The Henderson that you seek is indeed Francis Gardere Henderson, newspaper editor and avowed secessionist of Millville in west St. Charles County and the son of the former mayor of Baton Rouge, LA. I was fortunate to be in touch during 2002 with his descendant Terry Henderson who was kind enough to allow me to post Francis' portrait on page 64 of my 1862 book. Terry revealed that Francis' mourning about his wife's death in a riverboat explosion led him to somehow believe northerners were to blame. I have no information on this part of the story, only that this seemed to help motivate Francis to take to the guerrilla trail. I also found Henderson in "Price's Lieutenants" on page 103. Other sources for the Briscoe house fight besides those you noted include the old National Historical Company county history on page 993 and the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War "Missouri-Our Civil War Heritage" vol. 3, 1994, page 347 that explained that some of Henderson's men escaped from the Briscoe home dressed in women's dresses while Henderson remained inside mortally wounded.

The Briscoe you seek is John F. Briscoe born VA in the 1820s and the son of Warner Briscoe of Virginia and I believe his mother was Jane A. Briscoe of the District of Columbia. Yes, that was his father's farm with all the holes in it. During 1862 and 1863 Briscoe was a lieutenant of Joseph Cole. Besides my 1862 book I mention him once on page 136 in my 1863 book. I am not sure what happened to John Briscoe.

Jospeh Cole was born MO about 1837, I believe to Robert and Zipporan Cole, both Kentuckians. The Coles had five boys in all. Their home was in southeast Montgomery County. I wrote a lot about Joe Cole's numerous exploits in both books leading up to his ambush and death near Portland 1 December 1863 when Lieutenant A. Kempinski' patrol of 67th EMM killed him as he came out of a lady friend's home.

How else may I help you?

Bruce Nichols