Letter No. 5.
Dear Doctor:
Once more we are seated, to face a new situation. Yes, it was a genuine situation,
not a theory. We had come to be put into the crucible and tried by four long, long years
of fire. “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of
Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer onto the Lord an offering in
righteousness.” We had now come to the school that would teach us the meanings of two
words: “Secede” and “Secession.” I think I can see ever so many hands go up over there
in the children’s corner, and among the young ladies and gentlemen and the boys and
girls announcing that they are ready to tell us the meaning of these two words. Well, we
now give these young people, all, an opportunity to display their stock of knowledge.
“Secede, to withdraw from fellowship.” “Secession, act of seceding.” Ah yes, my dear
children and young folks, that is about correct as given in our small dictionaries, but right
here let me tell you, dears, we learned these definitions of these two words in dictionaries
too, but now, as we see the sun of 1860 sinking in the far west, we found that we must
learn these definitions another way. It took us until way long up in July, (about the 21st,
perhaps) 1861, before we had fairly got under way in our new kind of school to learn just
what “Secede” and “Secession” really did mean. We suppose that South Carolina learned
the true meaning of the word “Nullification,” taught them by the “Hero of the
Hermitage,” Andrew Jackson, but we didn’t then have an Andrew Jackson sitting in the
White House at Washington City, neither did we have a Wm. McKinley nor a Theodore
Roosevelt, but we soon would have T H E M A N equal to the fearful ordeal of fire now
upon us-the lamented A b r a h a m L I n c o l n. I didn’t then know, but I have since
learned, that God, our great Creator, really loves this nation. I learned it from two things.
One is that : “Whom He loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He
receiveth.” Soon we began to receive our chastisement. God had heard the cry of the
poor slave. The other thing is, that He gave us A B R A H A M L I N C O L N , the
MAN O F T H E H O U R , and one of the grandest things about this man is that he
then fully realized the fearful situation and the great responsibility resting upon him. But,
dear children and young people, we cannot now pause longer to talk to you-God bless
you-for the bugle has begun to sound the “General Assembly,” and the drums begin to
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sound the “Long Roll,” and the pipes begin to scream: “Yankee Doodle,” and “The Red,
White and Blue,” and “Hail Columbia,” and –yes, there is a new song with a new tune:
“Yes, we’ll rally ‘round the flag, boys,
We’ll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom.
We will rally from the hill side,
We’ll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom.
The Union forever, Hurrah, boys, Hurray,
Down with the traitors and up with the stars.
While we rally ‘round the flag, boys, we’ll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom.” (From memory.)
Then soon we’ll have to fall in and march away to the field of battle to the tune of “The
girl I left behind me.” Farewell children, farewell young folks, we go to war. So we sat
down to await developments, but we hadn’t long to wait. We soon learned that S. C. had
seceded (Dec. 24th, 1960). We sprang to our feet in--well, we will say, in astonishmentrather.
The first talks were on this question: “How shall we act? How shall we stand?”
The writer well remembers that his father wrote to John W. Noel, our M.C. and to Bill
Stokes of Tenn., also in Congress. Mr. Stokes was an old personal friend of father’s.
They both wrote in language about like this: “The American Union now and forever, one
and inseparable.” Father at once took his stand for the Union. He and P. L. Powers, Jas.
S. and A. G. McMurtry, Jas. Willmore, Wm. Wakefield, Dr. Edward Lawrence, John
Dollarhide and his father, the Greenwood boys and many others began to talk and consult
as to their stand in the coming contest. It was wonderful, indeed, to see their “Bellism”
and “Douglasism” all hugh up in a moment, as it were. There was a little “Hang fire”
sentiment still lingered as to which side to take, but soon the line was drawn, when Miss.
Seceded on Jan.9th, and on the same day “The Star of the West,” waving the Stars and
Stripes, bearing also supplies to Maj. Anderson, then in Ft. Sumter in Charleston harbor,
was fired upon by hostile guns. That drew the line. All other political questions and
differences at once sank wholly out of sight. And the question then was: “Are you a
Union man, or are you a Secessionist?” Oh, but we had stiring times now. Much
newspaper comment on every hand. Some one way and some another. We were then
reading the “Knoxville Whig,” edited by Wm. G. Brownlow in Knoxville, Tenn. He was
very outspoken for the Union. We remember an editorial squib about S. C. He
(Brownlow) said: “S. C. finds it like the fellow who got married. He said: “Its’s nuthin’
ter git married, but it’s h—l ter keep house.” Wm. G. was a Methodist preacher, and of
course he ought to hang to the truth, and we thought he did, but we had our doubts about
his right to handle “cuss words” so carelessly. Notwithstanding all of this, we say: All
honor to all such men, true lovers of their country, as Wm. G. Brownlow.
