Civil War Veteran
Pvt Co H, 50th Regiment E.M.M.
Enrolled Aug 11, 1862, Kirksville, MO
Ordered into service Aug 11, 1862, Kirksville
Relieved from duty Nov 20, 1862
Office of Adjutant General
Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865
Box ?
Reel s00793
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Pvt Co A, 39th MO Vol Inf
Enlisted Aug 1, 1864, Kirksville, MO
Mustered in Aug 24, 1864, Hannibal, MO
Mustered out Jul 19, 1865, B. Brks, MO
Office of Adjutant General
Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865
Box ?
Reel s00863
--------------------------------------------
The following is taken from the 1911 HISTORY of ADAIR COUNTY, MISSOURI by E. M. Violette, pages 89-91.
The several companies of the Thirty-Ninth Infantry, Missouri Volunteers, were recruited in August 1864. Company A under Capt James A. Smith, and Company B under Joseph R. Good, were made up largely of men from Adair County. In September the various companies of this regiment were put on the trail of bushwhackers that were operating in northeast Missouri. The general rendezvous of the regiment was Hannibal. In the course of various movements, Major A. V. E. Johnston started from Paris with detachments of Companies A, G, and H, and on striking the trail of Bill Anderson, the famous guerilla, followed it up until he came upon him near Centralia on September 27. The struggle that ensued resulted in the almost complete annihilation of the pursuing companies. The circumstances were as follows.
Anderson and his men to the number of 300 or 400, had come to Centralia early that morning, and had plundered it thoroughly. They held up a stage coach on its arrival from Columbia and robbed the passengers, and when about noon time a train from St. Louis passed through they stopped it and robbed the passengers and the express car. Among the passengers were twenty-three discharged and furloughed Union soldiers. These men were taken out, stripped of their uniforms, and shot down by a detachment of Anderson's men at his orders. There upon Anderson and his men retired to their headquarters a couple miles from town. This event is known as the Massacre of Centralia.
About three o'clock that afternoon, the Thirty-Ninth Missouri Mounted Infantry under Major A. V. E. Johnson, came into Centralia. The regiment was made up of new recruits who were badly mounted and badly armed. In all there were only about 175 men. The citizens of Centralia advised Major Johnson not to attack Anderson, but disregarding the warning, he ordered about 125 men to form out in the open prairie and proceed toward Anderson's headquarters. The remainder of the regiment were left to attend to the horses and wagons. Anderson saw what was coming and prepared to meet the attack. He had the advantage in this preparation, inasmuch as he was in timbered land, and the timber hid him from the enemy. As the Thirty-Ninth approached, Anderson's men rushed out with shouts and yells, and in a few minutes had killed, according to Lieut. Col. Kutzner's report, 122 men, including Major Johnson. So great was the panic among the Federals that only a very few of Anderson's men were killed or wounded. This is known as the Battle of Centralia, though it is sometimes spoken of as the Massacre of Centralia, because of the ruthless manner in which the men were cut down.
Company A was almost completely wiped out. The officers killed were: James A. Smith, Captain; William G. Elliott, second sergeant; Joseph S. Nisbett, third sergeant; Meshack B. Long, fourth sergeant; John C. Reynolds, fifth sergeant; Andrew W. Walters, third corporal; Jasper May, fifth corporal; Canaday Keller, six corporal, and Elijah E. Eitel, eighth corporal. The privates killed were: Josiah Adams, George W. Bragg, Outchnile O. Byrd, W.H. Braden, John N. Braden, Wm. H. Corbin, Andrew J. Capps, John L. Canada, George W. Cook, P. Cunningham, Andrew J Denton, David R. Graves, John B.W. Graves, A.B. Hayward, Val. Hines, Benjamin Hargrove, John Hanlin, G. Hanlin, W.H. Jeffers, Henry Keller, Daniel Lorton, Joseph Morrow, James Morrow, Edwin T. Miles, T. McClanahan, Mark I. Musick, James K.P. Mock, Wm. Norton, Eli F. Osborn, Ad. B Polley, A.S. Parsons, Jacob Reed, John S. Spicer, Isaac Slaughter, Jos. O Stuttville, Emmett H. Selby, Wm. Shoemaker, Dan. A. Simler, Charles Wellbaum, David Wellbaum, J.H.B. Waddill, R.J. Williams, Thomas Waugh, James Willis, John R. Wood, C.C. Wise and Alfred Zimmerman.
The officers who were not present or who escaped were: Edwin Darrow, first lieutenant; Robert Moore, second lieutenant; Otis Miller, first sergeant; Samuel M. Keller, first corporal; Wm. B. Denton, second corporal; Daniel Y. Conkle, fourth corporal; Peyton F. Foster, seventh corporal. The privates who were not present or escaped were: Henry Beecher, John Calvin, Samuel Dye, Peter Dorr, John W. Gregg, Val Jud, John Keller, W.P. Lindler, James W. Moore, Jere Mann, L. Miller, Isaac Novinger, Manuel Novinger, James Pinkerton, Hiram Panghorn, Calvin Round, John T. Reynolds, Josiah W. Snell, Charles A. Snell, W.P. Stockton, Thomas J. Spencer, and Harrison Watson.
After the battle was over and the guerillas had left, the people of Centralia gathered up the remains of the dead and brought them to town. Some were taken to Mexico and buried. Seventy nine were buried in one long trench near the railroad in the eastern part of the town. The trench was later enclosed with a fence and a slab erected to the memory of the dead. On it was inscribed: "The remains of Companies A, G. and H, Thirty-Ninth Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who were killed in action at Centralia, Missouri on the 27th Day of September 1864, are interred here." Later the remains were transferred to Jefferson City and reinterred in one grave in the National Cemetery there.
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WHERE DEATH REIGNED.
Survivors of Centralia Tragedy Planning for a Reunion.
Four of the nine men of Company A, 39th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who ran against Bill Anderson and George Todd at Centralia, Mo., the afternoon of September 27, 1864, are yet living. The company was the pick of the military men of Adair county. There were five pairs of brothers and a son and a father—David R. and John B.W. Graves respectively. The company went into action with 65 men. The muzzle-loading muskets of the infantry made a pitiful defense against the revolvers of the mounted Guerrillas. As Major Johnston's men passed through the terror-stricken town of Centralia—where the warm blood of Anderson’s victims was still trickling over the ground—they were told the bush fighters carried them four to eleven revolvers to a man. But they went undaunted into the trap.
The battle was a mistake on the part of Major Johnston. The Centralia people informed him that Anderson had not to exceed a hundred men. They knew nothing about George Todd and his fierce crew back in the woods. Johnston went after a bear and found two. He gallantly gave his life for the error.
The four survivors of Company A are James Pinkerton, Isaac Novinger, Peter Darr and Calvin Round. The big colliery town of Adair county, mentioned so frequently during the coal conference at Kansas City, was named after a relative of Novinger's. Calvin Round lives at La Plata. A Times-Democrat representative visited him recently, and found him back of his pretty little cottage sawing wood. At 61 he's full of the zest of life and its ambitions. He is arranging for a meeting of the soldiers who survived the slaughter at the train and fight that followed a few hours after. It will be held at Macon or Centralia. Mr. Round prefers Centralia, that they may view the field of bitter memories. He has never revisited it since his hurried departure from it in 1864. There wouldn’t have been many even if such a meeting had been held on the 28th of September 1864. There will be less now. But the half dozen or so gray-haired men attending it would be knit by one of the closest of human ties—they were comrades in calamity.
The trainmen were spared, though frequently in mortal peril during that tragic day. Richard H. Overall, the conductor, escaped in a curious manner. When Anderson, the chief, bristling with oaths and smoking revolvers, stalked into one of the coaches, he held up a dirty scrap of paper and demanded to know the whereabouts of one Dick Overall. Overall supposed he was appearing for a death sentence when he made himself known.
"You're Overall?", "I'm Overall," said the conductor, "Dick Overall?", "Dick Overall." "Well, you’re let out; Thank Mark Belt. Make yourself scarce now, or some of the boys may get you."
Mark Belt was with Quantrill. He and Overall had been schoolmates, and on one occasion Overall had saved Belt from expulsion from school for misconduct by showing that Belt was really not at fault. Belt knew Anderson was going to swoop down on Overall's train when it reached Centralia, and he wrenched from Anderson a promise that his life should be spared. Overall died at Coleman, Texas, in December 1900, at the age of 68. Richard Holt, now living at Macon, was the mail clerk on the ill-fated train. George F. Carruthers of the Mound City Warehouse Co., St. Louis, was the express messenger. Engineer James Clark is also living and is yet running a locomotive for the Wabash on one of it's branch lines. He has written a graphic description of the shooting of the men on the train, and his personal experience with the guerrillas.
H.F. Lynde, known on the train as "Harry, the Newsboy, owns a 360-acre farm 35 miles west of St. Louis, and recently wrote Mail Clerk Holt that he "had a nice Family of children and am very happy and contented." He is an elder in the Presbyterian church, treasurer of the Franklin county Sunday school association, and superintendent of the largest Sunday school in his county. Like Mr. Round he is very anxious to have a reunion of the Centralia survivors.
Would Mr. Round talk about the fight? Certainly he would; he didn’t see wherein a member of Major Johnston's command had anything to be ashamed of on account of his part in the tragedy.
On the 28th of October Mr. Round was 61 years old. He was 22 and a month the day he rode in advance of Johnston to beat the brush for the guerrillas. He is a small, gentle speaking man, plain in his manner of description, and blessed with a keen memory.
"First I would like to say," said Mr. Round, "that the report about my shaking hands with Frank James when he was here recently with his show was a mistake. I was away from home that day, but had this not been so I would not have been among those who crowded around seeking that privilege. Not because of any ill feeling I have on account of being with the force that fought us at Centralia, but because it is not my habit to seek acquaintances with men merely for the sake of more or less turbulent life they may have led. They tell us James has reformed and become a good citizen. I hope that he has.
