Another Meeting With Captain Forshee

In the spring of 1863 General Davidson was ordered to move from Rolla,

Missouri, directly south to Little Rock. On breaking camp and marching

in the direction of West Plains the author, with his company of scouts,

was ordered to report to him for service. On reaching West Plains he

went into camp. West Plains and vicinity were completely covered with

tents and troops. All of the hills adjoining West Plains were literally

covered with tents, Davidson's headquarters being inside of the town.

The author being sent out on a scout, came to the home of a man named

Barnett residing in Gunter's Valley and not being able to reach town,

went into camp near Barnett's. In a short time Barnett came in home.

He had been a lieutenant in the company where the author was prisoner.

He informed the author that he had been to Thomasville Mill and that

Captain Forshee, who lived about one mile below, had also returned with

him.

The author at once placed a guard around Barnett's house (Barnett

being the father-in-law of the Captain) detailed two men to accompany

him, prepared, mounted, and started to the residence of Forshee fully

determined to kill him. The author instructed his men that if Forshee

remained in the house and didn't attempt to run, to play off and tell

him that they belonged to Colonel Woods, a Confederate officer on White

river. The author then being clothed in Federal uniform and having but

a limited acquaintance with Forshee before the war did not think that

he would recognize him. On reaching the house we repaired to the door,

hallooed, and his wife invited us in. The author had his pistol under

the cape of his coat still determined upon killing him. On entering

the house, found him in bed with one of his children, his wife did not

have the supper on the table. The author asked him if he had ever

been in the Confederate service; he answered that he had, went out in

the six months provisional Confederate service; didn't stay his time

out, resigned and came home. The author asked him if they had taken

any prisoners while they were in service; he hesitated a moment and

replied that they did. The author asked him if he remembered the names

of any of them; he said he remembered the names of two of them well.

The author asked him if he knew what became of them; he said that

Black enlisted in the Confederate service, served his time out and

then substituted himself and was now in the eastern Confederate army;

he again hesitated. The author asked him if he knew what became of the

other man; he said that he didn't; that he made his escape from the

Confederate army and he had heard that he was a captain in the Northern

army. The author said with an oath "How would you like to see him;" he

replied "I would not like to see him very well." The author then said,

with an oath, "I am here, look at me and see whether you think I am

worth a beef cow or not." At this his wife sprang between him and the

author and he said to the author, "Captain, there ain't one man out of

ninety-nine but what would kill me for the treatment you received while

a prisoner but I have always thought that if I ever met you and you

would give me the time to explain the cause of it, you wouldn't kill

me, and I want to live to raise my children."

The thought passed through the mind of the author that he could not

kill him in the lap of his family; but he would take him to Barnett's

house where he had some more prisoners and on the next day he would

kill him on the way; ordered him to get out of that bed; Forshee again

appealed and said that he would like to know whether the author was

going to kill him or not; that he wanted to live to raise his children.

The author replied to him with an oath that "you ought to have thought

of these things when you was pulling me away from the bosom of my

family, never gave me time to bid them good-bye; get out of that bed."

There was about a six months old child in the cradle. He slid out of

the bed, kneeled down by the cradle, and was in the act of praying, his

wife still standing close by. The author ordered him to get up; that it

was too late to pray after the devil came; that I had been appointed by

the devil to send him up at once and lie had the coals hot and ready to

receive him and that I didn't want to disappoint the devil. He arose

to his feet and again asked the author if he was going to kill him;

said he wanted time to give me the whole truth of the matter; went

on to say Hawkins, Sapp, Kaiser and others were the cause of all the

mistreatment, but would admit that he done wrong in agreeing to deliver

the author to them for the purpose of having him mobbed and for abusing

him, himself.

His wife had hot coffee on the table and she asked that he be allowed

to sit down, saying that she wanted to see him sup coffee once more.

The author told her that they never gave him time to bid his wife

good-bye, let alone to sup coffee with her. After taking a few sups

of coffee, the author said that he couldn't fool any longer with him;

that he must strike a line and move out. His wife said that she was

going with him, but her husband told her she had no business going, as

it was then snowing and the ground was considerably frozen. The author

told her that if she was determined to go, the boys could take her and

the children behind them, but the Captain would have to walk right in

front of the author, and if he made a crooked step from there until

he reached Barnett's, he would shoot him through. The boys took his

wife and children on the horses, and the author started the Captain in

front of him. He had thought that he would be compelled to shoot him

on the way, but he could not shoot him in the presence of his family;

so he thought he would take him to the guard house and keep him until

morning, and then on the way to West Plains he would make a pretext to

kill him, for he thought he must kill him.

In the morning, after breakfast, we broke camp and moved in the

direction of West Plains. The author had now become cool, and while he

believed he ought to kill him for what he had done, he could not afford

to shoot, or cause a prisoner to be shot, while he was in his charge;

so on reaching West Plains, the prisoner was turned over to the guard

house.

The morning following was very cool, and the ground was covered with

snow. Gen. Davidson had ordered out a large scout for the purpose of

marching towards Batesville and White river, to feel the strength of

the enemy, and the author's company composed a part of the detail.

After the command was mounted and waiting for orders to move, the

sergeant of the guard came out and inquired if there was a Captain

Monks in that command. The Colonel informed him that there was. He

said there was a prisoner in the guard house who wanted to see him.

The author got permission to ride to the guard house, and on reaching

the door, who should meet him but Capt. Forshee, who told the author

that he had almost frozen the night before, and wanted to know if

the author couldn't loan him a blanket. He was told that he was the

last man who should ask the author for the use of a blanket. Forshee

replied: "That's so, Captain; but I believe that you are a good man,

and don't want to see a man, while he is a prisoner, suffer from cold."

The author asked him if they had any gray backs in the guard house.

He said he had none on himself, but didn't know in what condition the

others were.

The author had two new government blankets that he had paid $5 apiece

for a short time previous, on the back of his saddle. He told Forshee

that he didn't know as he would need them both until he had gotten back

from the scout, and would loan him a blanket until he returned. Forshee

replied: "I will never forget the favor." The author handed him one of

the blankets, and immediately started on the scout. While the scout was

south reconnoitering with the enemy, Gen. Davidson received orders from

headquarters countermanding the order to march to Little Rock by land,

and that he would march his forces to Ironton, Missouri, and there

await further orders. He at once broke camp and resumed his march in

the direction of Ironton, carrying the prisoners with him, with orders

for the scout on its return to move up and overtake him, as they were

all cavalry. So the author never saw Capt. Forshee nor his blanket any

more, but was informed that he was paroled at Ironton, took the oath,

returned to Oregon county, and died shortly after the close of the war.

Upon the return of the scout to West Plains, a part of the command that

belonged to Gen. Davidson's forces moved on after the army, while the

author, with two companies, remained in West Plains about half a day

for the purpose of resting up. While in West Plains a rebel that the

author was well acquainted with, came to him and told him he had better

be getting out of West Plains, for a force of five hundred rebels was

liable to come into West Plains at any moment. The author pretended

to become considerably alarmed, and reported that he was going to

march directly to Rolla with the two companies then under his command.

After marching about fifteen miles in the direction of Rolla, he made

a flank movement, marched into the corner of Douglass county, was

there reinforced, and the next day marched directly to the west end of

Howell county. The rebels, believing that the Federal troops had all

left the county, came in small bunches from all over the county. The

author made a forced march and reached the west end of the county about

dark, turned directly toward West Plains, took the rebels completely by

surprise, had a number of skirmishes with them, reaching West Plains

with more rebel prisoners than he had men of his own. On the next day

we turned in the direction of Rolla, and by forced march reached Texas

county. On the next morning we reached the Federal post at Houston, in

Texas county, and turned over the prisoners, among whom were several

prominent officers. Capt. Nicks was one of them. On the night of his

capture the author said to him: "It appears to me that it is about the

same time of night that they brought me prisoner to your house." He

answered: "I declare I believe it is." After the rebels found the small

number of the force that had made the scout, they declared that it was

a shame to let Monks run right into the very heart of the rebels and

carry out more prisoners than he had men.

Murdering Federal Soldiers.

Some time in June, 1863, a rebel scout and a Federal scout had a

fight about twenty miles northwest of Rolla. The rebels were forced

to abandon a number of wagons and mules, and the Federals, owing to

the emergency that confronted them at the time, did not wish to be

encumbered with them, so they employed a farmer to keep the mules in

his pasture until the government should send for them. The Federal

scouts from Rolla and Jefferson City would meet occasionally while

scouting. On the scout's arrival at Rolla, another scout composed of

about one company of Federals was sent out to bring in the wagons

and teams. Just before reaching the place where the wagons and teams

had been left, they saw a command of about two hundred and fifty men,

all dressed in Federal uniforms, and they at once took them to be a

Federal scout from Jefferson City. On approaching each other, they

passed the army salute, and marched right down the Federal line; they,

being unsuspecting, believed them to be Federal troops. As soon as

they were in position each man had his man covered with a pistol. The

rebel scout outnumbering the Federal scout more than two to one, they

demanded their surrender. The Federals, seeing their condition, at once

surrendered. They were marched about a quarter of a mile, near where

the wagons and teams were left, dismounted and went into camp, as the

rebels claimed, for dinner. Several citizens were present. They marched

the Federal company together, surrounded them in a hollow square,

brought some old ragged clothing, and ordered them to strip. After they

were all stripped completely naked, and while some were attempting

to put on the old clothing, all their uniforms having been removed a

short distance from them, at a certain signal the rebels fired a deadly

volley into them. Then followed one of the most desperate scenes ever

witnessed by the eye of man. The men saw their doom, and those who were

not killed by the first volley rushed at the rebels, caught them, tried

to wrest their arms from them, and a desperate struggle took place; men

wrestling, as it were, for their very lives.

A number of the Federals had their throats cut with knives. After the

rebels had completed the slaughter and hadn't left a man alive to tell

the tale, they ate their dinner, and taking the mules and wagons, moved

southwest with them. The citizens at once reported the affair to the

commander of the post at Rolla.

The men who were killed belonged to an Iowa regiment, and the author

believes it was the 3rd Iowa, but will not be positive. A strong detail

was made and sent at once to the scene of the late tragedy, with wagons

and teams to bring the dead back to Rolla. On their arrival with them,

it was the most horrible scene that the author ever looked upon. After

they were buried, the regiment to which they belonged declared and

avowed that they intended to take the same number of rebel lives. The

commander, knowing their determination, and being satisfied that they

would carry it into effect if the opportunity offered, transferred them

to another part of the country.

A Rebel Raid.

Some time in the fall of 1863 the Federal authorities at Rolla learned

that the rebels were organizing a strong force in Arkansas, for the

purpose of making a raid into Missouri. The rebels were under the

command of Gen. Burbrage. The author, being still the commander of the

scouts, was ordered to take one man and go south, for the purpose of

learning, if possible, the movements of the rebels. The author left

Rolla, came by way of Houston, where there was a post, thence to Hutton

Valley, where there was living a man named Andy Smith, who was a Union

man, but had made the rebels believe he was in favor of the south.

