, that I owe to it my life, my honor and the
welfare of my family; and the trying ordeal is now at hand and I don't
know what the final result will be--if I am forced away from my family,
I know they will be left at the mercy of an intolerant and unrelenting
enemy, but I now and here lay my life, my family, my property and my
future happiness upon the altar of my country, and let come what will,
weal or woe, I intend, with all my feeble effort, to defend the stars
and stripes, and stand up openly and courageously in defense of and
for the preservation of the Union." That proposition prevailed and was
unanimously adopted by the Union men.
At this time there was no government aid in reach of these loyal
hearts, that were controlled by nothing but love of country. Uncle
Sam could do nothing for them. They were completely surrounded in
an enemy's country, and while they (the men), with what arms they
had preserved, could by strategy evade the arrest and slaughter of
themselves, their families were completely at the mercy of a mad and
howling mob, thirsting for the blood of Union men.
While the loyal men in the North were enlisting in the interest of
their country, Uncle Sam paid them $13.00 per month, clothed them, and
their families were left in the care of friends; they knew nothing
about the war, except what they read; but not so with the Union men
who were surrounded in an enemy's country. They, without a single word
of protection or comfort from the government for themselves or their
families, but their love and devotion to their country led them to
furnish themselves, to leave their families as best they could, at the
mercy of a howling mob, for the defense of their country.
Rebels Defeated in Douglas County.
The loyal men in Douglas county and the north part of the county of
Ozark were in the ascendency. A rebel force organized from the county
of Howell, Missouri, and Fulton county, Arkansas, wanting to have some
fun hunting Union men, learned that on Bryant's Fork on the north fork
of White river in Ozark county there was a bunch of Union men. So they
armed and equipped themselves, furnished themselves ropes, and marched
to hunt the place these men were said to be. The Union men hearing of
their intention hurriedly prepared a temporary barricade around the
house, and about sixty of them gathered together with their squirrel
rifles in readiness to repel the attack in case it was made. The rebel
scout consisted of two hundred and fifty men.
Early in the morning reliable information reached the Union men that
the rebel forces were well under way and would reach them some time
in the afternoon. One of the Union men, who had always borne the
reputation of being a brave man and would fight anything, became
impatient as the time drew near that they were to be attacked. He had
been a great hunter and was considered a first-class shot, and he
remarked to the Union men, "I can't wait for the rebels to attack us,
I want to get a shot at one so bad with Old Betsy (his gun). I know
of a bald knob, about a quarter of a mile from here, where the rebel
force is bound to pass. I am going there; place yourselves in waiting,
and when you hear 'Old Betsey' belch, you may know there is one dead
rebel, and be certain that they are coming." In about an hour after
the man referred to had left, the rebel advance came in sight, but
they never heard "Old Betsy" belch. They vigorously attacked the Union
men inside their fortifications, and after fighting for about an hour,
they retreated, leaving one man dead upon the field and one wounded.
The Union men received no injury whatever. They became very uneasy in
regard to their friend and "Old Betsy," supposing he had fallen into
the hands of the enemy and they had used the rope on him. Search was
made all along the line of march of the rebels for the missing man, but
no information could be learned of his whereabouts. However, in about
one week, news came from Douglas county that their friend and "Old
Betsy" arrived safely at another rendezvous of Union men in Douglas
county, about forty miles distant, and reported that the Union men had
had a fight with the rebels, and they were all captured or killed, with
the exception of himself, and he had made his escape after the fight.
Just before McBride broke camps to march west to join Gen. Price and
Gen. McCullough, he made a general order that they arrest and seize
every Union man possible, and after he left the country, that the
committee who had been organized to take charge of the county, would
at once exterminate every Union man who had failed to take the oath
or to join the Confederate army, giving them full power as to what
disposition they would make of them.
Rebels Capture Col. Monks.
