September to October 1862
It was now about the close of Sept. 1862. By pressing into our service a large number of disloyal citizens and their teams, we had completed a fine two story block house on Sugar Loaf Hill almost half a mile north of the town of Ozark. This block house had double walls of hewed logs and was impregnable against any force not supplied with artillery. Around this block house, we enclosed some two acres with a double log wall six feet in height and provided with port holes. Inside of this fortification, we were safe against the strongest guerilla band that ever infested that part of the country. Only an army with artillery could have dislodged us.
About this time my wife and children arrived from Collinsville Illinois. I placed them in a small and scantily furnished house in Ozark, and here, with them, I spent the few hours that I could spare from my duties. My wife was more cheerful and affectionate than I expected her to be. I was comparatively happy, and I came to love my wife more devotedly than ever. I was proud, too, of my three children.
About the 1st of October, Major Wilber concluded to make an expedition into Arkansas with our entire available force, over 200 men. At first, it was his intention to have no officers accompany this expedition except Captain Flagg and a few other creatures of his own. This fact created a suspicion that the expedition was meant to be one of disgraceful plunder and not one of honorable warfare. Had he meant warfare, he would have wanted officers to accompany him who were fighters and not those only who were thieves. This suspicion was increased when it was learned that this expedition was unauthorized by any higher authority. The men were angry and would have mutinied had the Major not at last consented to let me go as third in command. Though thus compelled to let me accompany the expedition, he did not consult me on any occasion or even make known to me his plans. He called into council only those officers who belonged to his own dishonorable set.1
Besides my own company, (H.), another company, (F.), which had no officers present, was placed under my command. Being the segnior [sic] company commander, Capt. Flagg, of course, had a right to march in front the first day. This he did. On the second day, according to custom if not according to law, he should have fallen to the rear and let the next company have the front. On the next day, however, he took the front again, the commander of the second company making but a feeble defense of his right. On the third day, it was my turn to march in front and, accordingly, I took my place in front. Capt. Flagg came up and ordered me back. I refused to go and let him know that he could not so easily usurp my place as he had that of the second company on the preceding day. We had some warm words, and would probably have come to something more, had not the Major appeared on the scene. He ordered me back. I replied: “I will obey you, Major, but I do so because I am obliged to and not because I have any respect for such officers as you and Capt. Flagg. I respect my two horses, Hank and Sigel, far more than I do such miserable substitutes for officers.”
On this day, our march lay through a well settled and comparatively wealthy portion of the country, known as Tolbert Barrens. At every house we stopped. Wilber, Flagg, and about a dozen of their creatures entered the house, drank the milk, ate the provisions, and seized upon such valuables, gold watches, &c. as they could find.2 The balance of the command were forbidden to break ranks. I rode forward at one house, however, to watch the doings of Wilber, Flagg, and their set. Never was our flag more thoroughly disgraced than on that expedition. From one house, Wilber and Flagg carried off a beautiful young married woman,—carried her away from her babe, only a few months old. She cried and begged to be permitted to go back to her babe. As the price of her liberty, they required her virtue. She appealed to the men and other officers for protection against these brutes. Her appeal was not in vain. The brutes were glad to release her.
