On May 30 and 31 of 2015 the Camden County Museum and Collins Artillery Battery B hosted a Maximum Effort Re-enactment of the Battle of Monday’s Hollow. The event took place on the Missouri Trapshooter Association grounds on State Road A in the Linn Creek area.
General Information: The Missouri State Guard was formed in 1861 to defend Missouri against federal forces that had invaded the state and ousted the elected leadership. In the following years of the war some of these men joined the Confederate Army; some joined the Union forces. Other men avoided the Civil War Draft of 1863 by age or occupation, by hiring a substitute, or by paying a commutation tax, and remained on their farms. Other men, like many Missouri citizens, fled the state.
The Battle of Monday's Hollow or Wet Glaize are Union names for the skirmish. The Missouri State Guard, comprised of many local men, called it the Battle of Henrytown or Shanghai. My mother grew up on a farm near where the skirmish took place. Many of the Missouri State Guard soldiers at the battles were citizens of Camden County and surrounding counties. The events of the Battles at Monday's Hollow and Linn Creek have been described in detail in Union military correspondence and newspaper accounts and aren't included here.
These posts will spotlight the individual stories of the men who were killed or captured. The death of William Shelton Watkins of Miller County was related by Peggy Smith Hake in Windows to the Past: "His military group (Iberia Rangers under command of Rankin Wright, 6th Division, Missouri State Guard) headed south out of Miller County toward the large army of southern general Sterling Price, which was engaging battles between Lebanon and Springfield. On the second day out, they were near Richland, in Pulaski County, when they encountered a small Federal unit and a skirmish began. The Miller County men were outnumbered and out-equaled in experience, so they tried to retreat. William fell from his horse, which was 'spooked' by the ring of gunfire. From the shock of the fall, he was unable to get to his feet and while he was lying prostrate on the ground, the enemy soldiers shot into his body, thus ending his short life at the age of 32 years. The date was October 13, 1861. His comrades brought his lifeless body back to his family and they buried him just beyond the yard fence of the home he had built only a short time earlier. In 1938 his remains were moved to the Hickory Point Cemetery. In the remains, a large leaden bullet was found in his head."
The Miller County Historical Society noted seven unidentified men were killed and buried in Miller County. "Seven men besides Watkins’, killed in this battle, also were buried in Miller County. On October 14, 1861, early in the morning, widow Roseanna Carlton, upon hearing horses a-whinneying at her yard gate, and peering outside, observed seven horses standing at the fence, heads over the top railing, intently looking toward the house, begging for attention, asking for someone to come and get them. Upon each horse a man was sitting, crumpled in the saddle, hands tied to the saddle horn, feet tied under the animal’s belly, dead. Separate mounds of rock on the old Carlton’ place near the Grand Auglaize creek, later owned by George S. Wright, now in the Kaiser State Park, marked seven graves for many years." Ambrose Carlton and Stephen Loveall of Miller County may have been two of the unidentified casualties of the Battle of Monday's Hollow.
Men who served with the Osage Tigers and Iberia Rangers are detailed in later blog posts. Another list of local men who served with the Missouri State Guard exists in Company F, 47th EMM. An Enrolled Missouri Militia unit was an "on call" Union unit that served in the local area when called to active service. In 1862 Missouri men aged 18-45 were commanded to join Union forces or turn in their rifles and shotguns. According to Goodspeed's History of Camden County, p. 333, "Company F was composed of men who had first joined the enemy."
Men taken prisoner at the skirmishes at Monday's Hollow and Linn Creek are listed in this post. Those with blog posts detailing more information have links listed after their names. Major Wright, Union Commander, wrote, "In every instance, when I have captured prisoners I have endeavored to discriminate very clearly, and turn loose, at the time, all who in my judgment should be released upon their oath of allegiance written out and signed by the party." Three unidentified men were taken back to Linn Creek by order of Colonel Wyman. Seventy-six prisoners were taken to Rolla on October 23. After helping to build Union fortifications at Rolla. some prisoners took the oath of allegiance and were released. Some of the officers were involved in a prisoner exchange on November 9, and served with the Confederate Army.
