Leslie,
Please see my book "The Burning of Dayton, MO" which I published in 2006. The town was burned Jan. 1, 1862. Your Benj. F. Simpson was one of the men killed, his story is included in the book. A Maximum effort reenactment by MCWRA of was just held the last weekend in March 2008 at Dayton. My husband played the part of Benjamin Simpson. You can view photographs of the reenactment at www.burningdayton.com.
Jackie Polsgrove-Roberts