Search billions of records on Ancestry.com


CIVIL WAR IN CRAWFORD COUNTY, ARKANSAS


All of the following articles were transcribed and donated by Fran Warren

The following was transcribed from the "New Era" Newspaper of Fort Smith,
Sebastian County:
November 14, 1863
PROSPECT OF THE FARMERS- BUSH-WHACKING
The town is full of refugees from the country, of whom a large number is
supported by the Government. This is deplorable, not so much on the expense
of feeding them, as from the injury to the community at large is receiving
by the almost total suspension of farming operations. The cause of all this
is bush-whacking. No family, known to entertain Union feelings, is safe out
of the reach of U S Troops. The recent advance of the rebels encouraged this
abominable, fiendish set of men to extend their operations nearer to town
than ever. Since the hasty flight of the rebels these fiends have also
become less bold in the immediate vicinity of this place. But there is still
so great a feeling of insecurity among the country people, that they are
very little disposed to work in good earnest and prepare another years'
crop. Many families also had their houses burnt, after having been robbed of
everything, and have come to town in most pitiable circumstances. The
inauguration of the guerrilla warfare, is one of the deepest stains of
infamy to be charged to this hellish Confederacy; for, while it decides
nothing eventually, it inflicts infinitely more suffering, and especially on
the helpless, than an open and regular system of warfare. Good judges
estimated the amount of grain raised this year in Arkansas sufficient to
bread the people for two years. Owing to the presence of large forces in the
State, and the great waste and destruction caused by the rebels, we may
consider ourselves fortunate if the supply holds out till next harvest. But,
if we don't sow now, we can have no harvest next year, when there will be
ten times more applications for rations than now, and the suffering among
the people must necessarily be great. The only remedy is, to clean out the
bush-whackers, and give them no mercy wherever and whenever found; and then,
and not until then, may we look for a revival of prosperity.

The New Era
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
January 16, 1864
HOW THE REBELS ENFORCE THE CONSCRIPTION- A Mississippian communicates the
following to the Memphis Bulletin: "Each conscript band has a set of negro
hounds attached to it. The conscripters come up to a man's house, and
announce that the incumbent, young or old, shall go with them to
headquarters. They take no denial. The headquarters are at Grenada. The
conscripters announce to the head conscript officer that they have such a
person (calling him by name), and before the luckless man can have an
opportunity to say a word, they are ordered to take him to the guard house.
There the unfortunate remains for two or three days, until a sufficient
number are obtained, and they are sent off to the conscript camp, where they
are placed under such surveillance that escape is next to impossible. They
are denied all opportunity now to go and see their families, or even take
sufficient clothing. They are unceremoniously dragged off, and never
permitted to have an opportunity to show that they were unfairly dealt with.
Some instances are recorded where persons have refused to go with the
conscripters, and they were generally shot down on their own premises.

New Era
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
March 5, 1864
Head Quarters District of the Frontier, Department of Arkansas, Fort Smith,
Ark., March 4, 1864.
General Orders, No. 5.
Stealing, pillaging and burning fence rails must and shall be stopped. It is
demoralizing to the army, injurious to the government, and disastrous to
peaceable citizens. The farms must be tilled, and crops raised.
A commander is justified in taking that which is necessary to sustain his
men and animals, but it must be done by his order only, and he must give
receipts, and account for what he takes, so that loyal people may receive a
just compensation.
If troops destroy fences, plunder houses, kill or take away stock, the value
of the property taken or destroyed shall be stopped against such troops on
their respective pay rolls. Wagon Masters shall be held accountable for the
conduct of the teamsters and all others under them, and if either are guilty
of the outrages named, they shall be discharged from the service without
pay.
If officers do not use all means in their power to prevent these evils,
stoppages of their pay shall be made against them for the value of the
property taken or destroyed, equally with the men, in proportion to their
salary; and furthermore, such officers will be recommended to Department
Head Quarters for dismissal from service.
In order to ascertain more fully who commit these outrages, every commander
of an escort or of an expedition shall furnish to these Head Quarters in
writing immediately on his return, a full and accurate account of each day's
march, give the date of the month, stating on whose plantation he camped at
night, what depredations were committed, if any, what property was brought
in, if any, and what property was taken by his order, and will hand in his
report in person.
Each officer will, before starting on an expedition, call at these Head
Quarters and procure a copy of these orders. By order of Brigadier General
THAYER, Wm S WHITTEN, Captain and Assistant Adjutant General.