On the 7th of July, 1861, one of my neighbors came to me and informed
me that the time had come that every Union man had to show his colors
and unless they reported and took the oath or joined the Confederate
army, they would hang as high as Haman. While the Union men were on
their guard and watching their movements, once in a while they would
slip in home to see how the family was getting along. My family at that
time consisted of a wife and four children, three girls and one boy. My
wife had never been accustomed to staying alone and I came in home late
on the evening of the 7th, thinking that I would leave the next morning
before daylight. Sometime after the family had retired, not far from 11
o'clock in the night, I was awakened by a rapping on the door. My wife,
suspecting who the parties were, answered them, and demanded to know
what was wanted; one of them, who claimed to be an orderly sergeant,
remarked that he wanted to know if Monks was at home. She replied that
he was not. A man by the name of William Biffle, whom the author had
been acquainted with for years, replied, "He is here, I know, for I
coursed him into this house late yesterday evening." The author at once
arose to his feet and remarked, "I am here, what is wanted?" A man by
the name of Garrett Weaver, who claimed to be an orderly sergeant and
in charge of the squad, also a neighbor to the author said, "I have
been ordered by Gen. McBride to arrest you, bring you in and make you
take the oath." I owned at that time a first-class rifle and there was
also another rifle gun in the house. I took my gun into my hands and
my wife took hold of the other gun. I told them that a general order
had gone forth, so I was informed, that they wanted to hang all the
leading Union men and "if that is your intention I will die before I
surrender." Weaver replied they were not going to hang me, but they
were just going to take me to McBride to take the oath and I should be
protected. Upon those terms I agreed to surrender, made a light in the
house and found that the house was surrounded by a posse of twenty-five
rebels. As soon as the light was made, a part of them rushed into the
house, took my gun and jerked the one my wife had in her hand out of
her possession, almost throwing her to the floor, began a general
search of the house for other arms and such things as they said the
army needed.
As soon as I dressed, they ordered me to move. They didn't even give me
time to say good-bye to my wife, nor to imprint a kiss upon the cheeks
of my loving children. Closely surrounding me, they marched me about
250 yards, came to their horses, where two more of their posse guarded
the horses, they having dismounted, to approach the house on foot so
they might not be heard.
[Illustration: COL. MONKS ARRESTED AND TAKEN FROM HOME]
"Billy, You Ought Not to be So Saucy."
When within a few feet of the horses the author was halted. It was
just starlight. I noticed a man by the name of Wilburn Baker, a man
with whom the author had been acquainted from a boy, go to the horn of
one of the saddles, lift therefrom a coiled rope and move toward the
author. The author quickly arrived at the conclusion that the time had
come to enforce the order of hanging. Baker ordered the author seized
by the arms, drew them behind him and securely tied him. The author
asked, just as they had completed the tying, "What do you mean? Are you
going to cage me?" Baker replied, "Billy, you ought not to be so saucy,
for you don't know the danger you are in." I was at once ordered placed
on a horse. One of the posse rode up to my side and placed the other
end of the rope around his body and the posse moved west. A short time
before daylight they arrived at the house of William Nicks, who was a
rebel lieutenant. They dismounted and took the author into the house.
There appeared to be a general rejoicing among them. Nicks said, "You
have got him, have you? We had become uneasy about you, and thought
it might have been possible that he had his Union forces around him
and that you had met with disaster; but I feel satisfied that we have
now captured the leader and the counselor of the Union forces and the
remainder will be easily extinguished." Gen. McBride in the meantime,
being uneasy for fear the Federal troops would attack him, had removed
his forces from West Plains to the south part of Howell county, camping
at what was known as the Flag pond.
I was closely guarded until daylight. McBride's forces had broken camp
at the Flag pond on the morning of July 8th and were marching west with
the intention of joining the forces of Gen. Price and Gen. McCullough,
who were then moving in the direction of Springfield, Missouri, with
the intention of attacking the Federal forces at that place, commanded
by Gen. Lyon and Gen. Siegel. Very early on the morning of the 8th
the party started in a southwest direction, with the author closely
guarded. On coming near the head of Bennett's river, Fulton county,
Arkansas, the posse commenced cheering and remarked: "Listen! Do you
hear the drums and the fife? That is Gen. McBride's command moving west
to kill them lopeared Dutch that you Union men have brought into the
state of Missouri. Do you know what we are going to do with such men as
you are? Those of you that we don't hang, the first fight that we get
into with the lopeared Dutch, we will make breastworks out of to keep
the bullets off of good men."
