surrender of our forces, should such a calamity overtake us. Captain Brinker reports to me that he has now a battalion of these men which he would bring into the service for such a purpose if allowed to place them under my immediate command. With considerations of personal regard and esteem, I remain, Your obedient servant, [Ibid., Series I, Vol. LIII, p. 907.] * STERLING PRICE. It is probable that many of the irregular organizations in Missouri, especially those which existed prior to the Confederate legislation of October 13, 1862, were formed without any authority, either military or legislative, but those formed after that date should probably be classed among the squads and companies organized under the act referred to for local defense; and in this connection it is to be noted that Missouri was one of the States in which the conscription act was suspended, and that therefore all citizens of whatever age were authorized by the act of October 13, 1862, to form themselves into companies for local defense. It is not the purpose to here quote the voluminous correspondence and orders relative to the treatment of members of partisan corps and companies organized for local defense when captured by the enemy, but it may be stated that troops of the former class were recognized as entitled to the privileges of prisoners of war, while those of the latter class, commonly called guerrillas, were, in the State of Missouri, summarily shot when captured by the enemy within his own lines. This treatment of guerrillas is believed to have been accorded by both belligerents. As before stated, the number of partisan or local troops organized in Missouri during the civil war is not known and there are no records on file from which a satisfactory approximation can be made. It was, however, sufficiently large to give the Federal authorities much annoyance and to occupy the attention of a military force that would otherwise have been available for other fields of service. A list of the few organizations of which official mention has been found accompanies this paper. LIST OF MISSOURI STATE GUARD ORGANIZATIONS COOPERATING WITH CONFEDERATE TROOPS." First Regiment, First Division. CAVALRY. First Battalion, First Division. (Became Third Cavalry Regiment, First Division.) First Battalion, Independent Rangers. (Second Cavalry Battalion, First Division.) First Regiment, Fourth Division. First Regiment, Fifth Division. Second Battalion, First Division. (Also known as First Cavalry Battalion, Independent Rangers.) Second Regiment, Sixth Division. Second Regiment, Eighth Division. Third Regiment, First Division. (See First Cavalry Battalion, First Division.) Third Regiment, Eighth Division. Fourth Regiment, Eighth Division. Fifth Regiment, Eighth Division. Sixth Regiment, Eighth Division. Seventh Regiment, Eighth Division. (See Vernon County Cavalry Eighth Regiment, Eighth Division. Callaway Guards. (Capt. D. H. McIntyre's company, Second Division. Probably cavalry, but not positively ascertained.) Extra Battalion, Fourth Division. (Attached to First Infantry Regiment.) This list is made up from such official data as have been discovered on the files of the War Department, but the rolls of the State Guard organizations are not on file, and other records are meager. The list, although probably not complete, is as nearly complete as it can be made from the records of the Department. |