Your reasoning makes sense Scott. My expereince thus far with Mills located near larger streams or rivers is that at some time in their history they are damaged by heavy flooding. However, the safest ones to have are those located near a spring where year round water supply can be had. Also it seems that where there is a mill near a spring then the possibility exists it is steam operated produced by boilers. If this is the case then the owners virtually controlled the areas grain supply during the cold weather months. I have noted this in other areas of Missouri where owners of Steam operated Mills pretty much controlled the local food supply. Where this is the case there usually was a garrison force placed there, examples are the Ritchey Mill at Newtonia and Hildebrands just across the Arkansas line in the I.T. Both maintained garrisons for most of the war. It also provides an explanation why there were numerous skirmishes in the areas of such mills.

Given what I have been told and read thus far about the Chilton Clan and their Mills, it would seem that their southern leanings and their controll of the food production in their area did not endear themselves to the Union authorities and people.