Letter No. 14.
Dear Doctor:-
We almost feel like asking pardon for having nothing very striking to relate in this
Prov. E. M. M. service, but we did the best we could. We were in the field ready, if old
man Timothy had proceeded on north to Brunot when he was as near there as Patterson.
He certainly would have had our undivided attention had he only gone up. We did not
remain at Brunot long after our ride after Reeves, before we were ordered to Greenville,-
Company M and Capt. Hummel’s company,- to help hold the election, as already noted.
We reached Greenville on Sunday evening and took up quarters in the old brick store
house and in the court house. Sometime Monday night, our pickets fired and we were all
soon under arms and posted at the windows of the court house, ready for action; but no
action came our way. It was at the picket post on the Fredericktown road and on Capt.
Leeper’s old battle ground when Ponder and Reeves stole a night march on him, where
the firing was done. The boys said he rushed out of a nearby thicket and would not halt
when challenged and they fired on him. Daylight revealed the fact that it was “Sir
Bovine” that made the charge on the picket post,- and – we had plenty of fresh beef for
dinner that day! Tuesday the election passed off quietly, being held at Brunot, Greenville
and Coldwater.
At noon, Wednesday, old Lieut. Wilkinson and old Comrade Henry White came
in with the election returns from Coldwater precinct; but before they had time to
dismount and “howdy” us all around, the bugle sounded, “To horse! To horse!” Well,
soon we were all riding at a gallop to Lake Creek at the farm of Anderson Hughes, five
miles west of Greenville. Here we found our forage wagon in ashes and coals and a
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smoldering heap of burning oats! Yes, Ben Hughes with some two to four men had made
a dash on our company wagon loaded with oats for our horses and took our six mules and
the teamster, Joe Hammer, and his guard, Wm. Wilson and Allen Francis, prisoners and
had fired the wagon load of oats and took to the hills from whence he had come. We
followed their fresh trail southwest and soon came to where they took old Tim Reeves’
backwoods trail on his trip to Greenville and Patterson, already related. We followed
their trail until nearly dark when we returned to Patterson, finding not the game. Soon
Comrades Hammer, Wilson and Francis came back as paroled prisoners, all except their
uniforms which they traded (?) off for the Tim Reeves uniform,-rags!
At Patterson, away in the night it was, we found a whole batallion of the M.S.M.
Cav. on their way south to look for Reeves, but they did not find him that scout. Next
Day, Company M returned to Brunot and in place of Company L and Capt. Hummel’s
company of the 3rd M.S.M., we had Company K, Prov. E.M.M. Maj. Laton now assumed
command and things quieted down for a good long spell of dry weather. The dull
monotony of outpost duty was somewhat relieved by scout duty, but it was rather dull
now that game was scarce. One such scout, the writer remembers, was led by Lieut.
Sutton. We started late in the day and ate a kind of dinner-supper in Greenville, then
rode some distance before stopping for the night. Early next morning, we crossed the St.
Francis River at the mouth of Otter Creek, then up the creek to the Stephenson Steam
Grist Mill, where we met Lieut. Ike Davidson of the 31st Mo. Inft. Vols. He fell in with
us as pilot through the hills to strike Black River, where Hendrickson in Butler County
now stands. It was nearly sunset when we parted company with Lieut. Davidson at the
home of Judge Hendrickson, who was found on the watch, as he held his pistols in his
hands. He was sure all right. We then rode up Black River to Reeves’ Ferry, called
“Reeves’ Station”. Then we took the old “Andrew Jackson Military Road” for Patterson
and halted for the night at the Sloan farm on Otter Creek. We quartered in the spacious
barn, but the writer slept but little for listening at the old dog as he stood inside the yard
fence unable to get over it, and there he stood saying “Hu-ey! Hu-ey! Hu-ey!” the
livelong night, to be occasionally broken by the peculiar cry of the blind, crazy boy at the
house. Corp. H. Tom Fulton was on post at the 1st gate near the dwelling house, some 35
yards from the barn, where we slept. He was watching the road in his front, and as the
gray morning began to appear, we heard his clear voice shout, “Halt!” Then the next
instant the echoes were awakened by the crack of his Enfield. Of course, we were down
there with him in a twinkle. “What was it, Tom?” we asked. He then told us that some
one or more came down the road and turned up to the house near him, and gave a low
“Halloa!” He said he challenged him and he (the horseman) turned to run and Tom
opened fire. At daylight, we found a small sorrel mare with a bridle on, and old shoes
freshly tacked on, grazing down the lane. We at once exclaimed, “Sam Hildebrand!”