About one mile further we came in sight of the moving column. We rode
along the line, when there was general cheering until we reached a
company that was organized in Oregon county and commanded by Capt.
Simpson. Simpson said, "Why have you brought a Union man in here alive!
If my company had possession of him, he could not live ten minutes."
We soon reached a company commanded by Capt. Forshee which was
organized in this county to whom the whole posse that made the arrest,
belonged. The author was well acquainted with all of them and over
half of them resided in the same settlement and were his neighbors.
On reaching the company Captain Forshee walked out of the line and
remarked to them "Why have you brought him in here alive?" Some of
the posse remarked, that he had been a neighbor and they had all been
friends up to the war and they hated to kill him. Forshee said "When
I saw him at West Plains at the speaking when he got up and contended
that there was a union and the government ought to be preserved, I
wanted to shoot his black heart out of him and I feel the same way yet."
The author was kept in close confinement and on the night of the 8th
the command went into camp near what is known as the old Steve Thompson
farm. The author, with several other prisoners, was placed in the guard
house and orders were given that he be closely guarded.
After they had taken their suppers, men that the author had been
acquainted with from his boyhood, and men who had been acquainted with
his relatives, came to the guard house in considerable numbers and
remarked, "Hello, Monks?" "I never expected to see you under arrest."
"What have you been doing that they have arrested you? I thought you
was a good Democrat." "Have you left your party." "The Democratic party
is in favor of the South." The author replied to them that when they
thought he was a good Democrat they were right. But that he was not
a slave to party and that he held country higher than party and if
Democracy meant secession and nullification, that was one part of the
principals of Democracy that he had never learned; that true Democracy,
as understood by the author, taught every man that in case his country
was invaded either externally or internally that he owed his honor
and property in the support of it and for those reasons he was for
the preservation of the Union at all hazards. Some remarked that "We
ought to hang him right now without waiting any longer" Others remarked
that "We have been acquainted with his people both on his mother's and
father's side and they were all southern people and Democrats and they
are all of them, almost, in favor of the South. It is strange indeed to
see the course that he has taken." The author remarked that "There were
always some shabby sheep in a flock and I suppose from your reasoning
that I am one of them." They all retired, the officers giving orders
that the most vigilant watch be kept over the prisoner. After he had
retired a gentleman by the name of Joseph Teverbaugh who resided in
Ozark county, a merchant and the owner of about twenty negroes, who had
been well acquainted with the author from his boyhood, brought up the
conversation as to what disposition they thought ought to be made of
the author. The author could easily hear all the conversation inside
of the guard line. Many opinions were expressed. Quite a number said,
"Hang him outright." That was the only way to get shut of the Union
men, to make short work of it, and forever rid the country of that
element.
Others said that appeared to be too harsh, that they were in favor
of taking him to Little Rock and confining him in the penitentiary
until the war was over, for it wouldn't take but a short time to rid
the country of the lopeared Dutch and those who were friends to them.
Others remarked that "that would be too easy for a man who was in
favor of the lopeared Dutch; that we are in favor of taking all like
him right into the army and making them fight and if they won't fight,
the first engagement we get into, pile them up and make breastworks
out of them, so that they will catch bullets off of good men." At this
juncture Teverbaugh remarked, "I have been acquainted with Billy from
a boy and you never can force him to fight against what he believes to
be right, that he was a good boy and since he has grown up to be a man
he has been an honorable and straightforward man and quite an active
man politically and my advice would be to confine him in the State
Penitentiary until the war is over, for I tell you now if he ever gains
his liberty you are going to have him to fight."
Sold as a Beef Cow.
