I'll venture into this one because it is so interesting.

The "Little South" name evidently refers to the widely known fact that so many people with southern roots populated NE Missouri before the war that about 10 to 15 counties up there postwar were widely called "Little Dixie," and there is even a lake by that name near Millersburg in west-central Callaway County. Throughout the war, Confederate behind-Union-lines recruiters gathered in a rich bounty of southern men from northeast Missouri and the Union military had a difficult time stifling that recruiting. By the way, this region is still called "Little Dixie" by many even today. There is even an article about how this name came about and what at least one person thought exactly which counties comprised "Little Dixie" in the "Missouri Historical Review" about 1941 or so.

Readers, please, please, let's not get back into that old argument about exactly which counties were and were not part of "Little Dixie." Last time we stormed into that argument three retired men and one little old lady died of apoplexy from all the fighting. The name "Little Dixie" applies and aways has applied to a nebulous region that differs in size with each person's opinion. As hard as it is for us exacting Americans who like to define everything, there is no precise, authoritative definition about what counties are included and which ones are excluded. It is only a concept.

Now, on to our rat killin. I honestly don't know what "cure will break next week" refers to, but my Kentucky roots grab at me to say my guess is this has to do with when tobacco or some other crop is ready to pick. I really don't know.

Now, "skeddaddlement" was a common widely used Civil War term for retreating. Armies and generals did not like to use that awful word "retreat" because the newspapers then (and now) would make lots of copy about how worthless this army was or this general. Further, retreating reflected upon a soldier's personal honor. Therefore, soldiers when they noticed (nobody asked them, remember) they were retreating from no fault of their own would conclude with a silly grin to each other that they were skedaddling. I think this was a country term for somebody who had to move very quickly to get out of harm's way, like a boy running from a field to get away from a raging bull. Soldiers then (and now, too) learn not to take everything to heart or they could harden their hearts to the point they are unfit to go home when the war is over. Humor in war is a funny thing (no pun intended), like whistling while you walk past a graveyard at night. It helps you get through things you couldn't face otherwise. Please pardon the metaphysical bent on this one.

The numbers are codes to keep the identity of certain persons and certain places hidden from unintended readers. Bear in mind that the Union military provost marshal offices across Missouri during the war would frequently intercept southern letters to and from the Confederate army and even post them in newspapers to joke about them. No kidding! Missouri southerners were forced to use a cleverly-contrived secret mail service that from time to time was intercepted. You see, southerners were not allowed to use the U.S. mails to communicate with their men in the CSA, as that was supporting the rebellion (from the Yankee point of view). You can break it yourself, as it is probably a simple letter substitution code. Remember, that the letter "E" is the most commonly used letter in our writing.

I really angerered a dear lady years ago who brought me an ancestor's diary that contained code. I think I correctly interpreted the code, but was ingracious enough to share my "brilliance" with her. The ancestor was an active-lifestyle bachelor and the code appeared only about twice or three times in the diary, each time when he had business with a certain tavern. The diary writer did mention a certain young barmaid and the code had to do with a certain spot ("X marked the spot") near the woods not far away. The lady descendant thought the "x marks the spot" referred to where her ancestor buried some guerrillas he killed on one occasion when as a Union militiaman he chased them not far from the tavern. My research revealed nobody was killed in that chase between militia and guerrillas, but something else took place where "x marks the spot." Have you figured it out by yourself? Sure you have, but what I figured out is my own opinion, and I learned the hard way not to give it out again.

I don't know if I nailed all your points, but I sure had fun trying.

Bruce Nichols