Diaries and Letters

Many of the soldiers who fought in Ripley County, whether from the area or other states, kept diaries or wrote letters back home about their experiences.  Many of these have been located and preserved for future generations. 

 The following documents provide first person information that relates to the Civil War in Ripley County.

Samuel M.K. Stafford was with the 16th Independent Battery, Ohio Light Artillery wrote a letter back home on April 2, 1862 from Camp at Doniphan.

Camp at Doniphan, Ripley Co. Mo. Wednesday morning. April 2nd 1862 Dear Friends I wrote to you last Thursday (this is the fifth, since I left home) and, having a little time to spare this morning I'll continue my story. On Friday, Gen. Steele arrived. Saturday I spent most of the day sewing the chevrons on my jacket, washing myself and clothes. In the evening the Capt. rec'd an order from Gen. Steele placing the 16th Ohio Battery in the 1st Brigade, with the 21st and 38th Ill. infantry and the 6th Ill. cavalry.

Sunday afternoon I went over to the camp of the 11th Wis. to hear a sermon from their chaplain. He is an Episcopalian and used the Episcopal church service. I think it very poorly adapted to the wants of an army. He is not at all popular in the reg't and not much over one tenth of the men were present listening to the discourse. In the evening a rumor came to camp that Island No. 10 and Memphis were both in the hands of the federal troops, but we don't know yet whether it is true or not. Hope it is so. We had hardly got through talking about the victory and rejoicing over it when the long roll and loud cheering in the camp of the 28th called our attention, and shortly after, the Capt. rec'd orders to march early in the morning with four days' rations - destination unknown. Monday morning the 1st Brigade, (Col. W. P. Carlin comdg.) of Steele's division formed in the following order: the 6th Ill. cavalry. baggage trains, rear guard of cavalry. A while before noon the carriage of one of our pieces became disabled by the breaking of an axle. Our artificers repaired it in less than two hours, and though we had to fall in the rear we got to the camping ground (which was a stubble field at Little Black River) in good time, having marched eighteen miles. The road south of Big Black River has been much better than it was between there and Pilot Knob. Yesterday morning we were on the road again at quite an early hour (7 o'cl.) having a march of twenty-two miles to make. The order of march was the same as the morning before, except that the 21st and 38th changed places. We moved along briskly without anything of interest occurring until about two o'clock, when two of the cavalrymen came dashing back along the column announcing that the cavalry had driven in the enemy's pickets, and were skirmishing with them, but did not know their number, which was variously estimated at from five to fifteen hundred. The artillery and infantry were ordered forward as rapidly as possible. We were then about five miles from Doniphan, which is situated on the Current River. The infantry started on quick time, part of the time on double quick, and the artillery went on a fast trot wherever the road was practicable. As the caisson on which I ride was going down a hill on a trot, the near wheel of the limber struck a stump which threw it up very suddenly with a great shock, and threw Myron Love (of Enon) from the limber chest to the ground in front of the wheel which passed over his thighs and then the caisson wheel followed immediately after passing over his body at the lower part of the abdomen. The drivers saw it but could not stop soon enough. I sprang from the caisson chest and ran to him supposing him instantly killed. There were five of us on the chests at the scene of the accident. Blankets were placed at the roadside and the poor fellow placed on them and given some water. Just then, some of the infantry came up and we got one of them to go back and hurry up the surgeon and an ambulance. Then part of us hurried on with the caisson. We got into Doniphan a little after three o'clock, but the seceshers had fled after a sharp skirmish with the Ill. cavalry. There was not more than one hundred and twenty-five of them. None of our men were wounded, and the injury on the other side is not known, though a few were wounded and one believed to be killed. Nine or ten prisoners were taken and some property consisting of a few horses, guns, hams, corn meal, &c.&c. Last night they took possession of a mill near here containing a large quantity of wheat, which we'll probably get a share of, as I heard today that they (the authorities) had it running already in the federal service. The four rebels here are believed to have gone to Pocahontas. I expect we'll stay here a day or two till the 2nd & 3rd Brigades come up, and then follow the renegade cavalry till we can have a chance to fight them. When the division all comes up we think we'll have a force strong enough to meet anything in this part of the country. We are encamped between the town and river. The ambulance brought in Myron Love last evening. He does not seem to be so badly injured as we first supposed, and there is now hopes that he will recover. It is strange how he escaped instant death, for the weight is very great, and to that must be added the momentum resulting from rapid motion. I think that what saved him was his being on the upper side of the hill, and the weight was thrown over on the other wheels. He is a very estimable young man, very steady in his habits and moral in conduct. Last night Jack Forgy and I were on guard. Jack relieved the guard the first part of the night, and I the latter part. When he wakened me a little after 1 o'cl. the rain was pouring down in torrents, the flashes of lightning were vivid and frequent, and the wind was blowing a pretty stiff gale; in short a regular rain-storm. By the time I got dressed one of the sentinels came to the tent door and told me the dead timber, to which our picket rope was fastened, was falling, and wanting me to come with the lantern and see if any of the horses were killed. The lantern had just been loaned to a fellow in another tent to enable him to give some medicine to a sick comrade, and I blundered out to get it. It was so dark that nothing could be seen at first, but soon a flash of lightning came and I saw that nearly half the tents in camp had been blown down and the rain was drenching things generally. I got the lantern and struck out with the sentinel (said sentinel being Billy Lorton). The first fellow we came to had had his hat blown clear away and was vainly trying to hold an umbrella, that he had confiscated in the town in the afternoon, over his "defenseless head." The scene was rather pitiful but had an air of the ludicrous. He plead hard to be relieved, and I told him to go to his quarters. We then went on to the horses and found two of the trees to which the picket rope was tied had blown down and two or three others near by had the tops blown off, but strange to say, not a horse was hurt. A German named Millar was still on his beat, though the proximity of falling timber must have been anything but comfortable. I then came back to camp, but on reaching our tent found it prostrated and the boys crouching beneath the canvas to obtain some shelter from the storm. By this time it had abated greatly and we set to work to put up the tent, some of the boys minus their nether integuments. We soon got things fixed up, and the boys spread down their rubber blankets and ... though some of the blankets had got pretty wet in spots, the boys took another nap before daylight. I had on my overcoat and rubber blanket and did not get wet except the legs of my pants. Today has been a nice day and the blankets will all be dry again [to ]night. We have been greatly favored by the weather since we began marching, not having had any rain since we left the Knob till now. Yesterday the heat according to a thermo-meter confiscated by one of our boys in town was 80 degrees in the shade. Pretty warm for the 1st of April. We have been laughing a good deal today over the ludicrousness of our situation last night. Even while we were trying to raise the tent last night and splashing into puddles of water, one of the boys broke out, "We are out on the ocean sailing". When it started to go down, Jim McK. and Tom [D.?] and others clinched the bottom and held on with "might and main" till they found it was no use. I forgot to say that the main portion of the citizens of Doniphan are "nonest." Not a man is to be found and a great many of the women are badly "skeered." The boys of your acquaintance are well. Hoping that rebellion will soon be crushed and praying that God will preserve us all to meet again, I remain yours truly, Sam Stafford 

