There were some bad men in Missoura...

[Gallo de Cielo]

"In the middle of September [1864], Bloody Bill Anderson drew together a hundred guerrilla gunmen operating above the Mississippi River and concentrated them in the northwestern corner of the state. He then ambushed a Union ordanance convoy at Rockport, captured thirty thousand rounds of ammunition, and started on a long, 200 mile dash toward the southeast. On the morning of September 27, Anderson's nightriders swept down the dusty streets of the sleepy village of Centralia, about fifty miles due north of Jefferson City. At 11:00am, the guerrillas robbed the daily mail coach from Columbia. Thirty minutes later, they bushwhacked the North Missouri Railroad's 11:30 passenger train from St. Louis, emptied the passengers' pockets, took $3,000 in specie from the express car, and shot down twenty-four wounded Federal enlisted men going home on furlough. Two hours after Anderson's men evacuated the town, Major A. E. V. Johnson and three companies of Union cavalry arrived; the Federals dismounted, put aside their carbines, and began to help the civilians bury the dead. Just then, Anderson's gang pounded back into Centralia, slaughtered 124 of Johnson's 147 soldiers, looted the village, and again rode away. Galloping southward, the guerrillas crossed the Missouri and eventually joined Price at Boonville."

In other areas, Federal troops were found massacred, stripped naked, and scalped.

The locals declared that these men were "sent here for the express purpose of cooperating with Price. The day for the extermination of these wretches has arrived... Now it is war to the knife. Price's friends have raised the black flag."
(Page 341, Kirby Smith's Confederacy by Robert L. Kirby)

[Old Reb]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

Fred,
Is there a bully buy on black flags?

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

In other areas, Federal troops were found massacred, stripped naked, and scalped.

...you will also have to watch out for bushwhackers. And just so you know they don't have any rules to play by. They are making their own rules. So, don't come with a candy arse!

Do the math, folks! Be prepared!! :thinking: :wink_smil

[Eric Fair]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

On the other hand, discipline on the Federal side of things was difficult to maintain.

The 135th Illinois Volunteer Infantry was a 90 day regiment organized in the summer of '64 and stationed in Missouri so seasoned veteran regiments could be relieved of occupation duty and sent to deal with Price's Raid.

Here is the first Special Order issued by the regimental commander upon arrival at Jefferson City:

Head Quarters 1st Sub. District Centl Mo.
Jefferson City, Mo. Aug 15th, 1864

Special Order No. 1

For the better Government of the troops stationed at this post.

I. No troops will be permitted to quarter in any building of any kind whatsoever and Companies of Infantry will be put into Camp, in the enclosure occupied by Company “C, 135th” Regt. Ill. Vols.

II. The troops will not be permitted to leave their quarters, except with permission from the Company Commander to go for wood, water, and rations, and then no greater number than is absolutely necessary.

III. Any private soldier or Non Commissioned Officer found idling, and straying, at or about any store, saloon, billiard saloon, or other place in the city, outside of their immediate vicinity of his Quarters will be liable to arrest and punishment for disobedience of orders.

IV. A standing detail of 1 Seargt [sic], 2 Corpls. and ten men will be made from Companies of Infantry as Provost Guard [sic], under the control of the Asst. Pro. Marshall of this Post.

V. S. Wright, Major 135 Regt. Ill. Inft. Comdg. Post of Jefferson City Mo. is charged with the execution of this order.

By Order of
John S. Wolfe Col. 135th Ill. Vols.
Comdg. 1st Sub. Dist. Centl. Mo.

Official
C.W. Hoblen
Adjutant

[Old Reb]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

Is there an approved AC vendor that sells scalps, or should partisan/bushwhacker/freedom fighters obtain them on site?

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

Tom,

Registration fees cover scalps. Black flag will be up shortly on the bully buy list. Holler is personally sewing each one and encouraging most of his men to grow their hair out so that there's a full patch of hair hanging from the belts of the bad fellers roaming the woods with knives and shotguns.

[MO-Pard]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

"In the middle of September [1864], Bloody Bill Anderson drew together a hundred guerrilla gunmen operating above the Mississippi River and concentrated them in the northwestern corner of the state. He then ambushed a Union ordanance convoy at Rockport, captured thirty thousand rounds of ammunition, and started on a long, 200 mile dash toward the southeast. On the morning of September 27, Anderson's nightriders swept down the dusty streets of the sleepy village of Centralia, about fifty miles due north of Jefferson City. At 11:00am, the guerrillas robbed the daily mail coach from Columbia. Thirty minutes later, they bushwhacked the North Missouri Railroad's 11:30 passenger train from St. Louis, emptied the passengers' pockets, took $3,000 in specie from the express car, and shot down twenty-four wounded Federal enlisted men going home on furlough. Two hours after Anderson's men evacuated the town, Major A. E. V. Johnson and three companies of Union cavalry arrived; the Federals dismounted, put aside their carbines, and began to help the civilians bury the dead. Just then, Anderson's gang pounded back into Centralia, slaughtered 124 of Johnson's 147 soldiers, looted the village, and again rode away. Galloping southward, the guerrillas crossed the Missouri and eventually joined Price at Boonville."

