Letter No. 11
WAR REMINISSENCES OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.
Organization of Company K, 68th Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia.
“Greenville Sun”, Oct. 19, 1899.
“Bollinger’s Mill” in the Northeast corner of Wayne County, Mo., was built some
time in the latter “Fifties”, shortly before the “War of the Sixties”. It was a combined
saw, corn and wheat mill, run by steam power and owned by David Bollinger, a farmer
and land owner of Castor River. The mill was situated some three and a half miles
Southeast of Gravelton, and about one mile West of Castor River on the North side of a
small brook called “Plum Orchard”. The log yard was on the north side of the mill and
extended up the slope some fifty yards wide to the more abrupt rise of the low hill. Then
the timber set in. As is the case, the mill had its mill town houses built around it, except
on the East and North sides. During the summer of 1861, this Bollinger’s Mill was one
of the camping places of Col. Lowe’s Regiment of state troops under Gov. Claib. F.
Jackson’s call, who were considered the enemy of the U. S. Volunteer troops, stationed at
Pilot Knob or Ironton. In October, 1861 (or last of September, perhaps) Capt. P. L.
Powers and Lieuts. Jno. M. Wilkinson and Edward P. Steele organized a company under
the Provisional Gov. Gamble’s call, known as “Wayne County Cavalry,” or “Haw
Eaters”. They were,-well, a company, regiment, brigade, division or army corps, just as
one might consider them, as they were never assigned to any regiment, but did service
under the Post Commander at Pilot Knob. “Scouting down below” was their occupation
during their term of service, ending in the early spring of 1862. A portion of this
company took part in the battle near Fredericktown against Gen. M. Jeff. Thompson,
when Col. Lowe was killed and Thompson was defeated. As the histories at hand give no
account of this battle, the writer cannot give the date, but possible it was fought early in
October, 1861. The writer regrets that he has no roll of this company of “Wayne County
Cavalry, which, if at hand, he would gladly give herein.
Sometime during the summer of 1861(1862?), after the discharge of the “Wayne
County Cavalry,” Capt. P. L. Powers and Lieuts. Jas. T. Sutton and Jno. M. Wilkinson
organized Company K, 68th Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia, called “Paw Paw
Militia”,-they loved paw-paws. The roll shows ninety-nine men rank and file. The men
in active service during the winter of 1862-63 are as follows:
Commissioned officers: Capt. P. L. Powers; 1st Lieut. Jas. T. Sutton; 2nd
Lieut. Jno M. Wilkinson.
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Non-commissioned officers: Sergeants, -Orderly, E. W. Wilkinson 1st D.,
Jas. A. Greenwood; 2nd D., R. F. Lowrance; 3rd D., Jas. P. Ellis; 4th D., S. Sullivan.,
Corporals: 1st, H. C. Wilkinson; 2nd, Jacob Costner; 3rd, Henry Pugh; 4th,
C. A. Bennett; 5th, Jas. R. Sullivan; 6th, Wm Tidwell; 7th, Wm. Reese; 8th, A. S. Wray.
Privates: Jno. W. Adams, Jas. F. Brannock, Jas. H. Barker, Jas. Bennett,
Wm. Cox, Eph. Cloniger, J. S. Clubb, A. Cox, J. B. Driver, J. C. Driver, Joseph Davis,
Henderson Douglass, Ben Edmons, Jno. W. Evans, Wm. S. Fowler, J. N. Gregory, J. Sim
P. Golden, Pleasant Golden, Jno. B. Graham, Wm. Harrison, J. A. Highes, B. P.
Hammock, J. H. Hammock, Ben. M. Huggins, P. C. Ivy, Wm. H. Keeland, L. H. Linville,
Jno. W. Loots, A. G. McMurtry, Wm. Morris, Thos. A. Miller, Wm. E. Miller, R. E.
Montgomery, A. J. F. Moser, J. Orr, A. W. O’Dell, Chris. Pugh, Jas. C. Paullus, D. M.
Parker, F. M. Parker, Joe Payne, H. C. Reece, Jas. B. Richardson, Jno.L. Shearer, Eph.