About sun-set, we went into camp near a beautiful country mansion the proprietor of which, together with his wife, had died only a few months before. The mansion was now occupied by two beautiful, intelligent, and refined young ladies, daughters of the late proprietor. On the preceding evenings, Flagg had claimed for himself all the milk, the provisions, the beds, &c. of the houses at which we stopped. Being myself in advance, this time, I was the first to enter the house. I did not, however, claim any thing. In a moment, Flagg rushed in, crying: “This is my room, this is my cook-stove, these are my beds, all this milk is mine, &c.” as he rushed from one room to another. I followed him every where to see what he would do, or, rather, to see what he would not do. When he reached the milk-house, he took out several pans of milk and placed them upon a table that stood near. He then left the room for a few moments. While he was out, but while I was still present, one of my men, who had had nothing to eat all day, came in, and, looking upon a pan of milk, walked off with it. Coming in a moment later and missing this pan of milk, Flagg asked me who had taken it. I replied that one of the men had taken it. He rushed out, overtook the man, and seizing the pan out of his hands, began cursing him as a _____ thief, and threaten to cut his throat. The man, a good and brave but half-witted soldier, did not dare open his mouth. I could bear no more. Springing to Flagg, I whirled my fist under his nose, saying: “You infernal cowardly thief, talk to the one who is in a position to defend himself! Talk to me, you vile thief!” As I continued to discourse to him thus, and to twist my fist close under his nose, he trembled with abject fear, set the pan of milk down, and, without replying a word, slunk around the house to where Major Wilber was, and actually got behind him for protection. I told the Major what the vile wretch had done, and added: “Major, I look upon you as but little better than he is. You have encouraged him in all his disgraceful conduct. You have kept him in front, when he did not belong there, just to give him a chance to disgrace our flag and to rob and outrage unarmed citizens and women. I hold you responsible for his base conduct.” Though Wilber was a thief, he was not a coward. He drew his revolver. I drew mine. All of three companies, and over half of Flagg’s company, were instantly in line by my side, every one with a revolver in his hand. The balance of Flagg’s men stood scattered about not taking either side. Wilber presented his revolver at the men and ordered them to disperse. Not a man moved except to cock his revolver. Wilber repeated his order. The men seemed to be statues. Seeing that he could accomplish nothing by bravado, he then turned to me and said that I should have my rights, that on the next day I should march in front, and that I should not any more have cause to complain. Turning to the men as I put up my revolver, I said, “Boys, let’s feed.” Every revolver went into its sheath, and the men quietly dispersed.
Half an hour later, while my blood was still hot, one of Flagg’s men, a minister of the gospel who had formerly made the very house one of his preaching places, came to me and said that the two young ladies had appealed to him for protection against Wilber and Flagg who were robbing them of all their valuables,—even of their trunks of fine clothing, and agreeing to give them back only on condition that the young ladies would consent to share the foul beds of the vile wretches. I went to the house at once, and found that these villains had taken gold watches, a trunk, and a fine mare from the girls. I told them to bring to me whatever else that they had that they valued most, and that I would guard these things till morning, and then return them. They brought me a gold watch, a trunk, a fine mare, and $500.00 in money, all of which I returned safe next morning. As to the safety of their persons, I told the girls to have no fear about that. They seemed truly grateful for my protection, and, if they are still living, I feel sure that they sometimes think of me kindly. I am sorry that such wretches as Wilber and Flagg fought on our side. Such men sully whatever their vile hands touch.
On the next day, I led the advance through a fine, fertile, and well-cultivated country. Considerable bands sometimes 40 or more of mounted rebels now began to dispute our way, and skirmishing became the order of the day. Flagg was now very willing to march safely in the rear. As yet I did not know the point of our destination. Wilber himself or his guide directed my route. It afterwards appeared that our chief point of destination was the splendid mansion of a very wealthy man who was running a private bank, and who was said to have on hand several thousand dollars in coin. To rob this bank for their own benefit was the principle object of these two wretches, Wilber and Flagg. When we were about three miles from this place, Wilber sent me off with a small party on a side scout, so that I might not be present when the robbing was done. Contrary to his expectation, however, I arrived soon after he did. At the door, I found a guard who said that Major Wilber, Capt Flagg, and Lieut. Cross were inside, and that he had orders not to admit any others. “But,” said I, “the Major surely did not mean you to exclude me, one of the principal officers.” “I suppose not, of course,” said he, and let me pass. I knew very well, however, that I was the very man, above all others, that the Major did mean to exclude.
Having thus passed the guard, I found Lieut. Cross in the hall trying to persuade a handsome young colored woman to accompany him to Ozark.3 As it afterwards proved, he persuaded her. Wilber and Flagg also each persuaded away a colored woman from this house. These women went ostensibly as cooks, but really as mistresses of these disgraceful officers. Proceeding to an inner room I found Wilber and Flagg in the presence of an aged banker who was lying upon a bed very ill, and who died a few days afterward. Flagg was searching the room. Wilber was holding a fine gold watch which he had just taken from a young daughter of the banker. She was pleading for her watch, saying that it was a present to her from her poor sick father. She plead in vain. When Wilber saw me, he looked surprised, frightened, and angry. “Why Lieut.,” said he, “how did you get in?” “I came in,” said I. He then stepped quickly to the guard and then reprimanded him severely for letting me in. Then he went out and ordered ten men to be detailed at once and mounted for a scout. Having done this, he reëntered the house and ordered me to take immediate command of these men and to proceed to a place, which he named, some ten miles south of our present position. I knew that this scout was a suddenly-thought-of affair designed to get rid of me while the robbing was being done. I knew, too, that I and my little party were being sent out to nearly certain destruction. I did not then know, however, that under the circumstances, that I would be justifiable in refusing to go. I simply asked the major what I was to go for and what I was to do when I reached the point named. When I asked these questions, he seemed confused, having evidently not thought of any object in connection with my scout except that of getting me out of his way. After some hesitating and stammering, he said that I was to take such property as we were in the habit of taking. I then asked where I should find him on my return. He replied that I should find him where he then was or a few hundred yards further out upon the road.
