There should be a rule that I shouldn't answer a query late at night just with what I can scramble for without time to assemble a decent reply. Monday night I was shooting from the hip, and a couple of my shots missed. I apologize for answering hastily and giving out incorrect material. Fortunately for Don, Gay and Jean took careful aim and hit their targets. I appreciate both of you coming to my rescue, which Gay can tell you he has a wonderful habit of doing for me. Don is better for what you provided.

I apologize for the remark about Major Dennis C. McKay of the Union 2nd Cavalry Missouri State Militia (MSM), who as Jean so kindly pointed out, WAS assistant provost marshal of the 1st subdistrict of north Missouri at Macon City between about November 1864 through about the end of the war. Occasionally, PM's would officiate over military executions, and perhaps he had some role to play in the execution of Private Marion D. Erwin Company E of Gordon's 5th Missouri Cavalry Regiment, CSA--although not a member in good standing by 1864 and 1865. More about Erwin in a later letter, but suffice to say based on Jean's clue from the online MO Provost Marshal files, somebody in NE MO considered Erwin to be a captain in rank. Like I said, I will get back to you on that later. And, oh yes, Erwin was definitely executed, but not until 17 March 1865. Sorry, Don, your ancestor was back home long before that.

Jean, you mentioned Confederate officers John H. Utz, Henry W. Highsmith, and James P. Holland. Those three REAL Confederate officers were convicted by a Union military tribunal of spying or some such and sentenced to death, but Lincoln--against advice, probably--commuted their sentences to prison terms and they were sent to the Missouri State Penitentiary at Jefferson City. Lincoln could read in the tribunal proceedings about the bravery of those three officers and their record as decent southern officers in their own army, which I imagine was offered in their defense. (I think one of the several St. Louis chapters of the present-day Sons of Confederate Veterans is named in honor of Captain John H. Utz, unless I am mistaken.) Lincoln was a moderate and held to his stance as a moderate despite being outnumbered in late war elections by more radical northerners both in the U.S. Congress and the Missouri General Assembly. But, back to the three officers, President Johnson pardoned all three on 23 June 1865, so their ordeal was finally over.

I have to go now, but, Don, later I will chat about Private William Dixon's experience in both Company C and Company E of the 45th Enrolled (not enlisted) Missouri Militia Regiment, including his duty at Macon City that actually ended 7 November 1864 after the end of Confederate Major General Sterling Price's great Missouri raid.

I will write a bit about how a guerrilla named Marion D. Erwin who took leave of his military unit back in 1863 and evidently murdered some folks as a bushwhacker could be mistaken for a Confederate officer.

But, for now, I must go, again with my thanks to Don for his patience and good attitude and to Gay and Jean for helping cover up for my goofs.

Bruce Nichols