The Guerrilla Hunters: Irregular Conflicts during the Civil War

A new book was published this past April entitled, "The Guerrilla Hunters: Irregular Conflicts during the Civil War" by Brian D. McKnight, Barton A. Myers and others. The subject of the book is explained in its title.

One chapter, entitled "Who is Tinker Dave Beaty, Hunting Guerilla Social Networks" (author Aaron Astor) gives great insight into why men joined Union Guerilla David Beaty's Independent Scouts.

The title of the chapter is a reference to a letter written on March 21, 1863 from Brigadier General George Crook to General James A. Garfield, Chief of Staff, Army of the Cumberland, Murfreesboro, where Crook asks the question, "Who is Tinker Dave Beaty?” (See the letter below) In the book, the authors present two reasons why men joined the independent scouts: kinship and revenge. This book is well worth reading. It is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Why would men want to join the independent scouts? David Beaty of Fentress County, Tennessee organized the unit early in 1862 in Fentress County. It was apparently never mustered into the regular U.S. Service, but Major General Ambrose E. Burnside authorized it to act as scouts, and operate in the regions of Overton and Fentress Counties in combating Confederate guerrillas. Members never drew any pay, but were supplied with arms and ammunition by the Federal authorities. It was first mentioned in the Official Records in a letter from Brigadier General George Crook, at Carthage, dated March 21, 1863, admitting his inability to establish a line of couriers due to the numerous bands of Confederate cavalry and guerrillas operating in his area. He inquired “Who is Tinker Dave Beatty?”

Confederate reports spoke of skirmishes with “Beatty’s band of robbers” and Pickett County's J. D. Hale, writing from Albany, on December 5, 1864 about the presence of “rebels” in the area, stated “Beatty knows of none in Fentress County.”

'Revenge'
Beaty, the Union guerilla, and Champ Ferguson, a Confederate guerilla, waged a bitter guerrilla warfare in the mountainous regions of the Upper Cumberland country throughout the war. Many residents, members of home guards in Clinton, Fentress and Overton counties, were murdered by guerillas on both sides. Ferguson and Beaty both claimed it was kill or be killed. Naturally, those residents that remained wanted to see the guerilla activity stopped. My maternal third great-grandfather, Elijah Koger, was one of the residents who tried to stop the guerilla warfare by arranging a peace agreement between both sides. While an agreement was reached, it was quickly broken by Ferguson. Koger's involvement in trying to bring peace to the region cost him his life, as he was murdered by Ferguson and his men at his home in the Oak Grove community of Clinton County.

'Kinship'
Tinker Dave Beaty was my maternal third great-uncle. His sister, Matilda, and her husband, John Boles, were my third great-grandparents. "The Guerrilla Hunters: Irregular Conflicts during the Civil War" mentions this and also refers to other relatives of mine who were members of the independent scouts.

My great, great-grandfather, George Boles, who after the war moved from the East Fork of Fentress County to Clinton County, was an independent scout, as was his brother, John Boles, Jr., who married his first cousin, Matilda Beaty, daughter of Tinker Dave Beaty's brother, Fleming. George and John Jr.'s sister, Mary Ann, married Thomas Allred, who was also an independent scout.

Tinker Dave's son, James, married Elendor Jane Smith, George Boles' sister-in-law, whose father, David, and brother, Ahijah, were murdered by Confederate guerillas, possibly Champ Ferguson's men. David, Ahijah and another son, Asa, were also members of the independent scouts.

~0~

At the conclusion of the war, Ferguson was arrested for the murders of 53 people. He was found guilty and was hung on October 20, 1865.

"I am yet and will die a Rebel … I killed a good many men, of course, but I never killed a man who I did not know was seeking my life. … I had always heard that the Federals would not take me prisoner, but would shoot me down wherever they found me. That is what made me kill more than I otherwise would have done." - Champ Ferguson, after being found guilty.

Tinker Dave Beaty testified at Ferguson's trial and admitted to killing 25 people himself. But, his side won the war and he was never charged.

Carthage, Tenn., March 21, 1863

Gen. James A. Garfield, Chief of Staff, Army of the Cumberland, Murfreesborough:

I cannot send daily reports, as I have only a few horses, and it takes all of them to escort the mail down one day and back the next. I cannot establish a courier line unless I have cavalry to keep the enemy from coming on this of the river. The rebels taken all the horses from this section of the country, except old brood-mares, fillies, &c. Were my men mounted on these, in any movement requiring expedition, I would have to dismount and go afoot. I was never completely beat out before, but I have to acknowledge that I can do nothing against this cavalry with my infantry. I cannot entrap them in any possible way, for they have their spies and scouts all over this country, and I can make no movement without their being apprised of it before I can get to them with my infantry, and then, if it is not to their advantage to fight me, they get out of the way. They have no baggage or trains to detain them from making rapid movements.

