Reprinted from the pages of
Harper's Weekly A Journal of Civilization, Volume IX, Issue 468, December 16, 1865
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A Guerrilla's Diary:
Joe Hart |
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The cold-blooded atrocity and fiendish practices of the Border-State guerrillas during the rebellion can only be appreciated by those who have resided near the scenes of their outrages, or have been subjected to their barbarous treatment. At the commencement of the war Missouri, then wavering in the balance between loyalty and rebellion, offered a magnificent field of operations for enterprising marauders. She had not long to wait for their appearance, and Quantrell, Bill Anderson, Thrallkill, Joe Hart, and a score of others soon wrote their names in letters of blood on nearly every acre of her soil.
A shot time since a pocket Diary, formerly belonging to and kept by the notorious Joe Hart, fell into my possession, from which I propose making a few extracts, which I trust may prove interesting. Of the authenticity of this Diary there can be no doubt, as it was taken from the dead body of the grim guerrilla. it was subsequently identified by one of his men before a court-martial, and certain extracts from it admitted as evidence. It is a well-worn book, having printed headings for each day in the year, containing a "calendar" and "list of Sundays in 1863." Its leaves are crumpled and soiled, and their edges stained with the blood of him who wrote the story of murder and robbery which it tells. On the first page is recorded, in clear but rather delicate handwriting, the name of "Joseph L.
Hart1, Captain Partisan Rangers, of Savannah, Andrew County, Missouri, formerly of Bardetown, Nelson County, Kentucky." All the entries, one on each day of the year, were written by the same hand, resembling more the penmanship of a lady than of one accustomed to the use of saber and pistol. On the second page, under date of January 9, 1863, are the following lines, which I copy verbatim:
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Remembrance.
"Frank I can not forget
Yes I love you to well
Your smiles is endearment
Your whispers a spell
you haute me forever
I worship you yet
Our idle endearment
I can not forget." |
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This interesting effusion is signed "Miss M. Lou Claybrook, Clay County, Missouri," and the name of that poetical young damsel appears more than once upon the pages of the Diary. While the gentle guerrilla was indulging in his "idle endearments" the literary Miss Lou diverted herself with his memorandum book, leaving therein those little traces of affection and false orthography which should recall her to his mind when he should be far away in the performance of those diabolical deeds, the telling of which made his "whispers a spell."
On the next page are two lines of a poem which the jolly Joseph had
commenced -- for he was a man of sentiment, and indulged in poetic fancies -- and has reference, no doubt, to the military operations then being prosecuted in his native State, Kentucky:
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"The land of my home is flitting,
Flitting from my view --" |
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If Joseph were now alive to complete the poem, he would probably admit that Kentucky hasn't "flitted" so much as she might have done.
The entry for the 13th of April -- at which time Joseph was gathering together his clan -- records that they
"run into the militia and fired a few shots -- B. Wood2 and W. Guagh3 were along."
The "B. Wood" here alluded to is not the brother of Fernando the First, who has acquired considerable notoriety in similar company. Joseph proceeds, with his company of cut-throats, to the vicinity of
"Rochester, Andrew County -- layed over all day -- very warm -- a pleasant breeze is blowing up from the Sunny South -- night comes on
apace, throwing her sable mantle o'er the scene, and I am preparing to start for Hackberry Ridge."
It is a fault in our guerrilla's style of composition that he allows his fancy to descent too abruptly from the poetic to the practical. On Friday, May 1, he sunned himself by the light of his sweet-heart's eyes, and records the event as follows:
"I am with Calvart, Saunders, and Price as their stopping-place. Sent for my little sweet-heart, Miss A. V.
Kinnison. Vintie came, God bless her little soul, and we passed a pleasant day together. When last I saw her it was the 19th of Jan., 1862, at Boonville. Night has come on, and I am going down to the neighborhood of
St. Joseph, where there are said to be some good horses, which we need. This has been a pleasant day, and the happiest so far of my life."