On the morning of the 9th they broke camp and marched near the mouth
of Bennett's river and went into camp at what was then known as
Talbert's mill. A short time after we had been in camp Capt. Forshee,
who had charge of the prisoners, came to the guard house and the author
requested him that he be allowed to take the oath and return home, as
his wife and children were almost scared to death owing to the reports
that were currently circulated all through the country, his wife would
believe they had hung him. The captain replied that they were not going
to allow him to take the oath. They had plenty of proof against him,
that he had been communicating to the lopeared Dutch and as soon as
they had formed a junction with Price and McCullough he would be tried
as a spy. He gave orders to the guard to see that he was kept in close
confinement, and about 11 o'clock in the night as near as the author
can guess, it being starlight, the Captain came down to the guard house
in company with one of his men, Frank Morrison.
The author was lying on the ground pretending to be asleep. The Captain
came inside of the guard, called out, "Monks, are you asleep?" The
author raised up in a sitting position and said, "Captain what is
wanted"? The Captain remarked, "I want you to go up to my camp fire,"
which was about 75 yards distance from the guard house. The author
said, "Captain, this is a strange time of night to come down and order
me to your camp fire." He said; "Not another word out of you, rise
to your feet." He ordered Morrison to step behind him with the same
gun that he had recently taken from the author and cock it and "if he
makes a crooked step from here up to the camp fire shoot him through."
The author heard Morrison cock the gun and about half way between the
guard house and the camp fire the Captain remarked to the author,
"Do you know Kasinger?" The author, suspecting that he was going to
be delivered to a mob, said "I know him very well; we have grown up
together from boys." The Captain said, "I thought he was a mighty nice
man. I have sold you to him for a beef cow." The author remarked there
was but one thing he was sorry for; that if he had known he was going
to be delivered to a mob he never would have surrendered and had some
satisfaction for his life. The Captain said, "I thought I was doing
mighty well to sell a black Republican or a Union man for a beef cow
where we have as many good men to feed, as we have here."
His camp fire was under a gum tree with a large top. The fires had
all died down, it being in July and nothing but the stars were giving
the light. On coming within two or three feet of the tree the Captain
ordered the author to halt. He and Morrison walked about ten paces and
said, "I have brought you up here to liberate you. We have got plenty
of good men here to feed without feeding men who are friends to the
lopeared Dutch." The author replied to the Captain, "you may think you
are dealing with a fool. I have neither violated the civil nor military
law; have demanded a trial and you refuse to give it to me. You can't
bring me up here at this time of night and pretend to turn me loose for
the purpose of escaping the responsibility of an officer and deliver me
into the hands of a mob."
The Confederate Army or Hell.
The author was satisfied that he could then see a bunch of men standing
in readiness. The Captain replied, "Sit down or you will be shot in
half a minute." The author sat down and leaned against the tree. He
had on strong summer clothing, wearing an alpaca vest and coat. In an
instant, about twenty-five men, led by Kasinger, and a man by the name
of William Sap, approached the author; Kasinger, holding a rope in his
hand with a noose in it, walked up to the author, held the noose of the
rope above his head and said, "Monks, you have half a minute to say you
will join the army and fight, or go to hell, just which you please."
The author replied that it was said that "hell was a hot place," but he
had never been there, and that he had always been counted a truthful
man until he had been arrested, and since his arrest he had been asked
divers questions of the whereabouts of the lopeared Dutch, and that
he had told them in every instance he knew nothing of them and had
been cursed for a liar. "If I was to say that I would join the army
and fight, I might have a cowardly set of legs and they might carry me
away; and in the next place, I am a Union man, first, last and all the
time. I suppose your intention is to hang me, and there is only one
thing I am sorry for, and that is that I ever surrendered; but there is
one consolation left, when you kill me you won't kill them all, and you
will meet plenty of them that won't be disarmed as I am now."
Kasinger replied, "No damn foolishness, we mean business," and made an
attempt to drop the noose over my head, which was warded off with my
arms.