"About the fight? Well, it wasn’t much of a battle. We were hunting bushwhackers, and we caught them. I would like to remark that Major A.V.E. Johnston, whose command consisted of Companies A, G and H–about 150 men–of the 39th Missouri and was one of the most unassuming men I ever met, Braggadocio wasn’t in him. He was of a slight build, and at times rode carelessly, but in action was quick and impetuous. I never heard him give a harsh order to any one. His men loved him and had the greatest confidence in his judgment. We carried no black flag that day, nor at any other time. If Johnston 'pointed gleefully to his black flag' and said quarter would neither be asked or given, it was news to me. We had no orders to refuse any man's surrender. I carried a United States flag up to Centralia, and passed it to the seventh man when six of us were selected by Second Lieutenant Robert Moore to add to the 12 men he commanded as an advanced picket. The 18 of us went ahead through the town to reconnoiter the woods on the south.
"There was a Sunday-like stillness in Centralia. Very few people were about. The evidence of Anderson's work was all around the track and depot. A detail of soldiers was left by Major Johnston to pick up the dead soldiers. The few citizens abroad talked in serous voices as men do after a cyclone or railroad wreck where many are killed. In this case the worse of the storm was to come.
"As the skirmish line progressed east by south eight horsemen came out of the timber, and rode slowly along, paralleling it. When within 150 or 200 yards of the woods we turned and followed the movement of the guerrillas riding parallel with them, but keeping a regular distance away.
"Major Johnston left about 40 men at Centralia as a reserve. Then he followed us with the main body, not to exceed 110. Company A was on the right, G in the center and a portion of H on the left. I think there were a few men from Company H, but I am not certain about that. I am confident Major Johnston's force at Centralia all told did not exceed 150 men, and about 40 of those were left back in Centralia as a reserve.
Across the field, parallel with the wood, was a stake-and-rider fence. Gaps were made for the Union horseman to pass, and continue their advance. I have thought it would have been wiser had Johnston halted his men on the far side of this fence, and it would have made a good breastwork against the attacking guerrillas. Its passage by our force completed the trap, and retarded the retreat of many a poor fellow.
"One by one the guerrilla pickets disappeared in the wood. We knew some sort of tactics had been arranged by the enemy, but we thought as it was to be a fair fight in the open, and our guns would shoot farther than revolvers, we would have at least an equal show. Many of our men had never been under fire before. The officers had seen real service, and the major commanding had a good record as a soldier.
"Finally but one of the enemy remained. He stopped his horse, and fired his revolver straight up in the air! Then he, too, got out of sight. It was a signal, and we began to get ready for what was to follow. Lieutenant Moore gave the command: "Left face; open order." That put us marching wide apart towards the woods where the enemy was. We were expecting to be fired on every instant. Johnston's command was what is called mounted infantry. The soldiers were drilled to fight on foot. Excepting those possessed by the officers, I don't think there was over a half dozen revolvers in our troop. The bayonets had not been affixed to the muskets, though each man had one."
"Before we reached the woods a company of guerrillas rode out and leisurely lined up on the edge. They were as cool as if on dress parade. Lieutenant Moore halloed back to Major Johnston that the enemy was coming out and getting ready for the action. We were ordered to fall back on the main body. There was not the least uneasiness among our men at that time. We felt able to handle those in front of us, but didn’t know the woods behind and on the side were swarming with guerrillas, and that they seemed bent on keeping the knowledge from us until it was too late to do any good. The citizens with whom we talked at Centralia said Anderson had only 84 men. That is all they saw, and they were, I think, honest in their statements, because the presence of Todd was evidently concealed for a purpose. We were also informed that Anderson’s crew carried from four to 11 revolvers to the man.
"Before we got back to the main body Major Johnston had dismounted his men, and was getting ready to fight on foot, the way his men could fire quickest. Every fourth man was assigned to hold the horses in the rear of the line. I was the only man that didn’t dismount. I was riding a frisky mare, and had great trouble in holding her. It was on the extreme left of Company A.
"The men advanced, and our men began to shoot. So heavy became the fire that the guerrillas stopped. They knew we had single loaded guns, and I guess they thought they could wait till we emptied them. I fired, and we were all reloading when they came at us. My mare began jumping up and down, and I couldn’t get the cartridge in the gun. The battle was over before I ever got that load in. Now the enemy began developing his full strength. On they came and the front lines opened fire on us. Our left commenced getting shaky. The right stood for a while, and the boys worked hurriedly with their guns." "Did you see any of the guerrillas fall?"
"I could not say for certain. You know all things were happening in a good deal less time than I’m telling it. About this time the details are not as clear as at first. I can’t ever remember whether the guerrillas were given their war-cry as they came on. They may have done so. I know it seemed like the woods were shedding horsemen from every point, until they threatened to smother us by numbers. There was no attempt at formation. They just came on with a rush, shooting right and left.
It was just about this time we realized the gravity of our condition. Until then we felt we could beat them back. I took the situation and saw there was no hope for a stand, and determined to ride back to the reserves. We might check them there and drive them back from the town. So I headed my mare for Centralia, but soon turned back. That wouldn't do, I thought. I looked at the field. It was lost. Nobody was giving orders and everything seemed to be in confusion. The men were throwing away their guns and running for their lives. I headed for some brush but before I got there more guerrillas began pouring out, and I turned in another direction. I looked back several times, as I urged my horse onward. Many a poor fellow was shot at the fence, which was a terrible hindrance to escape. Riderless horses were rushing wildly around. One took after me and followed me from the field."
"Did the Guerrillas carry a black flag and refuse to receive any surrenders?"
"I never saw a black flag on that field, but have you heard of any prisoners they took there? I was told they shot some of the reserve who had surrendered to them up in town. If a man they got hold of was spared I never heard of it. And I was interested in finding out.
"When I saw the day had gone hopelessly against us the thing uppermost in my mind was to get away. My horse so frisky at first began to lag. In spite of all I could do it would not go. Then for the first time I was really scared. I saw I could not hope to reach town, and it is well I did not try. There was some timber on my left, enclosed with a rail fence. Nobody seemed to be noticing me and I made for the wood, jumped over the fence and got out of sight, leaving my horse to shift for herself. Then I loaded my gun so I could be certain of getting one man at least if they discovered me. Out on the prairie I could hear the revolvers popping and the shouts of the pursued and pursuers. But I had the woods all to myself, and lost no time getting further in the brush. This was late Tuesday afternoon. I remained there concealed all that night, and on Wednesday morning I started, as I thought, in the direction of Paris."
"Keeping your gun?"
"Yes. As far as I know I’m the only man on our side that left the field with his gun but later on I got rid of it, when I changed my clothes. Thursday morning I was four miles north of Centralia."
"Hungry!"
"Not much, I was too badly excited. A thing like that overpowers a man for a while. I had got so much in the habit of seeing Guerrillas come out of the woods that in fancy every movement among the trees was a gang in pursuit of me. At last I struck a farm house and determined to risk an interview so as to get my bearings. A very decent sort of man welcomed me. Of course he saw I was a Union soldier, and judged I had been at Centralia. Whatever side his sympathies were on he was a friend in need to me.
"You were the one that got away?" he said. "Yes—thank God. What news have you?" He shook his head gloomily. “The Union force is cut into bits, Hardly a man got away. They took no prisoners."
"He fed me and tendered me a horse to enable me to reach Paris, but I declined it, fearing it would hamper my escape. My good Samaritan directed me to a post office down on the road between Mexico and Paris, and there the postmaster gave me a suit of jeans to cover the uniform that would have meant death had I fallen into the hands of my foes, and I set out again, after leaving my gun and cartridge box.
"I have often thought I would like to have that gun as a souvenir of Centralia, but I never heard from it anymore.
"I kept on foot and on Friday reached Paris, where our camp was. One or two of the Monroe county men who escaped had beat me there, and we had a mournful reunion.
"I have heard it stated that one man escaped by hiding in a small corn shock. Corn is not in the shock in Missouri in September. Isaac Novinger got into a cornfield, and was saved, but not by hiding in a shock. He escaped in a curious manner. Just as a Guerrilla fired at him his saddle girth broke, and he tumbled to the ground with his saddle. He laid still and the assailants thinking him dead, paid no further attention to him. When they had passed on he got up unhurt, and got over in the cornfield.
"While hiding there some Guerrillas came and fed their horses near by, but didn’t see him. That was between Centralia and Sturgeon.
"Why did Major Johnston risk such an unequal encounter?"
"Major Johnston was ordered to rid the country of bushwhackers. He was a conscientious soldier. I don't believe any odds would have frightened him from his duty. The trouble was our men were inexperienced in fighting the sort of men with Anderson and Todd. As I remarked, many of them had never been under fire. They got nervous when they found the Guerrillas among them, shooting so rapidly without reloading. Under the circumstances I think they did what any other man would have done. We were against another man's game and he held all the high cards. The ground was sloped gradually down toward us, a stake and rider fence was behind and a branch ran to the left and rear. The battle was lost before we started, and yet I believe, man to man we could have held them back with our old muskets."
Mr. Round was laid up for several weeks after his thrilling experience. He recovered, however and re-entered the service at Glasgow, Mo., in November 1864, and stayed till the war was closed. He married Miss Eva Silvers Oct. 20, 1865, and settled in Macon county.
The following from an official memorial give an account of Company A’s strangely short and terrible history:
"Company A, 39th Infantry Missouri Volunteers, was organized in Kirksville, Adair county, Mo., August 1, 1864, under the order of Gen. Rosecrans calling for 12 months' volunteers for United States service; reported at Hannibal, Mo., on the 11th of August with three commissioned officers and 82 enlisted men, and they were mustered into the service on August 24. Left Hannibal for field duty September 14 and scouted for bushwhackers in Northern Missouri until September 27, 1864, when the company was disastrously defeated in action by an overwhelming force of guerrillas under Anderson. Capt. James A. Smith and 55 enlisted men were killed on the field by the murderous Guerrillas, who shot down without mercy all who fell into their hands."
Ex-Guerrillas have always contended that the forces were numerically even—about 300 men on a side. They blame Johnston for dismounting his men, and say a scholar in military tactics might have told him better. Engineer James Clark says there were 175 men and soldiers killed, including those executed at the train.
The Macon Times-Democrat
Macon, Missouri
November 19, 1903
Pvt Co H, 50th Regiment E.M.M.
