Today in History:

722 Series I Volume XLI-I Serial 83 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part I

Page 722 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

Cross-examined by Major General S. PRICE:

Question. What number of armed troops entered the State of Missouri under General Price's command?

Answer. About 7,000.

Question. What was the number and character of the unarmed troops?

Answer. About 2,000 unarmed troops, mostly deserters.

Question. State what sort of troops constituted General Price's command with which he entered Missouri; what character of persons they were composed, and how officered.

Answer. About 5,000 of the troops were of the usual character of Confederate cavalry. The remainder were deserters and conscripts, officered by men of their own kind, to some extent. This does not apply to brigade commanders.

Question. Do you know of any marauders being executed summarily? State when and where, and in what manner.

Answer. Yes; I know of two certainly, and I think more having been shot down summarily for marauding by Colonel Freeman. I don't recollect when or where. Colonel Freeman notified me officially that when these men were arrested and brought to Colonel Freeman's quarters they admitted that they had been marauding, and one said that he would do the same thing again, whereupon he, Colonel Freeman, shot them. I cannot be precise as to the details.

Question. Do you know of General Price's complimenting Colonel Freeman for his shooting these men, and in what terms?

Answer. General Price expressed his approval of Colonel Freeman's conduct, but I do not remember whether Colonel Freeman was present or not.

Question. Did you hear General Price say if in his power he would make Colonel Freeman brigadier for that act?

Answer. I don't remember having heard him say so.

Question. Do you know of any officers being punished by General Price for participating in outrages?

Answer. Many were placed in arrest, from colonels of regiments down. I don't know what was done with them subsequently.

Question. Were these permissions to scout you mention as given by captains, regimental, and brigade commanders in accordance with General Price's orders?

Answer. They were in violation of them.

Question. Was it not absolutely necessary that the different commands should sometimes spread over a large extend of country on horseback to procure forage?

Answer. Yes.

Question. Was an additional provost guard ordered up at Arcadia and placed under command of Colonel Tyler, an old army officer?

Answer. Yes.

Question. You say the difficulty was not to get recruits, but to organize them. Was there any difficulty in subsisting, protecting, and arming them? State what.

Answer. Yes; there was great difficulty, as arms could not be procured. The unarmed men in the command interfered materially with the rapidly and effectiveness of its movements.


Page 722 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.