Amon Rudolph "Duff" Bumgarner
Aaron (Duff's brother) and Duff enlisted together on July 27, 1861 at Marshfield, Mo. (Civil War) They were mustered into the 24th Infantry Volunteers, Company I, Oct. 15, 1861 at Benton Barracks, St. Louis. Both of them were in the Union forces that tried to block General Sterling Price's early move into Missouri to get volunteers and to try and sway our state to the Confederate cause. The Armies met just south of Springfield at a small stream called Wilson's Creek and engaged in a hard fought battle. The Union forces were beaten and Price continued his sweep north reaching as far as Lexington on the Missouri River.

We don't know where the brothers spent the winter of 1861, but they were in the regiments marshalled to combat the Rebels under General Van Doran, who was planning a second invasion of Missouri. Union General Curtis met them in a sharp two day battle at Pea Ridge in northwestern Arkansas. Fought over rough terrain, through farmers fields near the Elk Horn Tavern, an old stage stop, the battle raged on through March 7/8, 1862.

When Company I was thrown into the struggle, it's men were told to fire a volley from their muzzle loading rifles, then fall back reloading while another part of the company took their places. So they continued alternately firing, falling back and reloading until Duff was hit in the back, near the spine.
His grandson, Cecil Bumgarner, remembers him telling of this experience when Duff was in his 70's and wearing a long white beard. The boy thought war sounded adventurous and was fascinated as his grandfather talked. Duff told of not being able to retreat with his comrades as the Rebels gained ground. Laying close to a log fence, he pretended to be dead while the Rebels were in control of the field.

Another conflicting family story says he got away under cover of a herd of pigs moving through the area, but he never mentioned them. He did tell of being helped to the Elk Horn Tavern, which was being used as a hospital, by other wounded Union soldiers. As he was waiting for treatment and probably suffering from shock, he repeatedly crawled to the stack of weapons in the corner of the room to get his gun. If the Rebels came, he wanted to be prepared.

A doctor later told him that his brother Aaron was shot in the almost identical place in his back, only the velocity of the bullet being greater. Aaron's wound was fatal and his body was first buried at Pea Ridge, then later moved to the National Cemetery at Springfield, Mo.

Duff was transferred to the large Union Hospital in Springfield. He was discharged after 1 year and 2 month service on Sept. 29, 1862. He carried the bullet in his back the rest of his life and received a pension of $4.00 a month.
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Amon Rudolph Bumgarner death