Just about this time a new man appeared on the stage, that is, if we should call
him a man. The neutral(???_ man looks like, so far as the country in which he lives is
concerned, he had better belong to the “neuter gender.” He was few and far between
though, which was a mighty good thing. Under such conditions, the best we can say for
the “neutral man” is that he is a man without a country. He is both cowardly and selfish.
He is better described in the language of our last old war bed-fellow. The way he put it is
this: “Me and my wife, my son Joe and his wife, us four, and no more.” Even to this day
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we are made to blush with shame, as we sometimes hear this fellow boast and say: “I
kept out of it. I didn’t make the fight and I warn’t goin’ to fight, nor I didn’t.” We
respect and honor the man who shouldered his gun, and “Went South,” and fought us like
a man, in what he thought was right. We know exactly where to find him, but we have
no respect for this “neutral man.”
February the first, 1861, told us of the seventh state to leave the Union. Yes,
Texas had gone overboard. On Feb. 4th the Southern Confederacy was formed, and by
this time we realized that it was a real “situation, not a theory.” Calls were being made
for expression meetings, and one day not far from this time we saw one James R. Willette
in company with P. L. Powers, and perhaps one or two others, approaching our house. It
soon developed that he was on a secret mission. We soon learned that his business was to
find out, “Just who we can trust,” he said. He was hunting men who loved the Union,
and were ready to do anything to save the nation. He had come to the right place. We
were well acquainted with this James R. Willette as a surveyor. He was then Wm. T.
Leeper’s deputy Co., surveyor, and was of Irish or Scotch birth, and was a thorough civil
engineer. But now we were hearing him in a new field. We were learning him as one of
the very first active, working, uncompromising Union men of Wayne Co. so in this
secret council, it was agreed upon to call a meeting at Cold Water, which meeting was
held in a few days, or perhaps in the next day or two. Willette went around to all of the
then known Union men to arouse them to action. The meeting assembled, however, and
Mr. Willette made us a speech, and a committee was appointed to draft resolutions.
The writer cannot now call to mind who all of the committee were, but one man,
Jas. S. McMurtry, was one of them. We also remember that the resolutions were for the
Union-strong. This meeting also made the top rail on the fence so sharp that you couldn’t
sit on it any longer on Cedar Creek. It was common then to say of some men or man:
“Well, he is on the fence.” That was that the man was undecided about which way to go,
for the Union or “Go South.” This meeting defined the line so plainly that there was now
no mistaking the situation. A very few men on Cedar Creek staid away from our meeting
because they leaned South. About three, or perhaps four, such men we then knew of on
Cedar Creek. This was the first Union meeting ever held in Wayne Co., or at least the
first public meeting. We soon found that we had many trusty friends all around us. We
may say, as we now remember it, that our influence extended from Brunot on the west to
Castor River on the east, then some on Bear Creek and other nearby streams. Twelve
Mile Creek, north of Cedar Creek in Madison Co., furnished such stanch Union men as
James P. and John Ellis and Edward P. Settle and his father, Rev. Wm. Settle, a veteran
Baptist preacher. We found that our “ patch,” so to speak, was over 18 miles east and
west, and about 10 miles north and south. However, there were many staunch Union men
scattered all over Wayne and Madison counties. Also on Lost Creek we had such men as
the Johnsons, the Davises and the Bennetts, and others whom we cannot now remember
to tell their names. Wm. T. Leeper, now living on the St. L.I.M. & S. Ry. between
Leeper and Mill Spring, was of the kind of Union men who made themselves FELT later
on.