The author approached Smith's house after dark, got something to eat

and to feed his horses, and learned from Smith that the rebels were

about prepared to make the raid into Missouri. On the next day the

author was informed by Smith that Burbrage was then moving with his

full force in the direction of Missouri. The author at once started,

intending to reach the nearest Federal force, which was in Douglas

county. In the meantime, Gen. Burbrage, with his whole force, reached

the Missouri line, leaving West Plains a little to the right, taking

an old trace that ran on the divide between the waters of the North

fork of White river and of Eleven Points river, this being afterwards

known as "the old Burbrage trail." The author, expecting they would

march by way of West Plains and on through Hutton Valley, thought he

would be able to keep ahead of them and make his report; but owing to

their marching an entirely different route, the author crossed their

trail. He found that a large force of men had just passed and he, in

company with a man named Long, examined the horse tracks, found that

the shoes contained three nails in each side, and knew at once that it

must be Burbrage's command. They had passed not more than three hours

before this time. Making a forced march, the author and Long followed

on the same trail, and soon came to a house, holloed, and a lady coming

out, we inquired how far the command was ahead. The lady informed us

that they hadn't been gone more than three hours, and she exclaimed:

"Hurrah for Gen. Burbrage and his brave men! The Yankees and lopeared

Dutch are goin' to ketch it now, and they intend to clean them out of

the country!" We then became satisfied as to whose command it was, and

their destination. We rode on about two hundred yards from the house,

turned to the left, and started with all possible speed, intending,

if possible, to go around them and get the word in ahead of them. On

striking the road at the head of the North Fork of White river, we

looked ahead of us about a hundred yards and saw twenty-five men, about

fifty yards from the road, all in citizen's dress, wearing white hat

bands. The state had ordered all the state militia to wear white hat

bands, so that they might be designated from the rebels. The author

remarked to Long: "I guess the men are militia, but we will ride slowly

along the road and pass them, for fear they are rebels." They remained

still on their horses until after we had passed them, then they moved

forward and came riding up and halted us, and wanted to know who we

were. The author told them his name was Williams and Long told them his

name was Tucker. They asked us if we had ever heard of the Alsups, and

we told them we had. Then they wanted to know where we were going. We

told them we were going into Arkansas, near Yellville; that a general

order had been made in the state of Missouri that all able-bodied men

must come and enroll their names and those who were not in the state

service would have to be taxed; that we didn't want to fight nor pay a

tax to support those who were fighting. They ordered us to dismount,

surrounded us, with cocked pistols, and ordered us to crawl out of our

clothes and give up our arms. We commenced to strip. Long had on a

very fine pair of boots, for which he had just paid $5.00, and while

the author didn't know at what moment they would be shot, he could

not help but be tickled at the conduct of Long when they ordered him

to take off his boots. He crossed his legs and commenced pulling,

with the remark: "My boots are tight." The pistols were cocked and

presented right on him, not more than six feet away, and they told him

to hurry up or they would shoot his brains out. While he was pulling

at his boots he appeared to be looking right down the muzzles of the

revolvers. As soon as he had pulled off his boots and pitched them

over, they remarked: "Hell, a right brand new pair of socks on. Pull

them off quick and throw them over." A part of these men were dressed

in the dirtiest, most ragged clothes the author had ever seen--old wool

hats, with strings tied under their chins, old shoes with the toes worn

out, and old socks that were mostly legs; but claiming all the time to

be militia. They ordered us to get into their old clothes and shoes,

and placed their old hats upon us. Our clothing and hats all being new,

the author thought that was one of the hardest things they had ordered

him to do; that he was just as apt to get out of the garments as to get

into them. After we were dressed in their old clothing, one of them

asked: "What did you say your name was?" Long replied, "Tucker." One

that was standing a little back came running up with his pistol cocked,

and remarked that if he was a certain Tucker (naming the Tucker): "I

am going to kill him right here." Another of the number said: "Hold

on, this man is not the Tucker that you are thinking of." Then their

leader said, with an oath: "We belong to Gen. Burbrage's command. He

is just ahead. Do you want us to take you up to headquarters?" We told

him we had heard of Gen. Burbrage, and expected that he was a good

man, so if they wanted to take us to his headquarters all right: but

we did not want to fall into the hands of the militia, as we wanted to

get through to Yellville while Gen. Burbrage was in the country. One

of the men looked at the horses we were riding and remarked: "Let's

take the horses. We have orders to take all horses that are fit for the

service." Another said the horses were rather small for the service,

and as we would have a great deal of water to cross between there and

Yellville, it would be a pity to make us wade it. Then their leader

remarked: "We are Confederate soldiers, out fighting for our country,

and you men are too damned cowardly to fight. We have got to have

clothing, and as we suppose you are good southern men, when you get to

Yellville you can work for more clothes." They then ordered us to take

the road and move on, and tell the Alsups that the country was full of

rebels.

We mounted our horses and rode away, feeling happy on account of our

escape. They remained in the road and watched us until we were out of

their sight. The author looked over at Long's feet and saw his toes

sticking out of his old shoes; could see his naked skin in several

places through his raiment. He hardly looked natural--didn't look like

the same man. We hadn't gone more than a mile until we struck a farm

and a road leading between the farm on one side and the bluff and river

on the other, and looking in front, saw about fifteen men coming. The

author said to Long: "What shall we do? Shall we attempt to run, or

had we better pass them?" We concluded that it was impossible to get

away by running; the only chance left being to try to pass through them

without being recognized.

We rode up to meet them, and they halted us and wanted to know where

we were going. We told them we were going to Marion county, Arkansas,

near Yellville. They asked us our names and we again gave the names

of Williams and Tucker. A man named Charley Durham who had resided at

West Plains and had met me several times, rode up near us and asked

me; "What did you say your name was?" I replied, "Williams." He asked:

"Did you ever live down here about the state line?" I told him I never

did, but I might have had relatives who lived on the state line. He

said: "I am satisfied that I have seen you somewhere." One of the crowd

asked us if we had met about twenty-five soldiers just ahead, and when

we informed them that we had, they remarked: "Bully for the boys; we

had better be moving on or we will be late." They moved on, and we

continued down the road. As soon as we were out of sight I said to

Long; "We will not risk our chances in passing any more of them; there

are too many men down here that are acquainted with us. If it hadn't

been for my old clothes, Charley Durham would have recognized me beyond

a doubt." We then left the road and took to the woods, reaching the

Federal forces about midnight. They had not heard a thing regarding

the approach of the rebels. They hurriedly began to gather in all the

forces, and at once set out to find, if possible, the destination of

Gen. Burbrage. It was learned that he had completely cut us off from

reaching either Houston or Rolla. On the next day the Federal forces

met Gen. Burbrage at Hearstville, Wright county, Missouri, and there

fought a battle with him. The commander of the post at Houston, who

was in command of the Federals, was killed on the first fire from the

artillery of Gen. Burbrage. Col McDonald, during the engagement, was

shot dead at the head of the town spring. Burbrage retreated on the

same route that he had come up on. His command was separated into

several divisions, to get food.

Long and I had been furnished clothes and arms. Capt. Alsup being in

command, moved near the road that leads down Fox Creek, saw a rebel

scout moving down Fox Creek, composed of a part of the same men we

had met the day before. Capt. Alsup said he thought that by striking

the road and taking the rebels by surprise we could rout them. On

marching about a mile we came in sight of them, dismounted for dinner

at the house of a man named Ferris. I proposed to Capt. Alsup that we

charge them. He thought it might be too dangerous; that they would

have the benefit of the house, and might outnumber us, and we would be

compelled to retreat and might be cut off from our horses. He ordered

us to dismount, formed a line, left men to hold the horses, and on

moving about ten steps, the rebel picket, who was placed just outside

of the line, discovered us. They opened fire from each side of the

house, and along a picket fence which enclosed the house. We returned

the fire. The first volley that was fired, a ball passed near my ear,

and wounded the horse that I was riding. The firing continued for some

time. We had them cut off from their horses, unless they came outside

and faced the continual firing. One man attempted to leave the house

and reach his horse, but about ten feet from the door he received a

wound in the face and fell to the ground. In a moment he arose to

his feet, and he and several others again retreated into the house.

The firing continued for fifteen or twenty minutes, when the rebels

retreated on foot, by taking advantage of the house, except one man,

who reached his horse, cut the halter, sprang into the saddle, turned

his horse down the lane, leaning close to the horn of the saddle, put

spurs and made his escape. In the meantime the wounded man attempted to

make his escape by taking advantage of the house and retreating. Capt.

Alsup, when he saw the rebels were retreating, ordered a charge. The

wounded man was again wounded, and fell to the ground, helpless. All

the other rebels reached the woods, and made their escape.

Farris, the man who owned the house where the rebels were stopping,

received a serious wound in the breast. They left sixteen horses with

their rigs, saddle-riders filled with new clothing, in our possession.

Gen. Burbrage retreated from the state, and the author reported to his

command at Rolla.

Rescuing Union Families.

In the fall of 1862 some of the Union men whose families were still

residing in Ozark and Howell counties went to the Federal post and were

promised arms and ammunition in order to return and try to get their

families out, as it had become almost impossible for their families

to get through alone, on account of being robbed. About fifty of them

procured arms and started for Howell county, from the outpost of the

Federal authorities. They marched at night and lay by in the day,

and on reaching the western part of Howell county, informed their

families to get ready to move, still keeping themselves in hiding.

About twenty families prepared for moving, and had assembled on the

bayou, near where Friend's old mill was located. Just about the time

they were ready to start, a bunch of rebels came up and opened fire

on them. They returned the fire and held the rebels at a distance

while they moved all their wagons up close together, and started in

the direction of Ozark county. One of the men who had come to assist

in the escort became excited upon the first fire from the rebels and

ran, never stopping until he reached the Federal lines. The remainder

of the men bravely repelled the rebels, while their families kept

their teams steadily moving. On reaching the big North Fork of White

River, and while the families in their wagons were in mid-stream,

the rebels reached the bluff and opened fire on them. The Union men

vigorously returned the fire. They all reached the opposite side of the

river without one of their number being killed; some of the women and

children had received slight wounds, but nothing serious. The rebels

still continued to fire upon them until they reached the northern part

of Ozark county, when further pursuit was abandoned, and about twenty

families were enabled to reach the Federal lines. In a short time the

Union men attempted to again reach their homes, for the purpose of

helping destitute families to get out. They traveled only at night,

keeping themselves concealed in day time. In this way they reached

Fulton county, Arkansas, when the rebels found out that some of the

Union men were in the country. The rebel forces at once became so

strong that the Federals had to retreat without getting any of their

families, passing back through the western part of Howell county, over

into Ozark, and went into camp on the head of Lick Creek. Shortly

after they got into camp the rebels slipped up on them and opened fire,

mortally wounding a man named Fox and slightly wounding several others.

They had to scatter at once to avoid being captured, and when they

reached the Federal lines they were almost worn out. At this time all

of the Federal posts had numbers of refugee families stationed near

them, entirely destitute of food and raiment, and relying entirely for

their preservation upon the small amount of help they received from the

government.

General Price's Raid.

Upon my return from Batesville, Arkansas, in the spring of 1864, I

commenced recruiting for the 16th Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, the

most of the regiment being composed of men who had been in the state

service. The required number to form the regiment was soon procured,

and the regiment was organized, electing for their Colonel, John Mahan.

The author was elected Captain of Co. K. The regiment was at once

placed in active service, being quartered at Springfield, Missouri, up

to the time of Gen. Price's raid. Then the regiment was divided, one

half of it being sent in pursuit of Price. The other half, which was

known as the second battalion, was placed under my command and held at

Springfield, it being expected that Gen. Price would change his line

of march and attack the city. As soon as the fact was ascertained that

Price was marching north and west of Springfield, orders were made to

send every available man that could be spared from the post. Among

the troops sent out was the author's battalion. We were ordered on a

forced march in the direction of Utony, for the purpose of cutting off

Price's retreat. We reached Utony about 10 o'clock at night, where they

had a strong Federal garrison. Two thousand rebels of Price's command

had just marched across the road before we reached the garrison,

and gone into camp in sight of the town. Strong pickets were thrown

out on each side. About daylight the Federal forces broke camp and

moved on the rebel camp, soon coming in sight of the rebel forces,

and fire was opened on both sides. The rebels commenced retreating,

the Federals pursuing, and continuous firing and fighting was kept

up until we came near the Arkansas line. A number of rebel prisoners

were taken, besides some of their commissary wagons falling into

the possession of the Federals. The Federal commander then ordered

a retreat back to Springfield. Price's forces had torn up all the

railroads as they passed over them, cutting off all supplies, and

the soldiers and prisoners had been placed on quarter rations. The

prisoners, numbering about three hundred and fifty, were ordered to be

taken to Rolla, Missouri. After the first day's march from Springfield

they met a Federal train carrying commissaries to Springfield and

other western points. The men being then on quarter rations, the

Colonel took possession of some of the commissaries and issued them to

the soldiers and prisoners, for which he was afterward arrested and

court-martialed. On reaching Lebanon, Missouri, I saw the quartermaster

haul in about five or six loads of shucked corn, which was distributed

to the soldiers and prisoners. I well remember that while they were

distributing the corn to the prisoners, a general rush, which appeared

to be almost uncontrollable, was made around the wagon. The corn was

thrown out on the ground among them, they picked it up in their arms,

and at once retired to their camp fires, so that they might parch and

eat it. After leaving Lebanon, the prisoners were all placed in charge

of the author. He remembers one rebel prisoner who had on a fine dress

coat, with a bullet hole right in the center of the back, and the

soldiers had to be watched closely to prevent them from shooting him,

as they believed it to be a coat that had been taken from the body of

some Union man, after he had been shot.