At this juncture the author appealed to the Captain for protection from
the mob, saying that he was a prisoner, unarmed and helpless, and if
he suffered him to be murdered by a mob his blood would be upon the
Captain's head. No reply being made by the Captain, all of the parties
being considerably under the influence of whiskey, Sap raised his
left hand, pushed Kasinger back and remarked, "I have been shooting
and wounding some of these black Republicans who are friends of the
lopeared Dutch, but I intend to shoot the balance of them dead." At
the same time he drew a pistol from his right-hand pocket, cocked it,
stooped over, ran his fingers under the author's clothing, gave them
a twist and commenced punching him around the chest with the muzzle
of the revolver, and after, as the author thought, he had punched him
some fifty or sixty times with the revolver, the author said to him,
"William Sap, there is no question but that your intentions are to
kill me, and you want to torture me to death. You know that if I was
armed and on equal footing with you, you would not do this." He made a
quick jerk with his left hand, intending to jerk the author upon his
face, remarking to the Captain at the same time, "Captain, you promised
him to us and we are going to take him." The author, with all force
possible, leant against the tree, Sap's hold broke loose, tearing off
all the buttons that were on the vest and coat.
[Illustration: A NARROW ESCAPE FOR COL. MONKS.]
The author again appealed to the Captain for protection from the mob.
The Captain then remarked to Sap, "Hold on for a moment, I will take a
vote of my company as to whether we will hang him or not." The company
at that time was lying on the ground, most of them apparently asleep.
The Captain called out aloud to his company, "Gentlemen, I am going
now to take a vote of my company as to whether we will hang Monks or
not. All in favor of it vote, aye; all opposed, no." He then took the
affirmative vote and the negative vote. They appeared, to the author,
to be almost evenly divided. Sap again remarked to the Captain "You
promised him to us, we have bought him and paid for him and he is ours."
The author again appealed to the Captain for protection. The Captain
replied to Sap, "He claims protection and as I am an officer and he
a prisoner I reckon we had better keep him until we reach McCullough
and Price and then we will try him for a spy and there is plenty of
evidence against him to prove that he has been writing to the lopeared
Dutch and after he is convicted will turn him over and you men can take
charge of him." At this juncture a brother in-law of the Captain said,
"Captain, I have one request to make of you. I want you to take Monks
in the morning and tie him hard and fast, with his face to a tree,
and let me shoot with a rest sixty yards and show you how I can spoil
a black Republican's pate." The Captain replied, "As soon as he is
convicted you can have the gratification of shooting him just as often
as you please."
The Captain and Morrison again took charge of the author, carried him
back and delivered him to the guard with instructions to the guard to
be diligent in keeping him closely confined so that he would have no
possible chance of escape. On the morning of the 10th we broke camp
and went into camp that night just beyond where Mountain Home now
stands. Dr. Emmons, of West Plains, who was a strong Union man and who
afterwards became captain in the 6th Missouri Cavalry, attempted to go
through to the Federal forces but was pursued by the rebels, captured
somewhere in Texas county and brought back to the camp. He was also a
prisoner at the same time; but being a master mason, was paroled to the
limits of the camp and on the night of the 10th made his escape and got
through to the Federal lines, enlisted and was made captain. Of him we
will speak later.
In Camp at Yellville.
On July 11th they broke camp and reached Yellville, Marion county, and
on the 13th reached Carrolton, a small town in Arkansas, and went into
camp. The author well remembers the spring. It ran out of the steep,
rocky gulch and the branch ran a little south of west and a beautiful
grove of timber surrounded the spring. The prisoners were marched down
within a few feet of the spring and there placed under guard. As usual,
the abuse that had been continually heaped upon the prisoners during
the march was renewed and in a short time a man who was said to be from
one of the counties north of Rolla, Mo., commenced making a speech and
inciting and encouraging the soldiers to mob the prisoners at once;
that he had disguised himself and entered the camps of the lopeared
Dutch at Rolla, and that to his own personal knowledge they had men's
wives and daughters inside of their camps, committing all manner
of offenses possible, and that they were heathens; didn't resemble
American people at all and that he would not guard nor feed any man who
was a friend to them; that they ought to be killed outright.