Then came the call of the Governor of Missouri for an election to be held to elect
delegates to a state convention, to be held at once, to decide Missouri’s stand, either to
stay in the Union or to secede. We well remember three of the candidates in our
Senatorial district, Wm. T. Leeper of Wayne, Sam Collier of Madison and Lawyer Pipkin
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of Iron. Canvassings and speakings were now in order, and we further remember that as
Cedar Creek gathered strength “for the Union,” it was determined that we must hoist a
Union flag. The pole must be 76 feet high above ground. The most active and leading
men in this enterprise were P. L. Powers, Jas. S. and A. G. McMurtry, John M. Wilkinson
and sons, John W. Adams and Dr. Edward Lawrence, so willing hands soon brought the
pine pole from the woods and got it ready, while others dug the hole for it in Grandaddy
Jones’ horse lot on a very prominent knoll or hill, then christened as “Union Hill.” The
flag was made by our dear women folks at the near by house of Jas. S. and A. G.
McMurtry. The “Peter Wright” anvils with the “mouse holes” in their bottom sides were
brought from the blacksmith shop of P. L. Powers, not a gun shot away. These were to
make our cannon for the occasion. All things being now ready to hoist the pole into
position, and as there was a grand gathering of us there that day, we had no lack of help,
and that by willing hands, so up went the pole, and, as Dr. Edward Lawrence’s brother,
another doctor, was present from Illinois, he insisted in being permitted to drive home the
final fastening pin, which he was permitted to do, so, as he hit the three last strokes, he
said: “Lincoln, Douglas and the UNION.” The flag was brought out, 30 feet long and 10
feet wide, and these words in the middle: “The Union. It must and shall be preserved.”
It was then adjusted to the hoisting rope and, as John M. Wilkinson already had the
“mouse hole” full of gun powder and the other anvil face down, crossways on and over
the powder, and his firing iron hot in the fire all ready, up goes our banner, and as it got
fairly started Union Hill shook with the detonations of our improviso cannon. Then as he
reached his place at the top of the pole,”boom,” went the second gun. Then came one
mighty cheer for the Union. The firing was kept up until there were about one hundred
guns fired. Dusk drew on at length and with it came Wm. T. Leeper on his speaking tour.
He came from the East and had spoken at least once that day, but were we don’t now
remember. One thing we remember is that, as he passed along the road at the base of
Union Hill, we “fired on him” and gave three cheers for Leeper. He was then on his way
to our church house, half a mile to the west, where he was to make us a rousing Union
speech that night, or rather to begin at “early candle light.” He was well known to us as a
strong Union man.
Soon that roomy house was filled to overflowing to hear the speech. We hadn’t
long to wait as Leeper was soon in the old pulpit, with the candles already lighted and
fastened on either side of him with melted tallow furnished by the burning candles.
Leeper then began his mighty speech for the Union, which was listened to with deep
interest, but the silence in his audience was often broken by applause and cheers. As the
cheering died away as Leeper finished his speech someone, perhaps Leeper himself or
Jas. S. McMurtry, introduced Lawyer Pipkin of Arcadia, also a candidate, as already
noted. He came unexpected, as we had no previous notice of his coming. He began his
speech, but soon it was discovered that he was a “Conditional Union man.” He warned
us of the North and related a story of a slave owner who had been “up North after his
fugitive slave,” and that it was arranged with the engineer on the train bearing the slave
owner and his captured property that, at a certain station along the line, a mob was in
waiting to take the captured slave from his master and free him again. So the engineer
was to whistle down the brakes but the brakemen were to understand that they were not
to turn on the brakes, but that they would go by the station at full speed, which, said
Lawyer Pipkin, they did, and the slave owner got safely home with his captive. Hardly
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had Lawyer Pipkin’s last words died away, when a mighty shout broke forth from the
throats of perhaps 300 men and boys calling” “Leeper, Leeper, Leeper.” Pipkin now saw
that he was in the wrong pulpit. Leeper arose to beg that he was tired and hungry, as he
had been speaking so much that day and had eaten no dinner. However, he gave us
another short but warm speech, and we shouted again. Leeper told us the story of some
great man, who, when he found himself surrounded by robbers, drew his sword and,
placing his back against a rock, said: “Come one, come all.” Leeper said he was in that
position then, with his back against the “Rock of the Union” “and now I say: ‘Come one,
come all.’” Then rose the cry of McMurtry! McMurtry! McMurtry!. Then our Jim
McMurtry rose and before he finished we thought that if we were in Pipkin’s place we
had rather be conspicuously known in that crowd by our absence. Not a man or boy there
that night who had the least spot of sympathy for what it was apparent that Pipkin
represented. No, we were all unconditional Union men. Even the “Neutral gender” man
was very conspicuous there that night, by his absence.