But it was not Sam, but we found that he had taken the mare from her suckling colt from
old man Gentry”s, up on Lake Creek, and they told us that he said he was Sam
Hildebrand. Well, it cost him his arm, for Corp. Fulton smashed it when he fired. He
made good his escape that time. We took the mare with us to Brunot, but in a day or two,
Mr. Gentry returned from Ironton, where he had taken the colt and mare to, to rally.
Before Mr. Gentry reached our camp, the colt neighed to our horses and, no doubt, to its
joyful surprise, its mother answered it,- and so here it came and at once began to suck its
glad mother. Lieutenant said, “That proves the mare yours, Mr. Gentry.” We are not
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sure but that the old man shed tears of joy at so unexpectedly finding his mare. Not many
days hence, a pretty strong attachment of the 3rd M.S.M. halted for the night at Brunot
and to make some repairs about their gun carriage that they had with them. Capt.
Hummel was along and his company was with the command in charge of this gun. They
were going “scouting down below.” Some days hence, this scout returned with no less a
personage than Gen. M. Jeff Thompson, then a prisoner of war! The story of Gen. Jeff’s
capture as related to us by his captors was rather interesting. This scout had Pocahontas
pretty well surrounded before their presence was known to the enemy, a small number
being there,- and it seems they were depending upon Tim Reeves for protection above
them. An officer, before the charge was made, quietly went into the town and to Gen.
Thompson’s headquarters. The General was busily engaged making out pay rolls and
gave no present heed to the Yankee, as he walked in. Soon he looked up and said, “Well,
what’s the news?” Then his surprise can be imagined when he saw the Yankee officer
sitting there in command instead of himself! He asked, “Where in the H—l did you come
from?” about that moment a courier came in and threw down some dispatches on the
table before the General. Then the general said to the courier, “You’ve played h—l!”
The courier asked him “Why so?” Then Gen. Jeff pointed and said, “Look there at that
d---d Yankee!” Then the “whoop” came and Pocahontas was ours!
As October, 1863, came along, Companies K and M were removed to Patterson
and the wire was repaired that far and Brunot ceased to be an outpost. It was while
encamped at Patterson that the writer became acquainted with George Harris of Company
K who then gave us the completing links in the history of the killing of Ellis Kemp and
Mr. Sanders, as already related.
Our camp life in Patterson was very dull, as there was nothing to do, hardly; but
to drill and scout a little. The 3rd M.S. M. made another scout down below while we were
at Patterson and were ambushed by Tim Reeves and fired upon, doing some damage, but
we have forgotten how much, except their surgeon was so badly wounded that he could
not come in with the boys, but not many days after their return through Patterson, a very
kind old citizen brought him in, in a small wagon with good soft beds for the surgeon’s
comfort. This scout did not get whipped because they told us that they soon rallied and
charged the bushwhackers and scattered them like dry leaves.
Sometime about the middle of October, the whole 8th Prov. was called to Ironton,
and Company M was sent down to Wayne and Madison Counties to notify all of the old
68th Regt., E.M.M. , who had been in active service, to assemble at our camp in Ironton,
to receive pay for our services the winter before. All were now to receive pay for both
the 68th E.M.M. and 8th Prov. E.M.M. Pay day came along soon, and we had hands full
of “gamble green”, as we called this State of Missouri money. It went equal to 85 cents
of the U.S. greenback legal tenders for $1.00 of “gamble green”.
Then on Friday morning, Nov. 6th, 1863, Col. McClain called us in line and made
us a very feeling speech, at the close of which he read to us the order, there and then
dismissing us from further active service! We raised the “Militia yell”, as we broke ranks
and returned to our several homes. Well, the service was also very unsatisfactory to the
men and officers. It was about the same as a conscription, while a great many of the 8th
Prov. went willingly and voluntarily, but for willing men to have to drag through with the
weight of the unwilling ones was unsatisfactory. Then in making their details, the
captains were not at all careful to send good, loyal, able-bodied men. We went home,
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determined to never more belong to the Enrolled Missouri Militia. Many of the details
never reported for duty; many ran off to Illinois to help swell the strong copper-head
element over there; many who were detailed, were never mustered into service, because
totally unfit for military service on account of physical disabilities. Our experience then,
now prompts us to say, that in a civil war like that, - the VOLUNTEER, “first, last and all
the time.” There was just simply no comparison between the average Volunteer and the
average enrolled militiaman in the war of the Sixties. One of the most, if not the most
unsatisfactory feature about the active service of the E.M.M. that we observed, was the
length of his term of service. Unlike the volunteer of 30 days, 60 or 90 days, 6 or 12
months, or 3 years,- the E.M.M. never knew the length of his term of service until he had
served it out. Before we were disbanded to return to our homes, our orderly sergeant, Jas.