New Era
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
April 9, 1864
THE SITUATION
Bushwhackers At Work.
Before ever the leaves are out and spring has fairly set in, the bloody, hellish mode of warfare, bushwhacking, has commenced in good earnest.
No soon was the Army of the Frontier well on its way southward- and the country between it and the Arkansas River swarms with bushwhackers.
Many murders have already been committed within the last few days, and not a single loyal man is safe for a moment outside of garrisoned towns. One of the most brutal late murders was that of Squire BARNARD, a respectable, inoffensive old farmer, living about 8 miles south of this place. He was called to his door at night and shot through the breast, the ball passing through both lungs. Mr. SNIDER, one of our Representatives, who is living but a few hundred yards from Mr. Barnard's, would have met the same fate but for his being in town that night. We also learn that Mr. OLIVER and his son on James' Fork was killed one day this week. It is useless to disguise the fact, that unless the proper and necessary steps are speedily taken, the Union men in the country will be exterminated or driven from their homes.

New Era
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
April 16, 1864
The following are extracts of letters written by the better halves of some followers of Pap PRICE. They need no comment. Says one:
"Yoo had best kum home fur all the good yoo are doin follerin that old fool Price about, he never did have no cense enny how an his follerers hev less. Yoo better a grate site be looken after yore wife and childern."
Here's the other:
"I speckt yu almoste must hev dide this winter the kold hes bin orfuller then I ever see in mi life befour, and previsions is mity scace, I jest wish yu wood cum hom and tend tu rasin yore off spring, prevision ant heer tu be gott, I spin fur evry mouthful me and yore innercent baibs git to eat, noboddy won't tak Confed munny no moar fur nuthin, now ike ile jest giv yoo a peese of mi mind and that is fur yu tu kum hoam an tend yore family befour they starv, yu jest let the seceshers fite it out if they want tu, I have rit tu yu fore times and aint herd but wonst I shuddent wunder ef yu wos kiled now at this time uv riten, evry boddy is going ovre tu the feds, Yu jest kum hoam, they all taik the oath and git komesarise rite of tu ete, ef al the fules that's left thair familise an fitin wud kum hoam then pese wood kum rite off."

New Era
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
May 7, 1864
FROM LITTLE ROCK
Little Rock, Ark., April 29th, 1864
Friend Dell: You have doubtless heard of the two trains being captured. I saw a few men who escaped from the latter train. They had just got into Pine Bluff; the train was captured about 35 miles from Pine Bluff. It consisted of 195 government wagons, going for supplies, and some sutler wagons, and 300 refugee wagons, and negro recruits. They were attacked by six or eight thousand rebels under Fagan, and the escort, 1,600, only about 200 of whom were known to have escaped, some 300 known to have been killed or wounded. They left Steele with 5 days half rations. The escort was as follows, 77th Ohio, 43rd Indiana, 36th Iowa, two sections 2nd Missouri Battery, part of the 5th Kansas Cavalry, and part of the 7th Missouri Cavalry.
The first train was captured nine miles from Camden. It consisted of 184 forage teams escorted by the 18th Iowa, 1st Kansas Colored, one section Rabb's Battery, two howitzers, and part of the 2nd, 6th, and 14th Kansas Cavalry, under command of Colonel WILLIAMS. They fought like demons, but were overpowered; the 18th Iowa lost over 60 killed, the 1st Colored about one third and 10 officers. I saw men who were with Steele at the time, who said that he heard the firing all the time and did not send reinforcements. Thayer had his cavalry saddled and ready to go but Steele did not or would not order it out. There is great blame attached to Steele and I feel almost certain his is not the right man. No flag of truce went out for three days and not till the rebels sent in and told him to send out and bury his dead niggers, and to send white men, as they would not allow no negroes in their lines. Wounded officers and men suffered and died for three days without attention. I do not know how true it is, but I more than suspect that Steele is to blame.
Colonel Williams had three or four horses killed under him, but he fought his way out and never surrendered a man. The cavalry were nearly all taken or killed. An officer told me he saw who was wounded taken out of an ambulance by the rebels and asked what command he belonged to, he told them the 18th Iowa, they called him a "damned liar", and said he belonged to the 12th Kansas, brigaded with the negroes and knocked his brains out with the butt of a gun.
Some of the negroes who were wounded managed to get away, and crawled nine miles to Camden. After they shot all their ammunition away, they went at it with their bayonets and butts of their guns. The officer above mentioned said he saw them fighting after they were down, and one he saw with his teeth in the calf of a rebel's leg, where he held on till his brains were dashed out. Yours respectfully, G W SISSON.