The election soon came and we remember that about the time the polls were about
to open the old wiser heads out doors held a kind of caucus, by election, to select the best
and strongest candidates, whose loyalty to the Union was not questioned. Of course, the
name of Wm. T. Leeper was the first one. The object was to concentrate the votes of all
the “Best Union men.” The convention assembled and Missouri staid in the Union.
As we read in the papers of some of the delegates’ weeping as they were voting
their states out of the Union, such as, Alabama, Georgia & c., the ghost of old “Paddy”
Hesson would rise up in us and say: “Faith now, I wonder if thim southern gintlemen
didn’t put tobacco crumbs in their eyes to fetch the tears to hilp on the progrim.” Well,
my dear sir, this letter may seem to be a bore to you, but not being a painter ourself,
because we know black, white, yellow and blue (if you keep purple out of light)_ only,
when we see them, we have tried to furnish the “pigments” of things that were transpiring
all around us and everywhere, so the painter can blend the colors to suit his taste. We
have written this letter as illustrative of the “Formation period” of our definition of the
work “Secession.” Yes, “Secession” was now on paper as expressive of what was in the
heart of the “Sunny South.” The exciting news of the fall of Ft. Sumpter was soon read.
Blood had been spilled for the Union, and the war was surely upon us, but we never once
doubted but what the Union would be preserved.
Very truly yours,
H. C. Wilkinson,
Damon, Mo., Wayne Co.
Letter No. 6.
Dear Doctor:
In our last letter, we found ourselves at the completion of “Secession” on papers,
as expressive of Secession in the heart of the “Sunny South”. There came that rather
useless tarrying, while waiting the action of the Peace congress. The best we can say of
the acts of this Peace Congress is, that it showed a liberal willingness on the part of the
National Government. It left the “Sunny south” no excuse whatever, and now, it looks
like President Lincoln had foreseen all of this when the storm of Secession broke upon
the nation. A Costly pause! Now, that we had Secession arming itself to fight us right
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before our faces,-there was to come another period of something else,-
ORGANIZATION! Yes, we must organize, arm and equip for the fray. It was surely
upon us! As already said, we had no other thought whatever, 0 but that we would win the
day,-but when? There was one mistake on both sides, or so it seems. That mistake was
the estimating each others’ strength as compared with our own strength. It was the boast
“down South” in the beginning of the arming and equipping the volunteers, that “One
Southern man can whip two Yankees!” It was plain that the Department at Washington
had a very low estimate of the prowess and strength of this new “Southern Confederacy”,
or at least it was rather manifest in the first call to arms of only 75,000 men for only 90
days! Why, that number of men would hardly be enough men to do picket and “chain
guard” duty for Gen. Grant’s Army of the Potomac.
The spring of ’61 wore along, but getting hotter all the time. We read of the
establishment of Camp Jackson at St. Louis and we could hear the rebel drums at
Patterson, Wayne County, and the firing by file of their guns, as they began there to
organize Cap. John Kemper’s company for Col. Lowe’s Regiment of Claib. Jackson’s
Militia. The writer well remembers that about that time his father came home from
somewhere down on Cedar Creek, probably a wheat cutting and he was very highly
excited and began to mould bullets for his old long deer-gun. He told us boys that he had
heard at the small gathering of men where he had been that day, that one, Jesse Farmer, a
Baptist preacher, then pastor of the Cedar Creek Church, had been appointed by Claib.
Jackson to enroll the military strength and to assess a direct tax to aid in arming his
Militia. Father then reloaded his old long “four-footer” and told us boys to be sure to not
handle that gun. He said something like “cussin”. “D—n him, if he shows his face on
this place, I’ll shoot him as sure as he is a man!” Father told us that the other men
present when this news came, declared war also. We afterwards learned that the Rev.