The fickleness of man is proverbial, and the entry made in Joseph's Diary on the following day shows that he was not free from that pleasant little vice, and leaves the impression that he has only been trifling with the affections of his dear "Virdie." He says:
"Layed over all day near St. Joseph -- saw many friends, but got no horses -- the d--d militia had been there before me. I have been reading Washington Irving's works and among them one entitled 'The Broken Heart," which has caused me to determine never to coquette any more. My little
sweet-heart shall not have cause to complain again."
The "Broken Heart" evidently made a deep impression upon the susceptible Bushwhacker; for after reading it he returned to his "Virdie," and thus breathes forth his soul's ecstasy.
"I am again in company with my dearest sweet-heart, and Time is fast fleeting away on Golden Wings o'er me and her whom I love best of all on Earth. To-day is a pleasant day, and the usual stillness of the Holy Sabbath is plainly to be noticed. Nothing breaks its Heavenly stillness except the soft rustling of the young leaves and the mournful
cooing of the Turtle Dove, aided by the cheerful notes of many other birds. 'Tis evening now, and my
heart is filled with sadness to think that I and my girl must soon part, and perhaps forever. Still later, and
'tis midnight--Holy Hour! All the world is wrapped in dream and sleep; but I am still sitting by my Virdie's side, my arm is softly stolen around her slender waist -- softly I press her to my beating Heart, and one, two, three, yes, half a dozen sweet kisses I steal from her
pouting lips, and three o'clock is here! We part! Oh, shall I ever forget this Hour! Shall I ever forget the glance of that dark Eye! the sweet, mournful smile of that Fair Face! the soft thrilling pressure of that Little Hand! the sweet magic of Her Kisses! never! no never! Rather let my right hand forget its cunning -- my eye its correctness of vision -- or
my tongue its Truthfulness! We have parted, and I am unsteady, heart-sick and weary of Life. It rained hard to-day, and the roads are
muddy."
Joseph's sudden fall from a state of bliss into the muddy roads must be excused on the ground of
"eccentricity of genius." But if our sentimental guerrilla can never forget his sweet-heart, he certainly does not permit his love affairs to interfere with business.
He has written that 3 o'clock that morning, before the "sweet smile" could have departed from that "fair face" -- ere his "half a dozen"
burning kisses could have cooled upon the "pouting lips" of his "little sweet-heart," he was "again in the saddle and moving toward Logan Dysart's of North Prairie. Raised a Dragoon pistol to-day. Am on my way to Judge Ish's neighborhood."
Which last remark bodes no good to Judge Ish or his neighborhood, for Joseph is accompanied by his trusty squires, Calvert, Price, and Saunders, all ripe for pillage and plunder. The manner in which in the above extract a pistol is spoken of as having been "raised" is light and trifling, but in the Bushwhacker's lexicon the definition of the word "raised" is given as meeting a fellow in the road, and after putting a few bullets through him, "raising" his personal effects to the dignity of being worn by their captor. On the following day Joseph
"raised two colt's revolvers, a horse and $50 in greenbacks; "also made the acquaintance of Miss Kate
Roupe, a lively girl, with whom I passed the entire day very pleasantly."
Perhaps if "Virdie" had known where her fickle Joseph was, her day would not have been so pleasant. Alas! that "The Broken Heart" should be so soon forgotten! But Joseph having once transgressed his virtuous resolution, seems determined to have a good time, for it is written that he is
"still at Atchison camped in the brush -- It is a pleasant day, and I have been visited by Miss R., Miss E., Miss B, and Dr. B. They brought some good old Bourbon and we had a jolly time. I think Miss
R. was particularly well pleased with me. She is a lovely girl with true Southern principles. Left to-night for Possum Walk -- was halted by the Feds -- after talking a few minutes they allowed me to pass on."
On the 10th of May he was
"at Honey Creek with C., S., and F. -- rained all day -- Feds murdered Jeff Miller."
Again he says:
"are in the neighborhood of Logan Dysart's -- Feds run me out of our camp at 3 o'clock in the morning and stole my horse and two others -- am going to the neighborhood of
St. Joseph - Federals murdered Ed. O. Burns to-day."
