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While searching the on-line catalog for the upcoming Cowan's American History Auction, which occurs on June 24, 2009, Captain Emory Cantey was dismayed when he stumbled upon yet another attack upon our Southern heritage.
Nestled among the scores of items for sale are eight or nine items (lots) that are either images of Samuel "Champ" Ferguson or relics associated with his brutal execution. Mr. Cowan's description of each of these lots began with the phrase "CONFEDERATE TERRORIST Champ Ferguson." Below is an image of Champ Ferguson.
On June 3, 2009, immediately upon viewing this aspersion, Captain Cantey immediately notified his fellow website officers, along with our great friends Nancy Hitt and Scott Morris. Together, we decided that we would all write messages registering our dissatisfaction with the inflammatory and demeaning wording used in these auction listings. We forwarded our objections directly to Mr. Cowan and then encouraged all of our fellow members to do the same. Donald Gilmore, one of our members, recently remarked that the U.S. military definition of "Terrorist" implies that violence was committed by someone to effect a political response. So, by this well-established definition, in no way do the actions or alleged actions ascribed to Ferguson by Cowan's auction conform to any reasonable definition of terrorism. The definition of terrorism is not one that you can apply to people you don't like. That is using it for a propaganda purpose.
To his credit, Mr. Cowan answered most of the responses to his inappropriate wording directly. Moreover, he entered into a candid and frank discussion with Captain Rick Mack, whom he has known for years. After they engaged in numerous discussions via the telephone and e-mail, on 02/11/09 we were all happy to receive the following message from Captain Mack:
"Brothers and Sisters: Please pass this on to the others who need to read this. Our e-mails did eventuate in a small change in Wes Cowan. It opened discussion into General Sherman and others [often associated with terrorism]. Notice in his blog that he only mentions Sherman, and not General Custer, who had his men kill old Indian men, women, children, and toddlers, their legs and their heads smashed on rocks like using them for the head of a hammer! Now that was real terror! In my reply to Wes I will mention the above facts about General Custer. He has sold many Custer related items and not in one instance has he described Custer as a "terrorist." I will not give up, or give in on this chat with Wes."
The end result is this: by simply refusing to sit back and do nothing while the honor and reputation of another Confederate hero was destroyed, we were able to affect another change, albeit a small one. We should be proud of another victory in the never-ending battle against the demonizing or our beloved South. We must realize that all these small victories against propaganda attacks against the South and its people add up. We are making a big difference, despite the fact these changes happen much slower than we might like.
Moreover, this is a great example of teamwork. Captain Emory uncovered the abuse, and our officers and selected friends worked together to coordinated our responses. Next, Rick kept up the pressure by refusing to let the matter die. On behalf of the membership, I want to thank everyone who responded to Mr. Cowan, but especially Captain Rick Mack and Captain Emory Cantey.
There is no doubt that in this example the coordinated, repetitive public response was just what the doctor ordered. On the other hand, just like when David slew Goliath, there are times one individual can overcome obstacles others have found impossible to defeat. In my mind, there is no better example than our own Nancy Hitt.
Nancy is always more than willing to help with any project that will help defend and preserve the honor and memory of our Southern forefathers. She has been an active participant in many of the projects undertaken by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and numerous other organizations, for far longer than she'd like to admit. And I can assure you that Nancy Hitt is ready, willing, and more than able to go it alone if that is what is needed to get the job done.
I'd like to tell you the exact number of Confederate headstones and monuments she has had a hand in placing, but I can't because if she knows the exact number she isn't willing to share it. However I do know besides the numerous rebels she has honored in her home state of Kentucky, she has had stones placed in Missouri, New York, and even foreign lands, including Poland. Likewise, I'd love to share with you all the awards and honors she has won for her efforts in preserving our Confederate heritage. Once I saw a partial list, and it looked like a copy of the 2009 Federal budget. But I can't find it now, and Nancy is far too modest and unassuming to toot her own horn.
That's why we decided to do it for her. We could think of no one who is a better example of someone who has dedicated his or her life to fighting the good fight. That's why during the Quantrill memorial service that occurred on October 25, 2008, we were privileged to present the inaugural quantrillsguerrillas.com "Outstanding Confederate Partisan Award to Nancy Hitt. Below is an image of Nancy holding the awrd.
While Nancy is a shining example of what can be achieved by our members, she is far from the only example. We have had a number of members who shared with us how they placed markers honoring their Confederate ancestors, also. I know of another member who has amassed a collection of nearly 200 images of the headstones of the men who served under Quantrill. Half a dozen of our members have published articles or books about the Missouri Minute Men. A couple of our member have amassed vast collections of relics, artifacts and images of these brave men. These are examples I know of; I'm sure there are other such "victories" that have not been shared with our membership.
One of the main goals of our organization is to enact change whenever and wherever possible, and we trust that the vast majority of our members share this goal. The purpose of this article is to implore everyone who reads this article to stop accepting the status quo and to TAKE ACTION NOW, take up the gauntlet against each and every abuse of our Southern heritage. Remaining quiet only encourages our enemies to accelerate their demonizing propaganda campaign.
The time to hesitate is past; many of those who have previously fought valiantly to lead this grand fight have passed away. The truth is not taught in our schools, in fact, just the opposite is the case; therefore it is up to us to spread the word that will quench the thirst for knowledge in our younger generation about their true heritage. We must not wallow in the mire of inaction or self-doubt. If you know of any abuse of the honor or the memory of our sainted Southern heroes, we implore you to either take action yourself or to bring it to our attention. We promise to assist you in every way possible, and I know that our Confederate ancestors would be pleased by our combined actions.
We thought you might enjoy reading a short synopsis of the life of this Confederate Hero.
