Bruce (think I got your name right this time);

I am never sure of anything, even when it is in black and white in front of me. This is from page 381 of "Quantrill of Missouri." Petersen has just told about Centralia:

"Many stories of guerrilla atrocities on the bodies of the slain Federals were spread in the Northern newspapers, but there is no basis for these allegations. They can be ascribed to the sensationalism that accompanied the reporting of any guerrilla victory. No such record can be found in the Official Records of the Rebellion from reports made by the Federal officers invovlved. One of the guerrillas allegedly said, 'We burned towns; we pillaged homes when there were no women or children in them; we slew in the face of prayer ... and we never mutilated the dead."

I can see that this is only referring to those killed at Centralia. One of those killed was Mark S Musick of the 39th Missouri, another distant cousin of my Illinois ancestors.

I am watching "Ride With the Devil" again. My wife is out of town, so she doesn't have to watch it "one more time." I think I am taking up too much time on this board. I set up a Yahoo group to communicate about my research of the Cass County Home Guard (Union) and the 8th Battalion Missouri Infrantry (Confederate). It is called "Kansas/Missouri War." If anyone wants to join, please let me know.