His manner of speaking of the death of the two persons mentioned above would lead one to suppose that they were estimable citizens who had been most foully dealt with by our troops. The truth is, they
were members of the innocent Joseph's guerrilla gang, and were killed in a skirmish at the time the camp was attacked. The loss of his horse was an annoyance to Joseph, for which some Union man must compensate. he says, next day,
"our camp was discovered by a citizen -- found out from him that he had a navy-pistol at home -- went at night and took it -- also one horse -- went after Jeff Haze's pistol and horse; but he escaped across Platte River."
The heart of man ever years for the things that it has loved. So Joseph returned to his Virdie on the next "Holy Sabbath" that he found in his calendar. He says:
"I spent a pleasant day with my sweet-heart, and left her sorrowfully. She looked so mournfully sweet, and kissed me with such tenderness that a loving calm has fallen upon my soul. A pleasant breeze is sighing through the trees this lovely evening, and all nature looks charming. Had a difficulty
with a citizen today about a horse -- it is a fine animal and will carry me well."
If we refer once more to the bushwhacker's dictionary we shall find the word "difficulty" signifies "killing." and reading the sentence by this light, we find that our romantic guerrilla met a citizen riding a good horse and blew the man's brains out to get possession of the animal.
Having traveled two days and
"made the acquaintance of Miss Sallie Ford and Miss
Candor, very pleasant Southern girls, on whom I can rely for assistance."
He finally "reached Richfield in time for the fight in which
Sessions was killed -- paroled A____ , W____, & L_____; captured a fine large spy-glass to-day."
While thus dallying between love and murder Joseph was making additions to his band, and preparing for some expedition worthy of his genius. On the 20th, having every thing in readiness, he says,
"I marched for the vicinity of Plattsburg, and reached it shortly after dark. Layed over till 3 o'clock in the morning and then marched on Plattsburg -- captured the town, and paroled Col. Chas. Porter, Col. Jas. H.
Bivin, Jr. and Yosley. Destroyed a hundred stand of Government arms and burned $10,000 worth of Defense Warrants. Left after dark -- captured two horses and saddles -- lost a horse wounded in the fight -- destroyed Printing press and office -- recruited one man."
A day or two after this, the Diary says, he
"went with three men to Carpenter's store in Clinton and got supper -- was fired at by
Carpenter and a visitor -- and returned their fire -- nobody hurt on our side -- don't know about the other -- sold dragoon pistol for $50 -- captured a horse -- turns out that
Carpenter was mortally wounded and is dead. Next day went on a scout with four men -- captured 1 over-coat,
2 blankets, 2 horses, 1 saddle, 1 double-barreled shot-gun, 1 rifle, and paroled two prisoners -- exchanged a few shots with the Militia -- a very good Sabbath day's work."
That reverses will occur in the bushwhacking business, as well as in gold speculation or other occupations more honest in their nature, is exemplified in Joseph's career. He has entered in his Diary that
"on Monday went with Capt. Scott to see if the skiff was at the river -- while on the river was fired at about fifty times by the Feds, but escaped to camp untouched. went down opposite Sibley, and on returning run into the Fed.
infantry and received one shot through the rim of my hat, one across the shoulder of my coat, and one bruised my head a little, just back of my ear -- my partner's horse was shot though the leg. While I was gone to Sibley my company was driven out of camp by the Feds, numbering four to one. I am as yet separated from them -- we lost several horses and some
arms4."
He finally finds his scattered lambs and determines to seek, on the opposite side of the river, a more lucrative and less dangerous field of operations. The whistle of bullets is not pleasant to the ear of Joseph, and he prefers to steal his horses in a country where gunpowder is comparatively unknown. So he
"marched to the river, but found it so well guarded that we could not get across -- marched thirty miles to another crossing before daylight. Built a raft out of logs and rails and seven of us crossed upon it. Swam our horses in and lost three of them -- the others swam to Jackson County
shore."
