Good. You won't regret it.

The Pacific RR bridge over the Lamine River near Otterville was burned twice to my knowledge. The first partial job was by George Todd and his 108 riders on 8 October 1864, the same day as the murderous raid on Syracuse and also a raid on nearby Otterville. Todd and his men were unaccustomed to railroad destruction, and their job was incomplete.

The second time was much more complete, and accomplished a few days later (don't have the exact date), when Confederate General M. Jeff Thompson's sent a group from his command to destroy the bridge while the rest of his command was heading to Sedalia. I ran across this information while researching Todd's burning of the structure. Thompson may not have known about the first arson of that same bridge.

There were no Union troops guarding the bridge on either occasion, because of all the southen activity in the region. Many of the Union troops normally guarding such facilities were wisely withdrawn because 1. they were more needed elsewhere and 2. it would have been stupid to leave them there as sitting ducks. Incidently, that is why the Syracuse garrison was not in place when Todd's men rode in. Something about an army of 11,000 Confederates heading your way makes you re-think your priorities, I would say. I am not sure if there was a Union blockhouse erected at that location, as there were at others. There was no mention of it in my resources. That was a new policy and I think the Union engineers did not have enough time to put up all of those blockhouses desired.

Bruce