I have seventy days' complete rations here, 150 rounds of ammunition for small-arms, and 200 rounds for battery.

I sent boat up the river yesterday, 43 miles; returned this evening, bringing some 500 bushels of corn and 600 bushels of wheat. The boats were attacked last night or this morning by several hundred cavalry. They did no damage. There are no supplies on the south side of the river amounting to anything.

Who is "Tinker Dave" Beatty?

What amount of supplies shall I accumulate here? I can get no answers to my dispatches to you. The boats leave in the morning for Nashville.

Respectfully,
George Crook, Brig.-Gen.

Tinker Dave Beaty, left, and Brig. Gen. George Crook

The Post Football Game

"The post football game was about to get ugly after all the others posts decided it was time to team up on little Jimmy."

People Have More Fun Than Anyone

I once saw this wrestling poster where a certain organization was coming to this area from someplace else. The wrestlers were all from someplace else. The main event was a "Loser Leaves Town" match.

I took my niece to Wal-Mart one day. She wanted an Icee. At the Snack Bar, there was a sign on the wall that read..."Hotdogs 50 cents or 2 for $1.00."

The Birth of the 33 1/3 rpm Record

Columbia Records launched a new microgroove record, pressed in vinylite, that played at 33 1/3 rpm on June 21, 1948, marking the end of the 78 rpm shellac records and sparking a music-industry standard so strong that the digital age has yet to kill it. Developed by recording engineer Peter Goldmark, the 33 1/3 rpm record could play for twenty-three minutes per side, holding 224 to 300 grooves per inch, which compared to an average of 85 grooves per inch on 78 rpm shellac records. The following year, RCA Victor introduced the smaller 45 rpm microgroove record, also pressed in vinylite, and for a year there was a battle of the speeds, but in 1950 Victor began to produce both the 33 1/3 rpm microgroove record for longer works and the smaller 45 rpm records, which proved more ideal for popular music.

My 78's: Les Paul (The Architect)

Les Paul, born Lester William Polsfuss on June 9, 1915, was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations. Although not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing, delay effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame refers to him as an "architect." He recorded with his wife, Mary Ford, in the 1950's and they sold millions of records. One of their more popular recordings was "Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)," which I have in my collection of 78 r.p.m. records.

"Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)" was released on Capitol Records (11544) in June of 1953. Side B is "Johnny (Is The Boy For Me). The record stayed on the Billboard magazine chart for 31 weeks, peaking at #1 on August 8, 1953, where it stayed #1 for 11 weeks. The record sold more than 2 million copies. Members of the Western Writers of America proclaimed it one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. The recording was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005.

Led Paul died on August 12, 2009.

Adam West was Batman!

R.I.P. Adam West, the only Batman to ever get it right.

Based on the DC comic book character of the same name, Batman also starred Burt Ward as Robin – two crime-fighting heroes who defended Gotham City from a variety of arch villains. Filled with intentional comedy and upbeat music, the TV show was aimed largely at a teenage audience. This included championing the importance of using seat belts, doing homework, eating vegetables, and drinking milk, etc. It was described by executive producer William Dozier, who was also the narrator, as "the only situation comedy on the air without a laughtrack." 120 episodes aired on ABC for three seasons, from January 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968, twice weekly for the first two and weekly for the third.

Alan Napier was Alfred, Neil Hamilton was Commissioner Gordon, Stafford Repp was Chief O'Hara and Yvonne Craig was Barbara Gordon / Batgirl.

Among the villains were Cesar Romero was the Joker, Burgess Meredith was the Penguin, Frank Gorshin and John Astin played the Riddler, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt were Catwoman, Victor Buono was King Tut, George Sanders, Otto Preminger and Eli Wallach were Mr. Freeze, David Wayne was Mad Hatter, Vincent Price was Egghead, Cliff Robertson was Shame and Milton Berle was Louie the Lilac.

Theme music up...
"dada dada dada dada
dada dada dada dada
BATMAN!
(and so forth)

Narrator: "Meanwhile in Gotham City)"

Batman: "It's Alfred's emergency belt-buckle Bat-call signal! There's trouble! Quick to the Batmobile!"

Chief O'Hara: "Will you be wanting extra police protection?"