* denotes a prisoner taken from Rolla to St. Louis in December. Major Wright stated in a letter to his wife that the men he took to St. Louis were from the skirmishes at Monday's Hollow and Linn Creek. The majority were, but some of the men were captured in other circumstances. A few days later, on December 5, Major Wright detailed his recommendations for the prisoners in a letter to the Provost Marshal in St. Louis. His recommendations are in quotation marks below the prisoners' names . Major Wright wrote that he had no knowledge of the remainder of the men on the list.
*Stephen Allen http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/stephen-allen-allen-loveall-and-rush.html
"Has been a prisoner twice and will return if turned loose."
George Newton Allison http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-allison-brothers-allison-cyrus.html
*John Willis Allison
*Joseph Allison
"Both bad men, taken from the battle field."(remark referred to Newton and Joseph)
Benjamin F. Ayres (In response to General Order 19 issued on July 22, on July 28, 1862, Benjamin and his brothers William and Joseph enlisted in Company F of the 47th EMM at Linn Creek. The following year in July 1863 Joseph and Benjamin enlisted in the 9th Missouri State Militia, a full-time Union force. Joseph died in November. Benjamin was mustered out in July 1865.)
Andrew T. Bailey http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-notorious-captain-roberts-roberts.html
*Andrew J. Bilyeu (Three young men named Andrew Bilyeu were in Miller County at this time. Andrew John Bilyeu was about 25 years old, son of John R. Bilyeu, living in Glaze Township at Ulman's Ridge. He was captured at Ulman's Ridge on November 6, 1861, when his father was killed by a group of Union neighbors. He was sent by Colonel McClurg to Rolla on November 12 with a group of prisoners. He was back in Miller County in January 1862 for his marriage to Amanda Wyrick. He enlisted with Still's Company K of the 10th Regt. Missouri Cavalry, CSA, at Springfield in September 1862. In November he was transferred to Pindall's Sharpshooters. Andrew Bilyeu, son of Andrew Bilyeu, was 19 and living in Equality Township near Tuscumbia. A third Andrew Bilyeu was 18 years old, son of Isaac Bilyeu, and living in Osage Township near Pleasant Farm.)
*Francis Ashbury Blair was living near Humboldt in northwestern Pulaski County in 1860. John Bilyeu was living with Francis' family.
*Thomas H. Biggerstaff (J. W. McCubbins, leader of a local unit favoring the South, performed his marriage to Isabel Reynolds in Miller County in 1860. Isabel was living in Richwoods Township with the Short family, near the Allisons and Reeds. Thomas and Isabel were both 16 at marriage. Thomas took the Oath of Allegiance at Tuscumbia and a son was born about 1862. In 1870 Isabel and her son were listed as domestic servants in Mary Burks Short's home. Also in the home was Willis Burks, age 86.)
"These three were taken from the field. Public safety...Union men's horses. Particularly demand their safekeeping."
*James H. Barnes
*John F. Lee
"Taken from the field, are desperate bad men, should be kept confined"
Joseph H. Bond (Listed as both Fourth Sgt. Company B, Iberia Rangers, and Sgt in Company A, Osage Tigers, both formed in Miller County)
P. C. Bromly
Austin Brown
James Brown
A. G. Byler
Sheriff Calfee
James Caldwell (On list for St. Louis but noted At Rolla)
George Carroll
William A. Carroll (Noted as Second Lt., Iberia Rangers)
Benjamin Clark
J. H. B. Clark
S. Clark
Nathan Cooper
James Cummins (Sheriff of Camden County)
*J. M. Cyrus http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-allison-brothers-allison-cyrus.html
"Was guide for rebel band p......ing region's property bad man"
H. M Dickinson (H. M. Dickerson, son-in-law of Captain Abraham Castleman of the Iberia Rangers)
*B. Eidson
*James Eidson
*Rainey Eidson
*Robert Eidson
*William M. Eidson
"This is a notorious family taken in arms against the Government and was connected with the McClurg robbery at Linn Creek and should be kept"
*Albert H. Elliot (Noted as Second Sgt, Company B)
*Charles W. Givens
*Samuel L. Givens
"Taken from the field. were in the party that fired on our advance guard from the bushes, they are determined bad men, should be s..........ed"
Stephen English
S. S. Everett
B. W. Giver (Noted as First Sgt. Company E)
W. P. Gordon
R. Greenville
David Haldy
*Matthew J. Hall http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-notorious-captain-roberts-roberts.html
Noted by Weant as serving under Captain Locklett in a 6th Division, 1st Regt. Cavalry unit)
"Bad man, has ........ ....................... of horse flesh. Public tranquility requires him kept up."