In other areas, Federal troops were found massacred, stripped naked, and scalped.

The locals declared that these men were "sent here for the express purpose of cooperating with Price. The day for the extermination of these wretches has arrived... Now it is war to the knife. Price's friends have raised the black flag."
(Page 341, Kirby Smith's Confederacy by Robert L. Kirby)

This reference was actually "...above the Missouri River..." Anderson, worked north of the river, tearing up track and raising hell. The other bands (Todd, Taylor, etc., elsewhere in Missouri, also worked to distract, occupy and damage Federal forces/resources. As mentioned, this was coordinated prior to Price entering the state. Price, to his gentlemenly credit, was apalled and very upset with a great deal of the actions and activities being conducted, "on his behalf." Still, he was unable to contain them and had greater issues to deal with.


Another interesting note, continuing the Centralia account.....

Following the killing and capture of the Federal troops from the train in town. Another company of around 133 mounted infantry, saw the smoke of the burning depot from a distance and headed for Centralia. After arriving, they saw the ghastly scene and learned what happened. They were told the men responsible were encamped on a creek just south of town, but were begged not to pursue them. The commander did so anyway, and sure enough caught up with, and pursued a couple of the irregulars.

They were followed down to a horseshoe-shaped pasture which flowed down hill from the opening. The Federals paused on top of the hill just inside the horseshoe, when the guerillas were seen down in the low, closed end, dismounted. So the Federals dismounted and moved into a skirmish formation, forward. At this the guerillas mounted and charged the dismounted federals....while at the same time gunfire came from the side's treelines. All but a handful of the Federals were slaughtered, some literally (I'll spare the details) and a handful chased to the next town.

If you ever travel I-70 through Missouri, exit just east of Columbia and travel north at the Centralia exit. There is a marker in the field (by the SCV) where this occured and it is being put in a land trust. It looks quite similar to accounts of the time. It is a very eerie place at night, as you might imagine.

Anyway, can't be reiterated enough....... things were different in this area. Choosing side was almost impossible to escape, and if you did would be preyed upon by both sides. Since this is an occupation event, things will become very interesting for pro-Southern sympathizers when the occupiers arrive.

Best Regards.

[FlatLandFed]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

Sorry, lads, but DNA inherited from my GrandPaps won't leave much scalp for the bushwackers to trim off this federal's pumpkin.

Hmm, maybe I could portray a survivor of an earlier fracas who got on the wrong end of a knife?

Cheers,
Paul Hadley
What Does A Yankee Wear Under His Dress Hat Company

[GreencoatCross]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

This is great...I'm completely torn as to what impression to choose!!! I had wanted to go civilian and help Terry run the inn. Then I wanted to do Federal infantry. Now I wish that I knew how to ride and owned a horse, in case there is some kind of mounted pro-Confederate force in attendance.

I also wonder if that dorky original wooden "cartridge box" would be something suitable for bushwhackers in 1864. Anyone interested? Seriously, it's like a block of wood holes drilled into it, a flap and two loops nailed to it. I'll even provide the cartridges!

[moarkcav]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

Brian

Is there a need for a mounted pro-confederate force?

Chris Talburt

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

No mounted.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

This is great...I'm completely torn as to what impression to choose!!! I had wanted to go civilian and help Terry run the inn.

I understand you situation. There are a lot of great options for this event!

Then I wanted to do Federal infantry.

May I suggest that you are onto something here!? :wink_smil I can promise a more (ehem) "eventful" patrol than we had at Bentonville!

[Outrider]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

No mounted.

I understand the reasons why- it has been explained to me- but that is my one regret about the whole thing.

Sometime in the future perhaps it could be arranged to have some mounted impressions at Boonesfield. I can think of few finer places to portray a mounted guerilla, accurately, and without the hordes of yahoos that usaully come out of the woodwork when anyone mentions the term "bushwacker."

I would personally pay the insurance costs out of my own pocket for a chance to pull that impression off .

I am always looking for opportunities to portray a mounted partisan. H***, it don't even have to be Mizzourah either. Lords know there were plenty of em down our way both pro secesh and pro union. Old Bloody Bill and Arch Clement had nothing on Champ Ferguson in the wanton cruelty department.

Freedom fighters my ***

[Silvana Siddali]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

Yes, it should definitely be possible some time in the future. There's no ban on horses or other livestock in the village; we've had horses & oxen there in the past. We kicked around (no pun intended) the idea of mounted bushwhackers & other pro-Confederate folk, but we would have had to add pricey event insurance. I think in future, depending on how this event goes, we should be able to charge a high enough registration fee to recoup the insurance.

For this specific event, we are dealing with so many variables -- all sorts of partisan & armed men, pro-US and pro-CS civilians, the buildings, woods, terrain, etc. In fact, one thing most people don't know is that there are several other historic sites attached to the village, which will all be in use. About a half mile away there's a blacksmith shop, pond, and other outbuildings; then in another part of the woods there is an 18th century structure -- but that's all I'll say about that.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: There were some bad men in Missoura...

There have been whispers that the "other structure" in the woods is a brothel, flowing with rot-gut whiskey and the sorts of women mamma fears young men getting to know.