I don't get much from the 17th Illinois Cavalry entries in Broadfoot's "Supplement to the 'O.R.'" set. That regiment must not have emphasized record-keeping much. Part of the problem especially in September 1864 is that the various companies of this two-year regiment (the regiment was on active duty between January 1864 through December 1865) were scattered all over the place, so it was difficult for the regimental staff to make them comply with various requirements.

I am looking at Dyer's "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" (in every library with more than 1000 books) which gives some detail. The 17th Illinois Cavalry was involved in that skirmish at Centralia on September 22, but not mentioned in relation to that village in any other entry. Unfortunately, I don't know which company or companies were at Centralia on September 22.

Company E was part of the 2nd Battalion of the regiment composed of Companies E, F, G, and H. Dyer says 1st Battalion (A, B, C, D) were garrisoned at St. Joseph in Buchanan County and Weston near Kansas City in Platte County, although Companies C and D were ordered to report to Jefferson City in the District of Central Missouri to defend that town in September 1864 and they took part in its defense against Price's army in early October. The 2nd Battalion (E, F, G, and H) was stationed at Glasgow, west Howard County, in the District of North Missouri between June and September. Some elements of the 2nd Battalion got involved in actions in patrols and when they rode to railroad stops for supply and other pickups, and that may have been the case on September 22. The 2nd Battalion was ordered to report to Rolla in south-central Missouri BY September 23, so I imagine the elements of that battalion were all or nearly all at Rolla by September 27. The Third Battalion (I, J, K, L or some such) was ordered from Alton, IL (on duty at the military prison there) in August 1864 to Rolla with arrival at Rolla on September 19, so none of those companies would have been at Centralia on September 22, unless it was late-comers.

I wonder if elements of the 17th were at Centralia on September 22 as part of their ordered move to Rolla, since Centralia is a rail stop.

Another possibility is the same one that befell those Union soldiers captured on the train and murdered by the guerrillas at Centralia September 27--namely that soldiers of the 17th could have been on a train on casual duty on September 22 on their way as individuals toward home or back on some form of leave or detail, etc.

The 17th troopers on September 22 could have also been train guards, too, but I think there is less chance of that. Union regular cavalry was too scarce in that embattled region for use as train guards in September 1864, but who knows?

In sum, Broadfoot was no help on this and Dyer worked around the issue but didn't nail it. The O. R. indicates the Boone County area was going nuts as of September 22, but I don't have time now to study it in detail. Feel free. That is Series 1, Vol. 41, part 3, pages 250 through 350 should do nicely.

Sorry I couldn't get that for you at least from those three sources. As I get into NE MO in the weeks ahead I may find something in another source and can get back into this.

Bruce