On reaching Rolla, the author turned over all the prisoners to the

commander of the post, and they were sent directly to Rock Island,

there to be held as prisoners until such time as they might be

exchanged. I again returned to Springfield and reported to my regiment.

A short time thereafter, the loyal men of the counties of Howell,

Dent, Texas, Phelps, Ozark and Douglas, in Missouri, and of Fulton,

Izard and Independence counties, in Arkansas, with a number of the

officers and soldiers, including the commander at Rolla, petitioned

Gen. Schofield, who was then in command of the western district, to

have the author detached from his regiment, then at Springfield, and

sent south of Rolla to some convenient place, and given command of a

post, as it was almost impossible to send commissaries through from

Rolla to Springfield, on what was known as the wire road, on account of

the roving bands of rebels, who had complete control of the country, a

short distance from the military post.

Capt. Monks Establishes a Post at Licking.

Gen. Schofield at once made an order that Capt. Monks be detached from

his regiment and report at Rolla, with his company, for further orders.

Gen. Sanborn, then in command at Springfield, informed the author of

his final destination; that on reaching Rolla, he would be ordered by

Gen. Schofield to Licking, Missouri, to establish a post.

It soon leaked out, and the rebels swore openly that if he established

a post at Licking or at any other southern point, they would soon drive

the post into the ground and annihilate him and his men. I went to Gen.

Sanborn and requested that he send a telegram to Gen. Schofield, and

ask him to countermand that part of the order that required Capt. Monks

to report at Rolla for further orders, and order him to move directly

from Springfield to Licking. The General hesitated for sometime, as to

whether it would be good policy, owing to the large numbers of rebels

in the country through which I had to pass. He didn't believe that I

would be able to reach Licking with the one company, but he finally

decided that if I was willing to risk it, he would ask Gen. Schofield

to change his order. On Gen. Schofield's receiving the telegram, he

made an order that I be detached from my regiment, be furnished two

company wagons, be well supplied with arms, and proceed directly to

Licking. On reaching Licking I was to report by courier to headquarters

for further orders; and in obedience to said order, two company wagons,

with tents, commissaries, arms and ammunition were at once furnished,

and I set out for Licking, Texas county; passed Hartville, the county

seat of Wright county, and struck the waters of Big Piney. There was

considerable snow on the ground at the time. I took the rebels by

complete surprise. While they were expecting me from Rolla to Licking,

I struck them from the direction they least expected. On reaching

Piney, I encountered a rebel force of about sixty men. We had a fight,

two or three rebels were killed, and the rest retreated south. From

that time until we reached Licking, we had more or less fighting every

day. We would strike trails of rebels in the snow, where there appeared

to be over one hundred men, but they were so sure that it was a large

scout from Springfield that they did not take time to ascertain, but

retreated south at once. On reaching Licking, I sent a dispatch to

Gen. Schofield, telling of my arrival, and immediately received orders

to establish a post and erect a stockade fort, and to issue such

orders as I believed would rid the country of those irregular bands of

rebels and bushwhackers and protect all in their person and property,

especially the loyal men. I immediately selected a frame building for

my headquarters, with an office near by for the man acting as provost

marshal; issued my order requiring all persons who claimed protection

from the Federal authorities to come in and take the oath, and bring

with them axes, shovels, picks and spades, with their teams, for the

purpose of erecting a stockade fort. And further setting out in said

order, requiring all persons who knew of any irregular bands of rebels

or bushwhackers roaming or passing through the country, to report

them at once; and if they failed to report them, they would be taken

as bushwhackers and treated as such. In a short time I had erected

a complete stockade fort with port-holes, and room enough inside to

place all the cavalry horses in case of an attack by the rebels. I had

these orders printed and sent out all over the country. In a short

time, a man who had been known to be a rebel, but had stayed at home

unmolested, but who had been giving aid and comfort to the rebels,

came into the office and said: "Captain, I want to see you in your

private room." On entering the room he said: "I have read that order

of yours. You don't intend to enforce it, do you, Captain?" I said to

him that I did or I wouldn't have made it; that the rebels and I could

not both stay in that country. He said to me, "Captain, of all the post

commanders we have had here, there never was one of them issued such

an order as that. You know if I were to report those rebel bands they

would kill me." I replied, "Very well; you have read my order, and I

have said to you and all others that if you fail to report them I will

kill you; and you say if you do report them, they will kill you; now,

if you are more afraid of them than you are of me, you will have to

risk the consequences; for, by the eternal God! if you fail to report

them, I have said to you that I would treat you as a bushwhacker, and

you well know how I treat them." He dropped his head for a few minutes,

then raised it and said: "Well, it is mighty hard, Captain." I replied

that there were a great many hard things now; asked him where all of

his Union neighbors were. He said that they had been forced to leave

their homes and were around the Federal posts for the reason that they

claimed to be Union men. I told him that "a lot of you rebels have

lain here in the country and made more money than you ever made before

in your lives, and at the same time you have been giving aid, comfort

and encouragement to all of these irregular bands--giving them all the

information that they wanted, so that they might know just when to

make their raids, and now I propose to break it up and stop it, unless

they are able to rout me and drive me away. The government proposes to

protect all of you who will come in and take the oath and comply with

every requirement set out in the order. All I ask of you men is to give

me information of these irregular rebel bands and their whereabouts,

and you can again return home and your information will be kept a

secret; but this much you are required to do." In a short time a large

number of them had come in and enrolled their names, took the oath and

went to work on the fort like heroes.

Occasionally one would come in and say "Captain, I want to procure a

pass for me and my family through the Federal lines; I want to leave."

I would ask him; "What's the matter now? You have stayed here all

through the war, up to the present time, and now I have come among you,

and offered to protect every one of you who will take the oath and

comply with orders." He would reply with a long sigh, "Yes, Captain

but that order that you have made." I would ask him "what order."

"You require all citizens, especially we people who have been rebels,

and stayed at home, to report all of the roving bands of rebels and

bushwhackers; if we don't do it, you will treat us like bushwhackers;

if we were to report them, they would kill us." I said, "Now, you must

chose between the two powers; and if you are more afraid of the rebels

than you are of me, you will have to risk your chances. You say if you

report them, they will kill you. Now, by the Eternal, I am determined

to enforce everything that I have set out in that order. This day you

must settle in your own mind whom you will obey. As soon as the first

roving bands of rebels and guerrillas reached the country for the

purpose of raiding the wire road between Rolla and Springfield, the

night never was too dark but that this same class of men would come in

and report them. I would at once make a detail, send these men right

out with them. As soon as they would get near to the rebels, they would

dismiss these men and let them go home."

The rebels, for several years, had been sending out a large scout

from North Arkansas and the border counties of Missouri and when they

would reach Texas and Pulaski counties they would divide into small

squads and travel the byways and ridges; on reaching the wire road

they would then concentrate and lay in wait until the wagon trains

and non-combatants who were merchants, were moving through from Rolla

to Springfield under the protection of an escort; and all at once

they would make a charge upon them from their hiding places, rout the

escort, capture the train and all others that might be in company with

it, cut the mules loose from the wagon, take all the goods that was not

cumbersome, especially coffee, sugar, salt and dry goods, place them on

the backs of the mules, travel a short distance, divide up again into

small parties, take byways and mountains, travel fifteen or twenty

miles, go into camp; on reaching the counties of Oregon and Shannon,

Fulton and Lawrence, of Arkansas, they would concentrate their forces,

go into camp, eat, drink, and be merry. As soon as their supplies

would run short, they would make another scout of a similar nature.

The commanders of the post, as soon as they would attack the trains,

would order out a scout to pursue them. They would strike their trail

and follow them a short distance to where they would separate and take

to the mountains. They would abandon the pursuit, return and swear

that the country wasn't worth protecting. In that way they completely

outgeneraled the Federal forces and held complete possession of the

country almost in sight of the post.

On one occasion, when the weather was very cold and bleak, I knew of

their capturing some of the Federal soldiers within one mile of the

fort, kept them until the coldest part of the night, just before day,

stripped them naked, turned them loose, and they were compelled to

travel a mile before they could reach a fire, and they were almost

frostbitten. Every Union man was driven away from his home and moved

his family to different posts.

The author had declared that he and the rebels could not both remain

in the country together; that he would either rout them or they would

have to rout him, and for that reason every man that remained in the

country would have to aid him in the work. So, in every instance, when

he would send a force in pursuit of those raiding bands, he would order

the scout to follow them, and when they divided to still continue

pursuit of the most visible trail, and when they came in sight to not

take time to count noses, but charge them and pursue them until they

were completely annihilated. They would go into camp and move at

their leisure, but not so when my scouts got in pursuit of them. In a

number of instances they would overtake them from twenty to twenty-five

miles from the wire road, in camp, having a jolly good time, and the

first intimation they would have would be the boys in blue charging in

amongst them, shooting right and left, and they would scatter in all

directions.

It was but a short time until they remarked to some of the rebel

sympathizers that they had never seen such a change in the movements of

the Federal scouts; that they used to consider themselves safe from a

Federal scout as soon as they left the main road and divided into small

squads; but now they were in as much danger in the most secluded spot

in the mountains as they were in the traveled roads; therefore, their

commanders would have to change their tactics in regard to the scouts,

and abandon that part of the country, as almost every scout that they

had made to the wire road had proved disastrous since "Old Monks" had

been placed in command of the post. In a short time, the Union men, who

had been driven from the country, began to return and go onto their

farms, and about five months after I had been placed in command of the

post, the civil authorities came and held circuit court, Judge Waddle,

of Springfield, then being circuit judge.

Skirmishes with the Rebels.

Some time in the summer, Col. Freeman, who was commanding the rebels

in northeastern Arkansas, whose headquarters were near the Spring

River mill, made a raid and threatened to capture the Federal forces

that were then at the Licking post. I soon gained information of his

intention, made every preparation to repel the attack, also informed

the commander at Rolla of the intended raid. Col. Freeman, accompanied

by other rebel commanders, concentrated all of the available rebel

force then at his command, raided the country, came within about five

miles of the post, learned that reinforcements had been sent to the

post, countermarched and retreated to his headquarters near the head of

Spring river.

A regiment of Federal troops, known as the Fifteenth Veterans, was sent

as a reinforcement, with a part of the Fifth Missouri State Militia

that was then stationed at Salem, with orders to remain at the post.

I received orders to organize all of the available troops and pursue

the rebel forces, and, if possible, to reach the Spring River mill,

in Fulton county, Arkansas, and destroy the mill, which Freeman was

using at that time for grinding meal. The Federal force composing the

scout, aggregating about three hundred and fifty men, moved from the

post at Licking. The author divided his forces, ordering one wing of

them to move through Spring Valley, in Texas county; the other wing to

move directly in the direction of Thomasville, with orders to form a

junction about seven miles from Thomasville, where there was a rebel

force stationed. On reaching the Wallace farm, in Oregon county, we

came onto a force of rebels, commanded by James Jamison, who had

met for the purpose of receiving ammunition which had been smuggled

through from Ironton. After an engagement, the rebels fled, leaving

one man dead; James Jamison received a flesh wound in the thigh. The

Federal force which had been ordered through Spring Valley had had an

engagement near the head of the valley, which had delayed them. The

plans of the author had been frustrated by coming in contact with the

rebels sooner than he expected. As they had retreated in the direction

of Thomasville, where the main force was said to be stationed, I

continued my march, and in about one mile came onto a rebel camp, where

the rebels had cabins erected for quarters; here another spirited

engagement took place, the rebels retreating in the direction of

Thomasville, the Federal forces still pursuing.