The men who enlisted in the Confederate army from Howell and adjoining
counties, before starting, went to the blacksmith shops and had them
large butcher knives made; made a belt and scabbard and buckled them
around them, and said that they were going to scalp lopeared Dutch. In
a short time the tenor of the above mentioned speech had incited over
400 men and it had become necessary to double the guard. The grove of
timber was filled with men and boys looking over, expecting to see the
prisoners mobbed every minute. There was a man who drew his pistol,
others drew knives and made different attempts to break lines and mob
the prisoners. The man in possession of the pistol declared that he
intended to shoot them. He was on an elevated place and they called
him "Red," and there were three or four men holding him to prevent
his firing. The author remarked to him that: "The time will soon come
when you will meet men who are not disarmed. You had better save your
bravery until you meet them, and my opinion is that you won't need
any man to hold you then." Just about this time on the north side of
the spring--the land dropped toward the spring, on a descent of about
45 degrees--the author heard the voice of a man ordering the guard to
"open the lines and let these ladies come in." The author at once arose
to his feet and spoke out in an audible voice to the guard to give away
and let the ladies come in and see a Northern monkey exhibited, that
the monkeys grew a great deal larger in the north than they did in the
south. At this juncture it appeared to take one more man to hold Red
who said that "he would kill the saucy scoundrel if it took him a week
to do it."
When the posse came in we saw that the ladies were accompanied by eight
or ten Confederate officers with about fifteen ladies. All the ladies
carried small Confederate flags, the first ones that the author had
ever seen. On coming very close to the prisoners they halted and one
of the officers remarked, "These are the Union men that are friends to
the lopeared Dutch. Couldn't you tie the knot upon them to hang them?"
I think almost everyone spoke out and said "we could." After heaping
other epithets and abuse upon the prisoners they and the officers
retired outside of the line. The speaker was still talking, urging and
insisting that the prisoners should be mobbed at once, that they should
not be permitted to live.
At about this stage of the proceedings a man's voice was heard on top
of the bank saying, "Men, I believe your intentions are to kill these
prisoners. You have all started out to fight and you don't know how
soon you might be taken prisoner and you would not like to be treated
in any such manner; I know Billy, (referring to the author) and all you
have against him is the political side that he has taken and I order
the orderly sergeant to double the guard around the prisoners so there
will be no possible chance for the mob to get through, and move with
the prisoners south to a large hewed log house and place the prisoners
therein, and place a guard around the walls and suffer no man to
approach the house without an order from the officers."
As the prisoner began to move, the excited soldiers, who were wanting
to mob them, brought out an Indian yell, and it appeared to the author
he could almost feel the ground shake. After they were put into the
houses, among the prisoners were some who were deserters, the author
whispered to the Union men and told them to lie down close to them so
that they could not distinguish from the outside one from another. The
author was informed by Maj. William Kelley, of the Confederate army,
who resides at Rolla, Phelps county, Missouri, at the present time,
that he was the officer who made the order to remove the prisoners into
the house and place a heavy guard around them to prevent their being
mobbed. This ended the excitement for the evening.
The author had always been a believer in the realities of religion.
About one-tenth of the officers appeared to be Baptist and Methodist
preachers, and frequently when they would go into camp would call a
large number of the men together and very often take the prisoners and
place them near by under a heavy guard, and then convene religious
services. They always took for a text some subject in the Bible and
the author remembers well of the taking of the subjects in the book of
Joshua, where Joshua was commanded to pass around the fortifications
of the enemy and blow the ram's horn and the fortifications fell, and,
the God of Joshua was the same God that existed to-day and there was no
question but that God was on the side of the South and all they had to
do was to have faith and move on, attack the lopeared Dutch and God was
sure to deliver them into their hands.
The author could not help but add, in his own mind, that when the
attack is made that God set the earth to shaking and all around where
the lopeared Dutch are standing that the earth will open and swallow
them up just leave their heads above the surface; so that those
Confederates who were so furious could take their big knives and scalp
the Dutch as they had said on divers occasions they intended to do.
Makes His Escape.
The author was determined to make his escape whenever the opportunity
offered; and he could learn all about the whereabouts of the Federal
soldiers from the excited Confederate scouts who would ride along
the lines and say that the lopeared Dutch were as thick as rats at
Springfield, Missouri, moving around in every direction and they might
be attacked at any time and General McBride was looking every day to be
attacked by the Federal forces to cut off his forming a junction with
Generals Price and McCullough.
