Disguises and deceptions

Very often deceptions and disguises played an important part in the success or failure of "Guerrilla Operations" or clandestine missions during the Civil War or for that matter any war. In the Civil War both Union and Confederate forces often used the uniform of the enemy or civilian clothes as a disguise when conducting missions behind enemy lines as a spy or to use as an element of surprise when attacking, capturing or destroying an enemy force. Civilian clothes were normally the uniform of choice of the Confederate "Foxes" (guerrillas and bushwhackers) from Missouri because it was much easier to disappear into the civilian world and escape after completing a mission or being closely pursued by the Union "Hounds." Written accounts or after action reports of successful missions of impersonating the enemy are rather rare because it would have been a "death sentence" if such reports were to be captured by the enemy in which the impersonators were identified. Also the "Articles of War" stated that any enemy soldier captured wearing any portion of the Union or Confederate uniform would not be treated as a prisoner of war but would be treated as a spy and could be shot/executed on the spot.

The following account is of a successful "Union" scout or mission near Neosho, Missouri that occurred between April 19-20, 1863, in which a squad of Yankee's disguised themselves in civilian clothes and succeeded in killing four bushwhackers and recovering a small herd of "jayhawked (stolen cattle) that was destined to be sold to the "Southern Army." The report is located in Series I, Vol. 22 Part One of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Page 314.

Post Neosho, Mo. April 21, 1863.

Captain: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to your orders on the 19th of the present month, I took command of a detachment of 30 men from Companies L. and M, 8th Mo. State Militia Cavalry, with Lt. John R. Kelso, and proceeded in the direction of Seneca Millis, in search of certain notorious bushwhackers in that region of country. Traveling until about 2 p.m. and finding no one, I detailed Lieut. Kelso, with 5 men, all properly uniformed, and sent them forward for the purpose of obtaining reliable information, while I with the remainder of the command, proceeded to Scott's Mill and encamped. (Note: now Lt. Kelso and his squad are on a clandestine mission in enemy territory). Lt. Kelso returned to me about midnight and informed me that he had found a kennel of bushwhackers, two of whom fought till they died. He also found in Cowskin Prairie a pasture containing a number of cattle jayhawked (stolen) by the bushwhackers, who intended, in a short time, to drive them to the Southern army. We saddled our horses immediately and returned to the place indicated, surrounded several houses and found two more desperate bushwhackers, who fought till they died. We then went to a pasture and found 40 head of cattle jayhawked by these thieves to sell to the Southern army; all of which with one two-horse wagon and one horse, I have brought to this post."

(Note: In this report Captain Ruark (Lieut. Kelso's commanding officer) explained what happened and he also describes how by the use of disguises and deception the mission was successful.)

Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon Lieut. Kelso for the daring and cunning he displayed. With five men in citizens' dress (clothes) and well armed, he succeeded in convincing the bushwhackers that he was a dispatch-bearer from General Marmaduke. They freely boasted to Lieut. Kelso of having driven all the Union people out of the country. They bragged of having killed a number of federal soldiers, of jayhawking the property of Union men and said if they got any of the Neosho militia they would have them (burned) at the stake!

One of these thieves stated that he had been a prisoner at Fort Scott; that he took the oath (of allegiance to the United States), put it in his pocket and then stole two United States mules and a wagon and returned to his home in McDonald County, Mo., under the protection of the oath! After conversing a short time with the bushwhackers, Lieut. Kelso made an agreement with them that he and they would jayhawk and collect 100 head of cattle and drive them to the Southern army and sell them and they went out and actually gathered in a few before he reported himself to me at midnight.

The scout was out about 30 hours and traveled 60 miles, without loss or accident of any kind.

Ozias Ruark, Capt. Co. L, 8th Mo. State Militia Cav.

Additional episodes of deception and disguises will be featured in future columns as they are discovered.