Centralia Battlefield

[LtRusell]

So true. And I can almost see Dave Poole jumping from one body to another yelling: "This is the only way I can count them!"

The inexperienced militia either fired high or low, as the case might be--hitting very few guerrillas. A few cool heads managed to reload and pop another shot before being overrun. In my view, these poor militia guys were more the victims of their officer than of Anderson's guerrillas.

We must remember, too, that these guerrilla boys had suffered innumerable outrages against their neighbors and their own families by this day, including relatives and neighbors tortured and murdered and homes burned. This fact doesn't earn them a free pass into barbarity and terrorism, but it explains a few things about their collective mindset on this and a few other horrible days.

You're right about the guerrilla's lives. Exactly what can make a person turn to such extremes? If you stand back and look at combat through the ages you get:

Kicking the heads of the vanquished around. It became soccer.

The Samurai collected heads, ears, and noses. As did the tribes in Borneo and many other places, including south east Asia.

Our own CIA/Special Forces collected heads as well as necklaces with ears hanging from them. There are plenty of photos online.

I once saw a skull that had been made into a lamp.

The Norsemen were the sort, and I'm of Norwegian extraction, who would nail you a wall after they killed everyone else that they didn't take with them. That was to keep you there to tell others.

Scalping has been a part of US history since the French and Indian War. It was nothing new. As to the heads on different bodies, and all that, what, did they have a surgeon with them to quickly stitch the heads on the bodies? I don't always buy the victor's stories.

The war in Kansas and Missouri was unlike any other theater. It was unto itself.

While I find Anderson's tactics to be on the whole deplorable it was total war. Period. The tactics of the day were rough, as were the men and country. These were not Pollyanna men, not that any fighting man in the war was.

Had they put my sisters in building that "just happened" to crumble, leaving dead, maimed and wounded, what would you do? I for one would probably become unhinged. Some of those guys already were a little off, Poole springs to mind, but I put it to you. Had they used those tactics on you and yours, would rough justice be a way of leveling the playing field?

Sherman alone did so many things "against the rules of war" that would bring a war crimes trial. In fact they were thinking about a tribunal for Sherman's bombarding of Atlanta. Thomas Ewing, foster/father in law to Sherman was just as bad as any bushwhacker.

It's still called "the Burnt District".

It's a low blow to go after family, and a really stupid move considering who's families they went after.

 

[Borderruffian]

Somehow that bronze marker plate talking about valor and patriotism is not justified when remembering a guerrilla massacre. Executions are not worthy of that honor. Maybe in an other area, but not together.

Yeah? That marker is on what is known as confederate rock, it was moved from the Boone County Courthouse to Centralia a year or so ago, as nothing whatsoever to do with the Centralia site, ......

 

[Patrick H]

Yeah? That marker is on what is known as confederate rock, it was moved from the Boone County Courthouse to Centralia a year or so ago, as nothing whatsoever to do with the Centralia site, ......

Yes. It is also known as the "Rebel Pebble". I wish I had a picture of it. It's a big, BIG boulder with a rather small plaque.

 

[mofederal]

The dead, I mean those who were by the railroad in Centralia were buried after the massacre reburied in Mexico, Mo. I don't understand the why only that is where they were buried. They were moved to the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis at a later date. One man, who was killed was actually a member of the 17th Ill. Cavalry. His service unit was misidentified as the 16th Illinois Cavalry. The 17th was stationed in Macon at the time of the massacre. It is theorized he had been detailed to take dispatches to St. Louis. It is unknown at this date. Another curious fact is that Major A.V.E. Johnston commander of the 39th Mo., soldiers killed in the guerrilla battle is also buried in Mexico. Why he was never reburied in the Jefferson City National Cemetery is unknown. Most people believe he was reburied with his men.

 

[Patrick H]

The dead, I mean those who were by the railroad in Centralia were buried after the massacre reburied in Mexico, Mo. I don't understand the why only that is where they were buried. They were moved to the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis at a later date. One man, who was killed was actually a member of the 17th Ill. Cavalry. His service unit was misidentified as the 16th Illinois Cavalry. The 17th was stationed in Macon at the time of the massacre. It is theorized he had been detailed to take dispatches to St. Louis. It is unknown at this date. Another curious fact is that Major A.V.E. Johnston commander of the 39th Mo., soldiers killed in the guerrilla battle is also buried in Mexico. Why he was never reburied in the Jefferson City National Cemetery is unknown. Most people believe he was reburied with his men.

Interesting information. I'd never read about Major Johnston.

 

[mofederal]

I ran into this information on an online Missouri Civil War History site. The person who posted this had taken a picture of his stone. I am working on corroboration of this. There was a lot of information on Centralia and on Bloody Bill Anderson on the site.

 

[Boonslick]

Expired Image Removed

Memorial to Maj A. V. E. Johnston and his men at the National Cemetery at Jefferson City, Missouri

 

[Boonslick]

Three images of Maj A. V. E. Johnston