Senter, Jno. A. Sullivan, A. Smith, P. B. Short, Thos. Stephens, D. M. Smith, Jas. Staggs,
E. P. Sherry, E. W. Sinton, Jno Sweazea, Wm. F. Taylor, A. J. Ward, W. L. C. Ward, Jas.
M. Ward, G. W. Ward Jr., G. W. Ward, St. F. M. Ward, Murph. White, Dos. P. Wray, F.
M. Wray, H. J. Wray, A. B. Wakefield, C. B. Wakefield, Jas. R. Wakefield, Jno. B.
Willmore, Hamp. White, Jas. H. White, A. K. Whitener, Franc. Woods, Caleb Hovis.
The rolls also show that some of the men deserted, about four in number.
An order was issued, dated Dec.1st, 1862, calling into active service the 68th
Regiment E. M. M., Company A., Capt Bob Adair; Company B, Capt. Belkin; Company
D, Capt. Mace; Company K, Capt. Powers and Capt. Finley’s company; but the writer
has forgotten its letter. The regiment was commanded by Col. Jas. Lindsay. Company
K. did not reach the rendezvous at Log Town, a short distance south of Arcadia, until
Dec. 9th, 1862, and drew arms, clothing and equipments on the 10th; although they had
done much off and on scout duty the summer and fall of 1862, acting rather as an outpost
to the garrison at Pilot Knob and Ironton, as well as to meet at Coldwater often to drill.
After being uniformed, armed and equipped, Company K about Dec. 15th, 1862, moved
from their rendezvous camp at Log Town to Bollinger’s Mill, above mentioned,- and
having no tents they were quartered in the empty mill town houses, doing constant scout
duty, picking up quite a number of prisoners,- some Confederate soldiers and guerrillas,
and one or two citizens. After a few days, Capt. Powers left his company to go to take
his seat in the Missouri Legislature, leaving Lieuts. Sutton and Wilkinson in command of
the company. Then Lieut. Wilkinson set the men to building quarters along the north
side of the log yard, facing the mill, and about fifty or sixty yards from the mill. The men
set posts in the ground about twelve feet apart and in line, then cut poles or took 2 x 4, or
some such lumber, and laid or nailed them on top of the posts, which were as high as a
tall man’s head. Every other space was left open for passroom between the tents to the
horses that were tied to a line of poles nailed to trees in rear and up the hill above the
tents.
“Greenville Sun”, Oct.26th, 1899.
The men then took sawed boards, some fourteen or sixteen feet long and placed
one end on the ground up the hill above the poles and the other end on the poles so as to
form a good rain proof roof and then floored the tents with other boards, then boxed up
the tents with shorter boards, so when finished, they looked like the halves of so many
roofs of houses. There were eight or ten of those improvised tents. Then large log fires
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were built in front of the tents, which were left open so as to have the heat from the fires
to warm the inside of the tents.
By Dec. 25th, 1862, the command had quite a number of prisoners that were sent
under guard to Pilot Knob. About the last days of December, 1862 or the first days of
January, 1863, Company K was ordered to join Company D at Patterson to take the place
of a remnant of U. S. Volunteer Iowa Infantry and Nebraska Cavalry that had been left by
the large command that had been mobilized at that point in the fall of 1862, but had broke
camp to be distributed to such points as Vicksburg, Miss. Here, Companies D and K
remained until the latter half of January, 1863, doing post duty and some “scounti’ down
below”. During our stay at Patterson, Comrade Jas. Brannock stood on a stump a few
steps east of where the O. S. Presbyterian Church now stands, and sang for the first time
in the world’s history, Company K’s famous song, “Great God, Aint it Pleasant Scoutin’
down Below”.
About Jan. 15th, some of the boys of Company K took “French furlough” or
perhaps French-stay-at-home, on the east side of the St. Francois River, and Comrade F.
