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Opinion
Exterminating marauding, thieving villains
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The title of this column could have been the motto of Union Brigadier General Clinton B. Fisk because it certainly was his policy to, whenever and wherever possible, kill every Confederate guerrilla and "bushwhacker" and outlaw in northern Missouri from April 6, 1864, to the end of the Civil War in April, 1865.
This is not surprising because Gen. Fisk was an ardent abolitionist who was born in New York and moved to Michigan with his parents as a young boy and eventually settled in St. Louis.
He enlisted in the Union Army as a private soldier when he was 33 years old and was promoted through the ranks to colonel of the 33rd Mo. Vol. Infantry on Nov. 24, 1862.
Before being transferred to the District of North Missouri, with his headquarters in St. Joseph, on April 6, 1864, Gen. Fisk had commanded the District of St. Louis and had learned to despise and fight the "bushwhackers" in the District of Southeastern Missouri.
The following documents indicate exactly how Gen. Fisk waged a relentless war of extinction on the "buswhackers" of northern Missouri and are located on Pages 612, 613 and 614 in Series I, vol. 34 Part III, "Correspondence of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion."
| Headquarters District of North Missouri, | St. Joseph, Mo., May 15, 1864. |
Capt. Kemper, Liberty, Mo.:
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your valued favor of the 9th instant and thank you for the information therein contained.
I am glad to see you vigilant and active clean out and kill every maurading, thieving villai you find. I was not aware that Capt. Ford's company had been placed on duty. Will see that Parkville has loyal troops if possible to obtain them. Your men must be on the alert constantly. I am quite satisfied that trouble is in preparation for us.
Be prepared to meet the rascals at the threshold and let your determination convince them that we are in earnest -- dead earnest! Quiet we will have. Keep well posted touching all rebel movements; allow no strangers to come into your bailiwick without you knowing what they are there for.
Keep your eyes on the Paw Paws, and jug (kill) the first one guilty of the least disloyal act.
See that all not on duty are disarmed. Col. Williams is unable to ascertain who has arms in Clay County and how many Col. Moss has distributed.
I wish you to ascertain who has arms and where they are and what the disposition of the holders. I go to St. Louis tomorrow; may telegraph you by way of Kansas City.
I am captain, very respectfully,
Clinton B. Fisk, Brigadier General
St Joseph, May 15, 1864.
| Capt. W. T. Woods, | Weston, Mo.: |
Captain: You are charged with the duty of maintaining peace and quiet in the county of Platte and the river border of your command. You will increase your force from the best of the loyal militia of the county, under officers who do not rank you, until you have men well enough armed and mounted to wage a successful war of extermination against the murdering, thieving gang of villians who are threatening your peace.
Take no prisoners; kill them wherever you find them in iniquity (committing a wicked, unjust, unrighteous act).
Be prompt, vigilant and active; select good men, maintain the best discipline and give assurance to the inhabitants. Colonel Williams will aid you in all necessary appointments for your command.
Report to me often. Give the "Bushwhackers" such a cleaning as will convince them that we are in dead earnest.
I am, Captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant.
Clinton B. Fisk
Brigadier General
"Union" Brig. Gen. E. B. Brown commanded the Central District of Missouri in 1864 and waged a war similar to that of Gen. Fisk against the "Bushwhackers" as is evident in the following after action report.
Warrensburg, Mo., May 16, 1864.
| Maj. O. D. Greene, | Ast. Adj. Gen., St. Louis: Cpl. Fore, Co. F, 1st Mo. State Militia, with a small escort killed one bushwhacker and wounded another, capturing both of their horses, yesterday near the line of Jackson County. Papers on the man killed were invoices from Capt. W. H. Wooten, assistant quartermaster to Col. W.C. Quantrill. The man answers the description of Quantrill. I have no doubt but he is the noted chief of guerrillas! He fought with his Bowie knife after being brought down by a pistol shot. (Now that was one tough guerrilla who knew how to die, but he was not Col. W. C. Quantrill.) I have sent for more definite information. |
E. B. Brown,
Brigadier General of Volunteers, commanding."
Did Gen. Fisk's war of exterminating the maurading, thieving villains by giving "no quarter" succeed?
No not completely, because in war one very rarely completely eliminates a "Successful Guerrilla Force" because it is very elusive and the deadly bushwhackers were just that and more and the war went on!