After studying the "O.R." (Merrill's second-hand report of August 9 at Hannibal on page 224 of Volume 13, and Colonel James McFerran's second-hand report from Breckinridge on August 16 on page 208 of Volume 13) only Merrill mentioned killing prisoners found with oath papers on them, as McFerran's quoting LTC Woolfolk did not mention any such killing of POW'--oath-violaters or not. Of course, two second-hand reports written by men not at the scene after the fact are questionable anyway. I agree with Craig's assessment that Colonel Merrill took a bit from here and a bit from there and mixed them into the pot.

I studied three different county histories about this. Remember that back then mountain lions were called "panthers," "painters," "catamounts," and several other names. The following county histories had little to say about what happened near Panther Creek or even afterward if these 26 or however many men were taken to Macon City first before they were executed. Specifically:

1. The Goodspeed history of Lewis County of 1887, p. 132 (the unidentified author clearly addressed this action as "At Panther Creek, the same day, Friday, August 8, there was another brief fight, and Porter abandoned his intention of proceeding further southward, and retreated rapidly toward the east or northeast.In the skirmish at Panther Creek, the Federals lost two killed and ten wounded; Confederate loss unknown.").

2. Violette's Adair County history of 1911 on page 106 only said "This clash near Stockton occurred on August 8," but didn't specify which fight of August 8 was meant, and had nothing more to say about this.

3. Holcombe's 1884 Marion County history on pages 466-7 says only that "Joining Capt. Woolfolk, coming up from below to cooperate with McNeil, and at Panther Creek that day, Friday, August 8, there was a brief fight, and Porter was turned from his course and retreated toward the northeast."

If, indeed, the Feds lined up and shot down 26 or however many men by Painter or Panther Creek in southwest Macon County near the railroad, don't you think one of those county histories would think it dastardly enough to say something more pressing about this fight than what they did--which was almost nothing at all? After all, they were writing several years after the event when clearer heads should prevail--and when southern folks were speaking and writing again. I would have felt better if these quotes came from a Macon County history, but that is not the case. Besides, there would have been witnesses to the execution, even if they were Yanks, and I would think somebody would have mentioned it over the years. Besides, where did whomever bury the bodies? I realize that point is where you are going with this inquiry, Neil, at any count. If the Yanks lined up and executed 26 Rebs on Friday August 8 or even Saturday, August 9 near Panther Creek or even a few miles away at Macon City, there would have been some record for somebody who had to bury all those guys. The logistics alone would have brought attention to this. I think Colonel Merrill got tangled up in conflicting reports and wrote out what he THOUGHT his information was telling him. Fog of war!

Bruce Nichols