Jayhawkers and Bushwhackers

Before and after the Civil War Pvt. Hugh L. Thompson of Companies C & H of the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment lived near Carl Junction, Missouri.

In the 1880s he submitted several articles to the National Tribune which described his experiences living near Carl Junction, Missouri as a young man before he was old enough to enlist in the Union Army. In his column, published on November 27, 1884, he provides a "Civil War" Definition of Jayhawkers and what happened to a small group of "Bushwhackers" (Confederate Guerrillas) who lived in and near Sherwood, Mo

MISSOURI REBELS

The cost of Loyalty in that State

To The Editor: I notice in my article in your paper of Oct.9, that you make me say in parenthesis that the Federals were called in Kansas, Jayhawkers. This is a mistake one of us made. The term jayhawkers was applied by Missouri rebels to all Federal soldiers coming from Kansas, while those coming from Springfield, Missouri were called by the same people Lop-Eared Dutch [German Union Regiments]. We soon got so that we did not care for it. Nor do we now, the names are still applied by the Bushwhacking Class. [Even though the Civil War ended in April of 1865, the animosity amd bitterness that the war created between the loyal Union and Confederate citizens of Missouri and the citizens who lived in Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas continued well into the 20th Century.]

With all our troubles there was much ludicrous intermingled. I well remember some of the most ridiculous scares. I cannot relate all, but will one or two.

A day or two after the Rebels passed some 25 miles east of us, going north on the Lone Jack Campaign [August, 1862], a cousin of mine, younger than myself, and I went to a blacksmith shop run by Myers, a stay-at-home-rebel, at the little town of Sherwood, [Missouri: destroyed by Union Troops in May, 1863; near present Carl Junction] to get our horses shod. He had heard the news -- i.e., our boys were driving everything before them--- and refused to do our work, even though we should pay double price. We were entirely unarmed (a very unusual thing), but, reckless as boys often were, we went to the creek & took a bath. Coming back through town, we came at a full gallop, yelling at the top of our voices, hurrahing for Lincoln, the Union, the Union Army, etc.

There were about 20 or perhaps more men (stay-at-home-rebels) in town. They ran in every direction to hide, no doubt thinking we were forerunners of a powerful army. Some of them ran out and asked what was the matter; we replied that there was matter enough. We ran a great risk, as we afterwards learned, because there was a lot of bushwhackers in the vicinity, and the word was taken to them that there was 10,000 Federals coming, and they started for Dixie's land in short order and went to Newtonia, some 30 miles, before they found out the mistake. They slipped back and commenced gathering recruits from the stay-at-homes, word getting out that they were intending to conscript [forcibly draft] all who were in favor of the Union. That was the signal for Union men to get to get scared and they mostly ran to the bushes to hide.

My cousin and I mounted and taking our trusty rifles, rode to the camp of the [Union] Indian Brigade, below Baxter Springs and reported what was going on. Col. John Ritchie was in command [of the 2nd Regiment of Indian Home Guards: Union] and started 100 Indians out with us and we seriously interfered with their obtaining the recruits expected, as we took most of the stay-at-home chivalry prisoners and sent them to the guard house at Fort Scott, where they had ample time to meditate on their treasonable acts. The bushwhackers who had come in from the South, took in the situation and fled. We were not molested for some time."

[To be Continued]