Today in History:

707 Series I Volume XXII-I Serial 32 - Little Rock Part I

Page 707 Chapter XXXIV. MUTINY AT BLOOMFIELD, MO.

OCTOBER 21, 1863.-Affair in Greenton Valley, near Hopewell, Mo.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Bazel F. Lazear, First Missouri State Militia Cavalry.


HEADQUARTERS SIXTH SUB-DISTRICT, Warrensburg, November 1, 1863.

CAPTAIN: Captain [W. H.] Folmsbee, Company B, First Missouri State Militia Cavalry, stationed at Hopewell, reported that, on October 21, Lieutenant [J.] Rhoades and a detachment of some company came upon a party of 4 bushwhackers in Greenton Valley, killing 2 and badly wounding another.

I also have the honor to report that the Sixth Sub-District is remarkable quite at this time. Only occasionally can hear of a bushwhacker. I have my command distributed in the district, so that I think this state of affairs will continue, and I risk nothing in saying that there is a better state of affairs existing now in Johnson and La Fayette Counties than has since the beginning of the war.

Very respectfully,
B. F. LAZEAR,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding First Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

Captain JAMES H. STEGER,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dist. Central Missouri.

OCTOBER 22, 1863.-Mutiny at Bloomfield, Mo.

REPORT, ETC.


Numbers 1.-Colonel John B. Rogers, Second Missouri State Militia Cavalry, commanding at Cape Girardeau.


Numbers 2.-Major Samuel Montgomery, Sixth Missouri Cavalry, commanding at Bloomfield.


Numbers 3.-Lieutenant Herman J. Huiskamp, Sixth Missouri Cavalry.


Numbers 4.-Findings and sentences of general court-martial, &c.


Numbers 1. Report of Colonel John B. Rogers, Second Missouri State Militia Cavalry, commanding at Cape Girardeau.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO., October 23, 1863.

GENERAL: I received a message [following] by courier last night, signed by all the officers at Bloomfield excepting two, in which they say that they are true and loyal, and are willing and anxious to do right. They say that they are not in revolt against authority, but believing that they were commanded by a traitor, and that the post of Bloomfield, with all the stores, troops, arms, &c., was about to be betrayed and sold into the hands of the enemy, they though it their imperative duty to seize the commander and commandant.

They, over the names of five commissioned officers, attest all this, and send to me a list of formidable charges, which, if sustained, will go far to justify apprehensions. I do not know of the truth of all this. I will say this: In my headquarters, on the 21st instant, the startling remark was made by an officer high in command, "Look out for disaster, Colonel; Bloomfield is sold, and in a short time will be in the hands of the enemy." I said, "What do you mean?" He replied, "It was sold once to a woman," and all the assertions of Major Montgomery led to similar


Page 707 Chapter XXXIV. MUTINY AT BLOOMFIELD, MO.