For those who may not know, Champ Ferguson, a legendary Confederate partisan ranger and guerrilla fighter, was easily the most notorious among those who fought to control the Upper Cumberland Plateau region along the Tennessee and Kentucky borders.
Born near Albany in Clinton County, Kentucky, Ferguson moved to White County, Tennessee, with his family in the 1850s. According to legend, he made the move after Unionists in Clinton County drove him out of the area and publicly humiliated his wife and daughter. At the outbreak of the Civil War, the Cumberland Plateau was extremely volatile in its divided loyalties. The mountainous terrain that made military control of the area almost impossible also made guerrilla operations the preferred tactics of the belligerent locals, such as Ferguson for the Confederacy and his nemesis David "Tinker Dave" Beatty for the Union. Largely due to the efforts of Ferguson and his men, the area around Sparta in White County where Ferguson lived remained under the control of Confederate partisans until the end of the war.
Shortly after the beginning of the war in 1861, Ferguson gathered a band of armed men and began attacking Union partisans and sympathizers. Though he was considered in official military correspondence a Confederate "Captain" with a "company" of men, he was usually not formally attached to the Confederate Army and conducted his own operations independently. The Confederate Army recognized the usefulness of these partisan ranger bands; Confederate General Edmund Kirby-Smith authorized Ferguson in 1862 to raise a cavalry company for operations around the volatile Kentucky-Tennessee border.
In 1861 and 1862, Ferguson was most associated with Captains Scott Bledsoe and J. W. McHenry, both of whom commanded companies attached to the Confederate Army. In June 1862, Ferguson joined Colonel John Hunt Morgan as a guide during Morgan's first Kentucky raid. Ferguson was nominally under the distant command of Kirby-Smith until August 1864, when he was transferred to General Joseph Wheeler's command, which was harassing Major General William Sherman's march through Georgia and South Carolina. He returned northward to participate in the Battle of Saltville, Virginia, on October 2, 1864, during which he supposedly slaughtered wounded prisoners of war, many of them from the Fifth U.S. Colored Cavalry. One specific murder with which he was later charged was that of a Lieutenant Smith, shot by Ferguson in the Emory & Henry Confederate Hospital after the Saltville battle. For this crime, the Confederate Army jailed Ferguson in February 1865; he was released a few months later.
By war's end, the federal government had branded Ferguson an outlaw. Ferguson and his supporters responded that his actions were within the boundaries of just warfare and self-defense. He surrendered in May 1865, believing that he would be treated according to Confederate surrender agreements and paroled. Upon arriving in Nashville, his co-partisans were released, but he was arrested and tried as a guerrilla. The controversial trial, which took place from July to September 1865, was a sensation among Nashville citizens and newspaper journalists. The defense, led by Judge Jo Conn Guild, maintained that Ferguson was a captain in the Confederate Army and should be paroled as such. The prosecution, led by Judge Advocate A. C. Blackman, claimed that as a guerrilla and outlaw, he acted outside the bounds of the army. Ferguson was charged with fifty-three counts of murder, which rested entirely on the evidence of a long line of eyewitnesses for the prosecution, including Beatty and several of Ferguson's friends and relatives. Most of the witnesses subpoenaed by the defense failed to appear, with the notable exception of General Wheeler, who testified that Ferguson was indeed considered a Confederate officer. The military commission decided that, since Ferguson was not paroled, he was not to be accorded the protection of army status, and the Yankee authorities sentenced him to be hanged.
His execution took place in Nashville on October 20, 1865, with Ferguson's wife and child in attendance. His last wish was to be taken back to his home beside the Calf Killer River in White County, Tennessee, which was granted. His grave now resides in France Cemetery, north of Sparta.
Below is an drawing of the earliest post-surrender War Crimes committed by the Boys In Blue. 
Patrick Marquis 2009 quantrillguerrillas.com
"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image."
On Saturday, May 16, 2009, the Georgia sun was shining. It was a perfect day for straw hats and handkerchiefs. Members of the Georgia Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy conducted a service in Andersonville, Georgia. Their program was entitled Centennial Observance and Re-Dedication of the Captain Henry Wirz Monument.
We trust you'll enjoy this image of the Henry Wirz momument.
The unfortunate Capt. Henry Wirz, a native of Switzerland, had studied medicine in Europe. He volunteered for Confederate service and was deemed unfit for active service after receiving a wound to the arm. Captain Wirz was given command of the ill-fated Andersonville Prison. The victors executed him on November 10, 1865, in Washington.
The UDC program began at 11 a.m. at the foot of the obelisk located in the center of the little village of Andersonville. About 100 folks were in attendance. The site of the former prison is across highway 49 and is maintained by the National Parks Service. Taxpayers have been bled over the past eleven years to bring that propaganda park up to speed.
Mrs. Sybil Willingham who is the UDC Second Vice President spearheaded the memorial. Her speech concerned the history of the creation of the UDC monument.
The Granddame of Andersonville is Peggy Sheppard. She supervised things from her golf cart. Peggy is to be commended for her untiring efforts over many years to educate folks about the real history of the prison and Capt. Henry Wirz. I first met Peggy when she spoke to the Louisville Civil Round Table on the subject of the Andersonville Prison.
Col. Heinrich Wirz, a great grand nephew of Captain Wirz, traveled from Switzerland to be present at this anniversary event. Daniel Schwab is the brother-in-law of Colonel Wirz’s son. Daniel traveled with Colonel Wirz from Switzerland as his aide-de-camp.
Over the years, Mr. and Mrs. James Gaston have graciously hosted Colonel Wirz and others in their home at Americus, Georgia. James is the Past Commander of the Alexander H. Stevens SCV Camp #78 and has worked on the Exoneration Committee.