New Era
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
May 28, 1864
HOW THE REBELS KEEP WARM
During the investment of Chattanooga and the occupation of Lookout Mountain by the enemy, it was a matter of some surprise and speculation, how, when we in the valley were shivering from the cold, the rebel troops on the mountain side, almost naked and without blankets, managed to keep alive. The mystery was solved after the storming of the heights.
We found at several points on the slope, where boulders and flat stones had been so laid as to form a bed, hollowed slightly in the middle. Sometimes the stones were laid in an excavation deep enough to shelter from the winds. The width of the bed was the length of a man. They were enough to receive fifteen or twenty persons. In these paved or boulders couches huge fires were built. The wood consumed, the coals and ashes were raked out, and on the warm stony bed the shivering soldiers disposed themselves for sleep.

Fort Smith New Era-Sebastian County, Arkansas
June 4, 1864
FROM TEXAS
We have conversed with Mr. N T NIX, of Jack County, Texas, who arrived her a few days since, in company with four others. He states that a large party of Union men was to have assembled on the Western Frontier last month for the purpose of making their way north, but the rebel authorities hearing of the move, frustrated it by sending BOURLAND's Regiment to the vicinity of the rendezvous, compelling them to disperse, some going towards El Paso and Eagle Pass, and others back to the settlements- a few working their way through to our lines. When he left the rebels were actively engaged in scouting the country, chasing the Union men from the woods with hounds, and in many instances executing them summarily, according to orders, in case of persons endeavoring to avoid conscription or escaping to our lines; all able-bodied persons between the ages of 16 and 65 being compelled to go into the army or be considered deserters. Bourland's and McCORD's regiments, with 1200 militia, under Major QUAYLE, are on the Western Frontier, 1,500 of the later are also at Bonham, under Brigadier General THROCKMORTON, all under the command of McCULLOCH. Colonel PARSON's regiment being detailed to patrol the country, and suppress any demonstrations of opposition on the part of the citizens, who are only quieted and kept under military influence. The force at Boggy Depot consists of four regiments of Indians, and one regiment and one battalion of whites, one regiment under Colonel WALKER is at Dokesville, all other troops that they can spare being sent to Shreveport, La. The crops look well and promise a fine harvest next fall, with considerable of the old one still on hand.

New Era
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
May 28, 1864
REPORT OF THE KILLED, WOUNDED AND MISSING, OF THE 12TH KANSAS VOLUNTEERS, AT THE BATTLE OF JENKINS FERRY, ON THE SALINE RIVER, APRIL 30, 1864

Killed- Privates, Wm ZINN, B Company, Ellis SOWERS, I Company, and Rufus B BURLEY, K Company, all shot through the head.

Mortally Wounded- Lieutenant Colonel J E HAYES, in thigh, and Lietenant George ELLIS, I Company, in breast.

WOUNDED

Colonel C W ADAMS, severe in left arm.

Company A- Wm DAY, severe in left thigh.

Company B- F D COSELY slightly shot in the face; Wm MARTIN, ditto; G W HICKMAN, missing; Henry HURD, ditto; R F MOORE, ditto.

Company C- Corporal D M SHELDON, severe in left thigh; James STANBROUGH, severe in left leg; Louis BARNARD, missing; Samuel JACKSON, ditto.

Company D- Allen CALLAHAN, severe in left hand.

Company E- Frank LAVO, slight in thigh; James DALTON, slight in foot; W H CABLE, slight in arm; J P CONE, left sick in hands of the enemy; Corporal Thomas PUGH, ditto.

