Battlefield Dispatches No. 220: 'Scorn, Contempt & Iron Horse'

According to Mr. Webster, "scorn" can be defined as "to refuse or reject as wrong & disgraceful" and "contempt" is "something or someone considered to be low, worthless or beneath notice." The opposing forces in any war, especially the American Civil War, often used these words to describe their enemies and this opinion made it easier to fight and kill the enemy.

The following after action report has many twists & turns and has been edited because of its length. One unusual incident in the report is when "Union" soldiers commander and use a RAILROAD ENGINE (the Iron Horse) to chase some escaping BUSHWHACKERS as they are leaving town in a hurry in a light wagon or hack! This entire incident would be a colorful episode or vignette in a Civil War movie! The entire report is located on Pages 1028-1031 in Vol. 34. Part I, Reports of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion.

"Headquarters Finn County, [Mo.]

Enrolled Missouri Militia, Brookfield, June 20, 1864,

General: On the 18th of this month a band of rebel bushwhackers came into the town of Eaclede, Linn County and robbed several of our Union citizens and shot 2 of them. There were 16 of the bushwhackers under the command of Holtzclaw of Howard County. The greater portion of the men comprising his company were known to our citizens. They came into town from the west and arrested the citizens as they came to them and MARCHED THEM TO THE PUBLIC SQUARE UNDER GUARD! One man (an esteemed soldier) by the name of Crowder SHOT 1 OF THE DEVILS through a window and the same man turned and SHOT HIM (CROWDER) DEAD, through the window after he was wounded by Crowder. About this time one of the citizens started to run (a Mr. Jones) and was immediately shot by some of the bushwhackers. On their first appearance in town a messenger started immediately for Brookfield and informed Lieutenant Billings, who detailed as many men as he could mount and started with them and also sent a few SOLDIERS on a RAILROAD ENGINE, with such railroad employees as were at hand to volunteer. They ran the ENGINE to Laclede and the BUSHWACKERS had loaded their wounded men into a HACK (light wagon) that carries the mail from Laclede to Linneus and had gone west toward Locust Bottoms. Our men who were on the ENGINE followed up the HACK, which had some distance to go by the SIDE OF THE TRACK before they could turn off. When they came within shooting distance they COMMENCED A RUNNING FIGHT! The wounded man (James Nave) was killed. The other man in the hack and the driver were both wounded and the 2 escorts riding on horseback were mortally wounded, 1 of them since killed. The driver was taken back to Laclede, as he was pressed (forced) with the hack. The other 2 wounded men have not as yet been found. One had HIS LEG BROKEN and the other had ONE SIDE OF HIS FACE TORN ALL TO PIECES BY TWO CHARGES OF BUCKSHOT. Lieutenant Lewis has been after them ever since and has returned tonight, after riding 60miles in pursuit and tour surprise they were at 4 p.m. last night within 2 1/2 miles of Laclede again.

This trip has again proven to me the PERFECT FOLLY of CHASING BUSHWHACKERS while the country is full of LAW- ABIDING CITIZENS TO HARBOR & FEED THEM!

The losses of our merchants are, as near as can be ascertained, as follows: John F. Pershing, $811 in money & goods; Praty & Clarkson, $1,277 in money and goods; Thomas Spencer, $587, mostly all money; J.J Friend, $445, watches and jewelry; John A. Riggen, $220, a fine mare, revolver, etc.; L. Seymore, $110, money & merchandise; J. L. Reynolds, groceries, $24; Samuel Moore, $100, groceries & liquors; J. M. Brown, fine silver watch, $40; Preston O'Neil, a fine mare, saddle and bridle, $200.

General Fisk, I felt it my duty to give you an idea of the feelings of our truly loyal men of this section. While none of us would molest and injure the innocent and in all cases look upon the ignorant with a great deal of charity, yet we can but look upon those who still insist that they are REBEL SYMPATHIZERS with SCORN and CONTEMPT. We know now that it is this class who are now drawing the life blood out of our glorious Union!

There are now 40 Union refugees in town who have left their homes and have been dodging from one place to another to save their own lives and are ready and willing to take their guns if they can do anything, while their REBEL NEIGHBORS are at home at peace and making money. Some of the best men of this county are here today. I can catch these BUSHWHACKERS if they remain here and can make the REBEL SYMPATHIZERS help to do it, but I must let them know that I regard them as rebels and not as constitutional Union men.

I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. J. CRANDALL,

Captain, Commanding.

[To:] General Clinton B. Fisk, Cmdg., District of North Missouri."

Now then, did Captain Crandall ever eliminate the Rebel Sympathizers from the vicinity of Brookfield and Linn County, Missouri? No, there is know evidence or documentation that he did, so the Rebel Sympathizers continued to support their Confederate Guerrillas and of course the War Went On!