OPERATIONS IN MISSOURI.
Early in April, 1862, General Halleck having departed for Corinth, Miss., General Schofield was left in command of the largest portion of the State of Missouri, General Price having been driven, after his disastrous defeat at Pea Ridge, to a point south of the Boston Mountains, where he remained, no longer pursued by the troops of General Curtis, in the hope of obtaining reinforcements, and recovering from his losses. On the 5th of April a rumor that General Price was moving upon Springfield, Missouri, caused General Curtis to march in that direction. During a march of two days his army accomplished thirty-eight miles, and reached the junction of Flat Rock with the James River. The river could not be crossed at that point; but a crossing was subsequently effected at Galena. In another march of two days, after a heavy rain storm, twenty-nine miles were accomplished; and the rebels, under General Price were found to be encamped on the other side of the river about five miles farther south.
No engagement took place between the two armies. All remained quiet in Missouri for some weeks.
On June 3d the State Convention met: the financial condition of the State was found to be in a very unsettled condition; and the civil condition not much better. Although in many parts of the State courts of justice were open and the laws properly administered, in many other parts every species of disturbance and crime was perpetrated under the name of guerrilla warfare.
From this time till the middle of the month the Convention was variously occupied in receiving and passing bills, in repealing ordinances, &c. On the 16th a Mass Convention of emancipationists assembled at Jefferson City. Immediately after the dissolution of the two Conventions the State was threatened by an unusually terrible guerrilla outbreak. The largest part of the National forces being absent, the guerrillas, consisting in most part of the returned troops of General Price, felt themselves safe in repeating the raids of the previous year.
General Schofield on June 22d issued an order holding rebels and rebel sympathizers responsible in their property, and, if need be, in their persons, for damages thereafter committed by guerrillas or marauding parties. This order produced no lasting effect. About the middle of July the entire northern and western parts of Missouri were constantly disturbed by intelligence of guerrilla raids and outrages. Colonel Porter and Colonel Quantrell had already began to gather followers about them; but the former had been defeated at Cherry Grove in Schuyler County, and his band dispersed. The increasing rumors of raids, and a general fear that the guerrilla uprising would be followed by another invasion from the south made vigorous measures necessary for defence. On the 22d July the Governor of the State, H. R. Gamble, issued an order authorizing Brigadier-General Schofield “to organize the entire militia of the State into companies, regiments, and brigades; and to order into active service such portions of the force thus organized as he might judge necessary for the purpose of putting down all marauders and defending peaceable citizens of the State.” On the same day General Schofield issued the necessary orders; and the militia was organized rapidly and energetically; so that the State was soon prepared at all points for a vigorous opposition to guerrilla attacks. Colonels Porter and Cobb, rebel commanders, attempting a raid, were defeated, July 28th, in Calloway County; but on the 31st Colonel Porter captured Newark in Knox County, and took prisoners two companies of National troops. About the same time, and during the first week in August a new guerrilla leader, Colonel Poindexter, sprang into notice in the central Missouri Counties, and, together with Quantrell in the West, caused the National commanders to take additional precautions to repel the daring marauders.
On the 6th of August, Colonel Porter was defeated with great loss by Colonel McNeill at Kinksville, in Adair county. The warfare was now shifted to the central and western portions of Missouri; and Colonel Coffee and Colonel McBride went to the assistance of Quantrell.
On the 13th, an attack was made by three guerrilla bands; in which the National troops were severely defeated. On the 15th, eight hundred men of the State militia were drawn into an ambush by Colonels Quantrell and Coffee, but were rescued by reinforcements from Kansas, under General Blunt.
No sooner was the southwest cleared of guerrillas, than their raids upon the north were renewed with great activity. The town of Palmyra was plundered by a gang of these marauders on the 12th of August, the Union garrison there being overpowered. It was at this time that the rebels seized the person of Andrew Allsman, a Unionist, and an old and much respected resident of Palmyra. Subsequently, when the Unionists again occupied Palmyra, General McNeill demanded the return of Allsman, within ten days from the 8th of October, on peril of the lives of ten rebel prisoners. The man was not returned, and, on the 18th of October, ten rebel prisoners were publicly shot at Palmyra. Long before this the State had been cleared of guerrillas. Quantrell made some trouble, in the month of September, but he was speedily defeated and chased across the border. An election took place in Missouri, in November, resulting in victory to the emancipation wing of the Union party. The State was thus pledged to the Government. The war-cloud drifted away from it, and from that time to this it has been loyal and free.