Company F- Wm CARROLL, severe in foot; Lewis FOSTER, severe in thigh; Wm M GRAY, severe in arm; L B JENKS, ditto; L E MIDDLEBUSHER, slight in head; George J PEARCE, severe in leg.

Company G- Jacob WAGMIRE, severe in left arm and side; G A SHIELDS, severe in thigh.

Company I- Sergeant S R HOGUE, missing; Corporal W J VICTOR, ditto; Corporal Frank DEWEESE, in left arm, missing; Corporal Thomas ALLEN, missing; Wm JOHNSON, severe in knee, prisoner; C M WHITE, slight in left side; Marshal BONE, missing; J F LOWE, ditto; Henry HAIGHT, ditto.

Company K- 1st Lieutenant P J MISEREZ slight in right shoulder 2nd Lieutenant Wm BARRET, ditto in left shoulder; A J BALL, severe in the thigh; U MASON, severe in left hand; Thomas BETTES, severe in leg; A H HOOKER, right cheek; J N WIER, ditto.

New Era
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
June 25, 1864
CAGED
Last Thursday the acting Post Chaplain, Rev. J V McAFEE, concluded to have a pair of rebel women removed from town, in accordance with General Orders removing refugees. But on Mr. KEENAN going up to carry out the order, he was violently abused by the women, who confessed they were rebels, and had done all they could for the rebel cause, in furnishing them such articles as they could, and acting the spy, and declared they intended to do so as long as they had a chance, and if they had any Union blood in them they would let it out.
On searching the house there was about 80 pounds of lead and other ammunition, two guns and other contraband articles found. They were shipped to Little Rock with a request to the Provost Marshal there to have them caged.
Mr. P, a citizen of Newton County, arrived here a few days since with his wife and three other ladies, on foot, and in very destitute circumstances. It seems they had been repeatedly robbed by the bushwhackers. They then traded off all the available property they had for something to subsist on, and when this was consumed, they had to leave, as they were not permitted to raise anything more. The husband of one of the ladies, who is sixty-five years of age having been killed, and Mr. P having to keep concealed to save his life they set out for this place, a distance of 100 miles, carrying everything they had on their backs. Mr. P was disguised with his wife's clothing, which he changed at Van Buren.
Last Sunday a party of fiends in human shape dashed up within a few miles of this place and killed three union men, A PADEN, Thomas PADEN, and George H HILL, in cold blood. Those murders are endorsed by the rebel authorities, and considered a great prop to the rebellion many of the leaders holding commissions in their army, or other permanent positions. The principles of bushwhacking being so universally inculcated in the beginning of the war we in reality look at the rebellion, in the point of criminality as but a bushwhacking warfare on a grand scale.

BUSHWHACKED- Patrick McKENZIE, living about 8 miles south east of this place, was bushwhacked last Thursday. Like many others here, he had taken the oath some time since, and treated as a loyal man, though several union men here remember him as one of the first to advocate secession, and as having ironed and otherwise mistreated several persons when taking them to Little Rock, as prisoners, for the crime of being loyal to the Union.
The Memphis Bulletin of the 14th inst., states that a large train of wagons belonging to refuges from Lanesport, Arkansas, was attacked by guerrillas near the northern lines of this State. 75 men and four women were killed, and all the wagons robbed and burned, leaving the remaining women and children in great destitution. Most of them had assembled at Lanesport while our troops were posted there, but when our forces evacuated the country they attempted to go through to St. Louis by land and thus met their sad fate.
We are having another wet season, one that would have ensured to the people of this country a living for a year to come, if they had been permitted to cultivate their farms. As it is, the poor will have to suffer, and thousands leave their homes, and go hundreds of miles to find a land of peace and plenty- which, thank God, is to be found all over the North- while this country will be depopulated, and made a wilderness, and in the end the rebels will gain nothing by their course.

FOR SALE OR TRADE
Four 2-Horse wagons, 3 ox wagons, in running order, 1 Ambulance, 2 light wagons, 10 horses, 5 colts, 1 good Jack, and 7 suits of 2 horse harness. Opposite Bright's old Mill on Garrison Avenue. Thomas DALY.

