War against redlegs (04/19/08)
The Civil War was two years old in April of 1863 and by that time one would think the menace and depredations of the Kansas "Redlegs" (outlaw Union soldiers and civilian outlaws) would have been stopped and eliminated, but such was not the case. In fact, bands of these rogues continued to rob, plunder and murder soldiers and civilians indiscriminately until the end of the Civil War in 1865...

Covered with Blood (04/12/08)
The following after action report describes a successful surprise attack before dawn by Confederate guerrillas in southeast Missouri that is a typical example of a vicious, brutal and nasty engagements that occurred throughout the entire state. At first it appears to be a Confederate victory, but the guerrillas chose to disappear in the brush to fight another day as the Union blue bellies successfully defended their camp. ...

Death to Bushwhackers (03/15/08)
During the Civil War, the Department of the Missouri was one of the most difficult places for the Union Army to control because of the political divisiveness within the state. Union forces never completely occupied all of Missouri; however, as the war progressed, Union forces mostly comprised of Missouri State Militia troops occupied almost all of the strategic cities and towns in the state. All of the Union generals commanding the Department of the Missouri believed in "death to Bushwhackers."...

Shot trying to escape (12/15/07)
In December of 1862, the Civil War was only 19 months old and Fort Scott had become a large military complex that was much bigger than the original fort of the 1840s. The town was occupied by Union forces and would remain so throughout the entire war. ...

Civilian avengers of yesterday and today (12/08/07)
One unique facet of the Civil War in Missouri was the internecine fratricidal warfare between civilians and vigilantes! This was not confined to Missouri because it also occurred in western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky and northern Mississippi. However, as has been mentioned before, the Civil War in Missouri and eastern Kansas was more brutal and barbaric than in other areas...