When I was gone, as I afterwards learned, he finished robbing the house, taking several large bags of gold from under the head of the dying banker. This done, so far from waiting for me as he had promised, he ordered an immediate retreat, which was kept up all night, the teams being goaded with sabers to increase their speed. He evidently made this retreat on my account.4 He wished me to be destroyed and my testimony against him thus forever hushed. He meant to be a murderer. To cover his retreat, he left a rear guard under the command of a good and brave officer, Lieut. Mooney, whose loss, next to mine, would have been very acceptable to the Major and his guilty partners. Mooney’s guard consisted of only 30 men. Marching at a long distance to the rear of Wilber, this party chanced to be cut off by a large party of rebels who came in on another road and followed Wilber. Presently these rebels, who were now directly between Wilber and Mooney, went into camp, lighting some 15 large fires. When Mooney came up, he supposed these were Wilber’s camp fires. The rebels, too, were just as badly deceived, supposing that Wilber’s men were all in front, and mistaking Mooney and his party for friends. After a few moments conversation, both parties perceived their mistake. The rebels quickly seizing their guns began to fire. Unable to fight so large a party, Mooney of course fled. He was severely wounded himself, but made his escape. Several of his men were thrown from their horses. These men hid themselves in the forest and were picked up by my party, when we came on several two days later.5
Leaving Wilber at Tolbert Barrens, I proceeded southward according to his orders. Finding the road swarming with parties of rebels too strong for me to fight, I took to the forest and made my way as well as I could, by course alone, till night came on. Then I returned to the road. I soon learned that a large party had passed us going northward, and that they were now between us and Wilber. We still kept on however, southward, keeping one man in advance on foot to warn us of the approach of any parties of the enemy. When we met large parties, we retired from the road and kept silent till they had passed. When we met small parties, we fired into them by surprise, they not thinking of meeting enemies so close in the rear of their main body. We killed a good many and captured a good many fine horses and valuable arms without much real danger to ourselves.
About midnight, we reached the point of our destination. This was a small village, the name of which I do not now remember. Here was the residence of a rebel officer of some note. We surrounded his house and searched it, hoping that he might chance to be at home and that we might be able to take him alive. His life in our hands would greatly advance our own chances for life. We found no one. We then started on our return to Tolbert Barrens, which place, however, owing to the caution with which we had to move, we did not reach till after sunrise. Having learned of Wilber’s disgraceful flight, and that the rebel forces were still between ourselves and him, we sought refuge as soon as we could in the wild recesses of a forest. When night came on we returned to the road and lay in ambush, killing a few more stragglers and adding enough to our livestock to make one extra horse a piece to my entire party. Having done so well, we were now very anxious to make our own escape. Early in the morning, the rebels that had been chasing Wilber passed back on their return. When they passed, we were concealed some 200 yards from the road. When they were at a safe distance, we came out, obtained breakfast at a farm house, and then boldly taking the open road, proceeded in the direction taken by Wilber in his cowardly flight two days before. Presently, we came to the rebel camping ground of which I have already spoken. Here we discovered unmistakable signs of a conflict. Following the trail made by Mooney’s party into the forest, we found several hats which we knew to be those of our friends. We knew from the signs that a small party of our friends had been beaten and we had come to a correct conclusion in the way this had been done. Presently we were hailed by a man from a bluff a little way to our right. He was one of Mooney’s men who had been thrown from his horse, and who had lain concealed ever since in the forest. He was greatly rejoiced to meet us, and to get something to eat. In a short time, we picked up two more stragglers who were in the same condition.
