Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/395

 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST illSSOURI 335 tween some Illinois soldiers, who entered the county from Columbus and a company under Colonel John M. Clark. The Illinois soldiers retreated after the skirmish. On December 22, 1862, the Thirty-second Iowa Re^ment, then at New jMadrid, made an expedition to Clarkton and Kennett seiz- ing property and prisoners on the way. December 27th New [Madrid was evacuated l)y the Union forces owing to a curious mis- understanding. This blunder resulted in a court-martial because of the destruction of property ordered by some of the officers hut they were held to have acted in good faith. These were the principal incidents of the war in Southeast Missouri up to the begin- ning of the year 1863. The general tendency was to push the Confederate troops further and further back toward the Arkansas line and for the control of the country to pass into the hands of the ITnion forces. Some of the skirmishes and battles were victories for the Confederates but on the whole the fortunes of w'ar in Southeast ilissouri turned against them and from the beginning of 1863 to the close of the war the forces that fought liattles in this part of the state were mostly those that came into the state from Arkansas. It is not to be understood, however, that these were Arkansas troops; they were, a good many of them, Missourians because the armies that operated in Arkansas as well as many of the armies of the east side of the river contained many Missourians. / On January 27, 1863, Col. Lindsay with the Sixty-eighth Regiment of Missouri Mili- tia entered Bloomfield and destroyed much property in the town. On February 13tli, part of the Twelfth Missouri cavalry went from Cape Girardeau to Dallas and Bloom- field. They reported no prisoners captured but a number killed. On March 9th, John McNeil with the Sec- ond Missouri Cavalry made an expedition ^^ from Bloomfield to Chalk Bluff where a se- vere skirmish was fought. Seven men were killed in this fight. He then proceeded to Thompson's fort on Gum slough where he de- feated some Confederate soldiers. From this place he proceeded to Kennett seizing a num- ber of the inhabitants a number of whom were killed. March 23d part of McNeil's command went west from Bloomfield to Poplar Bluff and then to I'itman's Ferry. They fought several .skirmishes on the way and w-ere suc- cessful in them. On April 17, 1863, began one of the mem- orable movements of the war— JIarmaduke's invasion of ilissouri. He entered the state with 5,000 men and ten pieces of artillery from Arkansas. His forces were organized into four brigades. Shelby 's brigade of Mis- souri cavalry, Green's Missouri cavalry. Car- ter's Texas cavalry, and Burbridge's brigade of Missouri and Arkansas cavalry. These forces were organized into two columns. One of them commanded by Gen. Jo Shelby was composed of his own and Burbridge 's brigade. The other made up of the brigades of Carter and Greene was commanded by Gen. Car- ter, ilarmaduke's plans were for Shelby to enter the state to the west, pass by Van Buren in Carter county and then to Patter- son reacliing the latter place April 20, and if possible to capture the Federal force at that point. At the same time Carter with his col- umn was to pass through Doniphan and reach Patterson on the 20th also. These movements were performed on time and at midnight of April 20th. Carter, who was then near Patterson, detached a regiment under Col. Giddings to surprise Patterson. Giddings seized the picket guard of twenty-