P. Ellis, began to circulate an article for a subscription school to be taught by himself at
Coldwater. He got several subscribers in Company M, including the writer. So, as soon
as we all got home, the young fellows became once more school boys. School began, but
we always went to school with our Colts buckled to us. One day, probably in January,
1864, word came to the school house that there were about eight bushwhackers ate
breakfast at Wm. Wakefield’s, and that they had gone east. The teacher at once
dismissed school and he and his comrades (save the writer, who was detained at home
that day) put on their Colts and obtained horses and gathered more men as they went, and
soon were in hot pursuit. They came up with their game on the head waters of East Big
Creek, and the fun began. One of the “Johnnies” at once halted and surrendered; another
made for the brush and got a bullet in his leg, but he escaped and sent a bullet back at the
boys as he went; another ran and they after him, or two of the boys,- Brant Willmore and
Dan Parker and perhaps Sergt. Ellis. The young fellow took a tree on them and they then
demanded of him to surrender. He told them that he would think about it. Brant
Willmore then went to shift to another tree so as to enfilade fire on him and he tripped on
a grape vine and fell, just as a bullet whistled over his head,- and in shifting to shoot
Willmore the “Johnny: exposed his side to Parker and Parker gave him a load of buckshot
in his side, and he then and there quit bushwhacking. The boys brought back their
prisoners and took them to Patterson (if we are not mistaken) and turned them over to the
post commander. We have forgotten how many prisoners the school boys captured and
killed,- in fact, it was rather thought that there were more killed than were reported. That
“Black Republican hole” was actually more dangerous to such roving bands than the
military posts were. If one showed himself on Cedar Creek, he was sure to be at once
reported and then, when as few as two of us were together, we were then already
organized into a scouting party, which was sure to gather strength of numbers as we
went. The spring of 1864 came at length and we actually begun to hope that we would
have peace in southeast Missouri, at an early day, but before frost, we found that we had
rather “rushed into print” in our hopes.
Lieut. John M. Wilkinson was appointed to the duty of making a complete
enrollment of the Missouri Militia, with Dr. Jas. M. Short as examining surgeon, with
enrolling office at Patterson,- then occupied by some three or four companies of the
M.S.M., with Maj. Wilson in command. This may have been his entire batallion of the
3rd M.S.M. Among the officers of the 3rd M.S.M., that we now remember, seeing at
Patterson while Lieut. Wilkinson was then engaged in enrolling, were Capts. Johns, Rice,
and McElroy, Lieuts. Hopkins and Kelley and others, whose names we have forgotten.
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We remember seeing Maj. Wilson there also. One day while there, we saw one of the old
“Haw Eaters” boys take his old Lieut. Wilkinson over to his tent for an old time chat.
This old “Haw Eater” is one of the boy’s names that we cannot recall. John Brightenstein
(Hecker) was there most as “pig oudt as high up”.
In enrolling, it was Dr. Short’s business to examine all who desired it, for
exemption from the militia service, paying Dr. short 25 cents for each examination. That
was his only compensation for his services as examining surgeon, and was ready cash, as
the applicant paid his fee of 25 cents on being examined. Then all persons who would
pay to Lieut. Wilkinson the sum of $30.00 to be turned into the Mo. State Military fund,
either in “gamble green” or “Lincoln green” could get an exemption from military duty in
the Enrolled Service. Something like, perhaps $450.00 or $500.,00 was thus paid to
Lieut. Wilkinson for exemption certificates and by him paid over to Pleasant A. Hodge,
who was then acting sheriff of Wayne County. We afterwards heard that Sheriff Hodge
was robbed of this money. Belonging to the spring of 1864, was the talk of the “draft
was going to be run” in Missouri. Uncle Samuel must have more men. Grant was
“Fighting it out on this line” in Virginia; Sherman was crashing through the heart of the
Southern Confederacy, and important points were to be held and men were needed.