Nil Littner was  a member of the 3rd Missouri State Militia.  His letter was written in 1903 in response to Doctor Peterson who was gathering 1st account history about the burning of Doniphan.

Perryville, MO.

12/11.1903

Dr. C.A. Peterson

Saint Louis

Dear Doctor Peterson,

     I take hand to answer your letter of concern to the burning of Doniphan and the scout to that place in Sept. 1864.  We were detached on duty at Patterson sent by Colonel Fletcher to recruit and form our company.  Late in the evening a scout from Davidson came in with orders for our company to ride to Doniphan for the purpose of scouting.  Fifty one men from Company A were told off for the scout and sent with Company K and Company I of the 3rd from Davidson.  We were commanded by Lt. Erik Pape and Lt. Browner, both quite demanding in disposition.  We left Patterson from mess in Sept., late in the month, south at the Pittmann’s Ferry road.  In the afternoon we captured four men at a house past Cave Creek and they told us that Price was at Pocahontas with an Army of 10,000 or 12,000.  Pape did not believe this report but told off an escort to take the captives to Pilot Knob.

     Before dark we were led away from the road across country to the house of a man friendly with one of the sergeants.  We were fed and slept for some hours and then rolled out in the dark and were on the way again.  We rushed the town but found the rebels to be a capable foe.  Although caught by surprise and asleep they told true and gave fight.  Around 8:00 they began to tell and gave to the south on the road to the town mill, tearing out the bridge over a small river then turning to fight from a bluff south of the mill road a good location that we were not able to displace.  Around 10:00 a squad was left to guard the road while the rest of the scout rode back through Doniphan to a ford on Current River and crossed under fire driving the pickets back and ahead and rode south through a country devoid of people and returned to Doniphan by noon.