July 2, 1864
BUSHWHACKING ITEMS
We learn from Captain COLEMAN, 9th Kansas Cavalry, who returned from a trip down the river below Roseville, a few days since, that our cavalry have not been idle during the last week. Major THATCHER commanded an expedition which surprised a body of bushwhackers camped at the house of one PEARL, near the Potato Hill, in the South East part of this county, and killed five of them. They went from that point to the vicinity of Roseville, where they killed two more, one of them being Major Randolph TITTSWORTH, formerly of the rebel army, but more recently of the brush, and no doubt one of the party who have systematically fired into every boat, save two, that have made the trip this season.
This is the third time lately that the bushwhackers have been found on the premises of Mr. PEARL, who had been down south with the rebels until recently, but his wife came to Fort Smith recently, took the oath, purchased her goods, and is currently reported to have received pay for most of the forage used by our troops in passing through that section; while we know of several Union men of undoubted loyalty, with their pockets full of vouchers and receipts, on which they are unable to get a cent.
Captain McCONNELL, of the 9th Kansas Cavalry, has returned from a scout to the Sugar Loaf Valley, with detachments of the 6th, 9th and 14th Kansas Cavalry, under the command of Captain SEARLE. They encountered and captured some of the rebel pickets just beyond Sugar Loaf Mountain, but not being in force to attack them, as they are reported to be several hundred strong, returned. Captain McCONNELL represents the country as being nearly devastated by the Indians, who are driving off all the stock, destroying other property, and compelling all the families suspected of loyalty to leave the country. One of the scouts from that section reports that the Indians had taken off with them several men over 80 years of age, and small boys, for what purpose, no one knows, unless to kill, or hold them as hostages.


New Era Newspaper, Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
November 26, 1864
FROM TYLER TEXAS
Fort Smith, Arkansas, November 24, 1864
Editor New Era:
Sir:- As many of the readers of your paper have friends in the military prison Camp Ford, near Tyler, Smith County, Texas, it may be interesting to some of them to know how they are treated, and as I am recently from there, I ask a place in your columns for the following:
The prison is an area of eight acres enclosed by logs set on end six feet high inside of which the men have erected rude cabins and temporary sheds which partly protect them from the weather. There is a spring of good water inside and the men are seldom or never permitted to go without the enclosure.
Rations are issued to the prisoners every morning and consist of three articles; one quart of meal, one and a quarter pounds of beef and three-fourths ounces of salt to each man. The meal is coarse and unsifted. The beef is generally good. There are no vegetables allowed and hundreds of the men have scurvy. The rations are insufficient, and to a Federal Soldier, are certainly a poor substitute, for those allowed by his government. If the commanding officer was so disposed he could do better for our men but they say anything good enough for the d-d Yankees, and while their men had half rations of flour and bacon issued them we were issued cracked corn and beef.
Wood is issued in small quantities scarcely sufficient for cooking purposes, and under the present commander the men are not permitted to go to the neighboring woods for any. Owing to the inferior quantity of the rations and the want of medicines many brave fellows who have nobly fought for their country have died here, and many more will die if not soon exchanged. The hospital which is outside the stockade is a rude, comfortless building, erected without a nail, and is continually falling down. It does not turn the rain, neither is there a chimney to it, and the patients are compelled to lay without a fire, or a mattress under them, and some who were weak and emaciated have died of the cold. The sick are allowed half rations of flour, bacon and sugar, but are not supplied with proper medicines, consequently, some days, as many as five die.
Although two parties have been exchanged there are yet 2,600 remaining at Tyler and 500 at Camp Gross, 200 miles west of Tyler, and had not our government sent 1,200 suits of clothes, the men would have been naked.
Every party of prisoners taken to Tyler are robbed by the guards on the way, and some of the men who were captured with the train at Cabin Creek, came in without their pantaloons and boots. Some who became foot sore and unable to travel had a rope tied around their necks and dragged along. Private SELICK of Company H, 2nd Kansas Cavalry, was shot dead June 17th, on the way from Camden to Shreveport, because he could not travel as fast as the guards. In the stockade men are shot down and during the four months that I remained there four men were shot and not the least notice taken of it.
Kansas troops are treated worse than any others, and the party, 120 that were captured with Major MEFFORD and Lieutenant DeFRIEZE were not permitted to have any shelter erected and were obliged with only six blankets amongst them to lay on the ground.
With all the hard things the men have to endure they are cheerful and have their jokes. On one occasion the mill became out of repair and the Q M issued us corn on the cob, the reason being explained to the boys. They said nothing about it the first day, but the second day seen it was corn they gathered around the Q M and made him promise to bring hay and oats the next time. The next day, however, they received their everlasting meal. The men amuse themselves playing chess and other games, and there are three turning tables in full blast, to the great astonishment of the Rebs.
In the month of July, under Colonel BORDER's Command a great many made their escape. On the 28th of September a tunnel 80 feet long was completed and 28 made their escape, but the guard detected, and in the morning they started five blood hounds on their trail and recaptured 11 of them. One was severely torn. Since then they have dug a ditch eight feet around the stockade and escapes are few. The men are counted twice per day, and so particular are they that when a man dies the officer of the day had to examine the coffin before it is removed for burial.
M F PARKER, 1st Sergeant, Company C, 6th Kansas, and Private J J JONES, 5th Kansas and myself, succeeded in making our escape on the 27th of October. Our outfit consisted of eight pounds of bread and four pounds of bacon and a blanket apiece. We crossed the Red River November 7th, above the mouth of Mill Creek, and traveled north, near the Choctaw line and were getting along well until the night of the 17th of November, when in the neighborhood of Waldron, we were recaptured by a company of bushwhackers and barely escaped being killed. They told us they were bushwhackers, and that they killed every Kansas and Arkansan that fell into their hands; and that since the 1st of April they had killed sixty Federals. They treated us well, and after robbing our clothes told us they would not kill us but would send us back to Tyler. They took us back nine miles the following day and the next day would have turned us over to MILLER, Captain of a similar company, but I happened to know the gentleman, and that if we were turned over to him it would be all over for us. So I gave them the slip, that night, and succeeded in getting in here on Monday, 21st inst., being without anything to eat for three days. PARKER and JONES made their escape from the bushwhackers on the 19th and came in on the 22nd. We were 26 days on the road. We lived on acorns, and corn when we could get it, but only found it at one place this side of the Red River. A bushel of corn is worth more than a bushel of Confederate Money. The country is depopulated for sixty miles south of Fort Smith. Robert HENDERSON.