Just above Thomasville the command encountered a strong picket force,

fired upon the command, intending to halt it, but being satisfied that

there was a trap laid I ordered a charge. The picket force retreated

to the left, up a steep hill, and at once the whole rebel force opened

fire from the side of the mountain; the bullets flew just above our

heads like hail, one ball passing through my hat. We still continued

the charge and on reaching the top of the hill, routed the whole rebel

force and they again retreated. The author marched into Thomasville,

selected his camping ground inside of Captain Olds' barn lot, giving us

the advantage of the barn, in case we were attacked by a superior rebel

force. I at once dispatched a forage train with strong escort to gather

in all the forage possible, as it was very scarce in the country. After

we had been in camp about an hour I inquired of Captain Olds if he knew

of any corn. He said he did not. In about a half hour my attention was

called by one of the captains pointing to a large smokehouse, and on

looking, saw the soldiers taking down any amount of first-class corn. I

informed the captain that Captain Olds had claimed that he had no corn;

to take the quartermaster and let him place a guard over the corn, to

see that it was not wasted, and that it was properly apportioned. In a

short time the author saw Captain Olds coming. He went to one of the

other captains and inquired who the commander was. He was informed that

it was Capt. Monks. He came to the author laughing and remarked: "You

found my corn, did you? I told you that I had none; I had to secrete it

in that building to keep it so that the rebels could not find it." I

just remarked to Captain Olds: "You needn't try to hide anything from

these lopeared Dutch, for I don't care where you put it they will find

it." The men who discovered the corn were all Germans and belonged to a

German company. He asked us to feed just as sparingly as possible and

leave him a part of the corn, which we did. He then attempted to warn

the author of his danger and asked him if he intended to camp there for

the night; said that Colonel Freeman had over one thousand men which

he could concentrate within five or six hours and that he would cut

the author's command all to pieces. The author replied to the captain

that that was his business, that Freeman had come up on the scout and

claimed that he was wanting a fight; the author prepared for him and

expected to accommodate him but he changed his notion and retreated,

devastating the country as he went, and now the author was hunting

him and his forces and wanted to fight. If he came up that night and

attacked the author's command that it would save any more trouble

hunting him.

Just about that time the author saw the other part of the command

approaching and called the attention of Captain Olds and asked him if

he thought that was a part of Freeman's command. After looking a few

minutes he said to the author: "They are Federal troops." I asked him

if he thought we would be able to remain there until morning? He said

that he thought we would and invited me to come into his house and

eat supper. While at supper asked if we intended to march any further

south. The author informed him that if his information was correct

in regard to Freeman's forces we were about as far away from home as

we ought to get and that we had better move back in the direction

of the post. The author ordered the command to be ready to march by

early daylight, next morning broke camp and moved in the direction of

Spring river. On reaching the head of Warm fork of Spring river, we

encountered another rebel force; had a short engagement, and they again

retreated. On reaching the head of Spring river about the middle of the

afternoon, we again met a rebel force; after considerable firing they

retreated.

The author moved up near the mill and went into camp. The mill was

grinding corn with quite a lot of corn on hand, but the miller left and

retreated with the rebels. The author soon placed a substitute in his

place and the boys had a fine time baking corn cakes.

After supper, some of the men had just retired to rest, when the rebels

again made a fierce attack; after fighting for twenty or twenty-five

minutes they retreated a short distance and went into camp, the river

dividing the two forces. During the night the two pickets would dare

each other to cross the river. During the night there came a heavy rain

and made the Warm fork of Spring river swimming; there was no way to

cross except on the mill dam.

The next morning about daylight the author ordered them to take the

millstones and break them up and destroy the machinery so it would be

impossible to grind; dismounted about one hundred men, placed them in

hiding and marched away a short distance, thinking the rebels would

cross over and we would surprise and capture them. But on seeing the

Federals break camp and marching up on the west side of the river, they

broke camp and marched up on the east side of the river. The author

then mounted his men and marched up the Warm fork to where he effected

a crossing, marched about ten miles, went into camp for the purpose of

getting breakfast. Just after breakfast, the author noticed the advance

of a rebel force march out on another road; as soon as they discovered

that the Federals were in camp, they fell back and the author at

once mounted his men. On the other road, as there was a considerable

hill that hid them from sight, he formed his men in two lines in a V;

detailed a strong advance force, ordered them to move onto the rebels

and charge them, and in case they found that they were too strong, to

retreat back between the lines for the purpose of drawing the rebel

forces in between the lines. After a fierce conflict, lasting but a few

minutes, the rebels again retreated, leaving a rebel Major dead upon

the ground. We then marched into Thomasville and had another running

fight with the rebels, went into camp and the next morning marched back

in the direction of the post at Licking, reaching the post about 10

o'clock that night. The author again took command at the post and the

Fifteenth Veterans returned to Rolla.

Ridding the Country of Bushwhackers.

It soon became very rare to hear of a rebel scout north of the

mountain. Both rebel and Union men who claimed protection by the

Federal authorities began to repair and improve their farms again.

During the time that the author was in command of the post, which

continued up to the time that peace was made, his command had routed

and completely driven from the country all irregular and roving bands

of rebels and bushwhackers and had had numbers of small engagements

in which there had been from eighty to ninety of the most desperate

class of men that ever lived, killed, which was shown in the adjutant

general's report. After they had been driven out of the county, they

located in the counties of Oregon, Shannon and Dent, and at once

commenced pillaging and robbing all classes of citizens, irrespective

of their political adherence. Col. Freeman sent a courier through the

lines with a dispatch, stating the condition of affairs, and asking

that an armistice be entered into between Col, Freeman's scouts and

the scouts which might be sent out from the post, with an understanding

that they were going to aid each other in routing and driving out these

irregular bands.

While engaged in that work they were not to fire on each other, but to

co-operate. The author was to enter into the agreement if it could be

effected. Col. Freeman sent Capt. Cook into Oregon and Shannon counties

to locate those roving guerrilla bands, and in some way, unknown to

either Col. Freeman or myself, they gained the information, and while

Capt. Cook was in Oregon county locating them, they waylaid him and

killed him. Col. Freeman, realizing the fact that they had come into

possession of the whole scheme, came to the conclusion that we had

better abandon the agreement. He organized scouts and captured and shot

some of the most desperate characters that were leaders, while the

author kept a vigilant watch to keep them from crossing over into Texas

or adjoining counties. At the time peace was made, it was admitted by

the law-abiding people, irrespective of party, that the command of Col.

Monks had completely rid the country of all irregular bands of rebels

and had made it safe, in a short time after he had taken command of the

post, for forage trains and all other classes of citizens to pass on

the wire road from Rolla to Springfield unmolested, and that very often

they passed through without an escort.

Battle at Mammoth Spring.

Col. Wood, commanding the Sixth Missouri cavalry, left Rolla on the

7th day of March, 1862, with about two hundred and fifty men, for the

purpose of making a scout south into the counties of Oregon and Howell

and Fulton county, Arkansas, to ascertain the strength of the rebel

forces in that portion of the country; reached Licking and went into

camp. The next morning he broke camp and marched to Jack's fork, in

Shannon county, and on the morning of the 9th marched to Thomasville;

on the 10th he marched to Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. On reaching

Mammoth Spring they learned that there was a rebel force in camp on

the south fork of Spring river, just below Salem, and on the morning

of the 11th they broke camp and marched upon the rebels. On reaching

the rebel encampment they found they had cut timber and blockaded the

road, so that it was impossible to reach the forces, except on foot.

In coming within a few hundred yards of the rebels, lying concealed

behind the timbers, they opened fire upon the advance of the Federal

forces. The Federal forces had two small pieces of artillery that

they unlimbered and brought into use. The rebels having no artillery,

were soon dislodged from the first line of works, and they stubbornly

fell back about one quarter of a mile, and went in behind the second

fortifications that had been hurriedly erected. After fighting for

an hour and a half or two hours the Federal force being greatly

outnumbered, and the rebels having themselves so obstructed, Col. Woods

saw that it was useless to further continue the fight and retreated. On

the next night he reached Howell Valley just below West Plains and went

into camp and on the morning of the 13th they broke camp and marched

in the direction of Houston, Missouri, reaching Houston sometime after

night. The Federal loss in the battle referred to was seven killed and

wounded. The Confederate loss was said to be twenty-five or thirty

killed and wounded. Colonels Coleman and Woodside were commanding the

Confederates.

Col. Woods being in command of the post at Houston, learning that there

was considerable of a rebel force, standing at West Plains, Missouri,

under the command of Coleman and others, organized a scout and on the

24th day of February, 1862, broke camp and marched in the direction of

West Plains, for the purpose of attacking the rebel forces stationed at

that place, taking two small mounted howitzers strapped on mules, made

a forced march, and in the early part of the day on the 25th reached

West Plains. West Plains had a frame court house in the center of the

square where the present court house is located. The road at that time

led due north where Washington avenue is located until it struck the

hill; also there was a road which led east where East main street is

now located and on passing what was known as the Thomas Howell farm,

turned directly north in the direction of Gunters Valley. The rebels

had a strong picket thrown out on both roads; a part of the rebel

command was quartered in the court house. Woods being advised of the

condition of the rebels and where they were all quartered, supposing

that they would take advantage of the court house when the attack was

made, selected a high position where the road first struck the hill,

planted his artillery, divided his forces and made a flank movement,

ordered them to strike the lower road and advance on the pickets and

as soon as they were fired upon, to charge them, while he would remain

with the other part of the force in readiness to dislodge them with his

artillery in case they used the court house as a fortification. On the

advance coming in sight of the rebel pickets, they fired and retreated

with the Federal forces pursuing. The rebel forces at once rallied

their forces and took possession of the courthouse. As soon as Col.

Woods saw them file into the house he leveled his cannon and fired a

shell which struck the house near its center and passed clear through;

that was the first artillery that the rebel command ever had heard.

They filed out of the house faster than they went into it; then Col.

Woods moved with his forces directly upon the forces near the court

house when a general engagement ensued. The rebels retreated west on

the road near where West Main street is now located and a running fight

was continued for about one mile, when Woods abandoned the pursuit,

marched back into West Plains, and again returned to Houston. The

losses on both sides were light, several, however, being killed or

wounded.

"Uncle Tommy" and His Crutches.

