JD Mayo, your ancestor's unfortunate plight was fairly commonplace in Missouri during the war. It is a sad fact that Missouri civilians suffered terribly during the war. Out-of-state troops occupying the area were often a bullying bunch. Provost Marshals were often corrupt and thieving. Militias were often on their own string, so to speak. A lot of Illinois and Iowa troops tended to look down on ALL Missourians because it was a slave state, and this natuarlly influenced the way many of them treated civilians--even those who didn't own slaves. It was guilt by association, without a doubt. Chariton County and most of the counties along the river corridor harbored a large percentage of southern-leaning citizens. This was a volatile enough mix from the get-go. After General Order Number 11 in 1863, the population of nearly FOUR COUNTIES along the Kansas border was displaced--a large percentage of them coming to the central Missouri river corridor counties. Soon enough, their sons, brothers, husbands, cousins, etc. in the guerrilla bands followed them. Civilians were not safe anywhere around here. Somehow, my own ancestors in Howard County managed to survive with no murders that I know of, although I'm sure they suffered crop and livestock losses. In Boonville (where I live) people were murdered, lynched, bodies were found in alleys and others were thrown into the river. A newspaper, a foundry and a tin shop (among other businesses) were destroyed. Type was thrown into the river. Printing presses, foundry equipment, tin molds, etc., were destroyed. Inventory was taken from stores. It was a rough time to try to live in central Missouri.