Cora Lee Wirz was the only American daughter of Capt. Henry Wirz. She married J.S. Perrin and they lived and died in Natchez, Mississippi. Captain Wirz has four great great grandsons living in Louisiana. They are the four Watkins brothers. Robert and Perrin Watkins attended the ceremony and brought their mother and Robert’s wife.
Mr. Ben Willingham, Chief of Staff MOS&B, gave an informative speech about the life of Mr. L. M. Park. It seems that the young Park volunteered for Confederate service in 1864 at the age of fifteen. He became a guard at the prison. Park was in close contact with Captain Wirz after being selected to work as a prison clerk. Following the execution of Captain Wirz in Washington, Park took it upon himself to respond in writing to the vicious attacks published about the character of Captain Wirz. Mr. L. M. Park also served as Chairman of the Advisory Board during the construction of the monument.
Years after the War ended, the ladies of Georgia were sickened by the bigoted signs left on the grounds of the former prison by hateful Yankees. The ladies decided to develop a permanent memorial which would fully explain the dire situation that existed for the Commander of the prison in 1864 when the South was suffering all kinds of shortages.
At the UDC meeting of 1905 in Macon, Mrs. Louis G. Young of Savannah submitted a resolution that a monument be erected to the memory of Henry Wirz in order to vindicate him from the stain of judicial murder under false charges. The resolutions read:
“Whereas, Captain Henry Wirz, Commandant of the Stockade Prison at Andersonville, Ga., was judicially murdered under false charges of cruelty to prisoners; and Whereas, After an interval of forty years these false charges are reiterated on sign boards in public places, from the pulpit and on monuments; Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Georgia use their influence to obtain the necessary funds to place a suitable memorial to Captain Wirz in Andersonville, Ga., upon which a statement of facts shall be engraved in enduring brass or marble, showing that the Federal Government was solely responsible for the condition of affairs at Andersonville.
Be it further resolved, That as four Federal prisoners were permitted to go from Andersonville to Washington to plead for an exchange of prisoners, and when refused a hearing returned to prison, thus keeping their parole, a tribute to their honor, be inscribed on said monument.”
The UDC members were able to agree upon a location and the design for the monument, but they had to fight against much northern bigotry. The monument dedication was held on May 12, 1909. Capt. Henry Wirz’s daughter, Cora Lee Wirz Perrin, and his granddaughter, Mary Gladys Perrin were both present. Mary Gladys did the unveiling.
At the Centennial Observance there was a lady dressed in a long white 19th century style dress similar to the one her own grandmother was photographed wearing at the original dedication. At the conclusion of the observance, both Col. Heinrich Wirz and Mr. Ben Willingham each were presented with the Jefferson Davis UDC Medal.
Peggy Sheppard had penned a poem entitled Ode to C.S.A. Captain Henry Wirz. This is the first stanza: “Oh, Henry Wirz was damned, But Henry Wirz was a man. Could have saved his life with a lie But he walked to the gallows with his head held high.”
Captain Wirz undoubtedly could have preserved his own life if he had accepted the proffered Yankee bribe and lied in order to implicate President Jefferson Davis in the Lincoln assassination. He died because he would not lie. The memory of honorable Capt. Henry Wirz will be preserved forever in our Valhalla of Southern Patriots.
Below is an image of Captain Henry Eirz.
Nancy Hitt – 2009 hunleyhitt@earthlink.net 2009 quantrillguerrillas.com
"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image."
For those who may not know it, here is the story of Captain Henry Wirz C.S.A.
Henry Wirz was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1822. After graduating from the University of Zurich he obtained medical degrees from Paris and Berlin. Wirz emigrated to the United States in 1849 and established a medical practice in Kentucky. After marrying he moved to Louisiana.
On the outbreak of the War Between The States. Wirz joined the Confederacy. Serving as a sergeant in the Louisiana Volunteers, Wirz was badly wounded at the battle at Fair Oaks (May, 1862) and lost the use of his right arm. Unable to continue in active service, Wirz became a clerk at Libby Prison in Richmond. His commanding officer, Brigadier General John Henry Winder, was impressed by Wirz and he was soon promoted to the rank of major.
Wirz spoke fluent English, German and Dutch, and on the advice of General John Henry Winder Confederate President Jefferson Davis decided to send him on a secret mission to England and France.
When Wirz returned to America he rejoined General John Henry Winder, who was now in charge of all Union prisoners east of the Mississippi. During the summer of 1863 an agreement under which Union and Confederate captives were exchanged came to an end. There was now a rapid increase in the number of prisoners and so it was decided to build Andersonville Prisonin Georgia. In April, 1864 Winder appointed Wirz as commandant of this new prison camp.
By August, 1864, there were 32,000 Yankee prisoners in Andersonville. The Confederate authorities did not provide enough food for the prison and men began to die of starvation. The water became polluted and disease was a constant problem. Of the 49,485 prisoners who entered the camp, nearly 13,000 died from disease and malnutrition.
When the union arrived in Andersonville in May, 1865, photographs of the prisoners were taken. The the following month they appeared as drawings in Harper's Weekly. The photographs caused considerable anger and calls were made for the people responsible to be punished for these crimes. It was eventually decided to charge General Robert E Lee, James Seddon, the Secretary of War, and several other Confederate generals and politicians with "conspiring to injure the health and destroy the lives of United States soldiers held as prisoners by the Confederate States".
In August, 1865 President Andrew Johnson ordered that the charges against the Confederate generals and politicians should be dropped. However, he did give his approval for Wirz to be charged with "wanton cruelty". Wirz appeared before a military commission headed by Major General Lew Wallace on 21st August, 1865. During the trial a letter from Wirz was presented that showed that he had complained to his superiors about the shortage of food being provided for the prisoners. However, former inmates at Andersonville testified that Wirz inspected the prison every day and often warned that if any man escaped he would "starve every damn Yankee for it." When Wirz fell ill during the trial Wallace forced to attend and was brought into court on a stretcher.