I will relate an incident which occurred during the fight. Old "Uncle

Tommy" Howell as he was familiarly known, resided just below the town

spring a short distance from the road; he had a sister living with him

who was an old maid, and was known as "Aunt Polly". Howell being one

among the early settlers of Howell Valley, had taken an active part

in organizing Howell county, which took its name from him and he had

been once representative of the county. The author heard him relate

the circumstance in a speech delivered in West Plains after the war

was over. He said when the fight came up that he was sitting on his

front porch: all at once he heard firing commence, and heard horses

feet and saw the rebel pickets coming on full gallop horseback, with

the Federals close onto them with pistols in hand firing on them; he

had been afflicted with rheumatism for years and one of his legs was

drawn crooked and he hadn't attempted to walk without a crutch for

several years; when he saw the men coming and the others shooting at

them, he supposed that every shot was killing a man; he said they came

right by his door and he never became excited while they were passing;

as soon as they got near the court house they then made a stand, where

it appeared to him that there were thousands of shots being exchanged

every minute. They had all passed his house and he was sitting there

unmolested, when his sister, who was known as "Aunt Polly" ran out on

the porch and cried out at the top of her voice "Lord a massy, Uncle

Tommy, run for your life; you have been a public man and they will kill

you, sure." He said it so excited him that he sprang to his feet. All

below his house the valley was covered with hazel brush and snow was

lying on the ground. He first looked toward where the firing was going

on and said "My God! they certainly have got them very near all killed

in this time" for he was under the impression that every shot killed

a man. He started southwest from his house, ran about a quarter of a

mile, jumped over behind a log; he had hardly gotten still when he

imagined he heard the horses feet of the Federals in pursuit of him; he

raised up and looked, could not see any person, so ran about another

quarter, jumped over behind another log and as soon as he got still,

the first thought came into his mind that they were still in pursuit,

for he could hear the horses' feet, but on reflecting a moment he found

that it was his heart beating; he said he could still hear the firing

and he thought they intended to kill them all before they quit. He had

a son-in-law by the name of Hardin Brown living on the Warm fork of

Spring river, about twenty miles distant, and he started on foot and

never stopped traveling until he reached his house. On reaching the

house, his daughter asked him how, in the name of God, he ever got

there without his crutches. He said that was the first time that he had

thought of his crutches. He began to notice his legs and the crooked

leg was just as straight as the well leg. He said that it completely

cured him of his rheumatism and he had the use of that leg just the

same as he ever did the other leg, and never used a crutch afterwards.

After the war he removed to Oregon county and was elected to the

legislature, and died a member of the legislature.

Disposing of Union Men.

In the spring of 1862 there was a man by the name of Mawhinney, living

about six miles below West Plains, in Howell valley, a Union man, but

who had taken no part either way, except to express an opinion. About

fifteen men belonging to a rebel scout went to his house, called for

their dinners, some of them had him shoe their horses, and after they

had their horses shod and got their dinner, they told him that they

wanted him to go with them. His wife said to them "It ain't possible

that after you have been treated as kindly as you have been you are

going to take Mr. Mawhinney prisoner; you men certainly will not hurt

him." They made no reply, carried him about one half mile from his

home, shot him off of his horse, took the horse and went on, leaving

the body on the side of the road. His wife with what other help she

could get brought him in and had him buried.

About two weeks afterwards, in the spring of 1862, there was a man by

the name of Bacon who lived near West Plains, who has some relatives

living in this county at the present time. He was a Union man but had

taken no part either way, except to express himself openly in favor of

the Union. There came a scout of about twenty men and arrested him,

started west with him in the direction of South Fork, and on reaching

the vicinity where Homeland is located, left the road a short distance,

shot him off of his horse. Went on to a house about one mile distant,

called for their dinner. The woman in preparing dinner fried some

bacon; after they were seated at the table she passed the bacon to

them; several of them remarked that they didn't want any, that they had

had some bacon, but had just disposed of it a short time before they

reached the house. After Bacon had laid where he fell dead for two or

three days he was found and being considerably decomposed a hole was

dug and the body placed into it and covered up, where his dust remains

until the present day.

Union Supplies Captured by Rebels.

In the spring of 1862, the department commander reestablished the

military post at Springfield. All of the commissaries and forage had to

be conveyed from Rolla to Springfield, as the terminus of the railroad

was at Rolla, by wagon trains, a distance of one hundred and twenty

miles. It required a large escort of soldiers to guard the trains to

prevent the rebels from capturing them. All of the country south of the

wire road was in possession of the rebels. There was scarcely a wagon

train that passed on the road without being attacked by the rebels.

They made their attacks generally on the front and rear of the trains,

and before the wagon masters could corral the trains, they would

capture some of the wagons, make the teamsters drive into the woods,

cut the mules loose from the wagons, take sacks of coffee, salt, sugar

and other commissaries, tie them on the backs of the mules, divide

into small bunches and retreat into the hills. Very often the escort

would have to send back to Rolla for reinforcements. The train would

be tied up from twelve to fifteen hours before it could move on. It

became a mystery to the Federal commanders how the Confederates could

concentrate a force of men numbering from fifty to three hundred, and

the first intimation the escort would have, they, the rebels, would

come out of the brush at some secluded spot, yelling, whooping and

shooting, and charge upon the wagon train. They would generally capture

more or less of the loaded wagons with the above results, and it became

a question with the military authorities at Rolla and Springfield how

to capture or rout these bands, and as to how they managed to keep that

number of men near to the wire road and yet the Federals were unable

to discover their hiding places.

About the 15th day of August, the department commander ordered Capt.

Murphy to take five hundred men and two pieces of artillery and move

south from Rolla; to go as far south as he thought it would be safe,

without placing his men so far inside of the Confederate lines that

they might be captured; and, if possible, to learn the rebel movements

and location of their troops. Capt. Murphy broke camp at Rolla and

moved south about fifteen miles, was fired on by the rebels from the

brush, marched about twenty-five miles, went into camp; on the next

morning resumed the march, hadn't marched more than five miles until

they were fired on from the brush; they were fired on four or five

times that day, and went into camp near Thomasville. The next day he

threw out skirmish lines on each side of his command, and resumed

the march down the Warm fork of Spring river. There was more or less

skirmishing all day. He camped on the Warm fork and the next morning

marched over to the Myatt, where we had quite a skirmish. The rebels

again retreated in the direction of the Spring River mill, where they

were said to have a thousand men.

Here the command countermarched back to Rolla, having captured fifty or

sixty prisoners; the Federals had a few men wounded.

In the spring of 1862, the Federal troops advanced on Springfield from

Rolla. The rebels retreated west and the Federals again established

a military post at Springfield. The rebels continued to retreat west

until they reached Prairie Grove, where they concentrated their forces

and the memorable battle of that name was fought, the Federal troops

being victorious. The Confederates retreated from the state.

The military post at Springfield being over one hundred miles west of

Rolla, the terminus of the South Pacific railroad, three-fourths of

the distance being in possession of the rebels, all the forage and

commissaries had to be conveyed by wagon train. The main rebel forces

having been driven from the state, and all of the country south of the

wire road, with few exceptions, being in possession of the rebels, the

Union men with their families having been driven from their homes. The

leading Confederate officers met and held a council of war and decided

to change their tactics. The first thing was to place two or three

hundred well-armed Confederate soldiers south of and near the wire

road leading from Rolla to Springfield, and so harass the wagon trains

that the government wouldn't be able to get forage and commissaries

through to Springfield, and thus force the Federals to abandon the

post. In furtherance of this move, they ordered their soldiers to be

taken near to the line of the road and divided into squads of from

five to twenty-five men, conceal their arms and claim to be private

citizens, live off the country and be so arranged that when a wagon

train was about to leave Rolla, they could be called together on short

notice; and when they wanted to make a more extensive raid, Confederate

soldiers from as far south as the head of Spring river would march up

and meet them and make a general raid.

The government had considerable trouble to learn the hiding places of

these men, but they finally got officers who were acquainted with the

country and men who were bona fide citizens, and knew who were citizens

and who were not, and broke up their hiding places and drove them

further south. It was learned that a part of this Confederate force was

composed of men who claimed to be citizens when they were not making

their raids.

Bravery of Captain Alsup.

In the summer of 1863, the Federal authorities established a military

post at Clark's mill, in Douglas county, Missouri, on Bryant's fork

of White river, erected a post and stationed some Illinois troops

under the command of a Colonel, with Capt. Alsup's company, which was

composed entirely of Douglas county citizens, in all about two hundred

and fifty or three hundred men. Gen. Joe Shelby, a Confederate, with

about five hundred troops, made a forced march from Arkansas and during

the night time surrounded the fort, and the next morning had his

artillery in readiness to open fire. He ordered a complete surrender

of the garrison. The captain of the fort asked for a few minutes to

consider the matter; at the expiration of the time, the Colonel in

command agreed to surrender, stack up the guns and side arms in the

fort, march his men outside and make an unconditional surrender.

When the commander of the fort ordered his men and officers to stack

their arms and march out, Capt. Lock Alsup and his company refused,

and being cavalry, ordered his men to arm themselves and be ready to

move whenever he ordered. While the commander of the fort was having

the remainder of the garrison stack their arms, Capt. Alsup and his

company made a bold dash for liberty, came out of the fort shooting

right and left, took the rebels by surprise, broke the rebel line,

went through, being mounted on good horses, retreated up Bryant's fork

with the rebels in pursuit. While going through an old field that had

grown up to burrs about as high as a man's head, Fritz Krause, father

of the assistant postmaster at West Plains, was thrown from his horse,

rolled under the burrs, the rebels passed by and never saw him. He

laid in the burrs until dark, then made his escape and rejoined his

company at Springfield. The rebels pursued them for about two miles,

then returned to their command. Gen. Shelby paroled the prisoners, and

such things as he could not carry with him he destroyed, the fort being

burned. He resumed his march in the direction of Springfield and was

reinforced by about five hundred troops. During this time, Capt. Alsup

and his men had reached Springfield and, strange to say, hadn't lost a

man; had a few slightly wounded. Gen. Brown, who was in command of the

post at Springfield, was said to be a brother-in-law of Gen. Shelby,

and on Shelby's arrival at Springfield he demanded the surrender of

the garrison. The Federal troops held a consultation and concluded to

fight. After a brief engagement, Gen. Shelby drew his troops off and

moved north; there were several killed and wounded on both sides. Gen.

Brown's arm was broken by a piece from a shell. Gen. Shelby continued

his raid towards the Missouri river, had several small engagements and

then retreated from the state. Capt. Alsup and his brave men should

be held in memory by all comrades, especially by the loyal people of

Douglas and Ozark counties, for their heroic action in charging through

the rebel lines and making their escape after the post commander had

attempted to deliver them into the hands of the rebels.

The fort at Clark's mill was never rebuilt. Capt. Alsup and the loyal

men of Douglas and Ozark counties and part of Wright county built a

temporary fort near the center of Douglas county, and old and young

organized themselves into companies and armed themselves. With the

help of Capt. Alsup's company, they appointed a few of their men as

scouts, while the others worked in their fields. The scouts were out

night and day along the state line and if a rebel scout attempted to

raid the counties, notice was given all along the line and the men

were all up in arms and ready to meet the raiders. It reminds one of

reading the history of the early settlements along the Indian border.

The settlers would build forts and put out sentinels; if the Indians

were seen advancing, word was given and the families would hurry to the

fort and the men arm themselves to drive the invaders back. So this

organization, with some assistance from the post at Springfield, held

Douglas and a part of Ozark and Wright counties during the remainder of

the Civil War, and after the war was over, Douglas county gained the

title of "Old Loyal Douglas County." These old soldiers and comrades

are fast falling and very soon there will be none left to tell of the

heroisms and sacrifices they made for the country they loved. Will

these comrades and their sons and daughters be so ungrateful that they

will let their heroism and sacrifices die with them and be forgotten,

never to be written in history? The answer will be no, a thousand times

no. The history of their heroism and sacrifices shall be written and

go down to their children and their children's children, and may "Old

Glory" ever wave over the country that they love so well and for which

they made so many sacrifices.

Bushwhacking in Howell County.

The writer wants to say that there was not a Union man nor a single

Union family left at home, from Batesville, Ark. to Rolla, Mo., a

distance of two-hundred miles. The writer especially wants to speak for

Howell County, Mo. The rebels took quite a number of Union men from

their homes and shot them, some of them being old men. I will name

a few of them that were shot: Morton R. Langston, the father of T.

J. and S. J. Langston, while he was hauling wood; Jeff Langston, one

of the firm of Langston Bros, was riding on the wood at the time his

father was shot. I asked a leading rebel after the war, why they shot

Langston. His reply was: "He talked too much." Shot Mawhinney, Bacon

and a number of others. Now I want to say right here, notwithstanding

the treatment the Union men received from the rebels, not a single

Confederate was ever taken from his home and shot or otherwise injured

during the whole Civil War and no truthful Confederate will say to the

contrary. There never was but one Confederate hurt after being taken

prisoner in Howell County and he wasn't a citizen of Howell County;

was said to be a north Missouri bushwhacker, charged with being one

of the parties that shot old Mr. Langston, Mawhinney and Bacon. A

Federal scout in the year 1864 captured him below West Plains and the

next morning they hung him to a smokehouse rafter. Notwithstanding a

few of the friends of the bushwackers will tell to strangers that the

writer shot a man in this county, by the name of Hawkins, in the lap

of his family, which is a positive lie; the facts are these; Hawkins

was one of the worst bushwhackers and murderers that ever lived in

Howell County and was commanding a company of bushwackers at the time

he was shot. A short time before he was shot he had captured one of

his cousins, by the name of Washington Hawkins, a Federal soldier, and

taken from him a fine mare with his saddle and rig complete.