Enrolled Aug 11, 1862, Kirksville, MO
Ordered into service Aug 11, 1862, Kirksville
Relieved from duty Nov 20, 1862
Office of Adjutant General
Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865
Box ?
Reel s00793
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Pvt Co A, 39th MO Vol Inf
Enlisted Aug 1, 1864, Kirksville, MO
Mustered in Aug 24, 1864, Hannibal, MO
Mustered out Jul 19, 1865, B. Brks, MO
Office of Adjutant General
Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865
Box ?
Reel s00863
--------------------------------------------
The following is taken from the 1911 HISTORY of ADAIR COUNTY, MISSOURI by E. M. Violette, pages 89-91.
The several companies of the Thirty-Ninth Infantry, Missouri Volunteers, were recruited in August 1864. Company A under Capt James A. Smith, and Company B under Joseph R. Good, were made up largely of men from Adair County. In September the various companies of this regiment were put on the trail of bushwhackers that were operating in northeast Missouri. The general rendezvous of the regiment was Hannibal. In the course of various movements, Major A. V. E. Johnston started from Paris with detachments of Companies A, G, and H, and on striking the trail of Bill Anderson, the famous guerilla, followed it up until he came upon him near Centralia on September 27. The struggle that ensued resulted in the almost complete annihilation of the pursuing companies. The circumstances were as follows.
Anderson and his men to the number of 300 or 400, had come to Centralia early that morning, and had plundered it thoroughly. They held up a stage coach on its arrival from Columbia and robbed the passengers, and when about noon time a train from St. Louis passed through they stopped it and robbed the passengers and the express car. Among the passengers were twenty-three discharged and furloughed Union soldiers. These men were taken out, stripped of their uniforms, and shot down by a detachment of Anderson's men at his orders. There upon Anderson and his men retired to their headquarters a couple miles from town. This event is known as the Massacre of Centralia.
About three o'clock that afternoon, the Thirty-Ninth Missouri Mounted Infantry under Major A. V. E. Johnson, came into Centralia. The regiment was made up of new recruits who were badly mounted and badly armed. In all there were only about 175 men. The citizens of Centralia advised Major Johnson not to attack Anderson, but disregarding the warning, he ordered about 125 men to form out in the open prairie and proceed toward Anderson's headquarters. The remainder of the regiment were left to attend to the horses and wagons. Anderson saw what was coming and prepared to meet the attack. He had the advantage in this preparation, inasmuch as he was in timbered land, and the timber hid him from the enemy. As the Thirty-Ninth approached, Anderson's men rushed out with shouts and yells, and in a few minutes had killed, according to Lieut. Col. Kutzner's report, 122 men, including Major Johnson. So great was the panic among the Federals that only a very few of Anderson's men were killed or wounded. This is known as the Battle of Centralia, though it is sometimes spoken of as the Massacre of Centralia, because of the ruthless manner in which the men were cut down.
Company A was almost completely wiped out. The officers killed were: James A. Smith, Captain; William G. Elliott, second sergeant; Joseph S. Nisbett, third sergeant; Meshack B. Long, fourth sergeant; John C. Reynolds, fifth sergeant; Andrew W. Walters, third corporal; Jasper May, fifth corporal; Canaday Keller, six corporal, and Elijah E. Eitel, eighth corporal. The privates killed were: Josiah Adams, George W. Bragg, Outchnile O. Byrd, W.H. Braden, John N. Braden, Wm. H. Corbin, Andrew J. Capps, John L. Canada, George W. Cook, P. Cunningham, Andrew J Denton, David R. Graves, John B.W. Graves, A.B. Hayward, Val. Hines, Benjamin Hargrove, John Hanlin, G. Hanlin, W.H. Jeffers, Henry Keller, Daniel Lorton, Joseph Morrow, James Morrow, Edwin T. Miles, T. McClanahan, Mark I. Musick, James K.P. Mock, Wm. Norton, Eli F. Osborn, Ad. B Polley, A.S. Parsons, Jacob Reed, John S. Spicer, Isaac Slaughter, Jos. O Stuttville, Emmett H. Selby, Wm. Shoemaker, Dan. A. Simler, Charles Wellbaum, David Wellbaum, J.H.B. Waddill, R.J. Williams, Thomas Waugh, James Willis, John R. Wood, C.C. Wise and Alfred Zimmerman.
The officers who were not present or who escaped were: Edwin Darrow, first lieutenant; Robert Moore, second lieutenant; Otis Miller, first sergeant; Samuel M. Keller, first corporal; Wm. B. Denton, second corporal; Daniel Y. Conkle, fourth corporal; Peyton F. Foster, seventh corporal. The privates who were not present or escaped were: Henry Beecher, John Calvin, Samuel Dye, Peter Dorr, John W. Gregg, Val Jud, John Keller, W.P. Lindler, James W. Moore, Jere Mann, L. Miller, Isaac Novinger, Manuel Novinger, James Pinkerton, Hiram Panghorn, Calvin Round, John T. Reynolds, Josiah W. Snell, Charles A. Snell, W.P. Stockton, Thomas J. Spencer, and Harrison Watson.
After the battle was over and the guerillas had left, the people of Centralia gathered up the remains of the dead and brought them to town. Some were taken to Mexico and buried. Seventy nine were buried in one long trench near the railroad in the eastern part of the town. The trench was later enclosed with a fence and a slab erected to the memory of the dead. On it was inscribed: "The remains of Companies A, G. and H, Thirty-Ninth Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who were killed in action at Centralia, Missouri on the 27th Day of September 1864, are interred here." Later the remains were transferred to Jefferson City and reinterred in one grave in the National Cemetery there.
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WHERE DEATH REIGNED.
Survivors of Centralia Tragedy Planning for a Reunion.
Four of the nine men of Company A, 39th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who ran against Bill Anderson and George Todd at Centralia, Mo., the afternoon of September 27, 1864, are yet living. The company was the pick of the military men of Adair county. There were five pairs of brothers and a son and a father—David R. and John B.W. Graves respectively. The company went into action with 65 men. The muzzle-loading muskets of the infantry made a pitiful defense against the revolvers of the mounted Guerrillas. As Major Johnston's men passed through the terror-stricken town of Centralia—where the warm blood of Anderson’s victims was still trickling over the ground—they were told the bush fighters carried them four to eleven revolvers to a man. But they went undaunted into the trap.
The battle was a mistake on the part of Major Johnston. The Centralia people informed him that Anderson had not to exceed a hundred men. They knew nothing about George Todd and his fierce crew back in the woods. Johnston went after a bear and found two. He gallantly gave his life for the error.
The four survivors of Company A are James Pinkerton, Isaac Novinger, Peter Darr and Calvin Round. The big colliery town of Adair county, mentioned so frequently during the coal conference at Kansas City, was named after a relative of Novinger's. Calvin Round lives at La Plata. A Times-Democrat representative visited him recently, and found him back of his pretty little cottage sawing wood. At 61 he's full of the zest of life and its ambitions. He is arranging for a meeting of the soldiers who survived the slaughter at the train and fight that followed a few hours after. It will be held at Macon or Centralia. Mr. Round prefers Centralia, that they may view the field of bitter memories. He has never revisited it since his hurried departure from it in 1864. There wouldn’t have been many even if such a meeting had been held on the 28th of September 1864. There will be less now. But the half dozen or so gray-haired men attending it would be knit by one of the closest of human ties—they were comrades in calamity.
The trainmen were spared, though frequently in mortal peril during that tragic day. Richard H. Overall, the conductor, escaped in a curious manner. When Anderson, the chief, bristling with oaths and smoking revolvers, stalked into one of the coaches, he held up a dirty scrap of paper and demanded to know the whereabouts of one Dick Overall. Overall supposed he was appearing for a death sentence when he made himself known.
"You're Overall?", "I'm Overall," said the conductor, "Dick Overall?", "Dick Overall." "Well, you’re let out; Thank Mark Belt. Make yourself scarce now, or some of the boys may get you."
Mark Belt was with Quantrill. He and Overall had been schoolmates, and on one occasion Overall had saved Belt from expulsion from school for misconduct by showing that Belt was really not at fault. Belt knew Anderson was going to swoop down on Overall's train when it reached Centralia, and he wrenched from Anderson a promise that his life should be spared. Overall died at Coleman, Texas, in December 1900, at the age of 68. Richard Holt, now living at Macon, was the mail clerk on the ill-fated train. George F. Carruthers of the Mound City Warehouse Co., St. Louis, was the express messenger. Engineer James Clark is also living and is yet running a locomotive for the Wabash on one of it's branch lines. He has written a graphic description of the shooting of the men on the train, and his personal experience with the guerrillas.
H.F. Lynde, known on the train as "Harry, the Newsboy, owns a 360-acre farm 35 miles west of St. Louis, and recently wrote Mail Clerk Holt that he "had a nice Family of children and am very happy and contented." He is an elder in the Presbyterian church, treasurer of the Franklin county Sunday school association, and superintendent of the largest Sunday school in his county. Like Mr. Round he is very anxious to have a reunion of the Centralia survivors.
Would Mr. Round talk about the fight? Certainly he would; he didn’t see wherein a member of Major Johnston's command had anything to be ashamed of on account of his part in the tragedy.
On the 28th of October Mr. Round was 61 years old. He was 22 and a month the day he rode in advance of Johnston to beat the brush for the guerrillas. He is a small, gentle speaking man, plain in his manner of description, and blessed with a keen memory.
"First I would like to say," said Mr. Round, "that the report about my shaking hands with Frank James when he was here recently with his show was a mistake. I was away from home that day, but had this not been so I would not have been among those who crowded around seeking that privilege. Not because of any ill feeling I have on account of being with the force that fought us at Centralia, but because it is not my habit to seek acquaintances with men merely for the sake of more or less turbulent life they may have led. They tell us James has reformed and become a good citizen. I hope that he has.