On the following day he met several more ladies with Southern sympathies, and a furious flirtation was the result, whereby Joseph again got separated from his gory companions. This was the loss to be regretted however as it was the occasion of his meeting with Colonel Parker, C.S.A. The Colonel was recruiting for the rebel army, and the result of this interview was that Joseph
"was recommissioned by the Confederate authorities, and vested with authority to commission five recruiting officers and offer special inducements to obtain recruits."
For the ensuing two weeks the Diary contains but little of interest. Our gay guerrillas spent their time flirting with their lady friends, stealing an occasional horse, and foraging upon loyal citizens. He eventually crossed the river again, and says:
"We were followed by about 50 militia and on account of Henry Brown's actions we were discovered, and after skirmishing a little while were forced to run. I lost my horse, saddle, and clothes, and some goods I had got for a new uniform, but I had the satisfaction of killing the officer in command of the militia. Got separated from the company, and procured a horse from a sympathizer. Ran into the militia second time but got away. Changed horses again."
Joseph was remarkably good at a horse trade, especially when the other fellow didn't have any weapon. While in Andrew County he
"left camp and went to my own neighborhood, but Fed. troops were guarding my home. Didn't see my sister or any one else belonging to my family. Sent a friend to town for $30 worth of goods. Feds got after me, and I took to the brush to get away."
Returning to the vicinity of Sibley, he had a fight with the Feds, losing his old friend Colonel Parker, whom he disposes of in this summary manner:
"Colonel B. F. Parker was killed by the Feds to-day. McFarren's regiment did it. Got supper at A. Riley's passing ourselves off as militia."
The remainder of the Diary is filled up with similar memoranda, clearly setting forth the daily pillage, robbery, and brutality, now and then hinting at offenses of greater magnitude, but never opening confessing to murder and arson. The latter crimes were, however, as familiar to them as petit larceny. Joseph delighted in annoying the militia, and often chuckled with satisfaction at his success. Of the "Feds," or regularly organized troops, he had a wholesome horror, and on meeting them would
incontinently take to the brush. His career was marked with flame, blood, and cowardice, and he finally met the just doom of a cowardly murdered. he died a lingering death upon the field where he was mortally wounded, with his back to the foe, while trying to run away from an inferior
force5. Missouri is now free from these marauding freebooters, but years must elapse ere she can recover form the depredations committed by them. That the Confederate authorities sanctioned and encourage this guerrilla warfare constitutes one of the most heinous offenses that can be laid to the charge of these insane leaders. But, thank God, Peace reigns again, and Thrift and Plenty will return once more to this fair State.
Some Historical Footnotes and
Observations of William B. Lay, MMCWRT
1
Joseph Hart was an 18 year old who came from St. Joseph, Missouri and
organized the first guerrilla band in Clay County, Missouri. His
band consisted of a half dozen guerrillas that ranged through the
neighborhood of present day Kearney, Missouri. Reference:
Eakin, J. and Hale, D. Branded as Rebels; 1993, p. 194 ; Missouri
Republican, July 15, 1863; Clay County History 1885, Northwest
Missouri History, 1915; Caldwell County History, 1886,
Brownlee , Western Journal of Commerce, July 25, 1863 and May 30,
1863; Harrison Trow, Charles W. Quantrell, Vega, Texas, 1923;
Neil Block, 400 N. Main, Huntsville, Mo, 64259, (Personal
Correspondence).
2 Was
that Bennett Wood who was one of Quantrill's followers who was wounded
at Independence , sent to Missouri to recruit after the battle of
Hartville?
It was also reported that he and Higbee got a large amount
of money after the Lawrence raid and that they went to Canada. Reference:
William E. Connelley, Quantrill and the Border Wars, pages 204,
281 and 420. Eakin and Hale report that Wood was killed at
Napoleon, Mo. on June 20, 1863. Eakin, J. and Hale, D. Branded
as Rebels; 1993, p. 475 ; Western Journal of Commerce, June
27, 1863; Brownlee.
Or was it Benton Wood who was with Quantrill at Lawrence on
August 21, 1863?