Now, we could begin to see why of the re-enrollment of the militia. Capt. C. R. Peck at
Ironton had the full control of the draft office, with Gen. Jas. R. McCormick as
examining surgeon, - so Capt. Peck must get the names of men subject to military
service, which was all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 45 years. This he
could now do from the Enrolled Missouri Militia, or to a great extent anyway. But in its
place, we will notice more definitely about what we saw and know about the draft.
Later on, it was in the spring, when some tobacco haulers were returning from
Pilot Knob, after delivering their cargoes of tobacco hogs-heads, they met Capt. Leeper
and a number of the 3rd M.S.M. with several prisoners who had been caught while
“scouting down below”. When the tobacco haulers reached Marble Creek on the
Patterson road, they came upon six men by the side of the road. Capt. Leeper, whom
they had just met, had had these men shot, stating that his orders were to take in to Pilot
Knob no prisoners whatever except regular Confederate soldiers,- that all men in arms
against the U. S. Government,- not regular Confederate soldiers, were to be served the
same way. Two of the men killed on Marble Creek were brothers by the names of John
and George Null. When taken prisoners they were chopping wood for wages. They had
never been in any service whatever. One of the men was named McMillen. Such things
are to be regretted.
Before closing this letter and while penning the above disagreeable story, we are
reminded of another circumstance that took place west of Gad’s Hill on the eastern hills
of Logan’s Creek in Reynolds County. There was one certain Jim Lisk, an uncle by
marriage of our present companion. Lisk was a robber from early in the war of 1861 and
a murderer also, but somehow, he escaped with his life until the close of the war,-
notwithstanding that at one time he was a prisoner and for safe keeping he was placed on
a horse behind one of his captors. Coming to where there was a dense thicket and in
broad daylight, he leaped to the ground and shot into the thicket like an arrow, taking his
captors by surprise. They shot several shots after him, but he got away unhurt. This
occurred just at the outskirts of what is now Piedmont. Well, it was in 1864 he with his
gang was visiting the farm houses on Black River, taking whatever they took fancy to.
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They thought they were safe and turned west to the Logan’s Creek hills for the night and
camped on a bald, high, steep point, overlooking Logan’s Creek valley,- so they could
observe,- unobserved, the movements of any passing Federals. Somehow, this reached
the Federal soldiers’ ears and a party under Capt. Leeper began the search on Sinking
Creek, next above Logan’s Creek. They pressed the services of old man Anderson as
guide. He told them if they would arm him, he would willingly help do some fighting.
They approached the sleeping guerrillas at daylight and at once charged their camp. One
fellow fell at the first fire and the boys ran on after the fleeing guerrillas. One
surrendered, but his captor said, “Uncle Sam aint takin’ recruits now” and he shot him
dead. They killed five of the guerrillas, but Lisk made good his escape. The first one
who fell, at the first fire, while the boys were after the others, suddenly came to life and
loaded one of their horses and made his escape, unhurt, by riding at a gallop down that
high, steep bluff-hill. We have since examined this ground and were forced to say that
Putnam’s famous ride was not in it at all.
Yours truly,
H. C. Wilkinson,
Damon, Mo.
Letter No. 15.
Dear Doctor:-
As to local affairs, the spring and early summer of 1864, we had comparatively
quiet times, generally in southeast Missouri. In good confidence, the farmer “plowed in
hope”, not dreaming that he was then plowing to grow corn to feed Gen. Sterling Price’s
army of over 20,000 men! As to our family, we had removed to a farm near the mouth of
Cedar Creek, and pitched a fairly good crop of corn and tobacco and watermelons enough
for all our neighbors. Of course, we were on the watch all the time. We never thought of
going anywhere, even to church, without our arms. We always slept with our guns and
our revolvers in easy reach, but fortunately, we were not called upon to use them at our
homes.
It was near the middle of August, 1864, when Capt. Jas. S. McMurtry and Lieut.
Jas. T. Sutton, Capt. Wm. T. Leeper, Capt. Jas. E. Davis, Sergt. C. B. L. Rowland, the
Fulton boys, John, Tom, John H. and Lieut. Bob, held a meeting at Patterson and enlisted
Companies A and G of the 47th Mo. Inft. Vols. Capt. Leeper was selected as commander
of Company A, but owing to some trouble in the M. S. M. service, he was not
commissioned and finally Capt. Jas. S. McMurtry commanded Company A, with Jas. T.
Sutton as 1st Lieut. And Pleasant A. Hodge as 2nd Lieut., and C. B. L. Rowland as Orderly
Sergt.
