Don,

George W. Rider was on the July 1862 Quantrill roster that fell into the hands of the Union troops. His son John's name was on the roster, too. This according to Lankford's "The Encyclopedia of Quantrill's Guerrillas," and Joseph Houts, Jr.'s "Quantrill's Thieves." This means at least that George and John Rider were with Quantrill at that time if not later. Houts says George Rider was a neighbor in Blue Springs to Morgan Walker, whose son Andy was with Quantrill's original bunch in December 1861.

Houts also says that George and John were also both in Company D of the 8th Missouri Infantry Battalion, so I guess they joined that unit after riding with Quantrill in July of 1862. McGhee's "A Guide to Missouri Confederate Units, 1861-1865" on page 250 says this would be Musser's Battalion or the 8th Battalion commanded by LTC Richard H. Musser. This battalion's Company D commanded by Captain Herndon Lindsay had men from Cass, Saline and St. Clair Counties. Most of you realize Cass County is adjacent to Jackson County. McGhee also says this battalion was organized in August 1862. I would guess that the kernel of this battalion was formed in west-central Missouri during the big recruiting drive in which Quantrill's band served as security force, which led to the Battle of Lone Jack in southeast Jackson County. The pieces seem to fit that father and son Rider joined Quantrill by about July 1862 then transferred (so to speak) into LTC Musser's battalion than forming in the neighborhood. Makes sense to me.

Bruce Nichols