Battlefield Dispatches No. 205: 'Broken, Barren & Destitute'

War of any kind, time and place creates a "Broken, Barren and Destitute" landscape and civilian population on, near or in any battlefield or former battlefield. The havoc of war can also create a persistent and successful "civilian" guerrilla resistance which is what occurred throughout Missouri during the Civil War. Very often here in the tier counties of eastern Kansas and western Missouri folks think that the extreme havoc of war was confined to this area. Such is not the case. The immediate repercussions of the war extended from the plains of western Kansas to the southern border of Missouri and to most all points in between. The guerrillas on the western/central plains of Kansas were American Indians who were experts in mounted warfare. The same of course can be said of the Confederate guerrillas in the "Show-Me State"!

The following after action report describes an area in Southwestern Missouri as "country very broken, barren and destitute" and is located on Pages 153 and 154 in Vol. 34, Part I Reports on the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion.

"Headquarters, 11th Cavalry, Missouri Volunteers,

Camp Steele, March 15,1864.

Captain: I have the honor to report, for the information of the Colonel commanding the district, that in obedience to Special Orders, No. 40, Headquarters, Dept. of Missouri, I ordered Squadrons A & M to proceed from St. Louis to Rolla on the morning of the 15th ultimo, per the Pacific Railroad, where I and my staff joined them on the 17th & was joined on the 18th by Squadrons B, C, E & G [Note Squadrons means Companies] commanded by Maj. L. W. Brown, which had for some time been serving in the District ofSouthwest Missouri. As this detachment was in need of many supplies, both ordnance & camp and garrison equipage, I deemed it advisable to remain there a few days till the necessary supplies could be obtained. Meanwhile I turned this occasion to account by putting my command in a more efficient state of discipline & drill and by sending a quantity of Forage to Houston. On the afternoon of the 29th I ordered tents struck and moved 5 miles south of Rolla & camped on the Little Beaver. On March 1, I moved 13 miles and camped by the side of a fine spring. Roads were bad and the teams [wagons] were heavily loaded.

On the morning of the 2nd, moved early; weather fine & some little improvement on the roads and country; no forage could be obtained; camped at Thomas Reid's close to a fine spring, having marched 16 miles. On the 3rd, reached Arthur's Creek, marching 16 miles; no forage on the route; COUNTRY VERY BROKEN, BARREN & DESTITUTE. Remained here one day to enable my Quartermaster to repack his wagons, rest his teams, and turn in a quantity of tents which my limited transportation would not allow bringing. Moved early on the morning of the 5th; reached Elk Creek at 2:30 p.m. and camped; marched 28 miles today; camped on Black Pond in Howell County; country still very hilly and broken; no forage. 7th Marched 16 miles today and camped in West Plains, county seat of Howell County; good water & plenty of fuel, but no forage could be found in the country. 8th moved 30 miles today & camped at South fork of the Spring River, Fulton County, Arkansas.; roads better, country less broken & hilly, but presenting an unbroken field of DESOLATION & RUIN; HOUSES & FENCES BURNED UP & INHABITANTS FLED THE COUNTRY: no forage or articles of subsistence could be obtained. 9th Marched 18 miles today.

The rain of the afternoon rendered the roads very heavy [muddy] and the [wagon] trains were slow in getting up; camped on the south Fork of the Spring river. As yet no reliable intelligence had been received of the presence of the enemy in the vicinity of my route, though I kept out flankers on each side and scoured the country for several miles; obtained a small quantity of forage. 10th Moved 8 miles today and camped close to the Stephen's farm in Izard County; here I obtained about 200 bushels of corn, a small quantity of sheaf oats and fodder. In the morning, learning of the existence of a gang of BUSHWHACKERS, I sent Lieut. Thomas with 20 men of Company E, with instructions, if found, to either KILL OR CAPTURE THEM! Coming up with a small squad of them, he fired upon them and gave chase, in the end KILLING 2, WOUNDING 1 and CAPTURING A FOURTH; 1 of those killed was a NEGRO DESPERADO known as WILDWOOD JACK. ll™ Marched 8 miles today; sent out foraging and scouting parties and thoroughly scoured the country on each side of the road a distance of 5 or 6 miles, but without any particular beneficial results; obtained but little forage and no definite information as to the whereabouts of the enemy. 12th Marched 15 miles today, keeping on the Wild Haws Road; sent foraging parties out on either; secured enough for necessities, though found no considerable quantities . My camp was within 7 miles of Batesville. Plenty of water. 13th Arrived at Batesville at 11.30 a.m.

May I add in conclusion that the whole march a distance of over 200 miles, was effected without a material loss and that, too, having forage to transport more than three-fourths of the distance. I adhered strictly to the policy of ALLOWING CITIZENS A FAIR RENUMERATION FOR ANY ARTICLE OF FORAGE OR SUBSISTENCE TAKEN ON THE ROUTE and those of doubtful loyalty to report here and satisfy the authorities before settlement would be rendered.

In conclusion, permit me to acknowledge the earnest and hearty co-operation of both officers and men of my command in aiding me to carry out all orders and instructions; all, from the highest to the lowest, did their duty as soldiers should.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. D. WOOD,

Colonel, commanding Regiment."

So ended another partially successful "Union" expedition through a BROKEN, BARREN and DESTITUTE area of Southwest Missouri and "Of Course The War Went On!"