Monroe County Appeal, Paris, Mo. • monroecountyappeal.com
Monroe County Appeal
Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012
13
The Battle of Vassar Hill, That Furious Ride & The Battle of Florida
Just north of Bible Grove and ten miles southwest of Memphis, in Scotland county Missouri, Confederate Colonel Joseph Porter’s force of 125 men were fresh with supplies and arms, they had recently obtained from a raid on the Union base at Memphis, just a few miles north. Many of them were stationed in the bush, well camouflaged, on both sides of the road down into the Fabius river valley, toward the bridge to the north. A small force was posted at the wooden bridge across the Fabius, as bait to lure an approaching federal patrol of 21 riders. The federal riders were part of Major John Y. Clopper’s 280man battalion, of the second Missouri Calvary “The Merrill Horse”, and Major John B. Roger’s detachment of the 11th Missouri State Militia. Clopper was in command of the Union force. The advanced Union patrol discovered the confederate scouts at the bridge and gave chase, driving them up the slope and into the ambush of confederate troops along the road. A round from muskets and shotguns at 10 feet killed or wounded 18 union troops. Porter ordered his men to pull back and wait for another Union advance. The second round was not as effective against the approaching federal riders, because by then they were alerted to their position. Clopper deployed his entire force of up to 280 men, making 7-8 additional charges, with each charge deflected by Porters men, concealed in the bush. After two hours of battle, and assuming Porter had a vastly superior force, Clopper withdrew. He was later criticized
for his battle tactics. This type of guerilla warfare by the confederates, earned them the name of “Bushwhackers”. The Union casualties were 24 men killed or mortally wounded, and up to 59 wounded. Porter had only two men killed and five wounded; including Captain Thomas Stasey who was mortally wounded attempting to help a Union Lieutenant who was pinned beneath his horse. The Union Lieutenant was Edward D. Stillson, who was then taken prisoner by Porter. Stillson remained prisoner for several days, of which he grew to respect the Confederate guerillas. Later, after Porter released him, he risked his life returning to his confederate captors to warn them of an advancing Union column. The battle of Vassar Hill, was also called the Battle of Oak Ridge by Colonel Porter, or the Battle of Pierces Mill by the Federals. From the battle of Vassar Hill, Porter’s men retreated south and in less than 24 hours were at Novelty, in Knox County, 64 miles away. There was possibly no stop between daylight Friday until eight o’clock Sunday morning, when they halted for 3 hours rest. They were in the vicinity of Whaley’s Mill, about three miles from Colonel Porter’s home, where he made a quick visit. They saddled up and left again on Sunday night, rode all day Monday and all night Monday night, with only a few short stops. The famous “Furious Ride” was continued until sunrise Tuesday Morning. Their horses were bred from the best blood of Kentucky. Many of them the men had raised
since they were foals, and they knew how to ride them well. Joseph A. Mudd, a member of Porter’s band at the time, later wrote a book titled “With Porter in North Missouri”. He reported Porter as saying, “The main reason I made this rapid march is that it is a good object lesson. It may teach the Federals that they must put a regiment into each county to stop me from recruiting in North Missouri.” At approximately four o’clock Tuesday morning, July 22, 1861 Porters band crossed a covered wooden bridge across the North Fork of the Salt River, near the village of Florida. About a mile from the North Fork by road was the South Fork covered bridge, where they stopped at the ford above to water their horses, and dismounted for a short encampment. Porter sent a commissary of three or four men to Florida for supplies. At sunrise the commissary was fired upon by a detachment of Major Caldwell’s battalion of the Third Iowa Cavalry, and one of them captured. Porter ordered a rapid move on foot against the enemy and directed Captain Penny to take twenty well-mounted men to their flank and rear. The men on foot took a shortcut through the woods, and raced to get there before the mounted men. When they arrived at the edge of the village, they found the Union soldiers had formed on the far side of a narrow street. The head of the Confederate column struck the Federals right and their rear had to run across
to take position on their left. The Federals called out to them not to shoot, that they belonged to their command, and then fired upon them, killing their Quartermaster. The Confederate’s right extended six or eight feet beyond the federals right, near the home of Dr. Johnson. Amid the whirling bullets, two women emerged from the home of Dr. Johnson, waving their handkerchiefs and shouting, “Hurrah for Jeff Davis! Give it to ‘em, my brave boys, give it to ‘em!”. Soon another young lady ran out of the house owned by Mr. Wilkerson, and shouted “They are running like dogs; give it to them, boys!” As it turned out, the Federals were retreating, and returned to Paris. During the battle, the Federals took prisoner a man named Fowler. When Union Lieutenant Hartman realized they were retreating, his shoved a revolver in Fowlers face and shot him dead, in front of Fowlers two brothers. The brothers wanted to take the two Union prisoners and hang them in retaliation. The prisoners begged for their lives, but the brothers and other men were less than sympathetic. Eventually Porter intervened and ordered a flag of truce be sent to Major Caldwell in Paris, and demand the surrender of Lieutenant Hartman. He would hold the two men as hostages, for the delivery of Hartmen. He knew Major Caldwell to be an honorable man and trusted he would do what was right. When the flag of truce returned it was revealed that
Hartman had been wounded in the engagement and had died. It was later revealed that he hadn’t died and served until the end of the war, when he was killed by his own men. The Federals suffered twenty-six men killed, wounded or missing. The Confederates lost two men, and two wounded, the Federals had 22 wounded and 2
captured. The Federals numbered fifty to sixty men in the battle, and reported the guerrilla force of being three hundred. Joseph A. Mudd contends that Porters band was only ninety-five men. With Porter in North Missouri by Joseph A. Mudd www.iowaz.info/missouri/vassarhill.htm
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All Monroe County Appeal Civil War articles courtesy of Lisa Crider
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