That's interesting you have found that land grant next to Centralia. It all adds up, though. Regarding the 1862 Purcell Scouts there had been a question regarding why a Littleby, Audrain County resident was recruiting clear over in Boone County. Then we discovered not only was Purcell a native of Boone County, he was a Rocky Ford Township, Boone County native when he was growing up. And that's exactly where the Purcell Scouts all came from. He recruited the Purcell Scouts from the families he grew up with.

Regarding Purcell being at the Centralia Massacre---Everybody knows the big name Confederates who were there. What really has never been looked into was exactly who were the other couple of hundred or so rank and file Confederates who were there. Well...they were recruits from Caleb Perkins' command. Perkins was the one out of the whole bunch who had the formal authority to recruit. Not Quantrill, not Bill Anderson, not George Todd. And it was Perkins who was formally the Confederate officer in command at Goslin's Lane four days before Centralia. And who is listed as being with Perkins at Goslin's? The two Todd--Tom Todd and George Todd.

We all know George Todd was independent and that he had just wrested control of Quantrill's command from Quantrill a few days before Centralia. But Tom Todd wasn't an independent -- Tom Todd belonged to Perkins' command. As did our guy -- Young A. Purcell. Both were company commanders under Caleb Perkins. Duly recruited and authorized Confederate troops. Perkins was wounded at Goslin's, which is why Tom Todd was leading Perkins' command at Centralia, and why Tom Todd is famous and Perkins isn't. But right in the middle of that Caleb Perkins organization -- right there was Young Purcell. And after Centralia who is it running the show? A recovered Caleb Perkins. With Tom Todd and Young Purcell under him in the command flow charts.