Company G was first commanded by Capt. Morgan Mace, but later on, Wyth (or
With) Wybark was made Captain, Jas. E. Davis, 1st Lieut. And Wm. W. Wilson, 2nd
Lieut., Jas. R. Sullivan, Orderly Sergt. The changes were not completely made, however,
in these two companies until after the battle of Pilot Knob.
In the spring of 1864, Capt. Morgan Mace had enlisted a company at Ironton,
which was, as near as the writer ever knew, a kind of state troop of cavalry,- similar to
the M. S. M. This company was finally absorbed by the 47th Mo. Inft., or nearly so.
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It was about Augt. 16th or 17th, when Capt. P. L. Powers returned from St. Louis,
bearing a recruiting commissions as 2nd Lieut. to enlist Company H of the 47th Mo. Inft.
Vols. The writer visited him at his home on Aug. 19th, and at once enlisted. On his way
from St. Louis, Capt. Powers had visited the camp of Capt. Morgan Mace at Ironton, and
with the assistance of one of his old boys, Merida P. Tate, he enlisted 22 men, including
Tate of Capt. Mace’s company of state troops. On Aug. 23rd, the writer bade home
farewell and started for the rendezvous in the beautiful flat south of Shepherd’s Mt. And
east of Arcadia and Ironton, using water out of the Jas. Lindsay spring, where General U.
S. Grant received his commission as a general in 1861.
Arriving at the rendezvous on the 24th, we at once fell to assisting the completion
of Company H, and in two days Company H was full,- 103 men, rank and file. We had
already organized under our 1st Lieut. Then came the nude examination before Dr.
Johnson, post surgeon. He cut down our company to less than the minimum, but we were
soon full again and on Sept. 5th, 1864, we stood in single line before Wm. L. Hallock, 2nd
Lieut., 1st Mo. Cav. Vols., Asst. Comy. of Musters, and were inspected by him and then
mustered into the U. S. Vol. Army. Then we held our election of officers. P. L. Powers
was commissioned Captain; Merida P. Tate, 1st Lieutenant; Edward P. Settle, 2nd
Lieutenant; Henry C. Wilkinson, Orderly Sergeant; Edward A. Wilkinson, 1st Duty
Sergeant; Claton A. Bennett, 2nd Duty Sergeant; Dr. Jas. M. Short, 3rd Duty Sergeant; Jas.
H. Barker, 4th Duty Sergeant. Then came the Corporals,- Joseph P. Collins, 1st ; Wm. M.
Wilson, 2nd; John S. P. Golden, 3rd; Benjamin Pugh, 4th; Thomas Stephens, 5th; James
Beckett, 6th; Barney Bruington, 7th and Robert Thomasson, 8th.
There were nine of this company who served in the “Haw Eaters”, to wit: Capt.
P. L. Powers; Lieut. E. P. Settle, Sergts. E. A. Wilkinson; C. A. Bennett and Jas. H.
Barker, and privates R. P. Sherry, John B. Graham, Wm. Morris and Absalom Bess. This
now made the 4th Company commanded by Capt. Powers. Of the men who had followed
Capt. Powers from start to finish were Sergts. C. A. Bennett and Jas. H. Barker and
Private F. P. Sherry.
About the time Company H was full, Capt. H. M. Bradley, formerly of the
M. S. M., came from Fredericktown, with Company I and one Cummings, 1st Lieut. and
one Dunlap, 2nd Lieut. and our old Melchi Rhodes, Orderly Sergt. Capt. Frank Dinger of
Ironton was busily enlisting Company E with Geo. T. Tetly as 1st Lieutenant, an officer
of considerable experience in active service. John Schwab, 2nd Lieutenant; Ben. R.
Lofton, Orderly Sergeant. Company E, 47th Mo. Inft. Vols. was largely composed of old
discharged soldiers, who, in their own words, had “Seen the elephant get up and shake
himself.” Some of them, among whom was James F. Johnson, had seen hard service in
the 29th Mo. Inft. Vols. These old “Vets” had been discharged on account of disabilities
and probably the service of some had expired, but they could not return to their homes
and they saw the need of their service for “Uncle Samuel” so they at once sprang to their
places in the ranks of Company E.