In the spring of 1864, a battalion of the 11th Missouri Cavalry,

commanded by Col. Woods, had been ordered to report to Col. Livingston

at Batesville, Ark. The writer had been ordered to report at Rolla,

Mo., with his command. Col. Woods had camped near West Plains the

previous night, the next morning resumed his march towards Batesville;

after he had passed West Plains a few miles, Hawkins and his

bushwhackers fired on them from the brush and they continued to fire

on them every few miles for sixteen miles. Our force met the force of

Col. Woods at the state line where Col. Woods informed me how they had

been firing upon his men all morning. He had taken a man prisoner by

the name of William Krause, whom he turned over to me. Both forces

resumed the march, he in the direction of Batesville, Ark., and I in

the direction of Rolla, Mo. The prisoner told the writer that he knew

the parties who had been firing on Col. Woods' command; that they had

a camp by a pond in a secluded place, and were commanded by Hawkins

and Yates; that it was about four miles almost west. I told Krause if

he would place me on trail he could then go home. He did so and I then

released him. Krause said there were about fifty rebels in the command.

We trailed them about two miles and came in sight of a house that

belonged to old Mr. Newberry, a Union man. He and his family had been

run off from home. I saw a horse hitched to the side of the door, and

supposed there were more inside of the house; there was a skirt of

timber that enabled us to get within about sixty yards of the house.

I ordered my men, when we reached a given point, to charge upon

the house, dismount and reach the wall of the house and demand the

surrender of all persons that might be within. We were about fifteen

feet from the door when Hawkins came out and attempted to mount his

horse. The author demanded his surrender, but he drew his pistol to

fire, the author having his pistol already in hand and presented, fired

on him; the author was sitting in his saddle when he fired on him.

The men examined the house and found he was the only man in it.

The horse he was riding was the one he had taken from his cousin,

Washington Hawkins, a short time previous, with a government rig

complete. Washington Hawkins resided at Bakersfield, Mo., and got his

horse and rig again. We took the trail again, but dark came on us and

we lost it. These are the facts surrounding the whole case, the killing

of Hawkins, one of the worst bandits and guerrillas that ever roamed

through South Missouri and led the worst band of men in the state. I

had previously taken him prisoner and he took the oath of allegiance,

went right back and joined his command and, if possible, he was worse

than before. I must say that there are few men in Howell county that

claim to be Confederates, who tell strangers that Monks shot Hawkins

down in the lap of his family and that he, Hawkins, was a good man.

The writer wants to say that no truthful Confederate will tell any

such a thing; they will tell you that Hawkins was a bad man. Ask such

Confederates as Capt. Howard, Mark Cooper, Judge Dryer, John Ledsinger,

Harvey Kelow, Daniel Galloway, P. N. Gulley and a number of others, if

Hawkins was a good man.

The writer wants to say that he don't believe all the Confederates

were in favor of killing and driving out the families of Union men,

but the most bitter element got in power and being backed by the order

of Gen. McBride, to force all the Union men to join the Confederate

service, or hang them, those Confederates who were opposed to such

treatment were afraid to open their mouths for fear they would receive

the same treatment. You don't hear these same men, that talked about

Monks shooting Hawkins, say a word about Hawkins and his bushwhackers

shooting Union men all over Howell county. There never were but two

houses burned in Howell county by the Union men during the Civil

war, and houses owned by these men had been previously burned by the

Confederates. The town of West Plains was burned by the Confederates to

keep the Federals from holding a post at West Plains.

The writer wants to say that on his return after the war, in the

spring of 1866, he met the rebels, both those that had been officers

and soldiers, and never spoke a harsh word to them, asked them if

they thought both parties could now live together; their answer was,

that they thought they could. All that they asked was that they be

protected. The writer assured them that both Federal and Confederates

would be protected by the civil laws and all they would be asked to

do would be to aid in a strict enforcement of civil laws, which they

readily promised to do. The Union men who had returned to their homes

and the late Confederates joined together and went to building and

repairing old church houses and school-houses and soon were found

worshiping together in the same church and sending their children to

the same school-houses and the old ties that had existed before the war

were being re-united. The country appeared to be prosperous and the old

war spirit appeared to be fast dying out among the people.

I suppose the writer holds more commissions than any other man in the

state, both military and civil and there never was a charge preferred

against the writer of any failure to discharge his duties by the

government or state. While in the military service thousands of dollars

passed through the hands of the writer for forage and commissaries

and ordinance stores and clothing, every dollar was accounted for and

all contraband property was turned over to the government. I never

converted, to my own private use, five cents of any man's property or

money, before or after the war, in the war, nor since the war.

The writer is now residing within about twenty-five miles of where

his father located in the year 1844 and there are several persons yet

living that have been intimately acquainted with the writer since his

boyhood up to the present time, namely James Kellett, Sr., Marion

Kellett, present county treasury of Howell county, Washington Hawkins

of Bakersfield, Mo., and quite a number of others that have been

acquainted with the writer from forty to fifty years. The writer wants

to say right here that he is not ashamed of anything he did before the

war, in the war, nor since the war, and on his return home to Howell

county on meeting the late rebels; he never spoke a harsh word to one

of them, but received them kindly and said to them that the civil laws

should be strictly enforced against all alike, Confederate and Federal.

In the year 1861, sometime in the month of September, after the

Federals retreated from Springfield, Mo. and the Confederates had taken

possession of Springfield, there was one Capt. Brixey who was captain

of a company of home guards residing in the edge of Webster County,

Mo.; soon after the Confederates took possession of the post, they

ordered a captain belonging to a Texas regiment to detail one company

and proceed to the residence of Capt. Brixey and arrest him. Capt.

Brixey having no notice of the approach of the scouts, he and one of

his men were sitting in the house; the first they knew they had a line

within thirty yards of his door, hailed them and presented their guns

and demanded their surrender. Capt. Brixey said, "The ---- you say."

Both parties fired on each other about the same time, the man with

Brixey fell dead, Brixey shot and killed the Confederate captain and

wounded one or two other Confederates; he retreated through his house

and into his orchard and made his escape; one of his arms was broken

by the shot from the rebels from which he entirely recovered and lived

many years afterwards, and has a son residing in this county at the

present time.

Colonel Freeman's Second Raid.

Sometime in the Spring of 1862 Col. Freeman, not being satisfied with

his first raid on the Federal troops at Salem, planned the second raid

to attack the troops then stationed at Salem, Missouri; he organized

his scout and compelled one Robert Bolin, who now resides in Howell

County, to pilot him through the lines, as he, Bolin, had lived near

Salem before the war. On reaching Salem, Col. Freeman halted his troops

and planned his attack.

The Federal troops had no knowledge of the approach of any rebel

forces; they were in squads around Salem. Freeman divided his forces

and gave them a countersign and selected a spot near a deep ditch in

the road and instructed them, if they were defeated and got scattered

to concentrate at that ditch which was beyond the Federal lines a

distance of some miles; on reaching the ditch they were to remain

until they all were collected. After the first ones reached the place,

it being dark, if they saw others approaching they would halt them

and demand the countersign, and if they couldn't give it they were to

fire on them without any further delay, knowing they were enemies. On

reaching the public square they encountered a bunch of the Federal

troops in a building; fired on them, wounded a few, a man by the name

of Jacob Shoffler now residing in Howell County was in the house at

the time, and they cut his clothes in about twenty different places

with bullets and never drew blood; Maj. Santee was commanding, with

one other officer. After they had rallied, all being in disorder, Maj.

Santee ordered a charge on the rebels. Armed with an old pistol he met

Col. Freeman of the Confederate side. Freeman had just shot out; Maj.

Santee ordered his surrender. Col. Freeman started to run, Maj. Santee

in close pursuit, snapped his old pistol, which failed to fire. He then

threw the pistol at Col. Freeman, struck him somewhere between the

shoulders, drew his sabre, and still continued the pursuit. There was

a creek near by and a stone fence had been built along the side of it;

the creek had been frozen over and a skiff of snow on it at the time.

Just as Freeman reached the stone fence Maj. Santee made a thrust at

him with his sabre, inflicting a slight wound; about that time, for

the purpose of escaping, Col. Freeman sprang over the stone fence and

lit into the creek. Maj. Santee, being on horseback, could not pursue

any further. The rebels by this time were scattered in all directions,

started to retreat. It being very dark, the first ones fifty or sixty

in number reached the ditch, halted to wait for the remainder of them

to collect. In a short time about thirty or forty more of them appeared

in sight, retreating with considerable speed; they were halted, the

countersign demanded. They had become so excited in the fight they had

forgotten the countersign and failed to give it. So those who arrived

first opened fire and wounded several of them, scattering them to the

woods. They failed to concentrate until they had retreated south about

30 miles where they learned of the mistake they had made and that

they had fired upon their own men. Maj. Santee being of the opinion

that he had seriously wounded Freeman with his sabre, concluded to

investigate. On reaching the stone fence where he made his leap they

looked over into the creek on the ice and (Col. Freeman being a large

man) it looked like a large ox had been thrown over from the hole that

he made in the ice. They saw that he had crossed the creek and reached

the other side and saw no signs of blood. In the engagement there were

about five or six wounded and killed.

In the summer of 1863 there was a Federal scout organized at

Springfield, commanded by Col. Holland. It was ordered to move by way

of Douglas county, get reinforcements then stationed at the fort,

and from there march through the county of Ozark. They entered the

county of Fulton, Ark., where they had several small engagements.

After considerable fighting and capturing a number of prisoners, they

returned to Springfield; loss, killed and wounded, very small.

In the fall of 1863, Col. Tracy, with a force of rebels, made a raid

from Fulton county, marched up through Ozark county, and on reaching

the Union settlement in Douglas county, he shot and killed nearly

every man he captured, robbed houses, took everything in the house

and out of doors, and burned the houses as he went. After raiding and

pillaging a number of houses, he came to a house where a Union man by

the name of Mahan and one by the name of McCarty were working in the

blacksmith shop, with their arms near them. They were members of the

home guard. The rebels demanded the surrender of the two men, and as

it was generally believed that if a man surrendered to those irregular

forces that it was sure death, they refused to surrender. When the

forces of Col. Tracy commenced firing through the cracks of the shop,

the men returned the fire. Mahan killed one rebel, and they wounded two

or three others. The rebels shot McCarty down, shooting him eight or

ten times after he fell, knocked the door down and rushed upon Mahan,

disarmed him, took him prisoner and then continued their retreat. After

reaching Fulton county, near the bayou, they took Mahan into the woods,

stripped him naked and shot him, leaving his body lying on the ground

unburied. Strange to say, in regard to McCarty, after he had been shot

eight or ten times and left for dead, he recovered from the wounds and

became hearty and stout.

Some time in the early part of the spring of 1864, a man by the name

of Mahan deserted from the 11th Missouri cavalry, stationed at

Batesville, and on reaching Howell county, about two miles from where

Valley Star school house is now located, a bunch of bushwhackers

commanded by B. F. Hawkins and Thomas Yates captured him, took him into

the woods a short distance, stripped him naked and shot him, leaving

his body lying on the ground, unburied. After he had lain there nearly

a week, a man now residing in Howell county took a hoe and shovel and

raked up some rocks and pitched them upon the decomposed body and threw

a few shovels of dirt on him. As it was but a short distance from the

road, the stench from the decomposing body was offensive to persons who

traveled by.