"About the fight? Well, it wasn’t much of a battle. We were hunting bushwhackers, and we caught them. I would like to remark that Major A.V.E. Johnston, whose command consisted of Companies A, G and H–about 150 men–of the 39th Missouri and was one of the most unassuming men I ever met, Braggadocio wasn’t in him. He was of a slight build, and at times rode carelessly, but in action was quick and impetuous. I never heard him give a harsh order to any one. His men loved him and had the greatest confidence in his judgment. We carried no black flag that day, nor at any other time. If Johnston 'pointed gleefully to his black flag' and said quarter would neither be asked or given, it was news to me. We had no orders to refuse any man's surrender. I carried a United States flag up to Centralia, and passed it to the seventh man when six of us were selected by Second Lieutenant Robert Moore to add to the 12 men he commanded as an advanced picket. The 18 of us went ahead through the town to reconnoiter the woods on the south.
"There was a Sunday-like stillness in Centralia. Very few people were about. The evidence of Anderson's work was all around the track and depot. A detail of soldiers was left by Major Johnston to pick up the dead soldiers. The few citizens abroad talked in serous voices as men do after a cyclone or railroad wreck where many are killed. In this case the worse of the storm was to come.
"As the skirmish line progressed east by south eight horsemen came out of the timber, and rode slowly along, paralleling it. When within 150 or 200 yards of the woods we turned and followed the movement of the guerrillas riding parallel with them, but keeping a regular distance away.
"Major Johnston left about 40 men at Centralia as a reserve. Then he followed us with the main body, not to exceed 110. Company A was on the right, G in the center and a portion of H on the left. I think there were a few men from Company H, but I am not certain about that. I am confident Major Johnston's force at Centralia all told did not exceed 150 men, and about 40 of those were left back in Centralia as a reserve.
Across the field, parallel with the wood, was a stake-and-rider fence. Gaps were made for the Union horseman to pass, and continue their advance. I have thought it would have been wiser had Johnston halted his men on the far side of this fence, and it would have made a good breastwork against the attacking guerrillas. Its passage by our force completed the trap, and retarded the retreat of many a poor fellow.
"One by one the guerrilla pickets disappeared in the wood. We knew some sort of tactics had been arranged by the enemy, but we thought as it was to be a fair fight in the open, and our guns would shoot farther than revolvers, we would have at least an equal show. Many of our men had never been under fire before. The officers had seen real service, and the major commanding had a good record as a soldier.
"Finally but one of the enemy remained. He stopped his horse, and fired his revolver straight up in the air! Then he, too, got out of sight. It was a signal, and we began to get ready for what was to follow. Lieutenant Moore gave the command: "Left face; open order." That put us marching wide apart towards the woods where the enemy was. We were expecting to be fired on every instant. Johnston's command was what is called mounted infantry. The soldiers were drilled to fight on foot. Excepting those possessed by the officers, I don't think there was over a half dozen revolvers in our troop. The bayonets had not been affixed to the muskets, though each man had one."
"Before we reached the woods a company of guerrillas rode out and leisurely lined up on the edge. They were as cool as if on dress parade. Lieutenant Moore halloed back to Major Johnston that the enemy was coming out and getting ready for the action. We were ordered to fall back on the main body. There was not the least uneasiness among our men at that time. We felt able to handle those in front of us, but didn’t know the woods behind and on the side were swarming with guerrillas, and that they seemed bent on keeping the knowledge from us until it was too late to do any good. The citizens with whom we talked at Centralia said Anderson had only 84 men. That is all they saw, and they were, I think, honest in their statements, because the presence of Todd was evidently concealed for a purpose. We were also informed that Anderson’s crew carried from four to 11 revolvers to the man.
"Before we got back to the main body Major Johnston had dismounted his men, and was getting ready to fight on foot, the way his men could fire quickest. Every fourth man was assigned to hold the horses in the rear of the line. I was the only man that didn’t dismount. I was riding a frisky mare, and had great trouble in holding her. It was on the extreme left of Company A.
"The men advanced, and our men began to shoot. So heavy became the fire that the guerrillas stopped. They knew we had single loaded guns, and I guess they thought they could wait till we emptied them. I fired, and we were all reloading when they came at us. My mare began jumping up and down, and I couldn’t get the cartridge in the gun. The battle was over before I ever got that load in. Now the enemy began developing his full strength. On they came and the front lines opened fire on us. Our left commenced getting shaky. The right stood for a while, and the boys worked hurriedly with their guns." "Did you see any of the guerrillas fall?"
"I could not say for certain. You know all things were happening in a good deal less time than I’m telling it. About this time the details are not as clear as at first. I can’t ever remember whether the guerrillas were given their war-cry as they came on. They may have done so. I know it seemed like the woods were shedding horsemen from every point, until they threatened to smother us by numbers. There was no attempt at formation. They just came on with a rush, shooting right and left.
It was just about this time we realized the gravity of our condition. Until then we felt we could beat them back. I took the situation and saw there was no hope for a stand, and determined to ride back to the reserves. We might check them there and drive them back from the town. So I headed my mare for Centralia, but soon turned back. That wouldn't do, I thought. I looked at the field. It was lost. Nobody was giving orders and everything seemed to be in confusion. The men were throwing away their guns and running for their lives. I headed for some brush but before I got there more guerrillas began pouring out, and I turned in another direction. I looked back several times, as I urged my horse onward. Many a poor fellow was shot at the fence, which was a terrible hindrance to escape. Riderless horses were rushing wildly around. One took after me and followed me from the field."
"Did the Guerrillas carry a black flag and refuse to receive any surrenders?"
"I never saw a black flag on that field, but have you heard of any prisoners they took there? I was told they shot some of the reserve who had surrendered to them up in town. If a man they got hold of was spared I never heard of it. And I was interested in finding out.
"When I saw the day had gone hopelessly against us the thing uppermost in my mind was to get away. My horse so frisky at first began to lag. In spite of all I could do it would not go. Then for the first time I was really scared. I saw I could not hope to reach town, and it is well I did not try. There was some timber on my left, enclosed with a rail fence. Nobody seemed to be noticing me and I made for the wood, jumped over the fence and got out of sight, leaving my horse to shift for herself. Then I loaded my gun so I could be certain of getting one man at least if they discovered me. Out on the prairie I could hear the revolvers popping and the shouts of the pursued and pursuers. But I had the woods all to myself, and lost no time getting further in the brush. This was late Tuesday afternoon. I remained there concealed all that night, and on Wednesday morning I started, as I thought, in the direction of Paris."
"Keeping your gun?"
"Yes. As far as I know I’m the only man on our side that left the field with his gun but later on I got rid of it, when I changed my clothes. Thursday morning I was four miles north of Centralia."
"Hungry!"
"Not much, I was too badly excited. A thing like that overpowers a man for a while. I had got so much in the habit of seeing Guerrillas come out of the woods that in fancy every movement among the trees was a gang in pursuit of me. At last I struck a farm house and determined to risk an interview so as to get my bearings. A very decent sort of man welcomed me. Of course he saw I was a Union soldier, and judged I had been at Centralia. Whatever side his sympathies were on he was a friend in need to me.
"You were the one that got away?" he said. "Yes—thank God. What news have you?" He shook his head gloomily. “The Union force is cut into bits, Hardly a man got away. They took no prisoners."
"He fed me and tendered me a horse to enable me to reach Paris, but I declined it, fearing it would hamper my escape. My good Samaritan directed me to a post office down on the road between Mexico and Paris, and there the postmaster gave me a suit of jeans to cover the uniform that would have meant death had I fallen into the hands of my foes, and I set out again, after leaving my gun and cartridge box.
"I have often thought I would like to have that gun as a souvenir of Centralia, but I never heard from it anymore.
"I kept on foot and on Friday reached Paris, where our camp was. One or two of the Monroe county men who escaped had beat me there, and we had a mournful reunion.
"I have heard it stated that one man escaped by hiding in a small corn shock. Corn is not in the shock in Missouri in September. Isaac Novinger got into a cornfield, and was saved, but not by hiding in a shock. He escaped in a curious manner. Just as a Guerrilla fired at him his saddle girth broke, and he tumbled to the ground with his saddle. He laid still and the assailants thinking him dead, paid no further attention to him. When they had passed on he got up unhurt, and got over in the cornfield.
"While hiding there some Guerrillas came and fed their horses near by, but didn’t see him. That was between Centralia and Sturgeon.
"Why did Major Johnston risk such an unequal encounter?"
"Major Johnston was ordered to rid the country of bushwhackers. He was a conscientious soldier. I don't believe any odds would have frightened him from his duty. The trouble was our men were inexperienced in fighting the sort of men with Anderson and Todd. As I remarked, many of them had never been under fire. They got nervous when they found the Guerrillas among them, shooting so rapidly without reloading. Under the circumstances I think they did what any other man would have done. We were against another man's game and he held all the high cards. The ground was sloped gradually down toward us, a stake and rider fence was behind and a branch ran to the left and rear. The battle was lost before we started, and yet I believe, man to man we could have held them back with our old muskets."
Mr. Round was laid up for several weeks after his thrilling experience. He recovered, however and re-entered the service at Glasgow, Mo., in November 1864, and stayed till the war was closed. He married Miss Eva Silvers Oct. 20, 1865, and settled in Macon county.
The following from an official memorial give an account of Company A’s strangely short and terrible history:
"Company A, 39th Infantry Missouri Volunteers, was organized in Kirksville, Adair county, Mo., August 1, 1864, under the order of Gen. Rosecrans calling for 12 months' volunteers for United States service; reported at Hannibal, Mo., on the 11th of August with three commissioned officers and 82 enlisted men, and they were mustered into the service on August 24. Left Hannibal for field duty September 14 and scouted for bushwhackers in Northern Missouri until September 27, 1864, when the company was disastrously defeated in action by an overwhelming force of guerrillas under Anderson. Capt. James A. Smith and 55 enlisted men were killed on the field by the murderous Guerrillas, who shot down without mercy all who fell into their hands."
Ex-Guerrillas have always contended that the forces were numerically even—about 300 men on a side. They blame Johnston for dismounting his men, and say a scholar in military tactics might have told him better. Engineer James Clark says there were 175 men and soldiers killed, including those executed at the train.
The Macon Times-Democrat
Macon, Missouri
November 19, 1903
Civil War Veteran
Pvt Co H, 50th Regiment E.M.M.
Enrolled Aug 11, 1862, Kirksville, MO
Ordered into service Aug 11, 1862, Kirksville
Relieved from duty Nov 20, 1862
Office of Adjutant General
Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865
Box ?