Then came Capt. Wm. P. (Bob) Adair, with Company F from St. Francois
County, including our dear old comrade, Fritz Rickus. Then we remember seeing (now)
Capt. Chas. Weber with his splendid Company C and our old Major Felix Laton as 1st
Lieut. of Company C. Chas A. Weber of Perry County was Major of the 2nd Batallion 8th
Prov. Regt. E. M. M. Then there were Capt. Jno. W. Maupin with Company D and 1st
Lieut. Gilchrist and 2nd Lieut. Crow, all from Franklin County. Capt. Gustave St. Gemme
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with Company K from Ste. Genevieve County with Lieut. Bogy. But these last
companies, C. D. B. and K were not associated with us long enough to get acquainted
before they were returned to their home counties. Then besides, each company remained
in their rendezvous camp,- some at Pilot Knob, some at Ironton and our company away
up on Stout’s Creek, a quarter of a mile southwest of Ironton. So, as it was, we just met
as our duties brought us into contact with each other,- a part of which duties were,- that
we “non coms.” were required to assemble at our regiment headquarters for drill under
our Adjutant (then) Lieut. David Murphy. As to quite a number of men in Companies A,
G, H and I, we knew that many enlisted because of two things, namely; the then growing
prospect of the coming of Price, and the then sure running of the draft! We pause here to
notice a bit of very erroneous history as now taught in the public schools of Missouri. In
paragraph 220, page 350 in text book, “The Civil Government of the United States and
the State of Missouri, and the History of Missouri” by Perry S. Rader, we find this! “The
Provisional Government (of Missouri) had been so successful in managing the affairs of
the State that it established order over a great part of it and answered every call made by
the National Authorities upon Missouri for men without a draft and with a small
expenditure of money”. Now, as to the draft not being drawn as stated in this bit of
history, we here state, that, that statement is an unwarranted gross error!
As the 47th Mo. was forming, we were daily watching the preparations fast
reaching completion under Capt. C. R. Peck in the draft office just south of the court
house in Ironton. At length the day came around, sometime in the early days of
September, 1864, and word came to our camp, that “The draft is running, boys!” Out of
curiosity the writer and quite a number of Company H went immediately to the draft
office to see just how this long talked of thing of “running the draft” was done. Well, as
fresh as yesterday, we now remember how things looked. There sat an old citizen with a
handkerchief tied over his eyes and there stood Capt. C. R. Peck with the “ticket box”
sitting on another low box for convenient height. Capt. Peck would catch the ticket box
with one hand by one side of the hole in the top and give it a shake, as each ticket was
drawn, and the blindfolded citizen would put his hand down into the ticket box and draw
out a ticket and Capt. Peck would reach and take it out of the old man’s hand and read off
the name written on the ticket, of the man thus drafted, and Col. Greason and Joe Huff
would write the drafted man’s name on the rolls. That was all there was about it. (We
think it was Joe Huff, also Capt. Zwartz.) After the Price Raid was over these drafted
men were notified and Company H, 47th Mo. Inft. Vols, furnished several details of men
to escort the Deputy Marshalls (one of whom was Horace T. Bailey of Brunot, Wayne
Co., Mo.) in the discharge of their duties, of riding over the country, to notify the drafted
men of the fact of their draft and that they, in so many days, were required to report in
person to Capt. C. R. Peck at Ironton for duty, or be treated as deserters. We saw many
of these poor fellows as they came in to report and then to draw their fatigue suits and
blankets, canteen and haversack. Capt. Peck kept these articles in his office to be
distributed to the drafted men, as they came in. Richard Alexander, of near
Williamsville, Wayne County, was drafted and assigned, at his own request to Company
H, 47th Regt. Mo. Inft. Vols. and when that company was discharged on April 14th, 1865,
Comrade Alexander was transferred to another regiment to finish serving his unexpired
twelve months,- the length of term of service of the drafted men. So Missouri did not
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“Answer every call made by the National Authorities upon Missouri for men without a
draft.”
Then details from the 47th Mo. were called for to repair Fort Davidson at Pilot
Knob and to dig and build the north rifle pit, extending straight away from the deep wide
ditch around the fort, to the brick church house or perhaps a school house, which stood
probably 80 or 100 yards north of the fort. This building answered the good purpose of
protecting the north end of this rifle pit from Cedar Mt., which stood less than a quarter
of a mile north of the fort. The boys cut and hauled logs 12 to 14 inches in diameter and
placed them on either side of the rifle pit, so when the dirt was dug and thrown out over
these logs, they lay on the brink of the ditch and formed part of the breast works.