In the evening, we reached Beaver Station, and to my surprise, as well as my delight, we found Wilber still there.6 He and Flagg were the first to greet me, and this they did, to my surprise, with marks of unfeigned joy. I soon learned the reason of all these things. On reaching this place, the men had sullenly refused to retreat any further until I rejoined them. They had also let Wilber know that his life and Flagg’s must atone for mine, if, through their cowardly and treacherous desertion of me, myself and party were lost. Two days had been given in which for me to return. The time was nearly up. No wonder, then, that these treacherous villains were glad that they had failed in their attempt to have me destroyed. Next day we proceeded to Ozark, where I was received as a hero; Wilber and Flagg as cowards.
Soon after our return, I heard Wilber condemning Captain Burch, in very severe terms, for something he declared that Burch had done during our absence. I asked the Major whether he had or had not said all these things to Burch’s face. He said that he had not. Then I replied that Burch was a judicious officer and had not, I was sure, been guilty of the conduct thus insultingly charged against him;—that he should, at any rate, have a hearing, and that I would go at once and inform him of the language that was being used against him. I did so inform him. Whirling round a time or two, as he always did when suddenly excited, he said: “God damn! I will go and see him about it!” he did go, and I followed. The Major cowered before him and made no reply. Turning to me, however, the major said that he could have me arrested for something I had done on our recent scout. Springing to him as quick as the night, I twisted my fist under his nose and said: “You infernal son of a _____, just squirm, and I will tear you limb from limb! Just squirm, will you!” He did not squirm. He simply turned pale and trembled. Thus ended this disgraceful expedition.
Source: Kelso, “Auto-Biography,” chap. 17, 775–80.
1. “Report of Maj. John C. Wilber,” 14th MSM Cavalry, Oct. 20, 1862, OR, ser. 1, vol. 13, 317: “In accordance with instructions from Brigadier-General [Francis J.] Herron, I took up my line of march from this post in the direction of Yellville on October 12, at 6 p. m.” He reported taking 125 men from the 14th MSM Cavalry and 100 men from the Enrolled Militia. Wilber’s intention, he wrote, was to take the enemy force at Yellville, Ark.; capture supplies; and then pull back to Ozark.
2. Major Wilber’s report, OR, ser. 1, vol. 13, 317: “On the morning of the 16th, I moved my force to Talbot’s Barrens. 8 miles east of this [Talbot’s] ferry [on the White River], to await the return of my spy from Yellville, before I dare cross the river with my small force.” Talbot’s (or Talbert’s) Barrens, also called Rapp’s Barrens, Marion County, Ark. (though a prominent citizen was S. H. Tolbert), was later called Mountain Home, which is in what is now Baxter County, Arkansas.
3. Lt. John Cross, Co. M, 4th Regt., Cavalry State Militia Volunteers (“Soldiers’ Records,” MDH).
4. Major Wilber’s report, OR, ser. 1, vol. 13, 317–18: “Here [at Talbot’s Barrens] I learned that Colonel [James R.] Shaler [27th Regt., Arkansas Infantry, CSA], with 2,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry, and four pieces of artillery, was approaching Yellville by forced marches, and was then within one day’s march of our camp. … On learning this information I concluded it would be imprudent to place the White River between me and this post [at Ozark], which was then impassable except by ferries and having an overwhelming force moving rapidly up to cut off our retreat. We collected about 50 head of horses, 5 wagons and teams, and a considerable amount of other property useful to the army, and commenced our retreat about 8 p. m. on the 16th instant. I placed our train of horses, mules, and wagons in the advance, with sufficient guard for its protection, and kept my main force between it and the advancing enemy. The most perfect order was maintained.”
5. Major Wilber’s report, OR, ser.1, vol. 13, 318: “About 2 o’clock in the morning our rear guard, consisting of 25 men, under the command of Lieutenant Mooney, Company D, Fourteenth Regiment Missouri State Militia, was attacked by a battalion of Colonel Shaler’s command, who in the darkness had gained a position between the rear guard and our main force. Lieutenant Mooney, seeing he was cut off from the column, ordered a charge, which was made with such impetuosity and gallantry by his little band that he succeeded in carving his way through their lines without the loss of a man, though the lieutenant himself was severely wounded. In the mélée some of our men were dismounted, but all succeeded in riding out a horse; if not their own, an enemy’s. … I think, from the reports of all, that not less than 10 [enemy] men were killed and double the number wounded.”
6. Beaver Station was a Union outpost on Beaver Creek in Taney County, Missouri.