Reel s00793
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Pvt Co A, 39th MO Vol Inf
Enlisted Aug 1, 1864, Kirksville, MO
Mustered in Aug 24, 1864, Hannibal, MO
Mustered out Jul 19, 1865, B. Brks, MO
Office of Adjutant General
Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865
Box ?
Reel s00863
--------------------------------------------
The following is taken from the 1911 HISTORY of ADAIR COUNTY, MISSOURI by E. M. Violette, pages 89-91.
The several companies of the Thirty-Ninth Infantry, Missouri Volunteers, were recruited in August 1864. Company A under Capt James A. Smith, and Company B under Joseph R. Good, were made up largely of men from Adair County. In September the various companies of this regiment were put on the trail of bushwhackers that were operating in northeast Missouri. The general rendezvous of the regiment was Hannibal. In the course of various movements, Major A. V. E. Johnston started from Paris with detachments of Companies A, G, and H, and on striking the trail of Bill Anderson, the famous guerilla, followed it up until he came upon him near Centralia on September 27. The struggle that ensued resulted in the almost complete annihilation of the pursuing companies. The circumstances were as follows.
Anderson and his men to the number of 300 or 400, had come to Centralia early that morning, and had plundered it thoroughly. They held up a stage coach on its arrival from Columbia and robbed the passengers, and when about noon time a train from St. Louis passed through they stopped it and robbed the passengers and the express car. Among the passengers were twenty-three discharged and furloughed Union soldiers. These men were taken out, stripped of their uniforms, and shot down by a detachment of Anderson's men at his orders. There upon Anderson and his men retired to their headquarters a couple miles from town. This event is known as the Massacre of Centralia.
About three o'clock that afternoon, the Thirty-Ninth Missouri Mounted Infantry under Major A. V. E. Johnson, came into Centralia. The regiment was made up of new recruits who were badly mounted and badly armed. In all there were only about 175 men. The citizens of Centralia advised Major Johnson not to attack Anderson, but disregarding the warning, he ordered about 125 men to form out in the open prairie and proceed toward Anderson's headquarters. The remainder of the regiment were left to attend to the horses and wagons. Anderson saw what was coming and prepared to meet the attack. He had the advantage in this preparation, inasmuch as he was in timbered land, and the timber hid him from the enemy. As the Thirty-Ninth approached, Anderson's men rushed out with shouts and yells, and in a few minutes had killed, according to Lieut. Col. Kutzner's report, 122 men, including Major Johnson. So great was the panic among the Federals that only a very few of Anderson's men were killed or wounded. This is known as the Battle of Centralia, though it is sometimes spoken of as the Massacre of Centralia, because of the ruthless manner in which the men were cut down.
Company A was almost completely wiped out. The officers killed were: James A. Smith, Captain; William G. Elliott, second sergeant; Joseph S. Nisbett, third sergeant; Meshack B. Long, fourth sergeant; John C. Reynolds, fifth sergeant; Andrew W. Walters, third corporal; Jasper May, fifth corporal; Canaday Keller, six corporal, and Elijah E. Eitel, eighth corporal. The privates killed were: Josiah Adams, George W. Bragg, Outchnile O. Byrd, W.H. Braden, John N. Braden, Wm. H. Corbin, Andrew J. Capps, John L. Canada, George W. Cook, P. Cunningham, Andrew J Denton, David R. Graves, John B.W. Graves, A.B. Hayward, Val. Hines, Benjamin Hargrove, John Hanlin, G. Hanlin, W.H. Jeffers, Henry Keller, Daniel Lorton, Joseph Morrow, James Morrow, Edwin T. Miles, T. McClanahan, Mark I. Musick, James K.P. Mock, Wm. Norton, Eli F. Osborn, Ad. B Polley, A.S. Parsons, Jacob Reed, John S. Spicer, Isaac Slaughter, Jos. O Stuttville, Emmett H. Selby, Wm. Shoemaker, Dan. A. Simler, Charles Wellbaum, David Wellbaum, J.H.B. Waddill, R.J. Williams, Thomas Waugh, James Willis, John R. Wood, C.C. Wise and Alfred Zimmerman.
The officers who were not present or who escaped were: Edwin Darrow, first lieutenant; Robert Moore, second lieutenant; Otis Miller, first sergeant; Samuel M. Keller, first corporal; Wm. B. Denton, second corporal; Daniel Y. Conkle, fourth corporal; Peyton F. Foster, seventh corporal. The privates who were not present or escaped were: Henry Beecher, John Calvin, Samuel Dye, Peter Dorr, John W. Gregg, Val Jud, John Keller, W.P. Lindler, James W. Moore, Jere Mann, L. Miller, Isaac Novinger, Manuel Novinger, James Pinkerton, Hiram Panghorn, Calvin Round, John T. Reynolds, Josiah W. Snell, Charles A. Snell, W.P. Stockton, Thomas J. Spencer, and Harrison Watson.
After the battle was over and the guerillas had left, the people of Centralia gathered up the remains of the dead and brought them to town. Some were taken to Mexico and buried. Seventy nine were buried in one long trench near the railroad in the eastern part of the town. The trench was later enclosed with a fence and a slab erected to the memory of the dead. On it was inscribed: "The remains of Companies A, G. and H, Thirty-Ninth Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who were killed in action at Centralia, Missouri on the 27th Day of September 1864, are interred here." Later the remains were transferred to Jefferson City and reinterred in one grave in the National Cemetery there.
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WHERE DEATH REIGNED.
Survivors of Centralia Tragedy Planning for a Reunion.
Four of the nine men of Company A, 39th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who ran against Bill Anderson and George Todd at Centralia, Mo., the afternoon of September 27, 1864, are yet living. The company was the pick of the military men of Adair county. There were five pairs of brothers and a son and a father—David R. and John B.W. Graves respectively. The company went into action with 65 men. The muzzle-loading muskets of the infantry made a pitiful defense against the revolvers of the mounted Guerrillas. As Major Johnston's men passed through the terror-stricken town of Centralia—where the warm blood of Anderson’s victims was still trickling over the ground—they were told the bush fighters carried them four to eleven revolvers to a man. But they went undaunted into the trap.
The battle was a mistake on the part of Major Johnston. The Centralia people informed him that Anderson had not to exceed a hundred men. They knew nothing about George Todd and his fierce crew back in the woods. Johnston went after a bear and found two. He gallantly gave his life for the error.
The four survivors of Company A are James Pinkerton, Isaac Novinger, Peter Darr and Calvin Round. The big colliery town of Adair county, mentioned so frequently during the coal conference at Kansas City, was named after a relative of Novinger's. Calvin Round lives at La Plata. A Times-Democrat representative visited him recently, and found him back of his pretty little cottage sawing wood. At 61 he's full of the zest of life and its ambitions. He is arranging for a meeting of the soldiers who survived the slaughter at the train and fight that followed a few hours after. It will be held at Macon or Centralia. Mr. Round prefers Centralia, that they may view the field of bitter memories. He has never revisited it since his hurried departure from it in 1864. There wouldn’t have been many even if such a meeting had been held on the 28th of September 1864. There will be less now. But the half dozen or so gray-haired men attending it would be knit by one of the closest of human ties—they were comrades in calamity.
The trainmen were spared, though frequently in mortal peril during that tragic day. Richard H. Overall, the conductor, escaped in a curious manner. When Anderson, the chief, bristling with oaths and smoking revolvers, stalked into one of the coaches, he held up a dirty scrap of paper and demanded to know the whereabouts of one Dick Overall. Overall supposed he was appearing for a death sentence when he made himself known.
"You're Overall?", "I'm Overall," said the conductor, "Dick Overall?", "Dick Overall." "Well, you’re let out; Thank Mark Belt. Make yourself scarce now, or some of the boys may get you."
Mark Belt was with Quantrill. He and Overall had been schoolmates, and on one occasion Overall had saved Belt from expulsion from school for misconduct by showing that Belt was really not at fault. Belt knew Anderson was going to swoop down on Overall's train when it reached Centralia, and he wrenched from Anderson a promise that his life should be spared. Overall died at Coleman, Texas, in December 1900, at the age of 68. Richard Holt, now living at Macon, was the mail clerk on the ill-fated train. George F. Carruthers of the Mound City Warehouse Co., St. Louis, was the express messenger. Engineer James Clark is also living and is yet running a locomotive for the Wabash on one of it's branch lines. He has written a graphic description of the shooting of the men on the train, and his personal experience with the guerrillas.
H.F. Lynde, known on the train as "Harry, the Newsboy, owns a 360-acre farm 35 miles west of St. Louis, and recently wrote Mail Clerk Holt that he "had a nice Family of children and am very happy and contented." He is an elder in the Presbyterian church, treasurer of the Franklin county Sunday school association, and superintendent of the largest Sunday school in his county. Like Mr. Round he is very anxious to have a reunion of the Centralia survivors.
Would Mr. Round talk about the fight? Certainly he would; he didn’t see wherein a member of Major Johnston's command had anything to be ashamed of on account of his part in the tragedy.
On the 28th of October Mr. Round was 61 years old. He was 22 and a month the day he rode in advance of Johnston to beat the brush for the guerrillas. He is a small, gentle speaking man, plain in his manner of description, and blessed with a keen memory.
"First I would like to say," said Mr. Round, "that the report about my shaking hands with Frank James when he was here recently with his show was a mistake. I was away from home that day, but had this not been so I would not have been among those who crowded around seeking that privilege. Not because of any ill feeling I have on account of being with the force that fought us at Centralia, but because it is not my habit to seek acquaintances with men merely for the sake of more or less turbulent life they may have led. They tell us James has reformed and become a good citizen. I hope that he has.
"About the fight? Well, it wasn’t much of a battle. We were hunting bushwhackers, and we caught them. I would like to remark that Major A.V.E. Johnston, whose command consisted of Companies A, G and H–about 150 men–of the 39th Missouri and was one of the most unassuming men I ever met, Braggadocio wasn’t in him. He was of a slight build, and at times rode carelessly, but in action was quick and impetuous. I never heard him give a harsh order to any one. His men loved him and had the greatest confidence in his judgment. We carried no black flag that day, nor at any other time. If Johnston 'pointed gleefully to his black flag' and said quarter would neither be asked or given, it was news to me. We had no orders to refuse any man's surrender. I carried a United States flag up to Centralia, and passed it to the seventh man when six of us were selected by Second Lieutenant Robert Moore to add to the 12 men he commanded as an advanced picket. The 18 of us went ahead through the town to reconnoiter the woods on the south.
