The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Re: 6th MO Cavalry State Militia

Ginny, I pretty much have the records of the 6th MSM Cavalry, though there are a good many gaps. I have completed each company roster of the regiment and according to my records a James L. Brookshire, Private enlisted in Company H of the 6th MSM at Springfield Mo. on August 3rd, 1863 and was mustered out at Benton Barracks, St. Louis Mo. on July 18th 1865. The records do not indicate his age, though he probably was at least 17 to have enlisted. Company H was commanded by Henry V. Stall, who stayed with the regiment through the war. The company was raised in Cameron Mo. in April 1862 and was the last lettered company in the regiment until the last four companies from the old 3rd MSM joined the regiment. During August 1863 there was a great deal of patrol actions all around SW Missouri, Tom Livingston Rangers and John Coffee were operating continuously until Livingston was killed. Much of the activity in the area would eventually allow Joe Shelby to launch his great raid through Neosho which fell to him on October 4th where four companies of the 6th MSM under Cpt. C. B. McAfee surrendered to him. Company H often took turns being stationed at Newtonia. In August of that year company H was part of Blunts Expedition against Fort Smith and fought at Devils Backbone in Arkansas. The 6th MSM was the only regiment to participate actively in a campaign outside Missouri during the war. There is a letter from Colonel Catherwood to General Sanborn, then commanding the district of SW Missouri, dated December 11, 1863 that told of a band of guerrillas who were wearing Union uniforms who attacked a small patrol from Company H, commanded by Sergeant Henry C. Crooks and three men outside Newtonia. Brookshire is listed as one of the privates. A private J. Severns from the group, had been one of those captured at Neosho in October by Shelby and paroled, however Catherwood and Sanborn did not accept the conditions under which they had been paroled. They were reinstated without exchange and as a result Private Severns during the pursuit was unhorsed and captured. The guerrillas apparently knew who he was and subsequently hung him. By this stage of the war there was much bitterness and blood feuds abounded in the area. It was not a safe part of the country to be in at the time.

I hope I have at least painted a fair picture of events in the area at the time. I do want to add that these records on names are not accurate, spellings are different in many of the cases. A good deal of the time, if a man could at least read and write, he became the orderly sergeant and apparently spelled names phonetically.

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6th MO Cavalry State Militia
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