Reprinted from an unpublished research paper, "Tipton, Its First Half-Century" by Fred Fischer

Up until the time of the Civil War, the people of this area really hadn't taken much interest in politics, but when war clouds began to appear everyone seemed to have an opinion. The people who had been the first settlers in the area, had come from Kentucky and Tennessee. Many of these people had brought their slaves with them, and felt very strong ties with the South. In the 1840's and 1850's, many immigrants from Germany had moved into the area and these people supported the Union cause completely.

On April 26, 1861, E. Chilton presided over a meeting at Tipton which declared in favor of succession. About this same time the Moniteau County Rangers and other "home town" militia were formed in response to Governor Jackson's call for troops to repel Federal forces. Some of the men in these units later participated in the Battle of Boonville.

The names of the men who joined this confederate county militia are available, but there is no way to distinguish those who were citizens of Tipton from other Moniteau countians, because no separate Tipton unit was formed.

However, the Federals did organize a Tipton militia. In June of 1861, Company H, Cole County regiment of Home Guards, was organized and on the 19th of that month mustered in, with Joseph Hopkins, captain; Isaac Snorgrass and F.C. Becker, lieutenants; J.N. Becker, John Gigas, W. McGee and John Smith, sergeants; James M. Bogg, Simon Bardwell, Jacob Nieuffer, and John Lutz, corporals. The private troops were George M., James C., William F., and F.M. Atkinson, J.E. Armitage, John Bestgen, G. Boecking, W.F. Benton, W.F. Brown, Peter I. Becker, William M. Bardwell, Ferd Breetan, John Baum, Fren Benton, Dave Clark, U.C., M.S., and A.L. Courtwright, W.F. Collett, Richard Corson, Lafayette Cook, John Clifford, John Clifford Jr., William Cook, Joseph and Frank Diche, M. Donohue, J.S. Ferguson, John Gigas, Henry C. Gurngus, P.D. Huston, Lewis C. and William R. Hopkins, J.W. Harding, John F., James M., and Jesse W. Hickman, S.G. Hazell, S.E. Hoge, George Hill, J.S. Jones, John Johnson, John Kaiser, J. Kammerich, John, Adolph, and Henry T. Koechner, Martin Kenny, John P. Kelly, Peter I. Knipp, Arton, William, Fred, and John Lutz, William Maus, James Maclay, and Shelton Reevers, W.P. Snorgrass, Peter and William Sommerhauser, Hubert Steimell, Henry Schreck, William and Peter J. Schmidt, John and Anton Wolf, William Weiand, Godfrey Weber, and John Williams.

In October of 1861, Union general, John C. Fremont passed through Tipton and established his headquarters in the Rose Hill Seminary. His troops and bivouaced on what is now the fairgrounds and directly east of there. General Fremont at this time was commander of the Western Department, and had gotten himself into quite a bit of trouble with President Lincoln. The following article from "The Atlanta Century" will explain the situation. The article appeared with a headline of "Fremont Is Censored" and a dateline of Tipton, Mo.

"Union War Secretary Cameron, sent to Missouri to probe into General John C. Fremont's affairs, laid down certain orders before the general here Monday.

Cameron told him that he must correct some irregularities in his disbursement of military funds, discontinue the erection of earthworks around St. Louis as being unnecessary and that no pay is to be made to officers--other than those of the volunteers-who have been commissioned by Fremont without President Lincoln's approval. Cameron then left for St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Washington.

General Fremont and 40,000 men are scattered in this area hoping to engage and defect Confederate General Sterling Price's forces.

The dismissal of General Fremont has for weeks loomed as a possibility-for President Lincoln is known to be dissatisfied with military setbacks in Missouri and other Fremont actions."

The story is told that when Secretary Cameron came to Tipton he had orders to relieve Fremont of his command. Cameron was a rather old man and when he stepped off the train in town he was met by several aids of General Fremont's. The aides insisted that he inspect the troops that were bivouacked at Syracuse and Otterville. He was sent on a long, hard, and fast ride to these encampments and when he returned he was so tired and worn out from the "backwards ways of the people in this area" that he only left some 'written orders for Fremont and caught the first train back to St. Louis.