"There was a Sunday-like stillness in Centralia. Very few people were about. The evidence of Anderson's work was all around the track and depot. A detail of soldiers was left by Major Johnston to pick up the dead soldiers. The few citizens abroad talked in serous voices as men do after a cyclone or railroad wreck where many are killed. In this case the worse of the storm was to come.
"As the skirmish line progressed east by south eight horsemen came out of the timber, and rode slowly along, paralleling it. When within 150 or 200 yards of the woods we turned and followed the movement of the guerrillas riding parallel with them, but keeping a regular distance away.
"Major Johnston left about 40 men at Centralia as a reserve. Then he followed us with the main body, not to exceed 110. Company A was on the right, G in the center and a portion of H on the left. I think there were a few men from Company H, but I am not certain about that. I am confident Major Johnston's force at Centralia all told did not exceed 150 men, and about 40 of those were left back in Centralia as a reserve.
Across the field, parallel with the wood, was a stake-and-rider fence. Gaps were made for the Union horseman to pass, and continue their advance. I have thought it would have been wiser had Johnston halted his men on the far side of this fence, and it would have made a good breastwork against the attacking guerrillas. Its passage by our force completed the trap, and retarded the retreat of many a poor fellow.
"One by one the guerrilla pickets disappeared in the wood. We knew some sort of tactics had been arranged by the enemy, but we thought as it was to be a fair fight in the open, and our guns would shoot farther than revolvers, we would have at least an equal show. Many of our men had never been under fire before. The officers had seen real service, and the major commanding had a good record as a soldier.
"Finally but one of the enemy remained. He stopped his horse, and fired his revolver straight up in the air! Then he, too, got out of sight. It was a signal, and we began to get ready for what was to follow. Lieutenant Moore gave the command: "Left face; open order." That put us marching wide apart towards the woods where the enemy was. We were expecting to be fired on every instant. Johnston's command was what is called mounted infantry. The soldiers were drilled to fight on foot. Excepting those possessed by the officers, I don't think there was over a half dozen revolvers in our troop. The bayonets had not been affixed to the muskets, though each man had one."
"Before we reached the woods a company of guerrillas rode out and leisurely lined up on the edge. They were as cool as if on dress parade. Lieutenant Moore halloed back to Major Johnston that the enemy was coming out and getting ready for the action. We were ordered to fall back on the main body. There was not the least uneasiness among our men at that time. We felt able to handle those in front of us, but didn’t know the woods behind and on the side were swarming with guerrillas, and that they seemed bent on keeping the knowledge from us until it was too late to do any good. The citizens with whom we talked at Centralia said Anderson had only 84 men. That is all they saw, and they were, I think, honest in their statements, because the presence of Todd was evidently concealed for a purpose. We were also informed that Anderson’s crew carried from four to 11 revolvers to the man.
"Before we got back to the main body Major Johnston had dismounted his men, and was getting ready to fight on foot, the way his men could fire quickest. Every fourth man was assigned to hold the horses in the rear of the line. I was the only man that didn’t dismount. I was riding a frisky mare, and had great trouble in holding her. It was on the extreme left of Company A.
"The men advanced, and our men began to shoot. So heavy became the fire that the guerrillas stopped. They knew we had single loaded guns, and I guess they thought they could wait till we emptied them. I fired, and we were all reloading when they came at us. My mare began jumping up and down, and I couldn’t get the cartridge in the gun. The battle was over before I ever got that load in. Now the enemy began developing his full strength. On they came and the front lines opened fire on us. Our left commenced getting shaky. The right stood for a while, and the boys worked hurriedly with their guns." "Did you see any of the guerrillas fall?"
"I could not say for certain. You know all things were happening in a good deal less time than I’m telling it. About this time the details are not as clear as at first. I can’t ever remember whether the guerrillas were given their war-cry as they came on. They may have done so. I know it seemed like the woods were shedding horsemen from every point, until they threatened to smother us by numbers. There was no attempt at formation. They just came on with a rush, shooting right and left.
It was just about this time we realized the gravity of our condition. Until then we felt we could beat them back. I took the situation and saw there was no hope for a stand, and determined to ride back to the reserves. We might check them there and drive them back from the town. So I headed my mare for Centralia, but soon turned back. That wouldn't do, I thought. I looked at the field. It was lost. Nobody was giving orders and everything seemed to be in confusion. The men were throwing away their guns and running for their lives. I headed for some brush but before I got there more guerrillas began pouring out, and I turned in another direction. I looked back several times, as I urged my horse onward. Many a poor fellow was shot at the fence, which was a terrible hindrance to escape. Riderless horses were rushing wildly around. One took after me and followed me from the field."
"Did the Guerrillas carry a black flag and refuse to receive any surrenders?"
"I never saw a black flag on that field, but have you heard of any prisoners they took there? I was told they shot some of the reserve who had surrendered to them up in town. If a man they got hold of was spared I never heard of it. And I was interested in finding out.
"When I saw the day had gone hopelessly against us the thing uppermost in my mind was to get away. My horse so frisky at first began to lag. In spite of all I could do it would not go. Then for the first time I was really scared. I saw I could not hope to reach town, and it is well I did not try. There was some timber on my left, enclosed with a rail fence. Nobody seemed to be noticing me and I made for the wood, jumped over the fence and got out of sight, leaving my horse to shift for herself. Then I loaded my gun so I could be certain of getting one man at least if they discovered me. Out on the prairie I could hear the revolvers popping and the shouts of the pursued and pursuers. But I had the woods all to myself, and lost no time getting further in the brush. This was late Tuesday afternoon. I remained there concealed all that night, and on Wednesday morning I started, as I thought, in the direction of Paris."
"Keeping your gun?"
"Yes. As far as I know I’m the only man on our side that left the field with his gun but later on I got rid of it, when I changed my clothes. Thursday morning I was four miles north of Centralia."
"Hungry!"
"Not much, I was too badly excited. A thing like that overpowers a man for a while. I had got so much in the habit of seeing Guerrillas come out of the woods that in fancy every movement among the trees was a gang in pursuit of me. At last I struck a farm house and determined to risk an interview so as to get my bearings. A very decent sort of man welcomed me. Of course he saw I was a Union soldier, and judged I had been at Centralia. Whatever side his sympathies were on he was a friend in need to me.
"You were the one that got away?" he said. "Yes—thank God. What news have you?" He shook his head gloomily. “The Union force is cut into bits, Hardly a man got away. They took no prisoners."
"He fed me and tendered me a horse to enable me to reach Paris, but I declined it, fearing it would hamper my escape. My good Samaritan directed me to a post office down on the road between Mexico and Paris, and there the postmaster gave me a suit of jeans to cover the uniform that would have meant death had I fallen into the hands of my foes, and I set out again, after leaving my gun and cartridge box.
"I have often thought I would like to have that gun as a souvenir of Centralia, but I never heard from it anymore.
"I kept on foot and on Friday reached Paris, where our camp was. One or two of the Monroe county men who escaped had beat me there, and we had a mournful reunion.
"I have heard it stated that one man escaped by hiding in a small corn shock. Corn is not in the shock in Missouri in September. Isaac Novinger got into a cornfield, and was saved, but not by hiding in a shock. He escaped in a curious manner. Just as a Guerrilla fired at him his saddle girth broke, and he tumbled to the ground with his saddle. He laid still and the assailants thinking him dead, paid no further attention to him. When they had passed on he got up unhurt, and got over in the cornfield.
"While hiding there some Guerrillas came and fed their horses near by, but didn’t see him. That was between Centralia and Sturgeon.
"Why did Major Johnston risk such an unequal encounter?"
"Major Johnston was ordered to rid the country of bushwhackers. He was a conscientious soldier. I don't believe any odds would have frightened him from his duty. The trouble was our men were inexperienced in fighting the sort of men with Anderson and Todd. As I remarked, many of them had never been under fire. They got nervous when they found the Guerrillas among them, shooting so rapidly without reloading. Under the circumstances I think they did what any other man would have done. We were against another man's game and he held all the high cards. The ground was sloped gradually down toward us, a stake and rider fence was behind and a branch ran to the left and rear. The battle was lost before we started, and yet I believe, man to man we could have held them back with our old muskets."
Mr. Round was laid up for several weeks after his thrilling experience. He recovered, however and re-entered the service at Glasgow, Mo., in November 1864, and stayed till the war was closed. He married Miss Eva Silvers Oct. 20, 1865, and settled in Macon county.
The following from an official memorial give an account of Company A’s strangely short and terrible history:
"Company A, 39th Infantry Missouri Volunteers, was organized in Kirksville, Adair county, Mo., August 1, 1864, under the order of Gen. Rosecrans calling for 12 months' volunteers for United States service; reported at Hannibal, Mo., on the 11th of August with three commissioned officers and 82 enlisted men, and they were mustered into the service on August 24. Left Hannibal for field duty September 14 and scouted for bushwhackers in Northern Missouri until September 27, 1864, when the company was disastrously defeated in action by an overwhelming force of guerrillas under Anderson. Capt. James A. Smith and 55 enlisted men were killed on the field by the murderous Guerrillas, who shot down without mercy all who fell into their hands."
Ex-Guerrillas have always contended that the forces were numerically even—about 300 men on a side. They blame Johnston for dismounting his men, and say a scholar in military tactics might have told him better. Engineer James Clark says there were 175 men and soldiers killed, including those executed at the train.
The Macon Times-Democrat
Macon, Missouri
November 19, 1903
Pvt Co H, 50th Regiment E.M.M.
Enrolled Aug 11, 1862, Kirksville, MO
Ordered into service Aug 11, 1862, Kirksville
Relieved from duty Nov 20, 1862
Office of Adjutant General
Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865
Box ?
Reel s00793
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Pvt Co A, 39th MO Vol Inf
Enlisted Aug 1, 1864, Kirksville, MO
Mustered in Aug 24, 1864, Hannibal, MO
Mustered out Jul 19, 1865, B. Brks, MO
Office of Adjutant General
Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865
Box ?
