NEWS OF 150 YEARS AGO
September 1864
From The Missouri Democrat, Monday, September 26, 1864.
The Invader in Missouri!
SHELBY’S CAVALRY IN THE SOUTHEAST.
Price Coming from Arkansas.
CAPE GIRARDEAU THREATENED.
The Rebels at Farmington.
THE PERIL OF PILOT KNOB.
THE DUTY OF MISSOURIANS.
The long threatened and anticipated invasion of our State by the forces of Pap Price and Joe [sic] Shelby, has at last begun in earnest, and is now in lively progress. The startling reports brought by scouts into Bloomfield, Stoddard county, last Wednesday evening, resulting in the evacuation of that extreme outpost and the withdrawal of its small garrison to Cape Girardeau, prove not to have been exaggerations.
Shelby and Marmaduke are together undoubtedly moving northward in Southeast Missouri, with a joint force of cavalry reasonably estimated at about five thousand strong. This appears to be the advance guard or a division co-operative with Price’s main army, stated at nine thousand cavalry, with artillery, which crossed the Arkansas at Dardanelles some days ago, and is since heard from moving north along the west side of Currant river, in the vicinity of Pocahontas, Arkansas.
Intelligence was on Saturday evening received at Department headquarters that, Fredericktown, in Madison county, had been occupied by a portion of Shelby’s cavalry during the day, and that the main body was moving northward, apparently with the design of passing Pilot Knob on the west and Cape Girardeau on the east.
Yesterday morning it was learned that the enemy had on Saturday night reached and passed through Farmington, in St. Francois county, and seemed about encamping in that locality. The news at headquarters last evening was, that Shelby’s main force was still at rest near Farmington, but that a detachment had been sent from it in the direction of Cape Girardeau.
Cape Girardeau is regarded as sufficiently fortified and garrisoned to be secure from attack, but the same confidence is probably not felt relative to Pilot Knob. The few troops there, if in danger, were doubtless promptly withdrawn, and the commissary stores, which were very far from extensive, either removed or destroyed.
Neither Fredericktown nor Farmington contained any garrison nor public stores.
The military authorities took possession of the Iron Mountain railroad on Saturday evening, and during the night transported over it to Mineral Point, some three thousand infantry detached from General A. J. Smith’s command at Sulphur Springs. General Ewing, commanding the District of St. Louis, left for Mineral Point at one o’clock yesterday morning, is command in the field. He is well supplied with batteries, and is abundantly able to hold any point which he may choose to contest with the enemy.
Forty residents of Potosi, mounted, are known to have in a body left that place on Saturday, with the avowed intention of joining Shelby.
The men of Price, Shelby and Marmaduke, are described as in fine physical condition, excellently equipped, and provided with an abundance of carefully selected and first class horses. General Price was a few days ago personally recognized as he rode along with his column. The report of Price advancing in the Southwest is attributable, doubtless, to the fact that a column of his general command is from that direction actually advancing northward, perhaps for a raid in the fertile counties of Kansas, rather than the often decimated ones of Missouri.
Precisely what preparations have been made, and what maneuvers are in progress to check these incursions, it is of course not proper to publish.
It is, however, pretty generally known that a large national force has for some weeks been concentrating at Brownsville, on the line of the railroad between Little Rock and Duvall’s Bluff, under General Mowbrey. The fall of Atlanta renders it safe for General Canby to reinforce General Steele to any desirable extent, and to furnish to Mowbrey a force adequate to an important undertaking. Price, Shelby & Co. leave Steele and Mowbrey in the rear, and the latter is at liberty to move. The fair presumption is that he will be heard from by the invaders in due time.
Meanwhile the people of Missouri have their part to perform, as indicated in the eloquent order of the Department Commander, published in our columns this morning. With cheerful alacrity in responding to his appeal, all will be well. The invader will be speedily driven in disgrace from our State, and we shall aid the heroes under Grant, Sherman, Farragut and Sheridan in restoring peace and prosperity, in the only way in which they can ever return, to our whole country.
