Battlefield Dispatches No. 213: 'Death by Deceit'

One of Mr. Webster's definitions of DECEIT is "a dishonest action, trick, fraud or lie" and during the Civil War, as in all wars, occasionally soldiers of both the Blue and the Gray killed the enemy in a deceitful way. This type of killing was not accomplished by wearing a disguise, it was done by appearing to surrender in uniform and then firing a fatal shot into and killing the enemy soldier to which one was offering to surrender. Of course in doing so, the perpetrator of this type of action normally ended up dead, having been shot to death by the comrades of the soldier that he killed. The following after action report describes such an incident and is located on Pages 904 & 905 in Series I, Volume 34, Part I, Reports of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion.

"Headquarters, First Battalion,

Eighth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia,

Springfield, Missouri, May 7, 1864.

Sir: In compliance with Special orders No. 118, Headquarters Post of Springfield, Mo., dated April 28, 1864, I proceeded with detachments of companies A, b, C and K of the 8 Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, numbering 80 men and 2 commissioned officers, in the direction of Fayetteville, Arkansas for the purpose of establishing telegraphic communication with that post. Arriving near Cross Hollows, I met the telegraph repairer with a detachment of the First Arkansas Cavalry and received information that communication had been re-established. I then proceeded in the direction of Bentonville, Arkansas, where a force of about 200 men of the Second [Cherokee] Indian [Rebel] Regiment, under the command of Colonel Adair, was reported to be in the neighborhood of Cowskin Prairie. I concluded that the enemy was moving in the direction of Neosho to attack that place and therefore marched as rapidly as the condition of my horses would permit to Cowskin Prairie. On that day I had several skirmishes and chases after stragglers [soldiers who lag behind & became separated from the main column] of Adair's command, killing several. From the course the rebels took, I was still of the opinion that they were moving toward Neosho. On arriving at Cowskin Prairie I learned that the rebels had been order back and had re-crossed the Grand River west of said prairie, about thirty hours in advance of my command.

My horses having been exhausted from constant pursuits of rebel bands and having all my rations exhausted, I concluded that further pursuit would be useless and took the direction of Neosho, scouting the Cowskin River, where I found several rebels and had one of my men mortally wounded in an attack on a house where 2 rebels were posted. Here the usual TREACHERY of the Rebels was shown again by one of them SURRENDERING until he got the advantage and then FIRED, but he paid the penalty with HIS LIFE! I also had 1 horse killed and 1 man shot through his clothes by the same fellow [that must have been one tough, brave Confederate]!

Late that night I arrived at Neosho, where I found Major Brutsche, of the Eighth Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, preparing for an attack. Nothing further worthy of notice occurred until my arrival at Springfield.

I found the inhabitants of Benton County, Arkansas and McDonald County, Missouri to be the most disloyal I have seen since 1861, disposed to give all the aid and comfort in their power to the rebellion. Grass is insufficient for horses to subsist upon, the country being mostly very broken and no forage of any kind to be found. I killed 6 rebels, wounded 2, took 3 prisoners and captured 8 horses, 2 of which had to be abandoned and 6 guns. My casualties are 1 man mortally wounded and 1 horse killed.

My thanks are due to the officers and men of the command for their promptness and bravery, and especially to my advance guard for their coolness, judgment and unflinching bravery whenever an enemy came in view.

All of which is respectfully submitted by your most obedient servant,

JOHN COSGROVE

Major 8th Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, Commanding Detachment."

Now then, was this type of "Death by Deceit" common practice during the Civil War? No it was not, but "Death by Disguise" was more frequently used by both the "Blue and the Gray" and of course the WAR WENT ON!