{⋆★⋆} BG Thompson, M. Jeff

Meriwether Jefferson "Swamp Fox" Thompson​

Born: January 22, 1826

Birthplace: Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia (West Virginia)

Father: Captain Meriwether Thompson 1790 – 1859

Mother: Martha "Patsy" Slaughter Broadus 1796 – 1880

Wife: Emma Catherine Hays 1825 – 1886

(Buried: East Louisiana State Hospital Cemetery, Jackson, Louisiana)​

Children:

Henry Bolivar Thompson 1852 – 1901​

(Buried: Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana)​

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Marcie Abel Thompson Bailey 1860 – 1937​

(Buried: Mount Mora Cemetery, Saint Joseph, Missouri)​

Education:

Receive basic Training in Military Tactics in Charleston, South Carolina​

Occupation before War:

Store Clerk Employee in Virginia and Pennsylvania​

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Store Clerk Employee in St. Joseph, Missouri​

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Surveyor and City Engineer for the City of St. Joseph, Missouri​

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Supervisor of Construction of Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad​

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1857 – 1860: Mayor of St. Joseph, Missouri​

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1860: Presided of inaugural the first ride of the Pony Express​

Civil War Career:

1861: Cut down United States Flag from St. Joseph Post Office​

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1861: Lt. Colonel of Missouri State National Guard​

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1861 – 1865: Brigadier General of Missouri State National Guard​

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Commander of First Military District in the State of Missouri​

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Declared a counter proclamation to Fremont's Emancipation​

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1861: Led a cavalry attack on Iron Mountain Railroad bridge​

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1861: Defeated at the Battle of Fredericktown, Missouri​

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1862: Commander of rams in the Confederate riverine fleet​

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1863: Accompanied General Marmaduke on his raid into Missouri​

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1863: Captured in Arkansas, Prisoner of War at Gratiot Prison​

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1864: Exchanged for a Union General​

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1864: Served in Major General Price's Missouri Expedition​

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1865: Appointed Commander of Northern Sub District of Arkansas​

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1865: Agreed to surrender his command at Chalk Bluff on May 11th​​

Occupation after War:

Civil Engineer in the town of New Orleans, Louisiana​

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Designer of a program to improve Louisiana Swamps​

Died: September 5, 1876

Place of Death: St. Joseph, Missouri

Cause of Death: Tuberculosis

Age at time of Death: 50 years old

Burial Place: Mount Mora Cemetery, St. Joseph, Missouri

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

There was a colorful character by the name of James Ed Montgomery who put together a plan for river defense. His socalled River Defense Fleet was part of the War Department but not the Navy. His 14 rams, protected by cotton bales and each had 1 gun, were partially manned by men from Thompson's troops in the spring of 1862. They mainly served as gunners and marines. But there was bad blood between Thompson's men and Montgomery's boatmen and a transfer was requested by Thompson. By summer He was serving in the Lake Pontchartrain area near New Orleans for the next year.

Joseph Ed Montgomery

 

[Pollaco]

My book says James Ed

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

What's the book? ORA Index is wrong too. Check out his obit .

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Apologies for re-opening this thread, but I am stuck on a particular detail in my research involving Jeff Thompson's capture in Pocahontas.
When he was captured and taken to Pilot Knob, it was noted in St. Louis newspapers all of whom was captured with Thompson. The details of whom was taken with the Fox from Pilot Knob to Gratiot can be found in the newspapers and prison rolls. I am looking for a member of his staff, an ordinance officer referred only as "Capt Parker". He was noted to be brought in with Thompson to Pilot Knob, but he is missing from further prisoner rolls or newspapers relating to Thompson's transfer to Gratiot and Johnson's Island. My research started when I came across an Oath of Allegiance, in the PM files, for an A.H. Parker of Randolph County, Ark (where Thompson had been captured), dated September 3rd, 1863 at Pilot Knob. Incidentally, a A. H. Parker would married in Randolph County previously in June, although he claimed to hail from Dallas, Texas. Which may fit to a Albert H. Parker who served in Co E of the 12th Texas Calvary under Parson.
If anyone has a full name surrender list of officers captured with Thompson, I'd appreciate it. As well as an answer to this question; If Parker gave an OA, would he have been immediately paroled and therefore missing from prison rolls? The St. Louis papers kept up with the prisoner changes, and it was noted by some given names that they were released upon giving an OA. Although when this happened, they would not be detailed as soldiers held in the prison but as "persons", for which (if I'm not overanalyzing), I take to presume they might have been civilians being held for various anti-Union reasons.