P. Sherry and perhaps one or two other men of Company K were sent after them, and
while over there, the river took a sudden rise and was past fording for several days, with
no ferrys or bridges. So the Confederates at Bloomfield took advantage of the high rise
and quite a number of them came up on a scout “up North” on the east side of the river,
being safe from attack by the forces at Patterson. They took Comrade Sherry and all the
other men of Company K they could catch, prisoners. Some other damage was done,
such as taking horses and clothing from the citizens, men, women and children’s clothing
and shoes. Word came to Patterson, and as Lieut. Sutton was confined to his quarters
being sorely afflicted with boils, Lieut. Wilkinson without orders from headquarters (See
note following) took some twenty-five men of Company K and made all haste to Head’s
Ford, up on the St. Francois River near the Madison County line. It was bitter cold and
the ground was covered with snow some four inches deep. He arrived there considerably
after dark and found the river too full to cross safely and in the dark. He led his men up
to the old Head Homestead and stayed over night with John Head and his sister, Miss
Melvina Head, and the good old colored man, Frank, a colored Baptist preacher. The
next morning very early, all except Lieut. Wilkinson, who was sick, were in the saddle.
The river was yet very full, but all crossed safely, save the cold ducking of Pleasant
Golden whose horse fell down in deep water. Both horse and rider went under head and
ears. Wilmore’s horse was stubborn and would not take the water. Sergt. Lowrance recrossed
the river to assist Comrade Wilmore and after some delay, they reached the
command as they sat shivering in the cold on the east side. It was found that the
Confederates had returned to Bloomfield with the prisoners, horses, &c. but had not
ventured as far north as Cedar Creek, which was then called “The Black Hole” by our
Southern friends. When the war began, Cedar Creek was almost solid for the Union,
while other parts were almost solid the other way. Much bitterness existed then among
the citizens on account of “Your Principles.”
Lieut. Wilkinson with his men remained on Cedar Creek until about Jan. 18th,
1863, when he was joined by Lieut. Sutton with the remainder of Company K. and went
into quarters in the old church house and school house there- quarter of a mile west of
Coldwater on Cedar Creek, where they remained, doing considerable “scoutin’ down
below”. About Jan.21st, or 22nd, 1863, Col. Jas. Lindsay came over from Patterson,
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(having moved down there from Pilot Knob soon after Lieut. Wilkinson made the dash to
cross the river to look after the Confederates, as about stated) with parts of Company A,
Capt. Adair, Company B, Capt, Belkin; Company D, Capt, Mace and Capt. Finley with
picked men of his company. Col. Lindsay brought two guns, about two inches caliber,
with him. There were nice little things, with more scare than hurt. One day was spent
drilling the men and horses, as Col. Lindsay said, “Have the horses become familiar with
the firing of the guns”, In the meantime, Capt. Powers had obtained leave of absence
from his seat in the Legislature and rejoined his company. He then selected about
twenty-five picked men of his company to accompany Col. Lindsay on the famous
“Bloomfield Scout”, which was in contemplation, though known only to the
commissioned officers. On the morning of Jan.25, 1863, Col. Lindsay with about eightyfive
picked men of the five companies and his two little guns began the “Bloomfield
Scout”, with Capt. Powers and his twenty-five picked men in the advance. The writer
will never forget that gloomy Sunday morning as the command rode away in a cold, slow
January rain, and girls with their “Sundays” on were looking on with long faces. We
were going “scoutin’ down below”, but where? was the question in the minds of the men,
and the girls too, we suppose. The route traveled was through the unsettled lands
between Bear Creek and Greenville and Fredericktown road to the head of Lost Creek,
eating dinner at Uncle Billy Davis’ on Lost Creek, who with his six boys was a staunch
Union Man. His boys were then in the Union Army, as it was then called. Down Lost
Creek we went until we came to the Greenville and Bloomfield road, taking the
Bloomfield end. Night (a dark one, too) overtook the little command while crossing the
flatwoods between the Lost Creek and the Mingo Swamps. Sometime after dark, the
command halted at the residence of the Widow Rubottom, on the east bank of the St.
Francois River and the west side of the Mingo Swamps, all wet and cold, having rode all
day in the slow rain. On this same spot of ground is where Mrs. Powers now lives, some
three-quarters of a mile southeast of Wappapello, on the C. G. & S. W. Ry. There was
little sleeping among the men, as they were wet, and of course, cold, but were not
permitted to build fires,- we were on a “still hunt”.
At daylight, Capts. Powers and Finley, with their men, were ordered to proceed at
once to the ferry on Mingo Creek, which was not fordable on horses, and it was pretty
flush with black swamp water now flowing into the nearby St. Francois River. Capt.
