Source: Adjutant Generals Report of Missouri State Militia for the year of 1861, St.Louis, George Knaps and Co., 1862
Transcribed by: Candi Horton©2006, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Adjutant General's Report
of
Missouri State Militia
For the year 1861

His Excellency H.R. Gamble, Commander in Chief
Major Gen'l H.W. Halleck, Major Gen'l Command'g.
Brig. Gen'l JNO. M. Schofield, Brig., Gen'l Comm'g.

Governor's Staff
Colonel Chester Harding, Jr., Adjutant General.
Colonel Alton R. Easton, Inspector General
Colonel Cyrus B. Burnham, Quartermaster General
Colonel Philip L. Weigel, M.D., Surgeon General
Colonel Franklin D. Callender, Aid-de-Camp and Ordnance Officer
Colonel William D. Wood, Aid-de-Camp and Ass't Inspector Gen'l
Colonel Hamilton Gamble, Aid-de-Camp and Ass't Inspector Gen'l
Colonel William T. Mason, Aid-de-Camp and Ass't Inspector Gen'l

Staff of the Commanding General
Lieut. Col. Calvin W. Marsh, Assistant Adjutant General
Lieut. Col. Bernard G. Farrar, Aid-de-Camp and Ass't Insp'r Gen'l
Lieut. Col.John B. Gray, Aid-de-Camp and Ass't Insp'r Gen'l

Staff of the First Brigade
Major, No Name listed, Ass't Adj't Gen'l
Major henry L. McConnell, Aid-de-Camp
Major John F. Tyler, Aid-de-Camp
S.H. Melcher, M.D. Brigade Surgeon

Headquarters, Odd Fellow's Hall, cor. Fourth and Locust Sts.



Sir: The records of this office exhibit nothing in regard tot he organization of the militia, as it existed prior to June 12, 1861, the date Governor Jackson's proclamation, announcing that he had espoused the cause of the rebels, and calling upon the people of the State to support him. in fact, no troops were raised on behalf of the Government under our militia law of 1859, until a few days before the whole system was changed by the Convention in October last, therefore, our militia rolls five but a faint indication of the efforts which our loyal citizens have made to maintain the supremacy of the Constitution and laws of the land. It is thought proper that although no official account of our earlier action was ever tendered to the State authorities, such information as can be furnished respecting the military strength put forth by the State at the outset of our difficulties, should be embodied in this report.

The President's proclamation calling for seventy-five thousand three months volunteers, under which Missouri was to furnish four regiments, was issued on the 15th of April 1861. On the 22nd of the same month, the Arsenal gates were thrown open for the reception of troops. On that day some two thousand men were mustered and in the course of a fortnight, numbering in all upwards of 4 thousand 500 hundred men, had been raised, and the fifth regiment of infantry was about half formed.

Early in May, authority was obtained to enroll and arm the loyal citizens of St. Louis as a "Reserve Corps" the number so enrolled not to be more that sufficient to make the whole number of volunteers and Reserve Corps amount to 10 thousand. This limit was not strictly adhered to. On the 7th, 8th and 11th days of May, five regiments of Reserve Corps, numbering 4 thousand seven hundred and seventy-four officers and men were mustered.

A Brigade morning report of the June 1st shows the strength of the whole force then under the command
of General LYON to have been as follows:

1st Regiment Volunteers Colonel E.P. Blair

1,220

2nd Regiment Volunteers Colonel H. Boernstein

1,128

3rd Regiment Volunteers Colonel Fr. Sigel

1,103

4th Regiment Volunteers Colonel N. Schittner

1,027

5th Regiment Volunteers Colonel C. E. Saloman

926

Battalion of Artillery Maj. Backhoff

253

Pioneer Company Capt. Voerster

120

1st Regiment U.S.R.C. Colonel H. Almstedt

1,195

2nd Regiment U.S.R.C. Colonel H. Kallman

736

3rd Regiment U.S.R.C. Colonel John McNeil

839

4th Regiment U.S.R.C. Colonel B. Gratz Brown

1,169

5th Regiment U.S.R.C. Colonel Stifel

1,014

   

10,730

The whole of this force was raised in St. Louis, and it is due to our German fellow-citizens to say, that they furnished at least four-fifths of it. The Whole of it was actively and usefully employed in the field and in garrison, until discharged or remustered into the three years' service.

In June 1861, the Government of the United States sent to the Arsenal, for distribution among the "loyal in habitants of Missouri," 10thousand stand of arms and sets of accoutrements. These were placed in the hands of the so-called "Home Guards" in different parts of the State. No accurate account can be given of the "Home Guards." To the great majority of them these arms and accoutrements were given for the purpose of enabling them to protect their own homes and neighborhoods. They expected neither pay nor subsistence from the Government, and made no reports to its authorities. They have been of great service to the State and to the Union cause, and have echibited much gallantry when brought in contact with the enemy.

Besides those armed by the United States, there were probably enough more in the Home Guard organization who furnished their own arms to make the whole number in the State upwards of 15 thousand. There was a class of Home Guards, however, which should properly be considered a part of our volunteer force. These troops were raised under the following circumstances:

For a long time Missouri was not permitted to place in the field all the men who desired to serve as volunteers for the war until late in the summer the State was limited as to the number of regiments that would be accepted and there was no authority to accept cavalry or artillery.

Brigadier-General Lyon, then in charge of this department, desiring to make his entire volunteer force available, enrolled some battalions and companies of Home Guards for three months' service and placed them in charge of a part of our lines of communication. These troops were ordered upon duty as soon as organized and were kept in active service constantly until their time of enlistment expired. A complete list of them cannot be given. The following is an approximate estimate of their numbers.

Potosi Home Guards

50

Desoto Home Guards

102

Carondelet Home Guards

103

Inks' Battalion

350

Owens' Battalion

400

Hundhausen's Battalion

400

St. Charles Battalion

300

Jefferson City Battalion

200

Hannibal Battalion

304

 

2,209

These troops, although they were necessarily stationed where they were most exposed to the malarious fevers of the country during the summer and fall, without adequate supplies; although in faithfully performing an important duty, they have been more than decimated by disease are yet unrecognized and unpaid by the Government.

As soon as the President's proclamation calling for Volunteers to serve for three years or during the war was issued, the organization of regiments in accordance therewith, was commenced. The result is shown in the detailed statement hereto appended and marked "Schedule A."*
The recapitulation shows that of Missouri volunteers serving for three years or the war, we have 23,847 infantries, 3,055 artillery and 5,919 cavalry making an aggregate of 32,821.

The militia organized under the call of your Excellency for six months' service, number 6,185 as appears by the report hereto appended and marked "Schedule B."+

The re-organization of the militia for service during the war commenced so recently that no further report in regard to ti it deemed necessary, than to say that companies, battalions and regiments are forming in different sections of the State and that in all probability a large force of this description will have been placed in the field as early as the first of March next.

I am, sir, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, Chester Harding, Adjutant General.
His Excellency Governor H.R. Gamble

Schedule A
(*Since the date of this report many changes in the volunteer regiments have taken place. Some have been consolidated and other which appear in the Schedule to be under the minimum strength are now reported as exceeding it.)

Schedule B
(+ Since the date of this report, one regiment and one battalion of six months State Militia have been disbanded. The remainder are to be re-organized as rapidly as possible.)

BACK