Richard,

In October 1862 (no specific date given, as I recall my reading) Colonel Joseph Porter led his recruiting command in several large groups south of the Missouri River on their way to Arkansas to join the regular Confederate forces. (Sources: 1887 history of Lewis County, pp. 90-96, 114-143; 1911 history of Adair County, pp. 94-107)

In middle October 1862 (about 15-17 October 1862), Captain Benjamin F. White of Porter's recruiting command surrendered himself and about 75 recruits and cadre of Porter's command to the Union garrisons of Paris, Monroe County, and Mexico, Audrain County, but no mention of Colonel Joseph Porter's whereabouts were given at that time.

Earlier, on 8 October 1862, Union Provost Marshal-General of the District of NE MO, W. R. Strachan at the behest of his boss, BG John McNeil, delivered to Colonel Porter's wife at the Porter home in Lewis County a letter stating that ten prisoners the Federals held of Porter's command would be executed on 18 October in retribution for the murder of northern sympathizer, Andrew Allsman of Palmyra, captured earlier by Porter's men in a raid on Palmyra, and subsequently murdered by Allsman's guards. The ten condemned men were supposed to have been selected at random from among dozens of Porter's men held prisoner by Strachan. However, Strachan entertained entreaties by family of some of the doomed POW's, and even reportedly accepted sexual favors from some female family members in exchange for substituting other POW's for some of those already selected for execution. The 18 October execution by firing squad of the POWs, called thereafter the "Palmyra Massacre," was condemned in the harshest terms by Confederate commander of the Trans-Mississippi West, MG Thomas H. Holmes, and made the Union commander of the NE MO District, BG McNeil, a marked man for the rest of the war, although the southern forces never were able to take BG McNeil as prisoner and try him for this war crime. (Source: "Official Records," series 1, vol. 22, part 1, pp. 816-819)

At the time the letter was given to Mrs. Joseph C. Porter on or about 8 October 1862, Colonel Porter's whereabouts were unknown, although apparently he remained somewhere in NE MO readying the hundreds of recruits still with him for the long horseback ride to Arkansas.

The largest grouping of Porter's recruits riding to cross the MO River involved an estimated 300 to 450 who fought through a large patrol of the Union 1st Battalion Cavalry Missouri State Militia to effect the river crossing at or near Portland, south Callaway County, on 16 October 1862. The Yanks were commanded temporarily by their surgeon, because their actual commander was injured shortly before. The Confederates evaded their pursuers (except for 7 KIA, several WIA, and at least 1 captured) and allegedly forced Captain Joseph LaBarge and his river packet "Emilie" to take the southern horseman across the MO River. Allegedly, Colonel Porter was part of this large group of 300 to 450 men of his recruiting command, but there is no actual proof he was physically present with them. (Sources: "Official Records," series 1, vol. 13, p. 319; Brownlee, "Gray Ghosts of the Confederacy," p. 88; Frederick Dyer's "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion," vol. 2, p. 805; Chittenden, "History of Navigation of the Missouri River," pp. 258-9; 1887 History of Lewis County, p. 142; newspaper articles in "Daily Missouri Democrat," St. Louis, 18 October 1862; "Daily MO Republican" St. Louis, 19 October 1862; "Central City & Brunswicker," Brunswick, Chariton County, 23 October 1862)

This large force of Porter's recruiting command passed Linn, county seat of Osage County, about 1 AM I presume the morning of 17 October, to leave behind Union pursuit, as stated in one or more of the above sources.

On 18 October 1862, this large group of southern horsemen fought their way through another large group of Union cavalry of the 5th and 13th Cavalry MSM, I think from the Union garrison at Waynesville, at or near the California House Inn in western Pulaski County. The Federals under Colonel Albert Sigel claimed to have incurred casualties upon the Rebel force of 20 KIA (including a Lieutenant Tipton), about 20 WIA, and 3 captured. From these casualties I infer the Union cavalry determined the Rebel commanders included Captains Ely, Brooks, and two Creggs, but no mention of Porter being present, except they were of Porter's command. The Federals also liberated two Union soldiers held captive, and captured a flag, roll books of all or part of the southern force, horses, shotguns, Austrian rifle-muskets, and etc. (Sources: "Official Records," series 1, vol. 13, p. 321; Frederick Dyer's "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion," vol. 2, page 805.)

This was also the date the ten Confederate prisoners were executed by musketry at Palmyra.

On the morning of 19 October 1862 another southern recruiting command of about 400, allegedly under the command of Colonel Caleb Perkins and Captain Young A. Purcell, near Rocheport fought their way through a large patrol of 9th Cavalry MSM from Columbia. The Yanks captured three southern horsemen. (source: "Rebels Crossing the River, "Missouri Statesman" newspaper, Columbia, 31 October 1862).

So, as near as I can tell, the historical record is not specific about Colonel Joseph C. Porter's whereabouts on 18 October 1862. Sorry I couldn't pin it down for you any better than that above.

Bruce Nichols