When Fremont's troops passed through this area, they were closely followed by the press. The following account appeared in the October 14, 1861, issue of the "Cincinnati Daily Commercial." The story is a long one covering October 9 and 10, 1861. The account has been left in its entire length because it tells a lot about the people of that time, economy of the region and the hardships of the soldier.

"Camp Asboth, near Tipton, Moniteau Co., Mo., Oct. 10th, 1861-For some cause not communicated outside of his military cabinet, General Fremont moved suddenly from California-Camp Dorsheimer-to Tipton, early yesterday morning. The previous night it was officially stated that he could not move until afternoon. It was intended to try Capt. Owens, an adjutant in one of the Missouri Federal regiments, who had been arrested and held as a rebel spy. It was alleged that he had been conveying information secretly to the enemy, while professing to serve the Government. Members of the staff not yet hardened to the exercise of campaigning, were sorely disappointed upon being ordered to horse at sunrise. The cavalcade moved rapidly to Tipton without halting, the infantry proceeding leisurely. The distance, by the right road, was twelve miles, but having no guide, the head of the column chose the wrong one of a half dozen routes, and we philandered about the country several miles out of due course.

We traversed a district which presented an agreeable variety of rolling prairies and woodland. The former were generally cultivated and improved with good farmhouses. Log houses were not numerous because timber was scarce. The dwellings and gardens of a few farmers indicated a pleasant degree of culture, and the material and scenic features of the prospect, were enhanced by orchards burdened with fine apples, and by cornfields which lost nothing by comparison with those of the Miami Valleys. Sorghum was also quite abundant, and I observed farmers engaged in expressing the juice. Upon enquiry I learned that the saccharine product is grown, thus obviating the necessity for importations from Louisiana. Now and then we saw diminutive patches of tobacco, but the weed is not a staple in that region.

Moniteau County, however, is hardly regarded as a second class agricultural district. Its prairie lands are very high and rolling, but its timber consists of scrub oak, persimmon trees, choke briers, blackberry briers, and other scrawny growth. Last year the improved lands were valued at from $10 to $25 per acre, according to location and degrees of culture. Now they have no fixed value but capitalists who have faith in the ultimate establishment of the Government could find no better field for profitable speculation. Fence rails, as in all prairie countries, are scarce. Farmers value them at $4 per hundred. Soldiers estimate their value according to the degrees of caloric which may be drawn from them in a chill night.

Some of younger sort of farmers were scouring the country with the rebel army, and a few were enlisted in behalf of the Union; but the major portion were peacefully occupied in shocking their corn. Some of them vociferously greeted our column with hearty cheers for the Union. The women folks were particularly demonstrative, testifying their approbation of the cause by waving handkerchiefs and other expressive articles of apparel, which were handy when the column filed along the highway.

Occasionally the General halted a moment to chat with bashful damsels in sunbonnets and hooped skirts--a courtesy which they will remember to the end of life. At one point a thin old matron with a brace of buxom daughters and a gigantic African attendant were drawn up at the corner of a lane to witness the armed pageant. The old woman stood upon a projecting rail of the fence to command a view of the line.

When the General halted to speak to the blushing girls the old sung out "Is that ar' Fremont talkin' to my gals?" The General politely lifted his cap. "Wall, I declare," fervently ejaculated marm; "it does one good to look at yer. I 'spose you're after old Claib Jackson-the dirty old scamp. I hope you'll coach him, but I'm afeered you won't: he runs too fast. If I wor a man I'd like to go and skulp him myself." Here her African Anakim broke in with a "yah, yah" making a splendid exhibition of glittering ivory, and exposing a cavity of awful profundity and capacity. "old Missus all right on Mass Claib-wouldn't gib snucks for him skulp if she cotch him;" and the darkie indulged a sly glance at his missus, and a wicked squint at the column, as if he desired to impress the troops with his convictions of the old woman's spirit and prowess.