Farmer got wind of how matters then stood in the “Black Hole”, as that was the name
Cedar Creek had won with our friends(?) over the way, and Cedar Creek even bore that
name as long as the war lasted. Anyhow, the Rev. Framer did not visit Cedar Creek as an
enrolling officer and as an assessor of direct taxes. Then the writer remembers that it was
then the talk that Gov. Claib. Jackson had put his hand down into the Missouri Public
School Fund and taken out money,- some or all, to arm and equip his State Militia to
carry Missouri out of the Union,-but we don’t know if this is really true or not, altho’ it
did create quite an excitement among the Union men at that time. Seeing no account of
this in later days, we thought perhaps that it was “grape vine telegraph news”.
About the 10th of May, we read with exultation, of Capt. Nathaniel Lyon’s
brilliant move onto Camp Jackson at St. Louis, and things began to look more hopeful for
the Union in Missouri. Gen Harney proved too slow and compromising. In a few days
thereafter, we had James R. Willetts with us again. A “Union Home Guard Meeting”
was appointed and Willetts was one of the speakers and we well remember what a
glowing account he gave us of Capt. Lyon’s brilliant move onto Camp Jackson and how
he ordered them to “Bluff, boys! Now Bluff!” “And” said Willetts, “They bluffed. At
this meeting there was one “Union”, John A. McKennis, who voted for Lincoln the past
November, as noted heretofore,-who took a very active part in the Home Guard
organization. As to the most active leaders and prime movers, we will mention the
names of such as we now remember;- P. L. Powers, Jas. S. and A. G. McMurtry, John
M. Wilkinson, James Willmore, James T. Sutton and others not now remembered. James
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T. Sutton was elected captain, and being then rather backward in the old militia drill, he
had but little to tell us. John A. McKinnis took hold of us and put us through a brisk, old
fashioned “Scott’s tactics” drill, which was common in Tennessee in our early boyhood
days. They then had a day of “Petit Muster” once or twice a year and Battalion drill, or
“Muster” as it was then called, once a year. Our organization was completed and ready
for anything small that might come our way. The Union men about Patterson, but few in
number tho’, organized under Capt. Hawkins, James R. Willetts and perhaps Wm. T.
Leeper. Then soon we heard of a Union Home Guard on Lost Creek in rather Southeast
Wayne County. Next we heard of Capt. Cochran and “his men”. They were then living
in Bollinger County between Castor River and Dallas (now Marble Hill). He and his men
gave valuable aid to the Union army. The men composing these organizations were all
solid and outspoken Union men. Many of them finally served in the Union Army, either
U. S. Vols. or M.S. M. Vols. All, or almost all of them saw service in one way or another
during the war. As well as we now remember, some companies of these Home Guards
were furnished arms and accouterments, but our company received no arms, save our
own, mostly the hunting rifle. The “Secessionists” as we then called them (Later on we
did not have the time nor breath to spare to get out more than “rebs”) were active in their
organizations also. Quite a time they had in Fredericktown, we learned, when they
organized there,-all Secessionists, of course. The Claib. F. Jackson Militia was formed in
a brigade, or perhaps a division, and was commanded by one Gen. Watkins, who lived on
his farm down in Scott or Mississippi County, or somewhere in that region. We may be
doing him an injustice tho’, by saying he commanded the Militia, as we never heard of
his taking any active part in the whole war. We heard it strongly hinted at, that his
sympathies were not with the Secession movement. At least, he made little or no hostile
demonstration. Then we heard of the “Booneville route” of the Jackson Militia,- then of
some kind of a fight at Farmington in St. Francois County, but could not learn of how
affairs went there. Then Glory! Pilot Knob, Ironton and Arcadia were taken possession
of by the “Feds”. (When the Secessionists got busy and had no breath to spare, they
termed us “Feds”) We learned with delight how these “Feds” gave our lawyer Pipkin,
previously noted, a good race, as he ran from them. They captured him but did not
wound him in the chase. We then learned that the Union troops rather stole a march on
the three towns, or actually one town three miles long. Then it was that we began to feel
pretty large to our size. We then had a place nearby that we could rely on for help in the
hour of need and to run to, to rally when scared. So the “rebs” then began to look on the
“Knob” as a “Black Republican stronghold”. A short time later on, Fort Carlin was built
on a knoll-hill on the north side of Arcadia, with Stout’s Creek flowing along the north
base. Ironton stood prominently to the north across Stout’s Creek. Pilot Knob still north
of Ironton, beyond the gap between Mt. Shepherd on the west and Pilot Knob of the east.
This fort had a pretty fair range, as it commanded the Arcadia Valley, on the north of it.