Wirz was found guilty on 6th November and sentenced to death. He was taken to Washington DC to be executed in the same yard where those involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln had died. Alexander Gardner, was invited to record the gala event.
The execution took place on the 10th November. The gallows were surrounded by Union soldiers who throughout the procedure chanted "Wirz, remember, Andersonville." Accompanied by a Catholic priest, Wirz refused to make a last minute confession, claiming he was not guilty of committing any crime.
Major Russell read the death warrant and then told Wirz he "deplored this duty."Wirz replied that: "I know what orders are, Major. And I am being hanged for obeying them."
After a black hood was placed over his head, and the noose adjusted, a spring was touched and the trap door opened. However, the drop failed to break his neck and it took him two minutes to die. During this time the soldiers continued to chant: "Wirz, remember, Andersonville."
This story was forwarded by our good friend Scott Morris. Please take the time to read about yet another atrocity inflicted upon our valiant Southern heroes. Congratulations and kudos to Dennis Ranney and all the members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp No. 1535, and apologies to the families of these brave men.
Patrick Marquis
Confederate soldier gets his peace
Tuesday, May 26, 2009 3:06 AM
By Meredith Heagney
THE COLUMBUS (OHIO) DISPATCH
Bland was a Confederate soldier whose body was stolen hours after it was buried at Camp Chase Cemetery on Nov. 24, 1864, said his
great-great-granddaughter, Ann Hartman of Griffin, Ga.
Hartman was at the Hilltop cemetery yesterday to accept a memorial stone in Bland's honor.
It was part of a Memorial Day service hosted by the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp No. 1535. They sang Dixie and sprinkled Southern soil on the cemetery ground.
The bodies of more than 2,000 Confederate prisoners of war are buried in the cemetery.
The stone was the idea of Dennis Ranney, a member of the Sons group and an amateur historian who has researched the grave-robbing incident for five years.
Hartman said she has spent 30 years trying to piece together her family history, but Bland's story always proved perplexing.
Here's what she and Ranney have figured out about what happened to him:
Bland was captured during the Battle of Atlanta in July 1864 and taken
to Camp Chase, where he died Nov. 24. He would've been about 40 years
old.
His body was at rest for just a few hours in grave No. 513, just steps
from Sullivant Avenue.
A team of three grave robbers, led by Columbus Dr. Joab Flowers, stole six bodies with the intention of selling them to a Cleveland medical school for dissection and research. Flowers would have received $20 for each body, Ranney said.
The bodies were to have been transported by train, but it's unclear howfar they got because the three robbers were arrested two days later.
Even now, no one knows what happened to the bodies.
Jincy, Bland's wife, waited on the porch after the war ended for a
homecoming that would never be, Hartman said.
Hartman is grateful that she could provide that reunion, no matter how
belatedly, even with the disappearance of Bland's body still unsolved.
"We can't take him home, but we can honor him," she said.
After all, Jincy waited a long time.
Columbus Dispatch point of contact: mheagney@dispatch.com
The officers of quantrillsguerrillas.com are proud to present for the month of June the introduction of another Missouri hero, Henry B. Clements, who fought against the oppression of a foreign invader intent on destroying a way of life.
As with many guerrillas in William Clarke Quantrill’s company only a handful are immediately well known and recognized for their conspicuous bravery and noteworthy accomplishments during and after the war. Scores of men who rode with Quantrill were related either directly by blood or indirectly by marriage.
Many groups of brothers rode with Quantrill and mostly are mentioned together if all were equally ranked or equally noteworthy. Such groups of guerrilla brothers are recognized easily when mentioned: the Berry brothers, the Hall brothers, the McCorkle brothers, the Scholl brothers, the Hudspeths, the Koger brothers, and the Maupin brothers just to name a few. In other cases when two or more brothers rode with Quantrill it was often that only one, either the eldest or the one holding the highest rank that was mentioned in reports of the skirmishes and engagements during the Border Wars.
Research has found that in most instances even if not mentioned by name it can be assumed that brothers were in the same engagements together unless they specifically were not mentioned as noted in accounts that would list all known names of participants in a skirmish or raid. Such is the case with the guerrillas who were the oldest male siblings like William Gregg and his younger brother Jacob Franklin Gregg. Others include Tuck and Woot Hill and their younger brother Tom; Joseph C. Lea and his younger brother Frank; Clark Hockensmith and his younger brother Henry; Bill Anderson and his younger brother Jim; and even Cole Younger and his younger brother James, seldom mentioned until he gained notoriety after the war years.
A good example of one of these relationships was brothers Archie and Henry Clements. While Archie gained notoriety as Bloody Bill Anderson’s second in command eventually rising to take over Anderson ’s position as captain of the company at Anderson ’s death little is known about his elder brother Henry. Whereas Archie Clements is described as a small man with blond hair and blue eyes, standing just over five feet tall, weighing about 130 pounds, there is no description given for his brother Henry.
We hope you'll enjoy this image of Little Archie Clements and Frank James. Thanks to Captain Emory Cantey for sharing this rare image with us. 
Henry B. Clements was born in Kentucky on December 22, 1822. His brother Archie was born in 1846. Some accounts state that Henry was two years younger than Archie but until more time for research is allowed the cemetery records show the former date of birth for Henry as being accurate. Henry’s parents were originally from North Carolina before moving the family to Moniteau County , Missouri on January 1, 1846. The Clements then moved to Johnson County , Missouri in 1853 later moving to Cass County , Missouri living near Kingsville in 1861.