A few hundred yards beyond, nearly every horse in column startled his rider by shying at a hooped skirt which some frightened or hurried female had incontinently dropped in the highway. Of course we were obliged to notice the cause of equine surprise but we modestly averted our eyes as soon as possible. It was also rememberd that whenever a pretty face presented itself, the more youthful members of the staff were appeased by draughts from the old oaken bucket, which hung in the well at bonnie lassie's domicil. I remember that one gallant Major was inexpressibly disgusted by the appearance of a strapping dueona, when he anticipated the pleasure of quaffing from a goblet which he had imagined would be presented by a bright faced damsel who retreated under cover while he tugged at the gate. The incident supplied a fine theme for our philanthropic Congressional friend Col. Lovejoy--whose itinerary, black with remarks upon the peculiar institution we may expect will be laid before Congress at no very distant day.

Two miles before we arrived, we saw Tipton on the crest of an elevated prairie. It presented the aspect of a large and thrifty town-a delusive appearance strikingly in contrast with the real figure and character of the place. But the surrounding prairies were enveloped with countless tents and hosts of armed men were spread out upon the greensward. Approaching it in the rear we filed through long lines of cavalry, and formidable parks of artillery being altogether the most

imposing military display I have seen during the war. As we moved through the village we were surprised at its diminutive dimensions, compared with the imposing vista we had enjoyed but a half-hour before. But it is nothing but a railroad town, and its original vigor departed with the rebellion.

Headquarters were established on a beautiful prairie meadow a half mile beyond town, and the tents were arranged in horseshoe form; the General's marquee in the center-forming a pretty picture for Harper's and Frank Leslies' artists. Weary horsemen had hardly reclined upon sward, when the reverberations of distant thunder warned us of a swiftly approaching storm, and when it came the winds blew and the rains beat upon our canvass with a vigor and vehemence which silenced the rataplans of a dozen ambitious drummers. The next day the St. Louis papers announced that a cannonade at Tipton was distinctly heard at Jefferson City. A very bitter night followed, and the rich prairie soil soon became a nasty compost "by quarter twain" deep.

It was a sad night for soldiers. Their tents and blankets were saturated. The chill atmosphere pierced them to their bones. Every spark of fire was extinguished in most of the camps, and there was no wood within an area of a mile. There were no fence rails at hand and the board fences about town were guarded, and protected by stringent orders. The prospect was melancholy, the experience of soldiers extremely severe.

This morning, some of them becoming desperate, broke through the guard and demolished a fence-Col. Brown, Provost Marshal, of the camp ordered them to desist. One of them who had disarmed a guard, insolently refused. The Colonel warned him he would shoot if he was not obeyed. The shivering soldier desperately dared him to shoot and be d---- d----. I heard a sharp report, saw the wreathing smoke, and directly, a brace of soldiers carried a dead comrade back into camp. His company envinced a mutinous disposition, threatening to kill the Marshal, and a battery was ordered out to suppress the insubordinates. The moral of this is, that if regimental and company officers had required wood to be brought to camp the previous night, a soldier's life would not have sacrificed."

Tipton was a very busy place while Fremont was here. Troops were continually moving in and out and trains were coming in with supplies which had to be processed. Captain Albert Tracy was a supply officers on the

staff of Gen. Fremont. Tracy kept a journal of his activities while he was in Missouri, this is an excerpt from his diary dealing with the days he was stationed in Tipton as reprinted in the April 1957, "Missouri Historical

Review":

"October 9th---Make twelve miles, and camp by the town of Tipton. The one thing that seems odd to me is to march and camp everywhere among towns-my service heretofore has been so generally in wilder places.--Mr. Sarandu (?), a sly, but efficient assistant has joined me as Clerk, having been telegraphed for by me at St. Louis. I have also about my tent one Cole, an old Californian, and attaché of the Generals. He appears now employed mainly in the capacity of guide and spy, and works with Haskell.--Write at night--Sarah.