It was mounted with about three 32 pounders, siege guns, and perhaps about three 24
howitzers and two mortars. It had no moat. At that time, Bloomfield, in Stoddard
County, was the rebel stronghold and so remained more or less until in 1863. They had
splendid works there, all earth-works they were. These works lay mostly to the south of
Bloomfield and were probably 100 miles long. They were named the “Swamps”. The
guns these earth works mounted were almost all muzzle loading shot guns and rifles of
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numerous calibers. Lowe’s men, later on, brought a full battery of these guns to Wayne
County.
Sometime about the last of May, or perhaps the first of June, ’61, it was one
certain Saturday, a “drill day” of the Home Guards at Cold Water, a panic was brought
about by exciting speeches and recitals of how the rebs were doing in below us. We
rather thought then or a few days afterwards, that this panic was rather designedly
planned, but do not know for sure. There were two strange men there that day with their
rifles, purporting to be Union men from Bloomfield. They had a woeful story to tell us of
the doings of the rebs at and around Bloomfield, of how Union men were being treated.
Later in the afternoon, one Joe Snader, came post haste (?) from David Bollinger’s Steam
Mill over near Castor River, in the northeast corner of Wayne County. He had a big
scared story to tell of matters over there. In the excitement, Jas. S. McMurtry mounted a
horse and went for Ironton for assistance. There was more or less excitement through-out
the night, and a big scare the next morning and some one hallowed out- “Disperse from
here!” We ran and scattered like a covey of quails when a hawk makes a dive for them.
It was ludicrous indeed, to see us run, - from nothing. We were assembled on Union Hill,
under our flag, when this scare same. As the day wore on, until the afternoon, we
assembled at the Church house, one-half mile west of our flag. There was now quite an
armed crowd of us, all highly excited and some eight or ten “bosses”. Crowd? Yes! Did
you ever see a flock of frightened sheep, all crowding to the center? Well, if you did, you
have us. The dangerous enemy was supposed to come from Bear Creek where the “Fire
Eater” Dr. Jim Ward lived. So all eyes were restively turned in that direction. We can
now look back and shake our sides over these scenes,-panics and stampedes. In after
years, we have talked over those old times and have had many a hearty laugh. John H.
Wilkinson was then on a scout mission down into the extreme west end of Tennessee.
Had he been present, we think matters would have had a better shape. He was then
thought to be “spunky:. Soon however, we saw a messenger coming from towards
Ironton. He had glorious news to tell. “The soldiers will be here in a few minutes!” Was
not that grand tho’ our saviour now in easy reach. Yes, they had halted down at Tom
Miller’s, three-quarters of a mile below to leave their borrowed (?) horses and to farm
and rest a few minutes, as they had come on the “double hurry”, as one of them told the
writer. He was a son of Erin,-(our distint relative).
We had not long to wait, however, as we soon saw Jas. S. McMurtry and Adgt.
Gantt come riding up the rode. We moved down near the road to meet him. He
dismounted and took a pair of Colt’s “eight inchers” out of the holsters and placed them
in his sword belt. He was a fine looking man and wore a military cap. This was the first
U.S. Military officer that we had ever seen, or at least, the largest part of us. It beat any
elephant show that we had ever beheld,- a real, live, genuine soldier of the Union Army!
O, but he was precious to behold! “Yonder they come, boys!” some one said and sure
enough, there they came. They were divided into three squads of probably 20 men in
each squad. Orders were to not cheer aloud, but as they crossed the nearby creek, one did
pull off his cap and say, “Hurrah for the Union!” we silently replied by waiving our hats.
Well, they were a detachment of the old 6th Mo. Vols. (then) Inft. The writer remembers
that the commander of one of these squads was addressed as “Lieut. Miller” by Adjt.
Gantt. They were armed with “Minnies” carrying conical balls,-68 caliber. During that
week we saw the boys firing in drill and these “minnies” would hardly fail to kick a man
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a “quarter left wheel backwards, one step to the rear!” The boys said they would “kick
you down and then kick at you after you were down.” To some, this all may seem to be
rather small history now, but just at that time of the making thereof, it looked to us who
were then making it, as big as all out doors. Then came the order,- “’Tention Companye!