     After we ate half of us were told off as a guard while half set fire to the town.  It was a dangerous business and we were kept busy answering fire from the townspeople and from rebel troops on the mill road.  I don’t know how many were killed.  We were nervous, but safe.  About 1:00 we left to the east with identical arrangements, I continued to act as guard with a half of the scout to burn houses and barns along the road.  Late in the evening we came to Black River and Ponder’s steam mill.  At dark we rode up the hill and turned in.

     Near daylight we were rolled out and told to saddle and mount as we might be attacked, but before we could saddle we were fired on by rebel troops from all sides of our camp.  We were ordered several time to attack at different points but were stopped and lost men at each rush and pushed back further in to a camp.  I didn’t know I was hit until after I escaped and found my left arm was shot twice and a deep gouge was cross my left side.  I caught a rebel horse and lit out on the Patterson road.  At Patterson I was taken to Pilot Knob and rode the train to St. Louis.  I was discharged on Nov. 12, 1864.

     Many of the details of that eventful scout have escaped my mind as I am now over 70 years old, but this I swear to be a true account to the best of my recollections. 

I am, your respectful servant,

Nin Littner

 William Nevin was a member of the 3rd Missouri State Militia.  His letter is his recollection of events leading up to and including the burning of Doniphan on Sept. 19, 1864.

Hahn, MO

October 1903

C. A. Paterson, M.D.

St. Louis, MO

Dear Sir:

     According to my promise, I will try and give you an outline to the questions asked in your letter of Sept. 29th, 1903.

     It is a well known fact that the rank and file of the soldiers is not supposed to know the orders given to his superior officers, nor to receive the countersign unless the said soldier is on duty; but they got it all the same; therefore, my knowledge of the order to burn Doniphan was obtained from Lieuts. Pape and Brawner, both, after we reached Patterson, Mo.

     Now, I will have to go back to sometime in August, 1864, while we were stationed at Ironton.  The company was at that time commanded by Lieut. Brawner, Lieut. Pape being on detached service at Pilot Knob.  One evening there came into our company camp for or five of as ragged a set of men as I ever looked at.  Almost entirely nude and barefooted and starved.  They told us they belonged to the 54th Regt. Ills. Inft. Vols. and were on parole from Little Rock, Ark. and that the one with the big straw hat was their colonel.  We gave them supper and kept then all night, and, of course, several of us had quite a long conversation with them that night.  They told us of their travels from Little Rock, Ark. and of their sufferings on the trip, and in their conversation, the Colonel said that he wanted us to be sure and burn Doniphan if we ever had a chance, for the way they were treated by the citizens of the place, and especially one who kept the hotel by the name of Kitterl.  He said that Kitterl cursed them and would not let them stay in his yard, as they were “d---d Yankees”  and tried to make the dogs bite them, and that they had to march about four miles further in the night, with bleeding feet and starved as they were, slept in some hay in a field along the road.  The Colonel also said that when he reached St. Louis, he would see that we got orders for a trip to Doniphan.  He also said that the rebel General Price was fixing for a raid into Missouri and the he thought that Gen. McGruder, with 17,000 infantry, as well as the cavalry would be along.

     Next day, the Company K boys fitted up these boys with some pants, shoes and hats, and they, with their colonel, went to St. Louis.  Right here let me state this to show that the colonel told the truth; sometime in the summer of 1863, part of the regiment was on a scout and stopping close to Doniphan for dinner, some of the boys went back to town about one quarter of a mile, to get dinner at the hotel for which they paid 50 cents each.  Four or five of them were poisoned and if our Regt. Surgeon had not been along, they would have died.  Our offices told the citizens that if any more of our soldiers were mistreated, that we would burn the town.

