The 21st Missouri Regiment Infantry Veteran Volunteers: Historical Memoranda

THE 21ST MISSOURI REGIMENT INFANTRY VETERAN VOLUNTEERS.

HISTORICAL MEMORANDA.

COMPILED BY N. D. STARR AND T. W. HOLMAN.

JULY, 1899.

ROBERTS & ROBERTS, PRINTERS, FORT MADISON, IOWA.

EXPLANATORY PREFACE.

At the close of the war and after their discharge the members of the 21st Missouri Regiment scattered over Missouri and other States of the Union. No effort was made to keep the organization alive until 1888, when T. W. Holman, responding to the whisperings of memory for a sight and hand clasp of the old comrades of ’61-’66, on his own responsibility published a call, in August, 1888, for a meeting of the survivors at Arbela, Mo. The result was a large gathering of the veterans and the organization of the 21st Missouri Infantry Veteran Volunteers Association. From that date to the present time annual meetings have been held. At the meeting in 1896, Messrs. T. W. Holman and N. D. Starr were made Regimental Historians, to compile and perpetuate the history of the regiment. At the next meeting, in 1897, these comrades made a partial report, and at the Edina, Mo., meeting in 1898, submitted the result of their labors in manuscript form. A motion was then made and carried that T. W. Holman continue the labor and revise and prepare the manuscript for publication and have it printed for the use of the Association. In accordance with the foregoing instructions the succeeding pages are respectfully submitted.

T. W. HOLMAN.

THE CALL TO ARMS.

Organization of the 1st and 2d North Missouri Regiments, June and July, 1861.--Campaigning in North Missouri During the Summer of 1861.--Order Consolidating the 1st and 2d North Missouri Regiments, Thereafter Known as the 21st Regiment, Missouri Infantry Vols.

After the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 many political disturbances and difficulties arose and he was inaugurated during a time of overwhelming excitement. The government of Missouri at that time was in the hands of those who were clamoring for secession from the Union of States. Claiborne F. Jackson, who had been trained in the political school of “States Rights,” was elected Governor. Early in the spring of 1861 Camp Jackson was established in St. Louis and troops for State service were mustered at that point.

The Southern states, one after another, withdrew from the Union and on April the 11th, 1861, Fort Sumter was fired on by the Confederates. This was the bugle call to arms, and President Lincoln’s proclamation for 75,000 men to serve for ninety days followed. Frank P. Blair, afterwards Major General, received authority from the general government to organize and muster into service troops for the prosecution of the war for the preservation of the Union.

The muster of troops for the state was very irregular and was the cause afterwards of considerable confusion. Some men were enlisted for the war, some for one year, then for three years; some to serve in the state only, while others were enlisted for service in the northern part of the state and others for the southern part. The army thus organized was one of questionable authority. The Governor maintained that the general government had no right to invade the state, and the latter hesitated in regard to sending troops into a state not in open revolt against the government.

During this period of hesitation and confusion Col. D. Moore was commissioned Colonel and received authority to enlist and organize the 1st North Missouri Volunteers; and Col. H. M. Woodyard was given like authority to organize the 2d North Missouri Volunteers. In the summer and fall of 1861 these troops, acting separately, held North Missouri against the Confederates under Cols. Porter and Green. The anomalous conditions then existing in the state are explained by the position of the Confederates, who claimed that they were resisting armed invasion of the State by the Federal Government.

THE FIRST NOTE OF DEFIANCE.

About May 30, 1861, Col. Moore received authority from Gen. Lyons to raise a regiment for the Federal service, taking the field at the head of ten men. Clear and ringing as a bugle blast he sounded the following challenge, which was posted in hand bills over Northeast Missouri and Southern Iowa:

The undersigned is authorized to raise a company of volunteers in the county, for the Union service. All who are willing to fight for their homes, their country and the flag of the glorious Union, are invited to join him, bringing with them their arms and ammunition. Until the Government can aid us we must take care of ourselves. Secessionists and rebel traitors desiring a fight can be accommodated on demand.

D. MOORE.

(The above is a verbatim copy.--T. W. H.)