Shoulder ARMS! Forward, MARCH!” These were the first commands the writer ever
heard issued to United States soldiers by a United States officer in command and so he
now thinks that they should go down on Record because they had real genuine “Union”
in them, which means true “patriotism”. Each squad, in its turn, received these three
commands by its commanding officer. The boys were wet and tired and hungry. They
had taken a heavy rain that day, but were yet minus the regulation blue, as clothing, save
the blanket, haversack and canteen, had not yet been issued to them, but they told us that
they had brought with them from Jefferson Barracks, plenty of blood kin,- old, old
regulation (?) army gray backs! The boys were soon housed in the church house and our
good women fell to, to cooking good things for these hungry boys. How they boasted of
the “Good Citizens here”, as they gulped down the victuals as a hungry soldier can. With
Jas. S. McMurtry’s help, Adjt. Gantt soon drew a hasty map of the place (Cold Water)
and the principal roads leading thereto. Then, he called the Home Guards and sent them
in squads on the approaching roads, to do our first picket duty. Our post was a “Vidette”
post on the Bear Creek road, approaching from the south. And oh, my! They placed us
away over towards that awful Dr. Jim Ward’s residence and on a direct road there! All
went quiet through the night, so far as we ever learned. Our post came out all right, tho’
we were quite moist when morning came, as we had taken a shower, but wet as we were,
we could boast that we had actually done picket duty for the United States Army.
Morning came and All were called in and a scout had been organized, part
mounted and part as infantry. Several of the Home Guards went along as guides.
Destination, that awful “Fire Eating” Dr. Jim Ward’s residence! When the scout arrived
there, the bird had flown. He had warning of the approach of the scout, as we had seen
some two or three men whose loyalty we then doubted, mount and ride away from Cold
Water and go in that direction. The scout returned that evening and reported “All quiet on
Bear Creek!: Soon other troops arrived from Ironton as Adgt> Gantt returned. Two
companies were commanded by Capts. Temple and Bywater. We fear that the last named
never got through the war as we put him down as a virulent tyrant among his men. The
first man we ever saw on the rail “horse”, Capt. Bywater ordered there for some slight
provocation. He was also a “distint rilative”- being from Erin. Capt. Temple was well
beliked by his men. These soldiers scouted into the “enemy’s country” as far east as the
Bollinger Mill. On the following Sunday all were assembled again on Union Hill under
our flag with Lieut. Col. Blood of the 6th Mo. in command and also a Capt. Boutell, or
Boutwell, we don’t now remember which. It was told of him that he was at the
“Booneville fight. Capt. Hawkins with his Home Guards was also present. Jas. R.
Willetts was there with some six to ten mounted men,- one man’s name was John
Woodmancy, afterward wounded in a forlone hope charge in Louisiana, in 1864, and
being permanently disabled in left shoulder, he was discharged. Capt. Hawkins had
boxes of arms for his Home Guards, but more arms than men. There was a “bone of
contention” up among the officers, via; Jas. R. Willetts, Jas. S. McMurtry, and Capt.
Hawkins. Col. Blood made us a warn Union enlisting speech and some probably 25 of
our Home Guard were sworn in by Col. Blood. Capt. Boutell spoke also, urging us to
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enlist. From what we gathered from Jas. R. Willetts’ sharp talk, using many “cuss”
words, we made out the case; that; the three men, McMurtry, Willetts and Hawkins, were
trying to enlist as many of our Home Guards as possible, and so, with Capt. Hawkins’
men, form a company for the 6th Mo. And – “Who shall be captain?” That’s the way we
then sized up the “bone of contention”. Jas. R. Willetts was outspoken, saying “I don’t
want any Home Guards. I want United States Volunteers!” Willetts vigorously opposed
the “blind gull”.
Well, this smashed the prospect of enlistments for the resent at Cold Water. We
record right here that Jas. R. Willetts was right. Guards went along, but found out that
they were being “gulled into the U. S. Volunteer army” and soon came home. Well,
seems like some men insist and persist in being – strange animals anyhow! The writer
greatly desired to enlist, but his father said, “Henry, you are not able to stand it. I tried it
in Mexico, and it came near killing me and I know I can stand more than you can. I want
you to stay and help take care of home while Ed and I are gone. You will get enough
before it ends.” And we did.
Yours truly,
H. C. Wilkinson
Damon, Mo.