This is a query about possible skirmishes around Montegaw Springs, Missouri in 1861/1862. In Bruce Nichols's response a few years ago to Mike Kehoe he suggested there were several such small encounters. My gt gt grandfather, Elias Lyons, may have been captured in one of these, based on the following excerpt from an account given by his son, William Lyons, which appeared in Kentucky: A History of the State, 1885, Vol. I, pp. 973 – 974:

“He (the father) . . . was in Missouri at the breaking out of the war, and served three years in the Confederate service, was taken prisoner at Monnego (sic) Springs, Mo, and confined in McDowels’ prisons; while in the latter he died in 1863.”

This is the relevant material. We know that Elias Lyons died on April 4, 1862 so could not have served three years. Also we have never found a listing for him as regular C.S.A. and believe he may well have been home guard or member of some irregular group formed for local defense. Born in 1815 in Hancock County, Kentucky, Lyons would have been in his mid-forties at this time; married and with eight children.

Query: does anyone know of a skirmish around Montegaw Springs in 1861 or very early 1862 which would have resulted in the capture (and possible wounding) of “C.S.A.” partisans who were then sent to McDowell’s Prison, later called Gratiot Street Prison?

Thank you for any help you can give us.