In about four or five days they reached Berryville, near where the
Eureka Springs are, and went into camp just west of Berryville right
at the spurs of the Boston mountain. The prisoners were placed in the
guard house near a little creek that was then dry. Captain Forshee's
company went into camp next to the company commanded by Captain
Galloway of Howell county. As the weather was very hot and dry and
the author had been marched barefooted (one of his shoes having worn
out) until his feet were badly blistered, he was lying down, feigning
sickness. The guard has become a little careless. Just about sundown
heavy thunder set in the west. The clouds continued to increase, the
elements grew very dark. In the mean time they had put out a chain
guard all around the encampment and said guard was about thirty steps
from guard house. The low lands were all bottom, covered with heavy
timber and a large oak had fallen across the creek and reached from
bank to bank and the bark had all slipped off. About thirty feet from
the top of the tree the foot of a steep mountain set in. The guard fire
was about sixty yards south of the guardhouse. The clouds soon came up
and a heavy rain set in, with terrific thunder and lightning, and as
the army had temporary tents the guards all crawled in under the tents
and left the author by the fire. The rain soon quenched the fire.
The chain guard were walking up and down the dry creek and they met at
the log referred to. The author thought now was his time to make his
escape, if ever; knowing that he would have to have a shoe, slipped to
one of the tents, got hold of a shoe, and then the thought struck him
that he would like to have a revolver, but on further examination found
their revolvers to be placed in such a position that it was impossible
to get one without waking the men. He then slipped to the butt of the
log and heard the guard meet at the log and turn again on their beat.
He at once crossed on the log on the other side, walked into the brush,
reached the foot of the mountain about twenty steps distant and halted.
Everything appeared to be quiet, the release around the guard fire were
singing, whooping and holloing.
The author then took the mountain which was about one quarter of a mile
high, and it always has appeared to the author that he crossed the log
and went up the mountain as light as a cat. On reaching the top, still
raining heavily, the thought came into his mind that "I am once more
a free man, but I am in an enemy's country, without friends," and at
once determined in my mind to reach Springfield, Missouri, if possible.
I sat down, pulled on the shoe that I had taken and it just fitted
without a sock; I then procured a dead stick for the purpose of holding
before me as I traveled for fear I would walk off of some steep cliff
or bluff, as it was very mountainous.
Having the guard fire for a criterion I moved northwest, soon struck
the leading road west that the army was marching on, traveled the road
for about one mile, came onto the pickets, surrounded the pickets,
struck the road again, traveled all night until just gray day,
directly west or nearly so. A slow rain continued all night. As soon as
it became light enough to see I found myself in a country completely
covered with pine timber. I turned square from the road, went about
350 yards up to the top of a high knob, found about one quarter of an
acre level bench. A large pine had turned out by the roots and the
hole was partially filled with old leaves. The author always had been
afraid of a snake but the time had come when he had more fear of a man
than a snake, so he rolled himself down into the hole in the leaves
and at the time had become chilled with the steady rain. About 9 or 10
o'clock, as well as the author could guess, he heard the beat of the
drum which told that the army was marching on the same road that he
had traveled in the night. In a short time the army passed where the
author was lying in the sink. The author could have raised himself up
and have seen the procession pass but he had seen them just as often
as he wanted to and he remained still. Late in the evening a company
of about 65 men passed. The author was informed afterwards that they
had been detailed to make search for the prisoner, with orders if they
found him, to shoot him at once. The author was further informed by
Confederates who belonged to the command that as soon next morning as
it was reported that the author had made his escape that the chain
guard declared that no man could have passed between them and they were
satisfied that the author was still inside of the lines.
They at once made a large detail and commenced searching. There were
quite a large number of box elders with very heavy, bushy tops. They
said every single tree, every drift and possible place of hiding, was
examined. Orders were at once issued by the commander, who sent word
back to the home of the author, that he had made his escape and to
watch for him and as soon as he came in home to arrest him and either
shoot him or hang him at once.