October 13th-We remain in Camp today by Tipton as from the 10th on. I lack very much for intelligent assistants to aid me in the task of getting forward supplies establishing depots, and providing for general issues. As an instance of those sent forward to me, came last night in the mud and rain, a party recently appointed as commissary, from the delectable town of Chicago.- He came with no preparation whatever--with not so much as a blanket, for warmth in camp. "Well, Captain," said I. "I am glad you have come, for I need you very much, and shall put you immediately upon duty." "But, but-" said the poor, weazen looking fellow, just out of his dry-goods shop, "but, Colonel, I desired it understood, when I applied for my appointment, that I was only to be placed on duty to purchase supplies in Chicago." Well, it was of little use to explain that an officer is for duty where he may be sent, and not elsewhere, and all that. The man (had) no comprehension either of his duties or of his position.- He would be a poor stick at the best, and to close up the matter I referred him to Eaton, to be relieved and sent back if Eaton felt he had authority for the step. "I'll tell you what you'd better do, my friend," said Eaton, in his curt--way, when the new commissary had stated his case---"the best thing for you to do, is to resign, and get out of this camp as quick as possible." This Eaton tells me after hours, when I visit his tent for a cup of whiskey toddy-hot from the cook stove we have, adapted to our Sibeys'---with the pipe as a center-staff, to hold up the tent. In the meantime, on his return, I gave the "Captain" some supper of chicken stewed with sweet potatoes, and a good cup of tea. A blanket also from my supply, was loaned him, and the man curled up with it, in some nay which had been spread about my tent, to get rid of the mud. For myself, I wrote most of the night, getting a little slumber only towards daylight--lowering thick and heavy upon us.

October 14th--One of the first objects visible to me, on the striking of tents this morning for the march, was my new assistant commissary, in an interview with the General, who stood by the camp4ire, built originally in front of his tent. Soon after the Captain approached Eaton, whose desk was not yet closed, and shortly I learned that he had gotten leave. But of such is the material I am to work with; and with every hour, the conviction comes home to me that I have the task mainly upon my own shoulders, and must perform it.

Our march today extends above a roughish, hilly country, and for the distance of nearly twenty miles. Camp, however, is made upon an open prairie, with a fine view of the tents and troops about.

Shortly after Fremont passed through Tipton, he was relieved of his command. He was first replaced by General Hunter and in 1864 by General William S. Rosecrans, known as "Old Rosey" to the confederate troops. Rosecrans believed that the only way the war could be won in Missouri was to crack down on all subversive activity. General Rosecrans used the full extent of his authority under martial law.

On April 19, C.P. Anderson was arrested and placed under guard at Tipton but was released on May 17.

The "California News" voiced its sympathy with the south quite loudly in those days and the editor soon found himself in trouble. This appeared in the "California News" dated May 17, 1862.

"For the information of those who are not apprised of the fact we would state that our arrest by the military authorities on the 19th of April and our confinement at the guard house at Tipton until the sixth inst. is sufficient reason for the non appearance of our paper during the past three weeks."

Organized resistance to the Federals broke up rather quickly after the Battle of Boonville (June 11, 1861), with the exception of the forces under General Joseph Shelby. He managed to harass the Union army in central Missouri quite effectively. On October 12, 1863, Shelby attacked Tipton, burned the depot and several railroad cars. Apparently they also took possession of a quantity of goods and provisions that were needed by the Confederate Army.

Bushwhacking was also an effective way to terrorize the countryside and at the same time make the Union army look very bad.

During July of 1864, bushwhackers robbed the United States Express Messenger Mail on the Tipton-Boonville Stage. Sometime during the war bushwhackers attempted to burn the Rose Hill Seminary although little damage resulted.

Bushwhacking may have been an effective way for an underground army to harass the enemy, but if you were caught you could be expected to be dealt with harshly. This appeared in the April 30, 1864, "California News."

"We understand that Patrick Mullins said to be a bushwhacker of considerable notoriety, was shot by the Military at Tipton Saturday evening last, by order of General Rosecrans who had been furnished with the evidence in the case.  Mullins, we learn, was only about seventeen or eighteen years of age, and was raised about six miles from Tipton.  A considerable number of citizens witnessed the execution'.'

Another interesting bit of information that shouldn't be skipped is that a black man from Tipton, named Adam Tucker, drove Confederate General Sterling Price's carriage for four years of the war.

In addition to sources listed in the above article, the following books were used as references:

"History of Moniteau County" by J.E. Ford - 1936

"Harper's Pictorial History of the Great Rebellion" - Guernsey and Alden, 1894

"General Jo. Shelby" by Daniel O'Flaherty

Information was also obtained by interviewing Francis Ketterlin and Susan Swarner Fischer.