Cols. Moore and Woodyard, with their commands, were so continuously engaged with the enemy either in skirmishing, scouting or fighting, that no time was left them for looking after recruits. Hence when the time came to be regularly received into service both regiments were short of the requisite number of men. Consequently the two regiments were consolidated into what is known as the 21st Regiment of Missouri Volunteers, by the following order:

HEADQUARTERS STATE OF MISSOURI, } ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE. } ST. LOUIS, DECEMBER 31, 1861. }

SPECIAL ORDERS, NO. 15.

1st. The battalion of Missouri Volunteers heretofore known as 1st North Missouri Regiment, under the command of Col. D. Moore, and the battalion of Missouri Volunteers heretofore known as the 2d North Missouri Regiment, under the command of Col. H. M. Woodyard, are hereby consolidated into a regiment to be hereafter known and designated as the 21st Regiment of Missouri Volunteers.

2d. Col. D. Moore is hereby appointed Colonel, and Col. H. M. Woodyard is hereby appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, of the regiment thus formed.

By order of the Commander in Chief.

CHESTER HARDING, JR. Adjutant General.

As a result of the above order the two regiments were consolidated on the 1st day of February, 1862, and were mustered into the service of the United States by Lieut. Col. Fetterman, as the 21st Missouri Infantry Volunteers, with the following field officers:

D. Moore, Colonel. H. M. Woodyard, Lieutenant Colonel. B. B. King, Major. Charles C. Tobin, Adjutant

The ten companies of the regiment had the following officers:

Company A--Charles Yust, Captain. Henry Menn, 1st Lieutenant. Edwin Turner, 2d Lieutenant. Company B--Joseph Story, Captain. L. D. Woodruff, 1st Lieutenant. Edward Fox, 2d Lieutenant. Company C--Simon Pearce, Captain. William Lester, 1st Lieutenant. T. H. Richardson, 2d Lieutenant. Company D--N. W. Murrow, Captain. Henry McGonigle, 1st Lieutenant. Louis J. Ainslee, 2d Lieutenant. Company E--Geo. W. Fulton, Captain. T. M. McQuoid, 1st Lieutenant. Wm. J. Pulus, 2d Lieutenant. Company F--Joseph T. Farris, Captain. Alex. F. Tracy, 1st Lieutenant. F. A. Whitmore, 2d Lieutenant. Company G--T. H. Roseberry, Captain. E. R. Blackburn, 1st Lieutenant. Daniel R. Allen, 2d Lieutenant. Company H--Jno. H. Cox, Captain. Peter S. Washburn, 1st Lieutenant. Wm. P. Rickey, 2d Lieutenant. Company I--Wm. Harle, Captain. Joseph Oliver, 1st Lieutenant. Hudson Rice, 2d Lieutenant. Company K--Frederick Leeser, Captain. A. D. Starkweather, 1st Lieutenant. Geo. M. Davis, 2d Lieutenant.

It was in Canton where the regiment was mustered into service and about the 15th of February it left that place and marched by way of LaGrange and Palmyra to Hannibal, Mo., where several weeks were spent in training in military duties. On the 28th of March orders came to go to the front. Camp equipments were soon packed and the regiment on the way to St. Louis. After a brief stop there it was taken by boat to Savannah, Tennessee. This place was General Grant’s headquarters, who was then making the plans which resulted in the fall of Corinth. The regiment reported to Gen. Grant and was sent immediately to the front and assigned to the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, Army of West Tennessee, under command of Gen. B. M. Prentiss.

The men were soon to see fighting in earnest now. They were on the ground where the memorable battle of Shiloh was fought a few days after their arrival, to-wit: the 6th and 7th of April, 1862, and on account of their advanced position they were the first to become engaged with the enemy. The regiment suffered heavily in the fight, losing one officer and thirty men killed, with four officers and one hundred and fifty men wounded. Three officers and sixty-eight men were also taken prisoners. It was here that the gallant Maj. King fell mortally wounded. The reports of the battle by Cols. Moore and Woodyard, published here, give a full account of the part taken by the regiment:

COLS. MOORE AND WOODYARD’S REPORTS.

