Missouri -Rosecrans last command

[leftyhunter]

Has we know after Rosecrans shall we say controversial performance at Chickumungua Lincoln reassigned Rosecrans to the hell hole know as Missouri. Many a general had been sent to command Mo and many a general left in disgrace.Guerrilla war was in effect in every Confederate state and in the Union states of Mo,Ky and Wv and to a much lesser extent Southern I. However Mo was the Union state that had by far the most guerrilla activity. A Challenging assignment to say the least. How did Rosecrans perform in his last combat assignment in the year of 1864?
From the book "Jesse James Last Rebel of the Civil War" T.J. Stiles Vintagebooks.com p.101-102
" On April 29 ,1864 Major William S. Rosecrans telegraphed an alert to Col. Moss in Liberty .The guerrillas are returning , he warned "to reinaugurate the scenes of murder and robbery which have desolated your country in the last three years." Rosecrans , humiliated by defeat at the battle of Chickamauga, had been shifted in January to command the Dept of the Missouri, a strategic eddy far from the main channels of war. The state might of been a backwater , but Rosecrans learned that its currents where swift and unpredictable. Accustomed to wielding brigades, divisions and corps as he marched towards objectives, he now had to weave a net out of slender companies , battalions and regiments as he waited into guerrilla waters. And no regiments threatened to unravel more quickly then Col. Moss's troublesome Paw Paws ( ex Confederates who promised to be loyal and join the the form pro Union militia companies which turned against the Union when Price invaded in September 1864) "I expect from you and the Enrolled Militia under your command"he wrote"such a reception..as will amply vindicate you from all the charges of disloyalty which have been urged against you"Moss assured Rosecrans that all would be well.
Leftyhunter

 

[nitrofd]

Has we know after Rosecrans shall we say controversial performance at Chickumungua Lincoln reassigned Rosecrans to the hell hole know as Missouri. Many a general had been sent to command Mo and many a general left in disgrace.Guerrilla war was in effect in every Confederate state and in the Union states of Mo,Ky and Wv and to a much lesser extent Southern I. However Mo was the Union state that had by far the most guerrilla activity. A Challenging assignment to say the least. How did Rosecrans perform in his last combat assignment in the year of 1864?
From the book "Jesse James Last Rebel of the Civil War" T.J. Stiles Vintagebooks.com p.101-102
" On April 29 ,1864 Major William S. Rosecrans telegraphed an alert to Col. Moss in Liberty .The guerrillas are returning , he warned "to reinaugurate the scenes of murder and robbery which have desolated your country in the last three years." Rosecrans , humiliated by defeat at the battle of Chickamauga, had been shifted in January to command the Dept of the Missouri, a strategic eddy far from the main channels of war. The state might of been a backwater , but Rosecrans learned that its currents where swift and unpredictable. Accustomed to wielding brigades, divisions and corps as he marched towards objectives, he now had to weave a net out of slender companies , battalions and regiments as he waited into guerrilla waters. And no regiments threatened to unravel more quickly then Col. Moss's troublesome Paw Paws ( ex Confederates who promised to be loyal and join the the form pro Union militia companies which turned against the Union when Price invaded in September 1864) "I expect from you and the Enrolled Militia under your command"he wrote"such a reception..as will amply vindicate you from all the charges of disloyalty which have been urged against you"Moss assured Rosecrans that all would be well.
Leftyhunter

Interesting as I will be the first to admit I know very little about his actions in Mo.

 

[leftyhunter]

P.130-131 Stiles.
" Unknown to the rebels, their plans had already started to unravel. In St Louis ,Major General Rosecrans first received confirmation of an invasion on September 2 . All through the the month these reports multiplied with increasing accuracy, convincing him he had to prepare for the worst. And he had to prepare quickly:at the end of August, he had only 18,000 full time troops in all of Missouri . The telegraph now clattered with a flurry of orders; supply depots where to be fortified ,along with Jefferson City and St.Louis : inactive EMM units where mustered back into service, six thousand troops at Cairo under general Andrew Jackson Smith where requested and granted ,along with nine regiments of one hundred day volunteers from Illinois . Major General Samuel Curtis promised his cooperation. " Stiles did not add that black 100 day militia regiments where raised and they are listed in Dyers Compendium but they did not see combat but did guard prisoners.
"Rosecrans issued one order in particular that would prove decisive in the coming days. On September 24th, he told Brigadier General Thomas Ewing Jr to concentrate a body of troops at Pilot Knob in southeastern Missouri. "
This battle is where Gen.Price delayed his invasion by throwing away the lives of his troops against well defended positions.
"When (CSA Col.) Shelby and Edwards looked over the torn up field and abandoned fort they could only shake their heads at Prices stupidity.Price had lost some 1,500 men vs 28 dead, fifty nine wounded and perhaps 100 taken as prisoner from gen. Ewing. During the battle Rosecrans could fortify St. Louis.
Leftyhunter

 

[Private Watkins]

Not all of us think that Missouri is a "hell hole"... it's actually quite a nice place these days in my humble opinion.

 

[Patrick H]

Not all of us think that Missouri is a "hell hole"... it's actually quite a nice place these days in my humble opinion.

Thanks for this reminder...although I am not one of those who needed reminding. I still appreciate seeing your response.

 

[leftyhunter]

Not all of us think that Missouri is a "hell hole"... it's actually quite a nice place these days in my humble opinion.

I am of course referring to back in the day. Mo's deer hunting is far better then in Calif so I would tradw very good liquor for a chance at some does. I would say if one stays out of certain parts of Mo just like in Cal its not a bad place.
Leftyhunter

 

[Private Watkins]

I am of course referring to back in the day. Mo's deer hunting is far better then in Calif so I would trad very good liquor for a chance at some does. I would say if one stays out of certain parts of Mo just like in Cal its not a bad place.
Leftyhunter

Lefty my friend, next time you're out here in the Northeast Oklahoma or Missouri area I'll break out the finest liquor I can get my hands on and we'll toast the deer hunting as well as a mutual love for Civil War history!

We might even see if we can find Patrick H somewhere out in the Missouri backwoods and have him join us...

 

[leftyhunter]

Lefty my friend, next time you're out here in the Northeast Oklahoma or Missouri area I'll break out the finest liquor I can get my hands on and we'll toast the deer hunting as well as a mutual love for Civil War history!

We might even see if we can find Patrick H somewhere out in the Missouri backwoods and have him join us...

My vacation time is shot for this year but I very much would appreciate a chance to hunt in Mo or Ok. Right now with the drought I just hunt crows and pigeons. I am working on a little piece of private land in Northern Ca. I love hunting out of state I just haven't scored but that's more my fault. If I come over I will try to get stuff you guys can't!
Leftyhunter

 

[photoman475]

Hmm, my daughter didn't find Springfield so much fun. Her allergies acted up so badly after starting at Missouri State she had to transfer and come home. However, I thought the area was wonderful for its Civil War history. The battles of Springfield and Wilson's Creek made up for the hassle of the 14 hour or so drive to get there from Fargo.

I started researching the area's CW history when she decided on MSU, and have learned so much about the area I wish she was still going there. I'd have been to Pea Ridge by now-about 50 miles away from Springfield and done a lot of the others too, such as Carthage and Westport, etc.

Alan