During Kansas Jayhawker raids into Missouri boys like 13-year-old John Fox and 11-year-old Theodore Blythe were cruelly torn from their mother’s arms and mercilessly shot down in cold blood simply for having an older brother that was either in the regular Confederate army or who was riding with Quantrill. Boys as young as ten years old were reported murdered by the Jayhawkers.
It might seem strange for young boys barely in their teens to join the ranks of such a hard riding and desperate outfit as Quantrill’s guerrillas but it should be noted as amazing that there were several guerrillas as young as 12 years old riding in Quantrill’s ranks. Is it any wonder then that 12 year olds like James Millikin and Dick Liddel left home and family to join Quantrill? They really had no choice. Guerrilla William Gaugh tried to join General Price in the Missouri State Guards early in the war when the old general told him, “As much as I need men I can’t take a boy of sixteen away from his parents.” Gaugh then joined Quantrill.
With Jayhawkers murdering young boys like Fox and Blythe, it is not surprising that Henry Clements would have followed his brother into Quantrill’s command. Henry and Archie like so many other guerrillas riding with Quantrill shared a common tragedy early in the war. Accounts about Archie and Henry say that Federals killed their younger brother and another Federal soldier burned down their mother’s home but no record shows a younger brother of Archie and Henry Clements. What is interesting to note is that Henry’s son, Robert S. Clements born August 18, 1849 died on August 1, 1861. He was just 12 years old. What has probably been mistakenly reported as Archie and Henry’s younger brother being killed by Federals was in fact Archie’s nephew and Henry’s youngest son. Fighting in Bill Anderson’s company Archie Clements fought back by killing fifty-four Federals. Henry was probably fighting at his brother’s side trying desperately to equal his brother’s record.
Next is a very rare image of Henry B. Clements, perhaps the only known image of him in existence. Thanks to Captain Emory Cantey for sharing this rare image with us.
Another fascinating aspect of the struggles along the Missouri-Kansas border is that since the Confederate government did not supply their partisan ranger units with uniforms they wore the Yankee blue uniform taken from a Northern soldier either killed or captured in battle. As noted in the accompanying photograph, Henry B. Clements is wearing the standard nine button Yankee frock coat of a private. It was expeditious if a Yankee soldier’s uniform could be acquired equal in rank that the guerrilla was holding when operating in Quantrill’s command.
Not knowing how many skirmishes Henry B. Clements actually took part in, he was officially credited with fighting in the Lawrence raid, Baxter Springs, Fayette and Centralia. If Henry did indeed fight beside his brother in other battles and skirmishes besides these then he no doubt participated in some of the heaviest fighting along the border. Henry was married to Frances J. Clements who preceded him in death in 1896. They had four sons and one daughter. Henry died on May 22, 1900 and was originally buried in the family cemetery near Lake City. When the family plot was displaced for construction of the Lake City Arsenal the bodies of Henry and his family were reinterred to Mount Washington Cemetery , in Independence, Missouri in 1930. An inscription on the family obelisk simply states, “Please put your trust in Jesus.” Desperate fighters in the war, but God-fearing upright citizens when given the chance to live in peace. 
Article and gravestone photo submitted by Paul R. Petersen – author of Quantrill of Missouri and Quantrill in Texas .
Photo of Henry B. Clements - courtesy of Emory Cantey of Our Turn Antiques.
Project Gutenberg has made "The Story of Cole Younger, by Himself" free to the public and available in various forms at that web address.
I downloaded the PDF format because the photos come through.
Hope you will read and enjoy this book, which I thought I'd never get a chance to read.
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24585
Editors Note: Thanks for posting this message. I have always enjoyed this book, even though Cole "Guilds the Lilly" quite a bit. Please bear in mind he was on probation, therefore he had to be very careful not to incriminate himself, otherwise he might end up back in jail.
Patrick Marquis
We are delighted to offer again a look into the personalities of those daring young men that rode into history with William Clarke Quantrill. The guerrillas that won fame by belonging to the most noted light cavalry organization of the entire Civil War will be featured monthly in our pages of quantrillsguerrillas.com. This month we feature two brothers, Joseph C. and Frank H. Lea.
Joseph C. Lea and his younger brother Frank were two of the sons of Dr. Pleasant Lea for whom the town of Lee’s Summit, Missouri was named. Dr. Lea was the town’s physician. Dr. Lea was described a being one of Quantrill’s closest friends. The doctor’s sons and nephews were serving in Price’s army, but the doctor took no part in the conflict himself. Fifty-five-year old Dr. Pleasant Lea had moved to southeastern Jackson County in 1852 and built a home on 800 acres said to be the finest home in the neighborhood on the outskirts of Strother, along the Independence to Harrisonville road along the east fork of the Little Blue River. Strother was the early name for Lee’s Summit.
Jayhawkers had already made incursions into Jackson County attacking Southern sympathizers and anyone wealthy enough to supply plunder for their greed. One of their early attacks completely destroyed the property of one Henry Washington Younger stealing everything they could carry back to Kansas. Jayhawkers under the command of Colonel William Penick and Charles Jennison and their henchmen Marshall Cleveland and John Stewart stole every one of Younger’s thoroughbred horses and fine mules. The Youngers were neighbors of Dr. Pleasant Lea and atrocious acts such as these caused many a young man to join the Southern army. After their initial enlistment in the Missouri State Guards expired many of these young men returned home and joined Quantrill for protection and to avenge their families that had been so abused by Jayhawkers during their absence.
Below is an image of Dr. Pleasant Lea.