St. Louis Globe Democrat, August 28, 1863. "Capt Parker" is noted at the bottom.
View attachment 569544

He's not listed by Thompson is his personal reminiscences. One newspaper article lists 100 citizens captured but another lists 50.

 

[Pollaco]

What's the book? ORA Index is wrong too. Check out his obit .

I dont have the book with me at the moment , I hope I'm not misspelling the author's name. The book is "Who's Who In The Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

I dont have the book with me at the moment , I hope I'm not misspelling the author's name. The book is "Who's Who In The Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis.

Okay. He probably just copied what everyone else was saying. Here's the obit on Joseph Ed Montgomery. He's buried in the steamboat town New Albany, Indiana. I'm sort of a nut on the River Defense Fleet.

 

[Le'Ebner]

He's not listed by Thompson is his personal reminiscences. One newspaper article lists 100 citizens captured but another lists 50.

Parker may have been on attached duty. His widow would state in her pension application that he was "a captain of artillery in Parsons Regiment". Besides the initial muster rolls for '61-62, where he enlists, but stays in the general hospital in Houston due to sickness while Parsons 12th Texas (his regiment) would move northeast to Arkansas, whole time being listed as a Pvt, I have been unable to find his name in further rolls. Or any other muster lists for the 12th Texas, from various secondary sources. Another researcher reported finding a roll where he is listed as a Captain of F Co, though they did not share the source.
I don't believe the 12th ever rolled around with light artillery, but then Parsons would soon eventually become a brigade commander, encompassing several other units including the 12th, with it being named "Parsons Brigade". So when I found the OA, connected it to Thompson's capture date, then finding a "Capt Parker of the ordinance department" in the clipping about Jeff's unfortunate interruption by Gentry, it seems too coincidental to not be the same Parker. But still no explanation of how he got there. Any tips?

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Parker may have been on attached duty. His widow would state in her pension application that he was "a captain of artillery in Parsons Regiment". Besides the initial muster rolls for '61-62, where he enlists, but stays in the general hospital in Houston due to sickness while Parsons 12th Texas (his regiment) would move northeast to Arkansas, whole time being listed as a Pvt, I have been unable to find his name in further rolls. Or any other muster lists for the 12th Texas, from various secondary sources. Another researcher reported finding a roll where he is listed as a Captain of F Co, though they did not share the source.
I don't believe the 12th ever rolled around with light artillery, but then Parsons would soon eventually become a brigade commander, encompassing several other units including the 12th, with it being named "Parsons Brigade". So when I found the OA, connected it to Thompson's capture date, then finding a "Capt Parker of the ordinance department" in the clipping about Jeff's unfortunate interruption by Gentry, it seems too coincidental to not be the same Parker. But still no explanation of how he got there. Any tips?

Looking through my Tom Hindman records, I find that Hindman appointed him as Ordnance Officer for Brig Genl John S. Roane in latter '62 but haven't found anything past that. I think you're on the right track as a record shows he was involved with nitre mining in Newton County in late 1862.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

I'll try to add the pages from Hindman's Order Books.
First from
Copybook of Special Orders from Thomas Hindman's Command,
11 Jun. - 19 Aug. 1862, pp. 126-129 (see bottom of p. 128 and top of p. 129)
Assignment to Roane

Second
Copybook of Special Orders from Thomas Hindman's Command,
01 Jun. - 18 Dec. 1862. p.137
Nitre work

There was an E. W. Parker, QM at Camden, Arkansas too.
A.H. Parker was in the Ordnance Department at Fort Smith, Arkansas when he was assigned.
Hope this helps.

 

[Le'Ebner]

I'll try to add the pages from Hindman's Order Books.
First from
Copybook of Special Orders from Thomas Hindman's Command,
11 Jun. - 19 Aug. 1862, pp. 126-129 (see bottom of p. 128 and top of p. 129)
Assignment to Roane
View attachment 570757View attachment 570758View attachment 570759View attachment 570760
Second
Copybook of Special Orders from Thomas Hindman's Command,
01 Jun. - 18 Dec. 1862. p.137
Nitre work
View attachment 570761
There was an E. W. Parker, QM at Camden, Arkansas too.
A.H. Parker was in the Ordnance Department at Fort Smith, Arkansas when he was assigned.
Hope this helps.

Thank you!! Very very much appreciated