New Era, Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas:
February 11, 1865
SHOCKING AFFAIR- WOMEN TORTURED- ROBBERY, MURDER & ARSON- A "REVEREND" IN IRONS, etc., etc.
Six heavily ironed prisoners came up on the Lotus day before yesterday from Clarksville, among whom was G W HUTCHINSON, formerly Chaplain of the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry. The names of the other five are, W B FARMER, Company A, 1st Arkansas Cavalry, R H ATWELL, Company F, 2nd Kansas Cavalry, John SHARKS, Company A 2nd Arkansas Infantry, John HUDSON, citizen, and C O KIMBALL, citizen, formerly of the 2nd Kansas Cavalry and more recently in the 2nd Arkansas Infantry.
Ex-Chaplain HUTCHINSON, who resigned his position in the army some time last spring, in order to follow the real bent of his inclinations with more leisure, stands charged with heavy swindling operations upon the Government and people. How far his is incriminated with the deeds of the other prisoners can not be ascertained yet until a more thorough investigation of the whole case.
The other prisoners stand charged with torturing four respectable ladies over a slow fire till they were horribly mutilated about their heads, shoulders and feet and with ravishing them, from the effects of which one died and the others are made cripples for life. One of the prisoners also stands charged with additional crimes upon the body of one of the victims which pen would shudder to record.
The object of the cruel wretches was to obtain some money, a considerable amount of which these ladies were supposed to have in their possession. They lived about 75 miles below this place, in the vicinity of Clarksville. Three of the unfortunate victims are now at the latter place under medical treatment. Their houses were also burned down. Information was received here day before yesterday, that seven other persons had been put in irons at Clarksville, charged with being accomplices in the above crimes.
We give the details of this horrid affair as we received them from the officer who conducted the preliminary investigation at Clarksville. A full trial will undoubtedly develop all the facts in the case and justice be fully meted out.
Ex-Chaplain HUTCHINSON and C O KIMBALL were removed to Little Rock, yesterday, on board the Lotus.

Return to Crawford Co. ARGenWeb Page