I'm sorry it took me longer than I anticipated to post this reply. Anyhow, I think I have some information which will help you in your quest to find a little bit more out about Samuel C. Montgomery's death on January 19, 1863 and the circumstances leading up to it. Apparently, Samuel C. Montgomery was shot by some of Penick's men, who were members of the (Old) Fifth Missouri State Militia. The full account as it was published in the Tuesday, January 27, 1863 edition of the "St. Joseph Morning Herald" appears below.

"JUSTICE SURE - Sunday,[January 25, 1863] we published an account of one of Penick's men, named Johnson, who was killed by guerrillas near Independence. The following letter to the Editor of the "Kansas City Journal of Commerce" will convince all who peruse it that in that part of our State, justice is not only not very slow, but tolerably sure.

Independence, Mo., January 21, 1863
Mr. Editor: - A detachment of Colonel Penick's men came up with two bushwhackers, about two miles from this place, and shot them both. They were some of the men who murdered some of [Penick's] command about ten days ago. The soldiers recognized some of the arms and clothing belonging to Huffman and Johnson, the men who were killed by them, and they told the woman of the house that they were going to shoot her husband as soon as dinner was over. When the troops came upon them, the woman ran out of the house, crying there's two bushwhackers in my house, shoot them.

The names of the men killed were [Samuel] Montgomery and [George] Reed, both notorious.

D.A. C[o]lvin, Lieut, 5th Cav. M.S.M"

(Don Alfonso Colvin, the first lieutenant for Company C of the (Old) 5th Cav. M.S.M., was one of Penick's most trusted officers. Colvin was the officer who led the attack on the guerrilla camp with a detachment of 50 men from Companies C, D and F of the (Old) 5th Cav. M.S.M on Saturday, February 8, 1863. Colvin and his men were led to the site of the guerrilla camp by John McDowell, a guerrilla himself, who decided to betray his comrades. T.B. "Doc" Hale, George Talley, Ike Bassham and Joe Hardin were some of the guerrillas killed during the thirty minute skirmish. Colvin's men captured all the guerrillas' arms and horses. George "Gus" Randall was the only member of Colvin's scout killed in the assault on the dugouts.)

Below you will find a portion of a report from Colonel William R. Penick to General Ben Loan written on January 11, 1863. In it you will find a graphic description of the atrocities in which Sam Montgomery and George Reed are alleged to have participated. It was published in the "St. Joseph Morning Herald" on Sunday, January 25, 1863.

"General: Private Johnson of the artillery company was brought in dead today. He is the fifth [member of Penick's command] murdered last week, four from [Captain Horace B. Johnson's Artillery Company] and one from [the Fifth Cavalry Missouri State Militia]. If you could see their mangled bodies, you would not wonder why it is that I write you that guerrillas wives should be forced out of the country. They were all wounded and killed afterwards, in the most horrible manner fiends could devise. All were shot in the head and several of their faces are terribly cut to pieces with boot heels. Powder was exploded in one man's ear, and both ears cut off close to the head. Whether this inhuman act was committed while he was alive or not, I have no means of knowing. To see human beings treated as my men have been by outlaws is more than I can bear."

Well, Cousin Don, that's what I have on this topic. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Larry Dishman
Germanna Descendant