Alex Hampton
James Hawkins
*Joseph Hawkins
*David Hulsey
*A. J Humphrey
*David W. Hyatt
"Were taken from the battle field, all bad men, and would not respect the oath should be kept, ......ng to Johnson's horse, _____captured"
G. W. High
J. M. Hunter (Noted as Second Sgt. Company E)
*Colton Jackson http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-allison-brothers-allison-cyrus.html
*E. B. Jackson
*Thomas Jackson
*William Jackson
"Taken from the field, are determined bad men, fired from under cover upon my advance guard, desperadoes"
*Sylvester Pattie Keeney (Noted as First Corporal. Served under Sorrel in 7th Division)
*Nicholas Loveall (Osage Tigers)
*Jesse M. Nichols (Noted as Fifth Sgt. Company B)
*John R. Nichols
*James Phillips
"Was taken from the field, fired from the brush on my advance guard, are desperate bad men and should be kept"
J. J. Lane (Noted as Pulaski County)
Lewis Langden
Henry Laughlin (Noted as Second Lt. of Company A, lived in Camden County so would have been 7th Division)
James R. Laughlin
William Link
William S. Locke (on list for St. Louis but noted At Rolla)
A. S. Loveall/A. T. Loveall
Le Marze
A. G. Miller
David Moulder http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-allison-brothers-allison-cyrus.html
I. F. Oney
R. H. Oney
Adison Porter
*John Reed (Osage Tigers)
*H. C. Richardson
*James Rudy
*Reuben Stewart (Served in Captain McCubbin's Miller County unit)
*William R. Thompson
*Edmund Townsend
*William E. Williams (Noted as Fifth Corporal, Company D)
"Were taken from the battle field, are very determined, desperate men, and the public safety demands their safe keeping"
Peter Rexrodes/P. Rexode
G. D. Roberts http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-notorious-captain-roberts-roberts.html
L. B. Roberts http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-notorious-captain-roberts-roberts.html
R. A. Roberts http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-notorious-captain-roberts-roberts.html
William J. Roberts (Noted as Bandit Captain Bill Roberts) http://southcentralmolhistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-notorious-captain-roberts-roberts.html
Bazell Rose
D. L. Samuel (Noted as Captain A. C. 6th Division)
Jno. M. Size
I. C. Snider/J. C. Snyder
A. K. Starke
W. A. Stephens
William Summers
W. M. Thurman
P. Townsend
Dillard M. Trammell (Commissary, 6th Division)
A. B. Warthron
R. Wines
*Hyrum Winningham
"was taken from Pickett Post at wet Glaze without alarm or violence, if ......... should take the oath in full"
W. Winningham
W. P. Yeaden
Please be aware that the names may be spelled incorrectly.
After the battles:
On October 15, 1861, Colonel Wyman, Union officer, reported that he had several prisoners: "In closing this report I beg to say that I am much embarrassed with the prisoners I have now in keeping (88), all or nearly all of whom are guilty of high treason, and unless I soon receive orders from you I shall send then to Rolla with sufficient escort, with orders to Colonel Dodge to put them at work upon the fortifications there or send them to Saint Louis."