HEADQUARTERS 21ST MO. INFANTRY, } 6TH DIVISION, ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, } APRIL 11TH, 1862. }

SIR:--In pursuance of the order of Brig. Gen. B. M. Prentiss, commanding 6th Division, Army of West Tennessee, I, on Saturday, (April 5th,) proceeded to a reconnoisance on the front of the line of Gen. Prentiss’ division, and on the front of Gen. Sherman’s division. My command consisted of three companies from the 21st Missouri Regiment, companies commanded by Capt’s Cox, Harle and Pearce. A thorough reconnoisance over the extent of three miles failed to discover the enemy. Being unsuccessful, as stated, I returned to my encampment about 7 p. m. On Sunday morning, the 6th inst., at about 6 o’clock, being notified that the picket guard of the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, had been attacked and driven in, by order of Col. Everett Peabody, commanding the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, I advanced with five companies of my command a short distance from the outer line of our encampment. I met the retreating pickets of the 1st Brigade bringing in their wounded. Those who were able for duty were ordered and compelled to return to their posts, and learning that the enemy were advancing in force I advanced with the remaining companies of my regiment, which companies having joined me I ordered an advance and attacked the enemy, who was commanded by Brig. Gen. Ruggles, of the Rebel army. A terrific fire was opened upon us from the whole front of the four or five regiments forming the advance of the enemy, which my gallant soldiers withstood during thirty minutes, until I had communicated the intelligence of the movement against us to my commanding General. About this time, being myself severely wounded, the bone of the leg below my knee being shattered, I was compelled to retire from the field, leaving Lieut. Col. Woodyard in command.

D. MOORE, Colonel 21st Mo. Volunteers.

To Capt. Henry Binmore, Act. A. G., 6th Division, Army of West Tennessee.

HEADQUARTERS 21ST MO. INFANTRY, } PITTSBURG, TENN., APRIL 12, 1862. }

SIR:--I have the honor to report that on the morning of the 6th of April, before sunrise, Gen. Prentiss ordered Col. Moore, with five companies of our regiment, to sustain the pickets of the 12th Michigan Infantry. The Col. had not proceeded more than half a mile when he met the pickets coming in with many killed and wounded. Col. Moore immediately dispatched Lieut. Menn for the remaining five companies. Gen. Prentiss being in camp, ordered me to join Col. Moore. We marched some three hundred yards together, after I formed the junction, in a nearly westerly direction, flank movement, four ranks, when the head of the column came to the northwest corner (this should have been the northeast corner.--T. W. H.) of a cotton field. We were here fired upon and Col. Moore received a severe wound in the right leg, and Lieut. Menn was wounded in the head. I then assumed command of the regiment and formed a line of battle on the brow of a hill, on the cotton field, facing nearly west. I held this position for some half or three-quarters of an hour and kept the enemy in check. He fell back and endeavored to outflank me. Discovering this I moved my line to the north of the field again. I was then joined by four companies of the 16th Wisconsin Infantry. Having no field officers with them I ordered them to a position east of the field, and as soon as this was done joined them with my command. This line of battle was formed facing south, behind a small incline, enabling my men to load and be out of range of the enemy’s fire. The position proved a strong one and we managed to hold it for upward of an hour. Finding they could not dislodge us the enemy again tried to outflank us and deal a cross fire. I then fell back in good order, firing as we did so, to the next hill. Col. Peabody, commanding the 1st Brigade, here came up with the 25th Missouri Regiment. I requested him to bring his men up to the hill on our right, as it would afford protection to his men and be of assistance to my command. He did so, but the enemy coming by heavy main center and dealing a heavy cross-fire from our right and left, we could not maintain this position for over thirty minutes. We gradually began to fall back and reached our tents, when the ranks got broken in passing through them. We endeavored to rally our men in the rear of our tents and formed as well as could be expected, but my men got much scattered, a great many falling into other regiments, under the immediate command of Gen. Prentiss. Others divided to other divisions but continued to fight during the two days.