From all appearances, the south rifle pit was built when Fort Davidson was built
in 1863, and all of the guns were then removed from Fort Carlin at Arcadia, to Fort
Davidson at Pilot Knob. Old Fort Carlin was then entirely abandoned. The south rifle pit
extended straight away from the ditch on the south side of the fort to Stout’s Creek, some
60 or 80 yards to the south of the fort, towards Shepherd’s Mt., the base of which was
some 150 yards south of the fort, and as the ground sloped away from the fort to Stout’s
Creek, it was badly exposed to fire from Shepherd’s Mt. This rifle pit had “sand bags”
on either brink in place of logs. The dirt had sunken in on top of the parapets or redoubt
so that we were required to dig dirt,- gravel in the bottom of the moat and throw it with
shovels to a man at the base of the redoubt and he to another and he to the top of the
redoubt. By this, it is seen that the ditch or moat was very deep and it was about 9 or 10
feet wide and the redoubts very high. In the middle of the fort was the immense cellar,-
magazines built of heavy timbers and a high bank of earth on top, like a very steep roof
of a house. Fort Davidson was hexagonal and each side 40 yards long, or 240 yards
around and 80 yards across. There was a sally port on the south side, just aside from the
head of the south rifle pit. So in going into the fort you stepped into the heavy door of
the sally port and you were then directly under the south parapet and then to your left was
a stair way. On going up the stair way, you emerged through a trap door into the fort.
On the east side, facing the old Pilot Knob Ry. Depot, was the gate way with a heavy
draw bridge that hinged to heavy timbers at the gate entrance. Then with windlasses
inside, attached to high strong posts, this bridge was drawn up my means of ropes
extending from the windlasses up over pulleys at the tops of the posts, then attached to
the outer corners of the bridge.
Fort Davidson then mounted four 32 pound siege pieces or pivot guns, some 12 or
14 feet long, and if we remember rightly, they weighed 9000 pounds. Then there were
three 24 pound howitzers, with limbers so they could be hauled on the field, some as field
pieces, as heavy field artillery. Also there were two mortars about the same caliber as the
24 pound howitzers. As we have read several descriptions of the old fort and its
surroundings, we will now add our mite, of its position and surroundings. So now we
will stand in Fort Davidson and look around. The fort stands on the point of a very high
ridge or roll of land, which extended south from Cedar Mt., on the north, to Stout’s Creek
which flows from the northwest. Looking westward, there is a mountain something over
a mile away, which bears away to the southwest. Extending from the fort to this
mountain is a rolling flat or plateau of low ridges or rolls. Also these rolls were covered
more or less with bushes. We have already described Cedar Mt. less than a quarter of a
mile to its base. The Caledonia Road from Pilot Knob, swept around its western base.
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Then looking to the northeast, there is a gap through which the St. L. I. M. & S. Ry. runs.
The dump and stone culvert diagonally across the gap, are nearly a quarter of a mile from
Ft. Davidson. Then around further to the east sets in the mountains, though somewhat
lower than its near neighbors that forms the east side of this last named gap. At the
western base of this Mt. stood the depot of the I. M. Ry. with the town of Pilot Knob
extending Westward towards the fort and was immediately between the fort and the
depot. It was about 300 yards, more or less, from the fort to the depot. Now looking east
you are looking through the gap between “Depot Mt.” (we will call it for convenience)
and the conical pile of Iron ore called PILOT KNOB, which is over 600 feet high and
bald and rugged on top. Through this gap lays the Farmington road, and on the south
side of this gap, at the base of Pilot Knob was the old smelting furnace, then very active,
with a pile of charcoal that looked as large and high as a small hill. We will say an
immense heap of charcoal. Next, somewhat east-south-east, stood the Mt. of Pilot Knob,
and around its western base was the road to Ironton and a nice row of log houses well
built, for the iron company’s workmen. Pilot Knob’s western base is nearly a quarter of a
mile from the fort. Then looking southeast, you are looking down Stout’s Creek (or
tributary thereof) through the gap between Shepherd’s Mt. and Pilot Knob. This gap is
not much in excess of 100 yards wide from base to base of the two last named mountains.