     On the 17th of Sept. 1864, we were ordered out on a scout with five days’ rations, Lieut. Pape in command.  Leaving Pilot Knob at about 9:30 A. M., Sept. 17th, we reached Patterson at sundown, a distance of forty miles, and camped for the night.  Next morning we started south towards the Black River.  The scout numbered about 62 men.  At eleven A. M., we reached Burns’ Mill, where we each got feed for our horses.  Mrs. Burns was a widow lady and came out with two revolvers around her.  She told us to help ourselves as she was a Union woman.  We then marched to Cane Creek and fed and cooked our dinner, it being about 1:30 P.M.  At 3 o’clock we started again and stopping at a house on Ten-Mile Creek, we heard for the first time that Price was at Pocahontas, Ark. and had about 40,000 men.  We caught some prisoners that day, but swore them and turned them loose again.  After sundown we camped at a man’s house, named Kassenger, on Beaver Dam, until one o’clock A. M., distance from Patterson, 45 miles.  At one A.M. we started for Doniphan, and at 4:30 or 5:00 A.M. on the 19th, we captured the rebel pickets about two miles from Doniphan on the Greenville and Doniphan road.  We charged into Doniphan, but the rebels hearing us coming, retreated south of town on the road to Ketterls Mill and tore up the bridge.  We charged to the bridge and stopped, threw the fencing down and formed a line and drove them from the bluffs.  We then went back through town to a ford on the river and Company I formed in the river with their revolving rifles and Company K crossed under their fire.  We then chased the rebels about eight or ten miles across the line into Arkansas.  After that we returned to Doniphan about 12 o’clock and was ordered to feed and get something to eat, as we had not had anything to eat since 2 P.M.  the day before.  I, with Sergt. Steakley, went to the house of the Widow Lowe (the widow of the rebel Colonel who was killed at Fredericktown, Mo.) and asked if we could get dinner.  She told us we could and invited us in, but we told her we would attend to our horses first and she offered to send a boy to attend to them for us.  After we returned to the house and just as Mrs. Lowe came in to tell us to come into dinner, we heard firing up in town and Mrs. Lowe, looking out, remarked that the town was on fire and “for God’s sake,” not to burn her house.  We told her that her house would not be burned and mounted our horses and got into line with the boys and drove the rebels again across the river.  As we returned, the hotel and a few other houses were burning.  We then took our line of march for Little Black River.  After marching about eight or nine miles, we were ordered to stop and get something to eat and feed, at about 4 P.M., Sept. 19th.  While the command halted, Steakley and myself saw two men riding up the road, so we slipped into a corner of a fence and when they came up, we stepped out and captured them both.  They claimed to belong to Price.  At 5:30 P.M., we again started on our march and between sundown and dark, camped at Vanderver’s for the night.  Steakley and I being on duty, we had charge of the prisoners and guards until morning.  When we stopped, I went to the house to see if I could get something for the prisoners to eat, as there were three girls at the house, but oh, how they gave it to us was not pleasant.  When we asked them where their father was, they replied that he had gone to “Pap” Price to get men to whip h---l out of us d---d Yankees.  After some persuasion, one of the girls said that she would get something for the prisoners to eat if I would allow her to go and see the prisoners, to which I agreed and we got a good supper for the prisoners and allowed two of the girls to go with us to where we had the prisoners, making the firey one stay at the house.  The girls, seeing the prisoners and they being good friends, asked us not to hurt them which we told them would not be done.

     In the night, I could hear the rebs forming around us and the steady tramp of men and reported the same to Lieut. Pape, but he paid no attention to it.  Sergt. Steakley reported the same, with the same results.  So next morning, when we were forming line, the rebels opened fire on us, with dismounted men, three lines deep.  As we were armed with revolvers, Company K, and Company I with revolving rifles, the ball opened in earnest and we charged our lines three or four times.  Breaking their lines in several places, we were ordered to fall back on our camping ground to reload our revolvers and guns.  When we were very near through reloading, another column of cavalry, dressed in our uniforms, rode up and asked us who we were.  We were at that time all mixed up together, rebels and our men.  Pape then ordered a retreat and we wheeled and had to break through this line again, coming out the best we could.  The whole rebel force fired upon us and that is when Lieut. Brawner was wounded.  Several others were also wounded, I among them.  My horse was shot through under the backbone just back of the saddle.  There was eight or nine wounded after we got out.  We all scattered and came to Patterson about sundown, Sept. 20th, about 50 or 60 miles.  There were 800 rebels around us at that place and their commander said we were not men , but devils for we killed several of their best men, and he thought it would be no trouble to capture all of us.  On the 22nd, the rebels captured Corp. W. W. Proffer and Alfred Younblood, who were on the Doniphan scout of Company K, and killed them both.  They also killed Lieut. Brawner two days after he was wounded at Vandervers.  If the rebels got that order, they must have gotten it when they killed Brawner, but I do not know that Brawner had the order as it was given back to Pape at Patterson.  So you can now see the cause of the order being issued and it was from St. Louis to Maj. Wilson’s command at Pilot Knob.  I do not remember the date of the order and number, but it stated for us to destroy several houses on the route and to investigate the reported Price invasion.  There were no other houses destroyed besides in Doniphan.

     The Colonel’s name was G. M. Mitchel, of the 54th Ills. Inft.   There is one of those men now living in Zalma at the present time, who said that his colonel reported the facts to headquarters at St. Louis, when they got there.

Respectfully your obedient servant,

(Signed)  William Nevin