In the afternoon of the same day it cleared off and just as soon as
dark came, the author was determined to try to reach Springfield, being
in a strange country and knowing that if he was re-captured it would
be certain death. He knew somewhere about the distance he had traveled
west. He located the north star which he used as his pilot or guide
and set out for Springfield, having no arms of any kind, not even a
pocket knife and had become very hungry. He came to a slippery-elm
tree, took a rock, knocked off some of the bark, ate it and proceeded
on his journey, traveling all night. When gray day appeared again, he
went to a hickory grub, broke the grub off with a rock, cut the top
off with a sharp edged rock, to be used for a weapon, placed himself
in hiding, remained all day. As soon as night came, again he proceeded
on his journey, traveled no roads except when they run in direction
of the north star. On the second morning he went into a small cave
surrounded by a thicket, about 10 o'clock in the day he found that he
was near enough to some rebel command to hear the drilling. As soon as
dark came on he proceeded on his journey. The nights were dark and only
star light until the after part of the night. He went near a spring
house, but when he got to it, there wasn't a drop of milk in it. He
passed through an Irish potato patch, grabbed two or three small Irish
potatoes and ate them; passed through a wheat field, rubbed out some
dry wheat in his hand, ate that; ate a few leaves off of a cabbage. On
the third morning, went into hiding, remained until the darkness came
again and resumed the journey.
On the morning of the 4th at daylight I had reached an old trace,
pulled off my clothes and wrung them and put them on again as the dew
was very heavy and every morning my clothes would be wet. I went about
30 or 40 yards from the old trace and thought to myself, if I saw any
person passing that was not armed, that I would approach and learn
where I was. Hadn't been there more than a half hour when I heard a
wagon coming. As soon as the wagon came in sight I saw that there was a
lady driving, accompanied by a small girl and boy, I got up and moved
into the road, walked on, and met the wagon, spoke to the lady. She
stopped the wagon and I asked her if she would be kind enough to tell
me where I was, that I had got lost, traveled all night and didn't
know where I was. She told the author that he was in Stone county,
Missouri, and asked him where he was from. I told her that I was from
the state of Arkansas. She wanted to know if there was much excitement
there. I told her that there was; that men were enlisting and going
into the Confederate service and the people were generally excited over
the prospect of war. I asked her if there was any excitement in this
country. She replied that there was--that the rebels a day or two ago
had run in, on White River, and killed four Union men and drove out
about 40 head of cattle and "that's why I am going out here in this
wagon. My husband belongs to the home guards and has come in home on a
furlough and is afraid to knock around the place for fear he will be
waylaid and shot by the rebels."
I then asked her if she would allow me to ask her a civil question.
She replied that she would. I asked her what her politics were, and
she told me that she was a Union woman. I told her, then, that I would
tell her the truth; that the rebels had had me prisoner and that I
had made my escape from them and had been traveling only in the night
time; that this was the fourth morning since I had made my escape, and
I asked her how far it was to the house; that she was the first person
I had spoken to since I had made my escape. She said it was about 350
yards around the point, to go on down to the house, and as soon as she
got some light wood she would be back. I went to the house, halloed
at the fence, a man came to the door and invited me in. I walked in,
and at once I began to look for arms, and to my great delight I saw a
Springfield musket lying in the gun rack, with a cartridge box with
the letters U. S. on it. O! the thrill of joy that passed through my
mind. I had often heard the old adage quoted, that "a friend in need is
a friend indeed," but had never before realized its full meaning. In
a short time the lady returned. She went to work cooking, soon had me
something to eat, but I had almost lost my appetite, having fasted so
long.
After I ate something and while she was preparing provisions to carry
with me the man told me there was but one place that we could cross
White river without being placed in great danger of being captured by
the rebels, for they were patrolling up and down the river every day.
I told him I never had attempted to travel a foot in daylight since I
had made my escape. He told me he thought if we could get safely across
the river, he knew of an old trace that led across the mountains and
intersected Taney county and as soon as we reached that settlement they
all belonged to home guards and a man would be in no danger in making
himself known.