Down below this gap, some 300 yards perhaps, the town of Ironton sets in, which stands
at the eastern base of Shepherd’s Mt. but is hidden from the fort by an arm or point of
Shepherd’s Mt. Passing through this last named gap, the country widens out and is a
system of low flat rolls and swells and extends to the southeast towards Fredericktown, a
distance of 2 miles from Ironton where the U. S. Rifle practicing grounds now are, and
from the gap southward to the hills south of Stout’s Creek, nearly two miles away. Then
next comes Shepherd’s Mt. south of the fort, as already described, not exceeding 150
yards. So now it is seen there are no less than four mountains looking down into every
part of Fort Davidson and in easy range of a good rifle such as the Winchester, or even
the Enfield or Dresden rifled muskets used by us in the battle of Pilot Knob. The highest
part of Shepherd’s Mt. was so near that it looked almost as though a good thrower could
throw a stone into the fort. It was too near and too high for guns to be used on the fort
from its top. (As seen from Ft. Carlin at Arcadia. See former letter) General Ewing’s
description of Ft. Davidson was,- “Fort Davidson is like a silver dollar placed in the
bottom of a saucer and viewed from the rim.” There were but two points of advantage
that we could see (not being a mite of a military strategist or engineer ourself) and they
were; There was no point on these surrounding mountains where a gun could be placed to
successfully bear on Ft. Davidson that could not, at once, be raked from the fort by our
big thirty-twos and twenty-fours and all good hunters had far rather shoot up hill than
down hill. We suppose the same of good gunners. The other advantage was that
complained of by the rebels themselves, who were in the assault on the fort. They said
“We were all broken up and had to charge en masse on account of the rough ground. We
were all out of order and mixed up!” We all (Yankee boys) knew full well that this was
true.
Fort Davidson now being repaired, Company A and Company G were sent to
Patterson in Wayne county, some 35 to 40 miles south of Pilot Know, where Capt.
McElroy with his company of the 3rd M. S. M. and probably some few other of the
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M. S. M., possibly Company L, were posted and our old friends. Lieut. R. E. Buehler and
Sam Kemp, in charge of the telegraph line. Company I went to Fredericktown in
Madison County, some 20 miles to the southeast; Company C returned to Perry County;
Company F to their home at Farmington in St. Francois County, some 18 miles to the
northeast; Company D returned to Franklin county; Company K to St. Genevieve
County; Company B to St. Charles County;- so of the 47th there only remained
Companies E and H at Ironton and Company F, 50th Mo. Inft. Vols.
Companies A, G, H, and I were partly mounted to do “scoutin’ down below”.
Company H hung back about drawing arms, hoping to obtain carbines but, one night, we
were called up at about 10 o’clock, and ordered to march from our rendezvous camp up
Stout’s Creek above Arcadia and Ironton, to Fort Davidson, to draw arms, as things were
growing “squally”! “Price is coming!” Was in every one’s mouth. We drew mostly of
the Dresden rifled musket and a few Enfields and some Springfields, all 58 caliber. We
at first laughed at the idea that Gen. Price would ever dare attack Pilot Knob, let alone
capturing it; but soon, we daily met paroled soldiers going to their homes, who told us
that we need never doubt it,- but “Price is surely coming with a large force and is taking
his time too!” they said. These poor boys had been stripped of their clothing when taken
prisoners by Price on his way up. Some of these boys, if not all, had been captured at
Spring River in North Arkansas. Many of these poor boys could not hide their nakedness
with the rags they wore, and many were barefooted and hobbled along over the rocks, an
object of pity. The writer had a good surplus hat and he divided with one fine looking,
stout, intelligent fellow some thirty years old. We got a cargo of thanks. Somewhere
about the middle of September, it was when these poor boys began to pour in. Then not
far either way from September 20th, we heard that Lieut. Erich Pape of the 3rd M. S. M.
and a detachment of Companies A and G of the 47th, mounted, were on a “scout down
below” and at Ponders’ Mill, on Current River, they were surrounded and completely cut
off,- so they had to charge the enemy and cut their way out; but as to their losses, we
never learned definitely, except that Drury M. Carter and Tom Hart dropped out to come
by Hart’s home, and that Carter went to Hart’s house from the woods where Hart was, to
get something to eat and while at the house a gang of rebels rode up and Carter ran for
cover, but having a field or patch to cross, he was shot dead as he ran. Hart’s women
folks buried him as best they could, but when his father went for his body, the hogs had
rooted and torn him all to bits! Thus ended one of the faithful old “Haw Eaters” who had
been with Capt. Powers in three companies, including the “Haw Eaters” Company. “Man
alive!” we began to think “Old Price is surely coming!” Things were now looking
“Squally” sure enough!
Yours Truly,
H. C. Wilkinson,
Damon, Mo.