I have a first person participant account of a raid on Fulton in Callaway County made by a 20-man squad of the Purcell Scouts (Co. L, 1st NE Cavalry). I am trying to pinpoint date it, and see if it matches up with any other primary sources.

The account I have occurred sometime in the time period of August/September 1862 after the Scouts learned the Federal force there had temporarily left on patrol. Capt. Young Purcell detailed Sgt./Lt. John Cole to lead the raid (his rank varies, according to data on the unit. Cole was ordered to select 20 men--of those 20 men, Jesse Kanatzar, Dave Marion Hulen, Harvey Hulen, Willie Barnes and Andrew Bush were included. According to this account, this force went into Fulton, approached the insane asylum (which housed the Federal garrson there) where an individual came out and told them there were just wounded men present so they did not enter it.

The Rebels then went on into town, where the townspeople fed them and showered food and supplies on them, and it all ended somewhat uneventfully.

While other accounts are sketchy, there is a one that has Alvin Cobb raiding Fulton around this time. But I think the person writing the account I have would have remembered hook-handed bushy bearded notorious bushwhacer Cobb leading it instead of lifelong acquaintance John Cole. And that the raid was somewhat confrontational and antagonistic, as opposed to friendly.

Bruce Nichols, on the other hand, in his 1862 Guerrilla Warfare volume has Cobb in Callaway County raiding Portland on August 15, and a Rebel "Capt. Fowler" with 16 men raiding Fulton the next day. "They took some clothing and other things," wrote Nichols. Now this sounds very close to the account I have from the member of the Purcell Scouts, except I can find no Fowler in the Purcell Scouts.

Anyway, Fred Eggers is in the hunt with me, helping get transcriptions of German newspaper articles that may or may not shed light on this affair. From the English language standpoint, if anybody has run across anything on a raid or raids on Fulton which took place circa August/September 1862 and maybe was led by John Cole, maybe by _________ Fowler, then please jump in.