Col. Monks Enforces the Civil Law.

In the month of July, 1865, the author was ordered to declare the civil

law in force in the counties of Texas, Dent, Shannon, Oregon, Howell,

Ozark and Douglas and report to his regiment again at Springfield for

the purpose of being discharged. The long-looked-for and final result

of the war had come with victory couched upon every man who had borne

his flag to the breeze of his country, and to those who had lain

themselves on the altar of their country and died that it might live.

There was general rejoicing among the loyal people, that there was

not a foot of territory on American soil but where the stars and

stripes once more floated unmolested, either by foreign or domestic

enemies, and while the Confederates had fought manfully for what they

conceived to be right, and had laid many of their sons on the altar and

sacrificed them to a cause that they believed to be right, yet a large

majority of them rejoiced when they learned that the cruel war was

over. Although their cause was forever lost, yet the country that they

had loved so well and the flag still floated and invited them back as

erring sons.

The 16th regiment, with a large number of other regiments, was

discharged at Springfield. Then a scene ensued that Americans had never

witnessed before; the blue and the grey began to meet and greet each

other as friends and seemed to forget that just a few months previous

they had been meeting each other armed, for the purpose of slaying one

another. A general amnesty proclamation had been granted by Gen. Grant

to all the rebels who had surrendered. Their officers and commanders

should discharge them and they should be allowed to retain their side

arms for their own protection and return home for the purpose of again

building up and establishing their homes; again meet their wives, their

children, fathers and mothers, neighbors and friends, and once more

be united in all the ties of love; to again reinstate churches, and

instead of studying and practicing the art of war, they should beat

their swords into pruning hooks and aid in establishing and building up

society and good government.

But, lo! one of the most sad and heartrending scenes confronted many

Confederates and Federals on returning to the places where they had

once had happy homes and sweet families, they were not found. During

the terrible war, many of the loved ones that they had left behind

had been called from time to eternity. The home had disappeared and

nothing was left but the soil; all of the improvements being entirely

destroyed. But they, with the courage of heroes, gathered the fragments

of their families, went to work improving and building houses,

refencing their farms, reerecting church houses and school houses, and

in a short time the men who had lately been enemies and borne arms

against each other, were again neighbors and friends, associating

together, sending their children to the same school, becoming members

of the same church; all experienced the difference between a civil war

and peace and fraternity. Many of them expressed themselves that they

had read of civil wars, but never realized the effect of civil war

until after they had passed through the present one: but they could not

understand why they called it "civil" war, for if there was anything

civil about the war they never experienced that part of it.

The author's family had been residing at Rolla during most of the

time of the war. He commenced making preparations to return to his

home in Howell county in the fall of 1865. He began to organize an

immigration party of men who wanted to locate in Howell county and a

number of men who had left their homes in that county. Just a short

time before the parties were ready to leave Rolla for Howell county,

he was met by several men who asked: "Why, Monks, ain't you afraid to

go back to Howell county? You have fought the rebels so bitterly and

contested every inch of ground during the whole war, and some of them

hate you so badly, that I would be afraid that they would kill me."

The author replied that he felt like Gen. Putnam, when the British

attempted to bribe him and said that the colonies never could succeed

in gaining their independence, and that he had better return and renew

his allegiance to the Crown. The General's reply was, "D--n a man that

is not for his country." Now, my reply to you is, that I have forfeited

almost all of my means and shattered the happiness of my family in

contending and fighting for the preservation of the government;

besides, myself and family have been exiled and banished from our home,

and if the rebels had succeeded, all would have been gone. But now the

government has been victorious in crushing the rebellion, liberty and

protection have been once more guaranteed to every citizen, high or

low, rich or poor, and, in the language of Gen. Putnam, I say, "D--n a

man that is afraid to go back and enjoy the fruits of his victory."

Within a few days about twenty-five families left Rolla for West

Plains, and on arriving at West Plains, went into camp. There was

not a single building left in West Plains, as the Confederates had

burned the whole town in time of the war, with the exception of

one store building, which was burned by the Federal troops. The

Confederates' object in burning the town was to prevent the Federals

from establishing a post. The author procured some clapboards, built an

addition to an old stable about two hundred yards south of where James'

livery stable is now located.

Soon after we had reached West Plains and gone into camp, Capt. Howard,

Capt. Nicks and a number of other rebels who were residing in the

county, came in, met the author and said to him: "Captain. I am proud

to meet you." The author replied, "I am proud to meet you. What do

think now in regard to the two parties living together?" They said that

they were satisfied that both parties could live together, that all

they wanted was protection. The author remarked that the rebels had

been in control of the country for several years, but the loyal men

were going to take charge of it and run it now, and as the loyal men

had been contending for the enforcement of the law and claimed that

every American citizen was entitled to the protection of the law, the

author could promise them that, if they would fall into line and help

enforce the law, they should receive equal protection with any other

class of citizens; to which they replied that they were willing to do

so, but there were roving bands of rebels and guerrillas which had not

been subject to the control of the Confederate authorities, and still

refused to lay down their arms, and might yet cause some trouble.

The author was appointed sheriff of Howell county, W. Z. Buck circuit

and county clerk and Peter Lemons, Judge Alsup and ---- were appointed

county judges. There had been an old school house about a quarter of

a mile east of West Plains that was still standing. They met at that

school house, organized and set the civil government of the county

in working order. Soon after, Governor Fletcher ordered an election

and the author was elected to the state legislature, tendered his

resignation as sheriff, which was accepted and W. D. Mustion was

appointed to the vacancy. In a few weeks the author went to Jefferson

City, tendered his credentials and was sworn in and became a member of

the legislature.

Everything, so far as Howell county was concerned, appeared to move off

quietly, while the counties of Oregon and Shannon, with a few of the

border counties, were entirely controlled by irregular bands of late

rebels, who openly declared that the civil law should not be enforced

in those counties; that the Confederacy was whipped, but they were not

and they intended to live off the government; they were armed to the

teeth.

During the winter of 1865 and the year 1866, Howell county settled up

faster than ever it had at any period before the war; the men who had

homes in it and had been forced away on account of the war, mostly

returned and commenced to improve their farms. Their houses, outhouses

and improvements, generally, having been destroyed, the soil was the

only thing left. The town also built up rapidly and in the year 1866

the inhabitants had increased to six or eight hundred.

In the fall of 1866 at the general election the author was re-elected

to the legislature and Capt. Alley, who had been a Confederate all

through the war, was elected to the legislature from Oregon county.

The author again qualified and was present in the legislature during

the whole time, when the great question was brought up before the

legislature, as to what disposition the State would make of the first

liens held by the state on the different railroads for aid that had

been given to the railroad corporations in the way of state bonds

in 1850. In 1855 the state issued her bonds, delivered them to the

companies and they went east and put them upon the market in New York

and Boston to procure money to construct roads, and the bonds with all

the accruing interest, were due the state.

Then for the first time the author learned that many of the men who

had been selected to represent the people's interest in the State

Legislature, failed to discharge the duties that their constituents

had imposed upon them, betrayed their trust, and, through money, were

entirely controlled in the interest of the railroad corporations. The

author believing that it was one among the greatest duties that were

imposed upon men of a representative government, to strictly contend

and do all in his power to enact legislation in the interest of the

people, therefore took a strong stand in favor of closing out all

of the state liens against the different roads, held by the state.

During the session of the winter of 1866 what was then known as the

South Missouri Pacific, which terminated at Rolla, Missouri, was

ordered to be closed out and the road declared forfeited. A resolution

passed through both houses of the legislature ordering the Governor

to seize it, and that said road be run by the state. In the meantime

the Governor was to advertise and sell it. The Governor by authority

of law advertised it and sold it for $550,000. Sometime in April the

legislature adjourned, to meet in an adjourned session in December,

1867. The author returned home.

The immigration into the country rapidly increasing, prosperity

appeared to be on every side; people had plenty of money, good crops,

wheat was worth $1 to $1.50 per bushel, stock of all kinds brought

first-class prices, peace so far as Howell county was concerned,

prosperity and the bettering of the condition of society were moving

hand in hand, and the author felt thankful that the war was over.

Outlaw Rule in Oregon and Shannon.

In the fall of 1867, the counties of Oregon and Shannon, were still

controlled by those roving bands of outlaws who ruled the counties with

an iron hand. A despotism, unequalled at any stage of the war, existed

there. There was a public gathering in the fall of 1867 in Thomasville.

Col. Jamison, one of the leaders of these outlawed bands rode into town

at the head of about fifty men, well armed, shot two men's brains out,

paraded the streets and swore that any man that attempted to enforce

the civil law against them, would fare the same; rode out unmolested

and there was not a single attempt made by the civil authorities to

arrest one of them. In a few days Jamison with some of his men rode

into town and a man by the name of Philip Arbogast, the father-in-law

of Mr. Hill, one of the firm of Hill-Whitmire Mercantile Co., now

doing business in West Plains, who had been a Confederate all through

the war, remarked in the hearing of Jamison, that the war was over,

and he believed that the civil law ought to be enforced. Jamison at

once dismounted, cocked his pistol, approached Arbogast and commenced

punching him with the muzzle of it until he inflicted some wounds

remarking to him that if he ever heard of him uttering a word again in

favor of the civil law being enforced that he would hunt him up and

shoot his brains out.

Some time previous to that occurrence, two men who had been discharged

from the Federal army and had once resided in Oregon county, came into

the county to look at their old homes. Col. Jamison, with about forty

men, arrested them, took them to the house of the sheriff, informed

the sheriff that no "Feds" could ever reside in Oregon county, and no

damn Black Republicans could ever cast a vote at any election that was

held in the county; that they were going to make an example of the men,

that others might take warning; that they were going to take them out

far enough away that their stench would not annoy good Confederates.

Accordingly, they started from the house, took them about one-half

mile, stripped them naked, shot them to pieces, returned to the

sheriff's house with the clothing, which was the uniform they had worn

in the service, horse and mule and saddles which they had been riding;

gave the mule to the sheriff, took the horse with them, published what

they had done, and said that those men shouldn't be buried and that if

any Confederate buried them, they would share the same fate.

Capt. Alley, who had been a Confederate all through the war, but was

an honest man and wanted to see the law enforced, informed Governor

Fletcher of the condition of the county. Governor Fletcher at once

appointed him an enrolling officer, ordering him to enroll and organize

the county into militia companies, to form a posse-comitatus to aid the

sheriff in enforcing the law. As soon as he received his commission, he

rode into the different townships, put up his notices requesting the

people to meet him for the purpose of enrolling. Jamison, with about

forty men, rode into the township where his first meeting was to be,

posted another written notice on the same tree, the purport of which

was that if Capt. Alley, the old, white-headed scoundrel, appeared

on the day to carry out the orders of the Governor, he would meet

him and shoot his old head off his shoulders. Alley, being satisfied

that he would carry out his threat, went to the place before daylight

and concealed himself nearby. About 10 o'clock on the day appointed,

Jamison and about forty followers came charging in on their horses,

revolvers in hand, cursing and declaring that they would like to see

the old white-headed scoundrel put in an appearance so they could make

an example of him; that they didn't intend to let any man enforce the

law against them. As soon as they retired Alley returned home and wrote

to the Governor again, stating the acts, conduct and threats that

Jamison had openly made, and that troops would have to be sent into the

counties to aid him and others in organizing, so the civil law could be

enforced. He asked the Governor to appoint Capt. Monks to command the

troops which he might send.

The author received a letter from the Governor informing him of the

condition; also stated in the letter that while Howell county was

peaceable and law abiding, that her citizens were not safe, by any

means, while such a desperate band of outlaws were right at their very

door, bidding defiance to the civil law, committing all manner of

crimes from murder down and begging the author to consent to his being

appointed Major of State troops; that he would make an order for the

author to organize the men in the county of Howell and include Howell

county in his order, declaring them to be under martial law especially

when it had been requested by Capt. Alley, who had been a life-long

Confederate. The author took the matter under advisement, and as

Jamison, with his band of men, had threatened time and again to raid

Howell county and kill the author with other Union men, he decided to

give his consent to the Governor, wrote him while he reluctantly would

consent to accept the appointment he had thought that he had discharged

his duty in the late war and would not be required to take part in any

further military operation.