Finley with six of his men and the writer with six of company K were ordered to
dismount and silently cross the creek in a small dugout which would scarcely carry two
men and the paddler. However, we got safely over and started for the cross roads on the
hill in front of us, with Marion Ward for guide.
Note. (See page 3) After reading my story, Lieut. Wilkinson informed the writer that this
was an error,-that he did have orders. Well, any how, he acknowledged that he ordered
his detachment armed and equipped to saddle and mount, which we did, while awaiting a
telegram from headquarters at Ironton, and that if said telegram was delayed or otherwise
ordered, that he was going anyhow. We were already in line when Lieut. Wilkinson rode
“Salem” to the office to see if the desired order had arrived. After reading my story, he
told me that on this first trip to the telegraph office in Patterson, he found the desired
order had come, - so we rode away in “gallop”, - Home was exposed.
(Submitted)
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“Greenville Sun”, Nov. 2nd, 1899.
We waded a pond of water, about half-leg deep and one-fourth mile wide. Oh,
our poor shins! The writer with his men, went to the house at the cross roads,- the
Magnum;s – and found him at home with his sick wife, who we learned, died the next
day. Magnum was a Confederate soldier and belonged to the Confederate command at
Bloomfield: but for mercy’s sake, our kind old Commander exchanged him for our “Wild
Irishman”, Fred Sherry, who had been released on his parole, after he was captured as
above related. Capt. Finley pushed on to the next house, one-half mile nearer Bloomfield
(some eighteen miles away) and captured six Confederate soldiers doing picket or outpost
duty. They were well armed, but Capt. Finley was a man that didn’t “scare at an
owl”, so he surprised and took them all prisoners without the firing of a single gun. They
had pistols made of sawed up rifle barrels among their arms. The command soon came
up, having crossed in the boat at the ferry on Mingo Creek. Now, we pulled for
Bloomfield, as we had captured their out-posts and the swamps filling with water, we
now had little fear but we would take Bloomfield rather napping. We hoped so at least,
as it was now very plain to the men that Col. Lindsay meant “Bloomfield or bust”. The
ride that day was uneventful. Night found Company K across the spreads of Duck Creek,
three miles in advance of the command. An orderly came up with orders for Company K
to return west across the spreads to the command, but Capt. Powers asked leave to remain
where he was, as his men had the advantage of a blacksmith shop, a dwelling house and
an old store house with plenty of good coal brands to burn so as to dry their wet clothing
and blankets. Permission was at once granted, as Company K was about nine miles from
Bloomfield, and besides drying, serving as an advance post to the command. Morning of
the 27th came (rather early though) and found Company K dried and refreshed and as luck
would have it, we found a half-inch augur with a shank long enough to reach the buckand-
ball in our 68 cal. carbines,- so we drew the loads and reloaded our guns, while we
were waiting for Col. Lindsay to come up. It was feared that Lick Creek, a few miles
ahead of us was swimming and no bridge or ferry. After Col. Lindsay came up, a short
council was held and it was decided to turn to the left and take a ridgeway so as to come
into the Bloomfield and Fredericktown road about two and a half miles north of
Bloomfield, thus evading Lick Creek. On this round about ride, we met one or two
Confederate soldiers going to their homes on furloughs. One man had a meal sack under
his arm filled with picked cotton or raw wool. He at once told us he was a Confederate
soldier, and as we wore dark brown overcoats he thought we were alright. He also told
us that the command at Bloomfield knew nothing of our approach. Poor fellow! We told
him to fall in as a prisoner of war. He obeyed. We rode in a brisk walk and soon came
into the Bloomfield and Fredericktown road, as above contemplated. Here we met a
citizen who had a new wooden water bucket on his arm as he had been trading some in
Bloomfield. The two Sullivan boys, Bob and John, who were with us, were acquainted
with this man. He informed us that our presence was not known in Bloomfield. He also
gave us the pleasant(?) news that there were about 150 Confederate soldiers in
Bloomfield. He begged us not to force him to go with us in the fire line (as they now call
it.) Capt. Powers sent a man as fast as his horse could carry him with word to Col.