One day a messenger arrived at the home of Dr. Lea with the information that his son, Joseph, who had been known to be riding with Quantrill, was injured and awaiting medical aid at the Bayles home on the other side of town. As Lea was on his way to see his son some Federal soldiers stationed in Independence under the command of Colonel Penick stopped him along the road. After breaking both his arms trying to get information about the guerrillas they tied him to a tree stabbing him to death with their bayonets then shooting into his body. His home and thirteen others were burned that same day. Neighbors all recalled that “the soldiers took the doctor to his yard and executed him in front of his family. On the same raid the Federals killed an elderly farmer and burned fourteen houses in the area.”
Acts such as these caused both Joseph and Frank Lea to become some of Quantrill’s best fighters. Captain Joseph C. Lea was born in Tennessee in 1841, and described as one of Quantrill’s good friends. Frank H. Lea was born on July 18, 1843. Frank served under his brother as a lieutenant in Quantrill’s company. Both brothers initially joined the Missouri State Guard before returning home and joining Quantrill’s command.
Neighbors reported that the brothers joined Quantrill when Federal soldiers from Iowa under the command of General Thomas Ewing and Colonel William Penick stationed in Independence rode to the home of J. N. Hargis south of Independence hunting for guerrillas. There they found Washington Wells and Dr. Pleasant Lea, father of Captain Lea who had gone to get a newspaper seeking news of his son’s safety. He was shot, had both of his arms broken in an attempt to get him to tell the whereabouts of Quantrill and his men. When he refused he was tied to a tree and bayoneted. The Federals then rode to the doctor’s large colonial home and burned it down along with fourteen others the same day. Before applying the torch the Federals stole Lea’s furniture and shot his only remaining slave. Joseph and Frank had three other brothers who joined the Confederate army.
Joseph Lea was described as a “fearless young man who had experienced many close calls in the Border Wars. He was powerful, over six feet tall and with a ‘wild, dashing air that always distinguished him in any campaign’.”
Next is an image of Joseph C. Lea.
One noteworthy operation that Joseph and Frank Lea took part in took place in Cass County in conjunction with Captain Cole Younger’s company of guerrillas. Younger made his camp on the East Fork of the Little Blue River just south of Independence at the home of his cousins George and Tom Tally. Here he kept up a constant assault on the Federals who were daily abusing the Southern sympathizers living nearby. On one occasion he returned to his old neighborhood in Cass County planning an attack on Pleasant Hill, garrisoned by a unit of 300 Federals. The outpost was too strong for the guerrillas to attack even with their entire force. In conjunction with the guerrilla unit led by Captain Joseph Lea, Younger urged an alternate plan to ambush a Federal patrol outside of town. Guerrilla’s William Hulse and Noah Webster were kept watching the post keeping track of the number and size of the patrols that were sent out at regular intervals. Soon a Union patrol of thirty-two cavalrymen led by a Lieutenant Jefferson was discovered not far from town. Younger instructed Lea to take a squad of men and act as a blocking force to prevent Jefferson from returning to the post while he would follow from behind and bring on an engagement. As Jefferson returned to the post he discovered Lea’s men to his front. Jefferson attempted to arrange a quick skirmish line. At the same time Younger ordered an immediate charge upon their rear but instead of fighting the Federal line broke and ran. During the running battle Noah Webster killed four Federals. His weapons were empty but still he dashed after the fleeing soldiers knocking them from their saddles by clubbing them with his empty pistols. William Hulse, fifty yards behind Lieutenant Jefferson, managed to shoot him from the saddle. After the news of the guerrilla’s victory reached Pleasant Hill the Federals quickly evacuated the town.
Joseph C. Lea and his brother both fought in the Lawrence raid with Joseph being listed as wounded. During the winter of 1862 Quantrill’s officers like Cole Younger, Joseph C. Lea and Dick Yeager remained in Jackson County each with a small detachment of men while awaiting Quantrill’s return in the spring.
As soon as Quantrill returned he gathered his separate forces together along Big Creek in Cass County reorganizing his command and assigning them to separate companies under trustworthy officers that could better strike back at the Federal menace. One company was under the leadership of Capt. John Jarrette. He restructured his company by electing brother-in-law Coleman Younger to be first lieutenant as his second in command. Joseph C. Lea was chosen as second lieutenant. Lon Railey was elected third lieutenant, and John Webster was elected orderly sergeant. Joseph C. Lea is credited with having served in the Red River campaign, by now being promoted to captain and undoubtedly his brother served alongside of him as mentioned before being one of his lieutenants. The bonds of comradeship which the trials of combat had forged also kept the two brother’s careers intertwined after the war. Following the Civil War both brothers moved to New Mexico to start a new life. Joseph C. Lea entered the cattle business in Roswell, New Mexico eventually becoming the superintendent of the New Mexico Military Academy. Joseph is said to have attended the Quantrill reunions held annually in Jackson County. He died in 1904. After the war Frank H. Lea was a Justice of the Peace in Roswell, New Mexico. He died on February 10, 1905.
We hope you enjoy this image of Frank H Lea.
References for this article:
Paul R. Petersen - Quantrill of Missouri, Cumberland House Publishing,
Harrison Trow - Charles W. Quantrell; A True History of his Guerrilla Warfare on the Missouri and Kansas Border During the Civil War of 1861-1865,
Elvis E. Fleming, Captain Joseph C. Lea – From Confederate Guerrilla to New Mexico Patriarch,
© Paul R Petersen– 2009 quantrillguerrillas.com
"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image."
Historian and Author Paul R. Petersen is making his two books, Quantrill of Missouri and Quantrill in Texas available for the first time for members and visitors to the quantrillsguerrillas.com website. You can get a personal copy signed by Mr. Petersen for only $21.00 per book which includes shipping and handling. Or you can save money by ordering both books for only $39.00 including shipping and handling. These books normally sell for $24.95 and $26.95.