Reel s00863
--------------------------------------------
The following is taken from the 1911 HISTORY of ADAIR COUNTY, MISSOURI by E. M. Violette, pages 89-91.
The several companies of the Thirty-Ninth Infantry, Missouri Volunteers, were recruited in August 1864. Company A under Capt James A. Smith, and Company B under Joseph R. Good, were made up largely of men from Adair County. In September the various companies of this regiment were put on the trail of bushwhackers that were operating in northeast Missouri. The general rendezvous of the regiment was Hannibal. In the course of various movements, Major A. V. E. Johnston started from Paris with detachments of Companies A, G, and H, and on striking the trail of Bill Anderson, the famous guerilla, followed it up until he came upon him near Centralia on September 27. The struggle that ensued resulted in the almost complete annihilation of the pursuing companies. The circumstances were as follows.
Anderson and his men to the number of 300 or 400, had come to Centralia early that morning, and had plundered it thoroughly. They held up a stage coach on its arrival from Columbia and robbed the passengers, and when about noon time a train from St. Louis passed through they stopped it and robbed the passengers and the express car. Among the passengers were twenty-three discharged and furloughed Union soldiers. These men were taken out, stripped of their uniforms, and shot down by a detachment of Anderson's men at his orders. There upon Anderson and his men retired to their headquarters a couple miles from town. This event is known as the Massacre of Centralia.
About three o'clock that afternoon, the Thirty-Ninth Missouri Mounted Infantry under Major A. V. E. Johnson, came into Centralia. The regiment was made up of new recruits who were badly mounted and badly armed. In all there were only about 175 men. The citizens of Centralia advised Major Johnson not to attack Anderson, but disregarding the warning, he ordered about 125 men to form out in the open prairie and proceed toward Anderson's headquarters. The remainder of the regiment were left to attend to the horses and wagons. Anderson saw what was coming and prepared to meet the attack. He had the advantage in this preparation, inasmuch as he was in timbered land, and the timber hid him from the enemy. As the Thirty-Ninth approached, Anderson's men rushed out with shouts and yells, and in a few minutes had killed, according to Lieut. Col. Kutzner's report, 122 men, including Major Johnson. So great was the panic among the Federals that only a very few of Anderson's men were killed or wounded. This is known as the Battle of Centralia, though it is sometimes spoken of as the Massacre of Centralia, because of the ruthless manner in which the men were cut down.
Company A was almost completely wiped out. The officers killed were: James A. Smith, Captain; William G. Elliott, second sergeant; Joseph S. Nisbett, third sergeant; Meshack B. Long, fourth sergeant; John C. Reynolds, fifth sergeant; Andrew W. Walters, third corporal; Jasper May, fifth corporal; Canaday Keller, six corporal, and Elijah E. Eitel, eighth corporal. The privates killed were: Josiah Adams, George W. Bragg, Outchnile O. Byrd, W.H. Braden, John N. Braden, Wm. H. Corbin, Andrew J. Capps, John L. Canada, George W. Cook, P. Cunningham, Andrew J Denton, David R. Graves, John B.W. Graves, A.B. Hayward, Val. Hines, Benjamin Hargrove, John Hanlin, G. Hanlin, W.H. Jeffers, Henry Keller, Daniel Lorton, Joseph Morrow, James Morrow, Edwin T. Miles, T. McClanahan, Mark I. Musick, James K.P. Mock, Wm. Norton, Eli F. Osborn, Ad. B Polley, A.S. Parsons, Jacob Reed, John S. Spicer, Isaac Slaughter, Jos. O Stuttville, Emmett H. Selby, Wm. Shoemaker, Dan. A. Simler, Charles Wellbaum, David Wellbaum, J.H.B. Waddill, R.J. Williams, Thomas Waugh, James Willis, John R. Wood, C.C. Wise and Alfred Zimmerman.
The officers who were not present or who escaped were: Edwin Darrow, first lieutenant; Robert Moore, second lieutenant; Otis Miller, first sergeant; Samuel M. Keller, first corporal; Wm. B. Denton, second corporal; Daniel Y. Conkle, fourth corporal; Peyton F. Foster, seventh corporal. The privates who were not present or escaped were: Henry Beecher, John Calvin, Samuel Dye, Peter Dorr, John W. Gregg, Val Jud, John Keller, W.P. Lindler, James W. Moore, Jere Mann, L. Miller, Isaac Novinger, Manuel Novinger, James Pinkerton, Hiram Panghorn, Calvin Round, John T. Reynolds, Josiah W. Snell, Charles A. Snell, W.P. Stockton, Thomas J. Spencer, and Harrison Watson.
After the battle was over and the guerillas had left, the people of Centralia gathered up the remains of the dead and brought them to town. Some were taken to Mexico and buried. Seventy nine were buried in one long trench near the railroad in the eastern part of the town. The trench was later enclosed with a fence and a slab erected to the memory of the dead. On it was inscribed: "The remains of Companies A, G. and H, Thirty-Ninth Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who were killed in action at Centralia, Missouri on the 27th Day of September 1864, are interred here." Later the remains were transferred to Jefferson City and reinterred in one grave in the National Cemetery there.
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WHERE DEATH REIGNED.
Survivors of Centralia Tragedy Planning for a Reunion.
Four of the nine men of Company A, 39th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who ran against Bill Anderson and George Todd at Centralia, Mo., the afternoon of September 27, 1864, are yet living. The company was the pick of the military men of Adair county. There were five pairs of brothers and a son and a father—David R. and John B.W. Graves respectively. The company went into action with 65 men. The muzzle-loading muskets of the infantry made a pitiful defense against the revolvers of the mounted Guerrillas. As Major Johnston's men passed through the terror-stricken town of Centralia—where the warm blood of Anderson’s victims was still trickling over the ground—they were told the bush fighters carried them four to eleven revolvers to a man. But they went undaunted into the trap.
The battle was a mistake on the part of Major Johnston. The Centralia people informed him that Anderson had not to exceed a hundred men. They knew nothing about George Todd and his fierce crew back in the woods. Johnston went after a bear and found two. He gallantly gave his life for the error.
The four survivors of Company A are James Pinkerton, Isaac Novinger, Peter Darr and Calvin Round. The big colliery town of Adair county, mentioned so frequently during the coal conference at Kansas City, was named after a relative of Novinger's. Calvin Round lives at La Plata. A Times-Democrat representative visited him recently, and found him back of his pretty little cottage sawing wood. At 61 he's full of the zest of life and its ambitions. He is arranging for a meeting of the soldiers who survived the slaughter at the train and fight that followed a few hours after. It will be held at Macon or Centralia. Mr. Round prefers Centralia, that they may view the field of bitter memories. He has never revisited it since his hurried departure from it in 1864. There wouldn’t have been many even if such a meeting had been held on the 28th of September 1864. There will be less now. But the half dozen or so gray-haired men attending it would be knit by one of the closest of human ties—they were comrades in calamity.
The trainmen were spared, though frequently in mortal peril during that tragic day. Richard H. Overall, the conductor, escaped in a curious manner. When Anderson, the chief, bristling with oaths and smoking revolvers, stalked into one of the coaches, he held up a dirty scrap of paper and demanded to know the whereabouts of one Dick Overall. Overall supposed he was appearing for a death sentence when he made himself known.
"You're Overall?", "I'm Overall," said the conductor, "Dick Overall?", "Dick Overall." "Well, you’re let out; Thank Mark Belt. Make yourself scarce now, or some of the boys may get you."
Mark Belt was with Quantrill. He and Overall had been schoolmates, and on one occasion Overall had saved Belt from expulsion from school for misconduct by showing that Belt was really not at fault. Belt knew Anderson was going to swoop down on Overall's train when it reached Centralia, and he wrenched from Anderson a promise that his life should be spared. Overall died at Coleman, Texas, in December 1900, at the age of 68. Richard Holt, now living at Macon, was the mail clerk on the ill-fated train. George F. Carruthers of the Mound City Warehouse Co., St. Louis, was the express messenger. Engineer James Clark is also living and is yet running a locomotive for the Wabash on one of it's branch lines. He has written a graphic description of the shooting of the men on the train, and his personal experience with the guerrillas.
H.F. Lynde, known on the train as "Harry, the Newsboy, owns a 360-acre farm 35 miles west of St. Louis, and recently wrote Mail Clerk Holt that he "had a nice Family of children and am very happy and contented." He is an elder in the Presbyterian church, treasurer of the Franklin county Sunday school association, and superintendent of the largest Sunday school in his county. Like Mr. Round he is very anxious to have a reunion of the Centralia survivors.
Would Mr. Round talk about the fight? Certainly he would; he didn’t see wherein a member of Major Johnston's command had anything to be ashamed of on account of his part in the tragedy.
On the 28th of October Mr. Round was 61 years old. He was 22 and a month the day he rode in advance of Johnston to beat the brush for the guerrillas. He is a small, gentle speaking man, plain in his manner of description, and blessed with a keen memory.
"First I would like to say," said Mr. Round, "that the report about my shaking hands with Frank James when he was here recently with his show was a mistake. I was away from home that day, but had this not been so I would not have been among those who crowded around seeking that privilege. Not because of any ill feeling I have on account of being with the force that fought us at Centralia, but because it is not my habit to seek acquaintances with men merely for the sake of more or less turbulent life they may have led. They tell us James has reformed and become a good citizen. I hope that he has.
"About the fight? Well, it wasn’t much of a battle. We were hunting bushwhackers, and we caught them. I would like to remark that Major A.V.E. Johnston, whose command consisted of Companies A, G and H–about 150 men–of the 39th Missouri and was one of the most unassuming men I ever met, Braggadocio wasn’t in him. He was of a slight build, and at times rode carelessly, but in action was quick and impetuous. I never heard him give a harsh order to any one. His men loved him and had the greatest confidence in his judgment. We carried no black flag that day, nor at any other time. If Johnston 'pointed gleefully to his black flag' and said quarter would neither be asked or given, it was news to me. We had no orders to refuse any man's surrender. I carried a United States flag up to Centralia, and passed it to the seventh man when six of us were selected by Second Lieutenant Robert Moore to add to the 12 men he commanded as an advanced picket. The 18 of us went ahead through the town to reconnoiter the woods on the south.