Colonel Monks Commissioned by the Governor.

The governor at once appointed and commissioned the author Major of

state troops and ordered him to at once proceed and organize a company

of militia, and at the same time sent one hundred Springfield rifles

and one hundred rounds of amunition for each gun. And soon as it was

organized, he was to proceed to Oregon county, for the purpose of

aiding and supporting Captain Alley who had been appointed enrolling

officer of Oregon county, to enroll and form companies for the purpose

of aiding the sheriff in enforcing the civil law. He was to pursue,

arrest and drive out those roving bands of murderers from the counties

of Oregon, Shannon and Dent. The author at once organized a company

in Howell county, composed of men who had been in the Confederate and

Federal service. On Jamison and others in Oregon county learning that

the author had been appointed Major and that he was organizing, and the

state was arming the men with orders to enter the counties of Oregon,

Shannon and Dent to drive out the murdering bands and aid Captain Alley

in organizing a posse comitatus to aid the sheriff in enforcing the

civil law, they publicly declared that "old Monks might get into Oregon

county but that he would never get out alive."

At that time there was a secret order in the counties of Oregon and

Shannon known as the Sons of Liberty. The author was informed that on a

certain night they would hold a meeting on Warm fork of Spring river.

The author made a forced march and, on reaching the place where they

had assembled, surrounded the house and took all the inmates prisoners,

among them being the sheriff of the county and a few other prominent

men. The next morning Capt. Alley met the author, put up his notices

ordering every man to come in and enroll his name. The author remained

over the next day near the place, got in possession of their papers,

with a secret oath placed upon them, and the aims and objects, binding

themselves together to prevent the enforcement of the civil law, and

further binding themselves to capture or take property from any man who

had been in the Federal army, and, when it became necessary to enforce

it, to shoot men down. They claimed to have lawyers connected with it,

so that if they should be arrested they were to make a pretense of a

trial and allow no man to go onto the jury except those who belonged to

the order.

Capt. Greer, who had been a Captain in the Confederate service all

through the war, and afterwards was elected to the state legislature,

remarked that, "I can soon tell whether those grips, obligations and

oaths were in the organization known as the Sons of Liberty;" said

that "Old Uncle Dickey" Boles, a short time previous, came to him and

informed him that the Sons of Liberty were going to hold a meeting in a

big sink on the mountain and they wanted him to come and join it; that

he was looked upon as a business man and he didn't know anything about

what was going on right at his door; that if he would come and join it,

in a few years he would be a rich man. Capt. Greer said he replied to

him, "Uncle Dickey, I have always been an honest man and have worked

hard, and if a man can get rich in two or three years by joining that

order, there must be something dishonest in it." Old Uncle Dickey

replied: "You won't be in a bit of danger in joining it, for we are so

organized that the civil law can't reach us." Capt. Greer said he had

a son-in-law who was requested, at the same time he was, to attend the

meeting, and that after the meeting he saw him and asked him what kind

of an organization it was. He said his brother-in-law told him, "I dare

not tell you; I took the bitterest oath that I have ever taken in my

life not to reveal the workings of the order on penalty of death. But

I will tell you enough; Captain, I know that you are an honest man and

that that organization is a damn jay-hawking institution, and you want

nothing to do with it." Captain Greer at once sent for his brother-in

law; he came, and the signs, grips and by-laws that were captured at

the place of the meeting were submitted to him and he said he believed

they were word for word the same, and contained the very same oath that

they swore him to on the night that he went to their meeting.

The author was informed that Jamison was then lying in wait on the road

that led from Warm Fork to Frederick Fork township, the next place

where Alley had notified them to meet, waiting for the author to pass

with his men, so that he might fire on them from the brush. Then the

hardest task confronted the author that he ever had had to meet, to

study out a plan to prevent Jamison firing on his men from the brush

as he marched by. He held four men as prisoners, whom he knew were

Jamison's right-hand bowers; he had just been informed that Jamison

had a spy then on the ground to learn the time the author would break

camp and move in the direction of Fredericks Fork. He ordered a wagon

brought up with three spring seats, took the four prisoners and set

them in the two front seats, tied a small rope around their bodies

and around each seat, with two guards in the back seat; then arrested

Jamison's spy, informed him what his business was, which he admitted

and said that Jamison was lying in wait to learn what time I would move

out, and that he intended to fire on me as soon as I came within reach.

I took him to the wagon and asked him if he was acquainted with the

prisoners. He said that he was. "Well," said I, "I am going to release

you and I want you to go and tell Jamison that, just as certain as

he fires from the brush and kills one of my men, I will retaliate by

killing these four men, whom I know are his right-hand bowers." The

author also wrote a letter containing the same statement, and sent

another man, who was a Confederate, with Jamison's spy, to see that the

message was delivered.

On reaching Jamison, they delivered the message and informed him of

what I had said, and told him that there was no possible chance for

these men to escape, for there was a rope tied around each man's body

and fastened to the spring seat, and they were also under a strong

guard. The man who went to carry the dispatch said that after Jamison

read it, he appeared to be in trouble and remarked: "Well, we will have

to desist and not fire, for just as certain as we fire on him and kill

some of his men, he is sure to kill our men." One of the prisoners,

after he was placed in the wagon and heard the message sent to Jamison,

remarked to the other prisoners: "We are dead men, for Jamison is sure

to fire on them." We soon broke camp, and on reaching the place where

Jamison had been waiting, saw the camp fire and where their horses had

been tied and fed, but there was not a man to be seen, neither was

there a gun fired.

[Illustration: COL. AND MRS. MONKS AT CLOSE OF WAR.]

On reaching Fredericks Fork township, Capt. Alley made a speech to the

people and said, among other things, that the counties of Oregon and

Shannon had been controlled by one of the most desperate class of men

that ever lived. That they had ridden through the country on horseback,

heavily armed, defying the enforcement of the civil law, intimidating

the people, both Federal and Confederate alike, and committing all

manner of crimes, robbing and murdering the people and boasting openly

that the damn Confederacy was whipped, but that they were not and

intended to live off the damn "Feds." Now the war is over and all good

citizens, be they Federal or Confederate, should be in favor of the

enforcement of the civil law. "I am ordered by the governor of the

state to enroll all able-bodied men in the county to form a posse to

aid the sheriff in enforcing the law in Oregon county; I am to organize

companies to enforce the civil law. These bushwhackers and thieves have

terrorized this county long enough. The governor has sent Capt. Monks,

a man who is not afraid of bushwhackers and thieves, into this county

to arrest these bushwhackers, thieves and murderers and bring them to

justice. If the people of this county want the civil law enforced,

they should aid Capt. Monks and his men to hunt these fellows down and

either arrest them or drive them from the county. Our people have been

present and saw these men commit all manner of crimes, from murder down

to the smallest crime known to the criminal code. They have done this

openly and the people were afraid to open their mouths or say a word

against it, on penalty of death. I wrote the governor, stating the

condition of affairs in this county, that neither person nor property

were safe, and to send Capt. Monks to this county. And he has sent him

and we have got the right man in the right place."

One of the prominent men of Oregon county went to Jefferson City to

see the governor to procure the removal of the writer and have Col.

A. J. Sea appointed in his place. He said to the governor that Capt.

Monks was arresting some of the best men in Oregon county and had

them prisoners. The governor showed him some of Capt. Alley's letters

that he had written to the governor. The letters stated among other

things that persons and property were at the mercy of these desperadoes

and the county was being terrorized by James Jamison and his men;

that they were robbing whom they pleased openly; that a day or two

before he, Alley, wrote the letter, that Jamison shot a man's brains

out in Thomasville, and dared any man to say he was in favor of the

enforcement of the civil law, that he would serve him the same way. The

governor asked him if those things were true, and he replied that they

were; the governor said to him: "You are a leading man in that county

and a citizen of Thomasville and never a word have you written to me

that such terror and lawlessness existed in your county." He replied

"Governor, I was afraid to." The governor replied to him, "when I send

a man down there that is not afraid to handle those men without gloves,

then here you come with a howl. Now I expected when I sent Capt. Monks

down there, if he did his duty, that there would be a howl raised; I

am satisfied that he is doing his duty. I am responsible for his acts

and you men want to get rid of him; go home and tell your people to

organize companies under Captain Alley and aid Captain Monks and his

men in arresting and driving those bushwhackers and bandits out of your

country and whenever Captain Monks reports to me that the person and

property of your citizens are secure and that the civil law is being

enforced, he will be removed, and not before."

They then employed Colonel A. J. Sea as an attorney. Some time during

the night, while we were encamped on Fredericks Fork, some of the

soldiers took the sheriff out and put a rope around his neck to make

him tell where the bones of two soldiers were, who were murdered by

Jamison and his men. He admitted that he knew where the bones of the

two Federal soldiers were; that after they shot them Jamison gave him

the mule and saddle that one man was riding; that he was afraid not

to take them and promised as soon as the command reached Thomasville

to go and show the bones. On the next morning after our arrival at

Thomasville I procured a big box and placed it in a wagon and brought

the sheriff from the guard house and set him on a box under a strong

guard. About that time Colonel A. J. Sea came up and asked what we were

going to do with that man. I told him "That is my business; when you

was in the military service did you inform the civilians of your object

and aims? You are a civilian now and I will give you five minutes to

get outside of the lines or you will go into the guard house." He took

me at my word and left at once.

[Illustration: COLLECTING BONES OF TWO FEDERAL SOLDIERS SHOT BY COL.

JAMISON AND MEN IN OREGON COUNTY.]

The sheriff piloted the scout to the bones of the men that had been

murdered, and the sheriff, aided by the scout, picked up the bones and

placed them in the box. On examination it was found that three bullets

had passed through one of the skulls, and the other skull appeared to

have been shot all to pieces. I brought the bones in and caused them to

be buried in a cemetery, about one mile west of Thomasville.

Captain Alley had completed the organization of two companies, one

commanded by Captain Lasley and the other by Captain Bledsaw. The

companies were mostly composed of men who had been late Confederates,

as there were very few Union men in the county. They immediately fell

in with my soldiers and a vigorous search was at once made for Jamison

and his men. Being aided by men who were thoroughly acquainted with the

county and knew just where to look for Jamison and his cut-throats,

they agreed to keep on Jamison's track and arrest him and his men if

possible, in Oregon county. I moved my troops up into Shannon county to

prevent Jamison and his men from crossing over into Shannon and scouted

that county to keep them from hiding there. The Oregon county companies

shot and killed some of them and arrested others. Jameson and the

others left the county and never have returned to it since.

But they left some of their sympathizers in the county, and the

only weapons left them were their tongues; having no conscience or

principle, and instigated by the wicked one, they began lying and

preferring all manner of charges against the writer and his men who

went into the county and, by the aid of the law-abiding citizens, drove

out and arrested one of the worst set of men that ever lived, the

savage not excepted, and restored the civil law, so that every citizen

was secure in person and property.

The writer informed the governor that a large majority of the

citizens, both Confederate and Federal, had nobly responded to his

call, had organized two companies of militia to aid the sheriff in the

enforcement of the civil law; Jamison and his bushwhackers had either

been arrested, killed or driven from the county, and the strong arm of

the military law was not needed any longer.

On December 25, 1867, the writer was ordered by the governor to

withdraw his forces from the counties that had been placed under

martial law and declare the civil law to be in full force and effect. I

accordingly returned to Howell county and disbanded my soldiers.

During my march and stay in the counties of Oregon and Shannon, it was

admitted by all honorable Confederates that I had enforced a strict

discipline over my men and protected all classes of citizens in person

and property, had paid the people for all forage and commissaries that

were required for the soldiers, and had driven out the worst set of

bushwhackers, thieves and murderers that ever lived.