Bruce.
Yes, those two soldiers are part of the story but the main focus is their brother Joshua Chitwood - Osage Regt. Home Gd., 47th EMM, 9th Prov. EMM, and Bollinger's Camden County VMM. At the time of the two murders in August and September, 1864, I believe Richard and William were in Southwest Missouri. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I appreciate all help in sorting through the details.

According to written letters, area folks were fed up with being harassed by Chitwood and his men. When G.O. 107 was issued at the end of July 1864, local men responded by going to Waynesville that week to form the 48th Regt. Inf. Vols. Some men had stayed on their farms and refused military service until this time. Others had fought in 1861 then returned to their farms and avoided military service until this time. The murder August 7th heightened the local reaction and more men enrolled in the 48th over the next month.

As far as Glaize being "close" to the Grand Glaize, it depends on your definition. Glaize City was on the Dry Auglaize. The Grand Glaize begins where the Dry and Wet Auglaize run together. A side note: In May there's a re-enactment of the Battle of Monday's Hollow sometimes called the Battle of Wet Glaize. Locals look confused at this because Monday's Hollow and Wet Glaize are two different places.

Thanks for sharing the finding of Tilley's gold at Fort Wood. It was dug up by accident in 1962 when they were building some housing units at the base. The gold was hidden for a hundred years. The other murder also involves hidden gold. The third murder, Hugh Allison in 1863, includes a demand for gold that oral history says didn't exist.