He was from Independence and a church member. He was one of
the guards of the prisoners. He told the prisoners that the raid
was for what the Kansans had done in Missouri. Reference.:
Letter of Joseph Savage to W. W. Scott, January 29, 1879; Eakin, J. and
Hale, D. Branded as Rebels, 1993, p. 475 ;
3
Was this William R. Gaugh who was with Quantrill?
William Gaugh was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Gaugh
Joined Quantrill at age 16, and was at the Battle of Independence on
August 11, 1862, the Lawrence raid on August 21, 1863, and the
Centralia Massacre on September 27, 1863. He went to Kentucky with
Quantrill and was captured in April 1865. He was placed in
jail at Lexington, Kentucky then sent to Louisville, Kentucky where he
escaped. He attended the Quantrill Reunions. He died July 7,
1908 at age 63 and was buried at the Forest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City.
Claimed he was sent to Clay County for recruits and enlisted Frank and
Jesse James. Owned a farm near Leeds (southeast KC) after the war.
Reference: JCHS Archives; Oak Grove Banner,
July 10, 1908; Kansas City Star and Post, July 9, 1908;
Castel; Brownlee; Block; Hale; Eakin, J. and Hale, D. Branded as
Rebels, 1993, p. 159.
4
Joseph Hart reported to have been with the Guerrillas near Richfield
(just West of Missouri City, Missouri on the North bank of the Missouri
River) on Tuesday, May 19, 1863. Sixteen bushwhackers made
their appearance 2 miles east of the town of Richfield, in the
afternoon. Two of them went to a house in the neighborhood, acting as if
drunk, swearing they were Quantrill's men, etc. The men at whose house
they were, started to notify the federal authorities immediately after
they left, and reported to Lieutenant Grafenstein. At that
time Lieutenant Grafenstein and Captain Sessions and 3 men started out
to look into the matter. After getting out of Richfield 1/2 miles, they
were fired upon from the thick bush. Captain Sessions and Private Rapp
fell at the first fire; Lieutenant Grafenstein was hit soon after, and
had to stop;
The three were then rushed upon by the party of guerrillas. Rapp
was robbed and left for dead. Captain Sessions was shot again two or
three times through the head, and Lieutenant Grafenstein, after
surrendering himself a prisoner, was coolly shot twice through the head
also (a woman at the same time, near by, begging for his life). They
both were stripped and plundered also. The gang then pursued the two
remaining number of the squad in a direction not directly toward
Richfield, but they reached Richfield in about twenty minutes after the
first firing. The two boys beat the guerrillas in and escaped from them.
In the mean time, some one passing near where Rapp was, brought
him into town. Rapp was having his wounds dressed when the
guerrillas entered town. When the guerrillas learned that Rapp was not
killed, one of them went directly to him and shot him three times more,
and left him for dead the second time. (He yet will probably recover.)
They then commenced to pillage the Union citizens particularly, but
really made but little distinction between the loyal and disloyal; and
after doing this pretty effectually, and destroying the Union flag,
cutting the pole, etc., they left the place on the same road they
entered, about 9 or 10 o'clock the same night.
Hart was found 12 miles north of Liberty on Wednesday and told
the Federals that he had come from Saint Joe (direct) and visited Mrs.
McCoy.
Also see the report of Captain Joseph Schmitz to Colonel Chester
Harding, Jr. from the US Arsenal in Clay County, Missouri, 22 Official
Reports 335, 336.
5
On July 13, 1863 Joe Hart was in Chillicothe, Livingston County when he
wrote to his parents the following: "Dear Parents: Being up
in this country with a body of Partisan Rangers on a raid, I have
concluded to drop a few lines to you, letting you know of my health,
which is fine, and also of my operations, and of my brother George.