"There was a Sunday-like stillness in Centralia. Very few people were about. The evidence of Anderson's work was all around the track and depot. A detail of soldiers was left by Major Johnston to pick up the dead soldiers. The few citizens abroad talked in serous voices as men do after a cyclone or railroad wreck where many are killed. In this case the worse of the storm was to come.
"As the skirmish line progressed east by south eight horsemen came out of the timber, and rode slowly along, paralleling it. When within 150 or 200 yards of the woods we turned and followed the movement of the guerrillas riding parallel with them, but keeping a regular distance away.
"Major Johnston left about 40 men at Centralia as a reserve. Then he followed us with the main body, not to exceed 110. Company A was on the right, G in the center and a portion of H on the left. I think there were a few men from Company H, but I am not certain about that. I am confident Major Johnston's force at Centralia all told did not exceed 150 men, and about 40 of those were left back in Centralia as a reserve.
Across the field, parallel with the wood, was a stake-and-rider fence. Gaps were made for the Union horseman to pass, and continue their advance. I have thought it would have been wiser had Johnston halted his men on the far side of this fence, and it would have made a good breastwork against the attacking guerrillas. Its passage by our force completed the trap, and retarded the retreat of many a poor fellow.
"One by one the guerrilla pickets disappeared in the wood. We knew some sort of tactics had been arranged by the enemy, but we thought as it was to be a fair fight in the open, and our guns would shoot farther than revolvers, we would have at least an equal show. Many of our men had never been under fire before. The officers had seen real service, and the major commanding had a good record as a soldier.
"Finally but one of the enemy remained. He stopped his horse, and fired his revolver straight up in the air! Then he, too, got out of sight. It was a signal, and we began to get ready for what was to follow. Lieutenant Moore gave the command: "Left face; open order." That put us marching wide apart towards the woods where the enemy was. We were expecting to be fired on every instant. Johnston's command was what is called mounted infantry. The soldiers were drilled to fight on foot. Excepting those possessed by the officers, I don't think there was over a half dozen revolvers in our troop. The bayonets had not been affixed to the muskets, though each man had one."
"Before we reached the woods a company of guerrillas rode out and leisurely lined up on the edge. They were as cool as if on dress parade. Lieutenant Moore halloed back to Major Johnston that the enemy was coming out and getting ready for the action. We were ordered to fall back on the main body. There was not the least uneasiness among our men at that time. We felt able to handle those in front of us, but didn’t know the woods behind and on the side were swarming with guerrillas, and that they seemed bent on keeping the knowledge from us until it was too late to do any good. The citizens with whom we talked at Centralia said Anderson had only 84 men. That is all they saw, and they were, I think, honest in their statements, because the presence of Todd was evidently concealed for a purpose. We were also informed that Anderson’s crew carried from four to 11 revolvers to the man.
"Before we got back to the main body Major Johnston had dismounted his men, and was getting ready to fight on foot, the way his men could fire quickest. Every fourth man was assigned to hold the horses in the rear of the line. I was the only man that didn’t dismount. I was riding a frisky mare, and had great trouble in holding her. It was on the extreme left of Company A.
"The men advanced, and our men began to shoot. So heavy became the fire that the guerrillas stopped. They knew we had single loaded guns, and I guess they thought they could wait till we emptied them. I fired, and we were all reloading when they came at us. My mare began jumping up and down, and I couldn’t get the cartridge in the gun. The battle was over before I ever got that load in. Now the enemy began developing his full strength. On they came and the front lines opened fire on us. Our left commenced getting shaky. The right stood for a while, and the boys worked hurriedly with their guns." "Did you see any of the guerrillas fall?"
"I could not say for certain. You know all things were happening in a good deal less time than I’m telling it. About this time the details are not as clear as at first. I can’t ever remember whether the guerrillas were given their war-cry as they came on. They may have done so. I know it seemed like the woods were shedding horsemen from every point, until they threatened to smother us by numbers. There was no attempt at formation. They just came on with a rush, shooting right and left.
It was just about this time we realized the gravity of our condition. Until then we felt we could beat them back. I took the situation and saw there was no hope for a stand, and determined to ride back to the reserves. We might check them there and drive them back from the town. So I headed my mare for Centralia, but soon turned back. That wouldn't do, I thought. I looked at the field. It was lost. Nobody was giving orders and everything seemed to be in confusion. The men were throwing away their guns and running for their lives. I headed for some brush but before I got there more guerrillas began pouring out, and I turned in another direction. I looked back several times, as I urged my horse onward. Many a poor fellow was shot at the fence, which was a terrible hindrance to escape. Riderless horses were rushing wildly around. One took after me and followed me from the field."
"Did the Guerrillas carry a black flag and refuse to receive any surrenders?"
"I never saw a black flag on that field, but have you heard of any prisoners they took there? I was told they shot some of the reserve who had surrendered to them up in town. If a man they got hold of was spared I never heard of it. And I was interested in finding out.
"When I saw the day had gone hopelessly against us the thing uppermost in my mind was to get away. My horse so frisky at first began to lag. In spite of all I could do it would not go. Then for the first time I was really scared. I saw I could not hope to reach town, and it is well I did not try. There was some timber on my left, enclosed with a rail fence. Nobody seemed to be noticing me and I made for the wood, jumped over the fence and got out of sight, leaving my horse to shift for herself. Then I loaded my gun so I could be certain of getting one man at least if they discovered me. Out on the prairie I could hear the revolvers popping and the shouts of the pursued and pursuers. But I had the woods all to myself, and lost no time getting further in the brush. This was late Tuesday afternoon. I remained there concealed all that night, and on Wednesday morning I started, as I thought, in the direction of Paris."
"Keeping your gun?"
"Yes. As far as I know I’m the only man on our side that left the field with his gun but later on I got rid of it, when I changed my clothes. Thursday morning I was four miles north of Centralia."
"Hungry!"
"Not much, I was too badly excited. A thing like that overpowers a man for a while. I had got so much in the habit of seeing Guerrillas come out of the woods that in fancy every movement among the trees was a gang in pursuit of me. At last I struck a farm house and determined to risk an interview so as to get my bearings. A very decent sort of man welcomed me. Of course he saw I was a Union soldier, and judged I had been at Centralia. Whatever side his sympathies were on he was a friend in need to me.
"You were the one that got away?" he said. "Yes—thank God. What news have you?" He shook his head gloomily. “The Union force is cut into bits, Hardly a man got away. They took no prisoners."
"He fed me and tendered me a horse to enable me to reach Paris, but I declined it, fearing it would hamper my escape. My good Samaritan directed me to a post office down on the road between Mexico and Paris, and there the postmaster gave me a suit of jeans to cover the uniform that would have meant death had I fallen into the hands of my foes, and I set out again, after leaving my gun and cartridge box.
"I have often thought I would like to have that gun as a souvenir of Centralia, but I never heard from it anymore.
"I kept on foot and on Friday reached Paris, where our camp was. One or two of the Monroe county men who escaped had beat me there, and we had a mournful reunion.
"I have heard it stated that one man escaped by hiding in a small corn shock. Corn is not in the shock in Missouri in September. Isaac Novinger got into a cornfield, and was saved, but not by hiding in a shock. He escaped in a curious manner. Just as a Guerrilla fired at him his saddle girth broke, and he tumbled to the ground with his saddle. He laid still and the assailants thinking him dead, paid no further attention to him. When they had passed on he got up unhurt, and got over in the cornfield.
"While hiding there some Guerrillas came and fed their horses near by, but didn’t see him. That was between Centralia and Sturgeon.
"Why did Major Johnston risk such an unequal encounter?"
"Major Johnston was ordered to rid the country of bushwhackers. He was a conscientious soldier. I don't believe any odds would have frightened him from his duty. The trouble was our men were inexperienced in fighting the sort of men with Anderson and Todd. As I remarked, many of them had never been under fire. They got nervous when they found the Guerrillas among them, shooting so rapidly without reloading. Under the circumstances I think they did what any other man would have done. We were against another man's game and he held all the high cards. The ground was sloped gradually down toward us, a stake and rider fence was behind and a branch ran to the left and rear. The battle was lost before we started, and yet I believe, man to man we could have held them back with our old muskets."
Mr. Round was laid up for several weeks after his thrilling experience. He recovered, however and re-entered the service at Glasgow, Mo., in November 1864, and stayed till the war was closed. He married Miss Eva Silvers Oct. 20, 1865, and settled in Macon county.
The following from an official memorial give an account of Company A’s strangely short and terrible history:
"Company A, 39th Infantry Missouri Volunteers, was organized in Kirksville, Adair county, Mo., August 1, 1864, under the order of Gen. Rosecrans calling for 12 months' volunteers for United States service; reported at Hannibal, Mo., on the 11th of August with three commissioned officers and 82 enlisted men, and they were mustered into the service on August 24. Left Hannibal for field duty September 14 and scouted for bushwhackers in Northern Missouri until September 27, 1864, when the company was disastrously defeated in action by an overwhelming force of guerrillas under Anderson. Capt. James A. Smith and 55 enlisted men were killed on the field by the murderous Guerrillas, who shot down without mercy all who fell into their hands."
Ex-Guerrillas have always contended that the forces were numerically even—about 300 men on a side. They blame Johnston for dismounting his men, and say a scholar in military tactics might have told him better. Engineer James Clark says there were 175 men and soldiers killed, including those executed at the train.
The Macon Times-Democrat
Macon, Missouri
November 19, 1903
Inscription
One of 5 survivors of the Centralia Massacre, Sept 27, 1864
Family Members
Siblings
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Jonathan A Novinger
1838–1914
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Christina Novinger Cain
1839–1910
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James Novinger
1840–1926
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Lewis B Novinger
1841–1841
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Emanuel Novinger
1844–1864
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Jacob Bernard Novinger Sr
1845–1926
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George W. Novinger
1847–1901
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Samuel A Novinger
1850–1933
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Daniel Michael Dewalt Novinger
1853–1935
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Mary Jane Novinger Friday
1854–1939
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Margaret Ann "Maggie" Novinger Myers
1856–1931
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