Lindsay who was with the command some over a mile to our rear, of the state of affairs
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and that it behooved us to “Hurry up!” Then Capt. Powers led Company K along the
road towards Bloomfield to the top of the hill, where we could plainly see the town.
Some of our hearts were soon up in our throats at that time. But of course, the writer can
only speak for himself. Here we halted to await the arrival of Col. Lindsay. O, that
awful moment of :just before the battle begins” with the enemy’s town in full view! We
were going into that town, but would we all return? Soon that Pleasant (?) moment was
brought to an end by the hasty arrival of Col. Lindsay with the command. The writer will
never forget how the old Colonel looked as he trotted his “big bay” forward to where
Capt. Powers sat on his horse “Little Snap” at the head of his company. He looked like
we used to feel as we would sit at the deer lick listening at the soft step of the
approaching deer, - would have the “Buckager”. Our game was in sight and not aware of
our near approach. Would we catch him or would he catch us? The Colonel hastily said,
“Capt. Powers, how had we best proceed? Would it not be best that you and Capt. Finley
lead your companies on a charge and pass through the town and deploy your men in line
so as to catch them as they retreat south while I bring up the column in good order with
the guns?” Capt. Powers replied in the affirmative. So then came the word “Forward!”
We tried to swallow our hearts. The whole command moved along the road down the hill
in a moderate way, though hidden from the town by heavy timber. Bless that timber!
We soon reached the low flat bottom and began to cross the bridge, making noise enough
to rouse Lee’s whole army. After crossing the bridge, Col. Lindsay halted Companies A,
B and D with the two guns and began to form in regular attacking column, while Capts.
Powers and Finley proceeded along the road towards the town on the hill in front of us.
Soon we were across the bottom with a cornfield on our right and a low wooded hill by
our left. Every man clutched his gun tightly in anxious expectations of a fight soon to
begin. We had partly swallowed our hearts by this time. Then we turned to the right a
short distance in a short lane, then turned to the left up the hill straight for the court house
some distance in front of us, on the hill. We had not yet broken our brisk walk, but just
as we made this last turn, we heard the “Boom! Boom!’ of our two little guns in the rear.
“Forward! Charge! Gallop!” rang along our line and up the sloping hill we went,
whooping and yelling like a gang of Indian warriors rather than “Paw Paw Militia”.
Capt. Powers and his men were at first in the lead in this wild ride, but Capt. Finley and
his men were not to be outdone that way, so they pressed in among us until both
companies composed only one surging mass of men, until the street was completely
jammed full of men, or rather horses with men on their backs. As we neared the court
house, we opened fire right, left and in front on the now badly surprised Confederate
soldiers who were leisurely sauntering around as soldiers will do in a quiet place when
they are not dreaming of danger. The court house square was soon reached and Capt.
Finley turned to the left and Capt. Powers to the right, towards a hotel on the street
leading west. Here several shots were fired at the fleeing enemy. One Confederate
officer ran out of the hotel through the back yard, but had to soon fall flat to evade the
bullets we were sending after him. One shot passed through the leg of his pants about
midway between the knee and ankle. Of course, he at once put up his empty hands. The
man that stood in the front door of the hotel was stubborn. He stood there refusing to
come out when ordered, until two men aimed their carbines at his breast and told him if
he did not come out they would shoot him instantly. Then he stepped aside and out came
two or three Confederate officers with their hands up, saying “Don’t fire, boys, we
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surrender.” At this moment Col. Lindsay was forming his men around the court house,
the men heartily cheering as they fell in. In thirty minutes after we crossed the bridge,
north of the town, “Bloomfield was ours” without the loss of a single man. There was
not one of the Confederates killed or wounded that we ever heard of and no resistance
whatever, save the shots some of them sent back at the boys who were pressing them as
they retreated south in a rout. The indomitable Sergt. Jas. A. Greenwood of Company K
and Capt. Finley were here, there and everywhere, bringing in squads of two to twelve
unarmed Confederate prisoners. No braver men ever lived that Sergt. Greenwood and
Capt. Finley. It would have been murder to have shot those poor unarmed Confederate
soldiers, as it was in the charge we drove them from where their guns were stacked in the
corner of their commissary house.