I saw some boys, and have now under me, just up from the army, who saw
George about the 20th of May, and after the battle of Cape Girardeau.
he was well and in excellent spirits. John is dead. He was wounded
at Springfield, January 4th, 1863, and died soon after. Don't weep over
him. He fell like a hero, and (his officers) say that he never
flinched amid a shower of balls which fell so thickly around him, but
led the charge on the enemy with the coolness and gallantry of a veteran
... At Pea Ridge his comrades say that he was always in advance,
uncovered and exposed, yet unmoved and immovable ... I, with you,
will always morn his untimely death, yet he could not have died in a
better cause.... I captured a lot of Andrew (County) Militia and
killed several. The boys under my command caught Harrison Burns,
George Henry and someone else ... and killed them, as they refused to
give up their arms ... and attempted to shoot whilst in the house, when
they were killed in the presence of the women. I could not help
it. It was their own fault -- they should have surrendered ...
They helped to murder George Breckinridge and old Sam Mason, and shot
Mrs. Mason in the arm .... I am going to ... kill off Andrew County
-- every last devil -- and they know it. You bet they fly
where they hear of me up here -- they say I am a d---d sight worse than
Quantrill, and that my men would sooner die than live .... I was
wounded in the head not long ago, but am well now. We , twelve of
us, charged seventy-one feds with our navy revolvers a few days ago
killing (many), capturing fifty breech-loading rifles, fifty-four or
fifty-five navy revolvers, and about sixty horses with their equipage,
and lost only three killed -- none wounded or taken.
I remain your son, Joe."
Joe was shot and killed by Union troops on July 24, 1863.
His unmailed letter of July 13 was found in his pocket. Reference:
Thomas Goodrich, Black Flag, Guerrilla Warfare on the Western Border,
1861-1865, pages 72 - 73; Liberty Tribune, July 24, 1863; Michael
Fellman, Inside War, pages 132 - 133.
Hart was killed near Spring Hill, 12 miles north of Chillicothe,
Missouri. Reference: Missouri Republican, July
15, 1863; Clay County History 1885, Northwest Missouri
History, 1915; Caldwell County History, 1886, Brownlee , Western
Journal of Commerce, July 25, 1863 and May 30, 1863; Harrison
Trow, Charles W. Quantrell, Vega, Texas, 1923; Neil Block, 400 N. Main,
Huntsville, Mo, 64259, (Personal Correspondence).
Joe Hart may have in addition to having an older brother by the
name of John Hart may also have had an older brother by the name
of John Hart. Eakin and Hale report that John Hart, a brother of
Joseph Hart, killed a John Breckinridge in Andrew County, Mo.
Reference: Eakin, J. and Hale, D. Branded as Rebels;
1993, p. 194; California , Mo. Weekly News, July 18, 1863.
On September 28, 1864 John Hart was arrested while with H.L.
Stevenson at Dougherty's Tavern on Morgan Street near 4th Street
in St. Louis. Reference: Eakin supra, page 194.
At the trial the witness, Charles Watkins knew only that he had been
drunk on the night he was arrested, but he was sober the next day and
had no idea of whatever deviltry" he might have committed. In
the hard light of the morning of September 28, 1864, John Hart and
Richard H. L. Stevenson could not recollect their conduct of the night
before. In Hart's words "I didn't know (what happened),
as I was very tight." A U. S. detective deposed that at
Dougherty's Tavern on Morgan street near 4th in St. Louis, Hart and
Stevenson had drunk toasts to Jefferson Davis and General Sterling
Price. After their arrest, the booking sergeant at the Myrtle
Street prison had asked the two whether they were Federal soldiers or
rebels, to which Stevenson replied that he was "a Wolf and
Bushwhacker, by God." Stevenson repeated the same to the
guards in the prison yard who had to be restrained from hanging him on
the spot. Reference: Statement of Charles
Watkins, "Proceedings of the Investigation ... at Macon;
proceedings against Stevenson and Hart, Provost Marshal Charges of
Disloyalty File 2792, Record Group 393, NA; Michael Fellman, Inside
War, The Guerrilla Conflict in Missouri During the American Civil War;
1989, page 144.
John was wounded and captured at Skinner Bridge, Platte County,
Missouri on December 14, 1864. Reference: Eakin
supra, page 194.