Hurry to get these first two books in the Quantrill trilogy while the limited supply lasts.
Make a check or money order payable to: Paul R. Petersen
11411 East 78th Street
Raytown, Missouri 64138-2424
Please indicate with your check how you would like your personal copies signed.
Allow 10-14 days for delivery or include an additional $5.00 for priority mailing.
Quantrill of Missouri
by Paul Petersen (Hardcover)
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
Pub. Date: 11/15/2003
ISBN-13: 9781581823592
480p
Quantrill in Texas
by Paul Petersen (Hardcover)
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
Pub. Date: 06/28/2007
ISBN-13: 9781581825824
288p
Below is the keynote address given on Confederate Memorial Day April 26, 2009 at Woodlawn Cemetery, Independence, Missouri.
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen:
I'm pleased to be here today to say a few words to you about the Confederate Memorial Day, which, as you know, falls on different days than the ordinary Memorial Day ceremonies observed by people we sometimes refer to as "Northerners" or "Yankees." You know, also, that there is a debate about who started Memorial Day, and Southerners have a right to claim the observance for themselves. But Memorial Day arose in a lot of different places, at about the same time, almost spontaneously. Commemorating that day was a deeply felt, emotional response by the people of this country to one of the bloodiest, cruelest, and costliest wars on record.
Most histories portray the war by the North against the South as a righteous struggle against slavery. But most of you here know that slavery, at the outbreak of the Civil War, was only a side issue. The main issue of that war was that the South did not want to be part of a government and nation dominated in the North by abolitionist fanatics and what they considered selfish power mongers, and they believed that the Constitution and the original agreements signed at the forming of our nation and agreed upon by representatives of the various American colonies did not preclude the South from exiting the United States if its interests were violated and forming its own nation.
A struggle ensued in which more than 600,000 Americans were killed, either in battle or through disease or other deadly conditions. Thus, in the Civil War more men were killed than in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War combined-and almost as many deaths as in all the wars this country ever fought.
But it was much worse than it appears. What is not emphasized, usually, is that the population of the United States today is ten times larger than it was in 1861-303 million to 30 million. Thus, the war was simply a horrendous blood bath in a country much, much smaller then than now. What is more, the North was considerably industrialized, which gave it a tremendous advantage over the South, which was largely agrarian. Moreover, the population of whites in the north was three times that in the South. So the Southerners fought a fight outnumbered 3 to 1 in manpower. Yet in the great early battles, the South defeated the Northern armies repeatedly until the North's numbers of men and resources eventually wore away at the South's strength, and it was finally defeated by a "total war" philosophy of fighting, where the South's industrial capacity was attacked, its homes and farms and businesses were burned, and a head-to-head bloody attrition war finally became Grant's vaunted legacy, a type of war that always reflects impoverished tactics. Ultimately, the two armies just lined up and blazed and pounded away at each other. It was an unimaginative type of war by the North, but it worked-necessarily. But the cost of the war, in deaths and injuries on both sides, was just awful, horrifying. It was Lincoln's desperate means of obtaining victory at any cost. The Civil War was won by the North at the price of gigantic mounds of dead, precious soldiers, Northern and Southern ones.
The North won the shooting war, occupied the South, installed black legislatures in many of the state governments, and forbid Southern men to vote, disenfranchised nearly all of them. Finally, in self-defense, the Southerners banded together and slowly ejected the carpetbaggers out of the South and took control of their area again. I'd call this the Second Civil War, and the North didn't win it, either. It's not mentioned in Northern histories in these unflattering terms, but that's the way it was.
Today, the North still attempts to dominate the South. It does so through its TV media outlets, movies, musical compositions, and though the educational system of the South, which is dominated, I can guarantee you, by liberal professors in the major universities. Through using the educational system to indoctrinate Southern children and college adults, the North has made major inroads into the South and its distinctive culture. When I published my book, Civil War on the Missouri-Kansas Border, I called a large number of bookstores in the South promoting my book. Out of scores of phone calls I made, only one or two people answered the phones with a Southern accent.
But the Southern way of thinking still remains alive. And meanwhile, no one knows what the future holds for this continuing struggle for the hearts and minds of Southern people. Currently, the central government of the United States is manifesting mismanagement of the most severe kind. It has been running up the national debt to astronomical levels, while at the same time inventing new and extremely expensive spending programs, one after the other, with more planned for the near future. The Chinese, at present, hold at least 2 trillion dollars in Treasury bills printed by our central government, and Japan holds nearly the same amount. Other countries hold their share of our T-bills, also. In all we owe others between 10-12 trillion dollars, and with the Federal government's current spending, the U.S. Treasury is certain to be printing more and more money in huge quantities that will create inflation, another form of taxation if your salary doesn't keep up with it.
So, it's not inconceivable that this country, some day will separate, again, into several parts, just as did Soviet Russia only a few years ago, through mismanagement, which split their country into various pieces. Today, like the South before the Civil War, we face a central government that is TOO BIG FOR OUR BRITCHES. This should give us a better appreciation for how the South felt about its national government from the late 1850s through the Civil War years and beyond.
We are here today to honor the men who fought for the Confederacy against a central government that held aims they could not agree with and that they were not going to abide by. They gave their full devotion to their native area-Missouri and the Southern parts of the United States-against an encroaching Northern government newly ruled by ruthless and fanatical abolitionists. We experienced these fanatics in Missouri, where they banished nearly all of our people in the area where we live, stole their grain and livestock, burned their houses and barns, killed their sons, and imprisoned some of their daughters.