The town of Rolla was surveyed and platted in 1859. Its importance was heightened during the Civil War because it was the end of the railroad line. From Rolla wagon trains went out to supply Union troops in southwest Missouri, Arkansas, and the Kansas Territory. On June 14, 1861, General Sigel arrived to hold Rolla in Union hands. Colonel Wyman and the 13th Illinois Infantry were charged with guarding Rolla and building a fort. Colonel Dodge, 4th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, gathered their companies in Rolla in September 1861. Most of the men taken prisoner were marched to Rolla. By October 19, Colonel Dodge reported there were 74 prisoners in Rolla: "I have seventy-four prisoners taken at the battle of Henry-town and Linn Creek, all taken in arms. I shall send the commissioned officers forward. What shall I do with the other prisoners? CanI put them to work on the fortifications?"
For several weeks the men were held in Rolla to work. On November 9, some of the prisoners were included in a federal prisoner exchange and headed to Arkansas and the Confederate Army. In December many of them were transferred by rail car to St. Louis. Major Clark Wright, leading Company D of the Fremont Battalion of Missouri Cavalry, gained fame in newspaper accounts of his actions at Monday's Hollow and Linn Creek. On December 3, 1861, Major Wright wrote to his wife. He had arrived in St. Louis on Sunday night, December 1, with 58 prisoners from the skirmishes.: "I brought down 58 of those Fellows that I captured at Wet Glaze & Linn creek, we had a Fancy time with them. they were disperate creatures, and had an arrangement to make a stampede when we arrived at St Louis. I had but 25 Sentinals and arrived here at 8 oclock, and verry dark, and they supposed they could make good their escape Some of them at least but the Poor D__ls did not know who they Had to deal with. before arriving at the Depot, I ordered the sentinals, & Prisnors all locked up in the car. Ordered another line of Sentinals around the outside the car, while I took a carriage, and repaired to the military Prison, & brought up 27 Braces of Steel wristlets with a line chain. after getting the Jewelry properly adjusted, we marched the gentlemen out in pairs to the tune of the Rogues March, and deposited them for Safe Keeping in the Hands of the Military."
List of men Wright took to St. Louis
List of men Wright took to St. Louis
"The slave pen operated by Bernard Lynch was the first military prison in St. Louis. It became known as the Myrtle Street Prison. It was taken from Lynch after he joined the Confederacy. It was a two-story brick building that could hold about 100 prisoners, although it would hold many more during periods of the war. Myrtle Street Prison accepted its first prisoners in September of 1861. Less than a year later it was closed and its prisoners were transferred to Gratiot Street Prison."
http://www.civilwarmo.org/educators/resources/info-sheets/military-prisons
In December 1861 the Myrtle Street Prison at the old slave pen in St. Louis became so overcrowded that the Gratiot Street Prison was opened at the McDowell Medical College Building .
In December 1861 an oath supporting the provisional government of Missouri was enacted. Possibly to alleviate overcrowding some prisoners were allowed to take the Oath of Allegiance and return home. Some were required to remit bonds to assure their compliance. Requiring citizens to take an Oath of Allegiance wasn't new to times of mixed loyalty. Their grandparents had taken oaths during the American Revolution - a successful attempt at secession - to determine who was loyal to the cause. By February 1862 overcrowding became so bad that prisoners were sent to Alton, Illinois to the closed Illinois State Prison.
Many of the prisoners taken at Henrytown and Linn Creek took the Oath in early 1862, posted bonds, and returned home in time to plant crops. Their families had struggled through fall and winter without their labor and support. Just a few short months later, these men would be faced with General Order 19 and General Order 24, requiring them to enroll in a Union Militia or surrender their rifles and shotguns.
Many of the prisoners taken at Henrytown and Linn Creek took the Oath in early 1862, posted bonds, and returned home in time to plant crops. Their families had struggled through fall and winter without their labor and support. Just a few short months later, these men would be faced with General Order 19 and General Order 24, requiring them to enroll in a Union Militia or surrender their rifles and shotguns.
Who owns the property that this battle was fought
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