“I found a newspaper article mentioning him in the 12 August 1861 "Daily Missouri Democrat" of St. Louis which mentions that he operated with Captain [John D.?] White, and a Doctor Wyatt with 70 to 80 men who on 10 August 1861 [the same day as the Wilson's Creek or Oak Hills battle near Springfield] attacked the town of Potosi. Fourteen local northern home guardsmen fought back and repelled the attack. The article says one guardsman was killed and four wounded while the Rebels lost two dead, three wounded, and two captured. The newspaper said that this band came from the Black River country of Reynolds County and that while near Potosi murdered some men of northern sympathy.”
I realized that I had not spent any time in researching “Doctor Wyatt”. I have not been very successful in finding where he has ever been discussed on this board other than this one reference.
I believe that “Doctor Wyatt” is Major John Wyatt. Surgeon for the 3rd Cav. Batt, previously in the MSG. I was able to find his compiled service record in footnote.com without to much difficulty. After finding his records and reading them at length I had a vague memory of a doctor in the MSG having written a diary that was published several years ago and dug through my fav’s list and found the transcription in the White River Valley Historical Quarterly. The first paragraph of the diary is thus:
[Just six weeks since I left home.I Camped a week in Reynolds Co. Mo. on Black River. Was elected 1st Lt. of a Company, got tired of them and left. Went on to Doniphan. Found the Ripley Co. Bn. under Col. Jeff Thompson. Joined up in a small Co. of Rangers under Major White, Texas Rangers. Stayed a week, visiting Pocahontas, in the mean time, learning Genl. McBrides Div. was at West Plains in Howell Co and being sent for by a friend, Col. of the 2nd Regt, I struck out for that camp.]
http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/wrv/V36/N2/f96d.htm
It is a very interesting read. Jerry Ponder had mistakenly identified him as a Lieut. John Wyatt of Ripley County before Jim Denny correctly identified him as Major John Wyatt. The compiled records stated that he was a resident of St. Louis and 29 years old when he enlisted in Feb. of 1862. The 1860 census for St Louis County has a John Wyatt, occupation farmer, of the correct age. The value of his real estate is just under $8,000. I am not certain this is our John Wyatt as there are other possibilities that I have not as yet pursued. I have checked most of the more popular genealogy sites and have not been able to find this gentleman. His records appear to end in late 1863 so he may not have survived the war.
It has been several years since this first came out and I would be very interested to find out if anyone knows anymore about this Major John Wyatt. (or Wiatt)