A number of these sons are buried in this cemetery. I saw guerrilla Lieutenant George Todd's gravestone immediately beside one of the roads leading into this cemetery. He died fighting against Union troops within a few miles of where his body now lies. He died for a noble cause and has been maligned ever since in Yankee histories of our area. He has been called a thief, a demon, and the wildest charges that devious Yankee minds could conjure. But he is here as is many of his Confederate brothers. And we are here today, also, to show our respect to him and all the other young and older men who fought in the regular Southern Army and in the guerrilla contingents of William Clarke Quantrill.
Today, we are here to show our respect to all these Southern men who put their lives at stake to protect the values they held to be noble and worthy. Their sacrifice was not in vain. We respect and revere each and every one of them. They exhibited that fierce determination that Southern fighting men have always been noted for. At the outset of the Civil War, during the First Battle of Manassas (called First Bull Run in the North), young ladies and their swains drove out from Washington to see the Union Army crush the Confederate Army. Before the day was through, though, a huge throng of fleeing people, the young ladies included, glutted the roads running to Washington, clogging up the avenues of escape needed by the panicked Yankee soldiers escaping the wrath and might of the Confederate Army. The South eventually lost the Civil War. But it never lost its honor in that struggle. As the Southern men who fought and died in the Civil War knew: honor is sometimes worth more than one's life. We, in turn, honor these men in our hearts and demonstrate for them today that we appreciate their sacrifice. Some of us have laid flowers and other tokens of our love and respect on their graves as small remembrances of their sacrifices. They were great men, every one of them.
© Donald L. Gilmore quantrillsguerrillas.com 2009
Special thanks to Don Gilmore for allwoing us to publish this article.
"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image."
The Confederate memorial inside Woodlawn cemetery, is one of the earliest dedicated. Below is a rare image of the dedication in 1924. Thanks to member Patrick Marquis for sharing this interesting image
As a public service we publish notice of upcoming border war related events.
Members if you have information about upcoming events you would like to share with the public, please contact the website administrator via a private message.
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On Saturday, May 16th there will be a 100th anniversary ceremony for the UDC monument to honor Captain Henry Wirz. This event is to be held at 11 a.m. in the little town of Andersonville, Georgia. Colonel Henrich Wirz of Switzerland is to attend.
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June 12-14 - Humboldt, Kansas - Humboldt’s Civil War Days. No admission fee. Food vendors, sutlers, authors, carriage rides will charge. Opening activity Friday evening June 12, 7 p.m. in beautiful Mount Hope Cemetery, just north of Humboldt, Kansas. Reenactment of a February 24, 1862, letter from a 7th Kansas Cavalry Jayhawker to his wife in Michigan. Saturday, June 13 activities begin at 10 am. Don Gilmore will be speaking and signing books. Food vendors, settlers, authors, carriage rides, children’s activities. Period Dance with live authentic band 7-10 p.m. Visitors are welcome to observe.
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Civil War History Festival Waverly, MO June 27 & 28, 2009
Since General Jo Shelby CSA called Waverly Home for many years, three years ago we started having Waverly Civil War History Days. During this time we have re-enacted his wedding and attempted to re-enact the capture of the Steamboad "Sunshine". This year we are dedicating General Joseph O. Shelby's Park and Life sized statue of him on his horse.
So far 24 members of the Shelby Family registered for the lunch and reunion.
John Hinz Chairman of the Board
Please visit waverlyarts.org. for more information. If you have any questions, please contact Jim at: jandjhinz@yahoo.com
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Scheduled Events
Saturday June 27, 2009
7:00 A.M. Breakfast at Firehouse
9:30 A.M. Parade led by the Tieman Blackburn American Legion Post # 478, with Military Units and towns people. From the Library to Shelby Park.
9:15 A.M. Muster at Shelby Park. Present and explain Missouri Confederate Flags.
10:00 A.M. Recruitment of Army of 1,000 men at Waverly Methodist Church
10:30 A.M. Special Post Card Collection at Thomas Hall shown by John Lynn
11:00 A.M. Drill by all re-enactors, at Battle Field
Wagon Tours
12:00 Noon Lunch at Food Booths
Shelby Family Reunion at Thomas Hall
12:30 P.M. Main Street Music by SHEL Sponsored by Grand Pass United Church of Christ
1:30 P.M. Civil War Art Show, Andy Thomas 1854 Presbyterian Church
2:00 P.M. Wagon Tours
3:00 P.M. Dedication of Statue and Park to Honor our hometown hero General Joseph Orville Shelby
4:30 P.M. Shelby History "A Shelby Time Line" by Mark Alley
5:00 P.M. Entertainment on Main Street: The Bargfrede Family, Jerry & Gloria Dieckhoff
6:00 P.M. Supper time at the Food Booths
6:30 P.M. Dancing on Main Street–Music by Doctor "D"
7:30 P.M. Riverfront Talent Show
9:30 P.M. Cannon firing over river and Fireworks Display
10:30 P.M. Taps
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Sunday, June 28, 2009 Schedule
7:00 A.M. Revelry
Breakfast at the Fire House
9:00 A.M. Outdoor Church Service at the 1854 Presbyterian Church
Rev. Biil Koch, Pastor
Music Assembly of God Church
10:00 A.M. Special: Skits of "Order No. 11"
10:30 A.M. Music on Main Street
Assembly of God Church
11:00 A.M. Final Wagon Tour
General Jo Shelby’s Iron Brigade
Muster – Thomas Hall
12:00 Noon – Eat and Rest
1:00 P.M. Final Battle at Battle Field
2:00 P.M. Break Camp
We hope that you will have a great time and enjoy the entertainment and food.
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On Saturday, July 25th, there will be a William Quantrill memorial at his birthplace at 1 p.m. He was born in Dover, Ohio. The contact for this event is Jesse Ward at (330) 767-0070. We need to support our northerner Southerners! They are in enemy territory with limited forces.
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