Batman: "No thank you, Chief O'Hara. This time I think Robin and I better go at it alone. Any large contingent of police officers might create unnecessary confusion.

More theme music and then...

Narrator: The Cape Crusader and Boy Wonder have just arrived at Gotham City's Water Storage Facility.

Batman: "Hold it right there, Joker!"

KA-POW! SPLATT! WHAM! ZOWEE!

Robin: "Holy fresh saltwater, Batman!

Batman: "It's okay, Robin, now the Joker understands that crime doesn't pay."

Robin: "Great work, Batman, but where'd you get a live fish?"

Batman: "The true crimefighter always carries everything he needs in his utility belt, Robin."

Robin: "You can't get away from Batman that easy, Joker!"

Batman: "Easily"

Robin: "Easily"

Batman: "Good grammar is essential, Robin."

Robin: "Thank you"

Batman: "You're welcome"

Robin: "And Joker, if you want to pollute any more water, you'll find plenty where you're going -- up the river!

Narrator: "Is this the end for the Joker or will he have the last laugh? Will Robin ever finish his grammar lessons and what day does the lunch special include fish? Find out tomorrow. Same bat time, same bat channel."

(Theme music up and end)
dada dada dada dada
dada dada dada dada
BATMAN

Choices

Life is full of choices. We may not always make the right choice and sometimes things may get a little tough.

The late Dan Miller of WSMV-TV in Nashville had a philosophy about life that rose far beyond this simple child's nursery rhyme:

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream

"It's a lot of work to get through life," he said. "Sometimes the choices we make don't turn out so gentle. It's a good thing when, on those rare occasions, I am able to keep both oars in the water at the same time." 

Cumberland City Was A Company Town

Cumberland City was the company town of the Poplar Mountain Coal Company. It was founded by northern businessmen who came to develop timber and coal resources in Poplar Mountain, much of which was owned by the Bruce Sloan heirs. The company acquired land, opened a mine and began cutting local timber there in the early 1860's. John H. Clark was the coal company's superintendent.

Cumberland City's population at its peak in 1870, including miners, was 225, larger than Albany at the time. The town was located near the coal mines at Short Maintain, a spur of Poplar Mountain owned by the Cyrus Guthrie heirs, with a school, tavern, saddlery, boot and shoe shop. There was even a large commisary. A company store was opened. Thomas Stephenson had a grocery and tanning yard. L.G. Campbell, was the postmaster and operated a store. He was later the pastor at Cumberland City United Methodist Church. Perry Smith and Osco Anderson also operated stores. The Albany Gazette reported in 1876 that L.B. McNabb and T.V. Stevenson had general stores, R.L. Carty was an oil dealer and W.F. Cartwright was the doctor. By 1895, the newspaper reported that H.H. Snow was postmaster and general storekeeper, and W.F. Buffet had a saw and flour mill.

According to an 1871 U.S. Government Report, the vein of coal at Cumberland City was 3.5 feet thick and about 900 feet above low water of the Cumberland River, 1,357 feet above tide. About 100 acres of good coal was found at the top of Short Mountain, where a bed of superior quality coal was reached, 3 feet 8 inches thick covering 2,000 acres.

Between 1879 and 1880, a coal railroad that extended from Cumberland City, nine miles to the mouth of Indian Creek, was built by Col. William Hoskins of Danville and Poplar Mountain Coal Company changed its name to Poplar Mountain Railway and Mining Company. The track was a substantial ballasted track laid with T-rail and having a grade of 240 to 260 feet for four miles. The train employed a 23-ton engine that could draw 1,200,000 bushels of coal per annum from the mines to the river. The route where the railroad passed to the site of the mine was known as "Railroad Hollow." It was on the left side, west of the dock to Seventy Six Falls.

The train carried the coal to Rowena Landing where it was loaded onto barges and towed by steamboat down river to Nashville. The method of shipping likely caused waste but the coal was hard and the loss was small. Still, the difficulties of navigation limited the quantity taken to market. The round trip to Nashville and back to Indian Creek took six days, when not delayed by fog. A rise of ten feet at the coal landing was necessary for a "tow," drawing six feet of water and carrying 35,000 to 42,000 bushels to pass down river safely. The dangers consisted in narrow and crooked channels and rocky obstructions. Two barges were lost in four years. The timber was transported to the river either by wagon or rail and loaded onto large rafts and sent down the river to Nashville.

For many decades, the mines near Rowena largely contributed to the river trade, but better roads, modern transportation and improved resources, along with less coal and timber, changed everything. By 1895 the population of Cumberland City was down to 115 and in the early 1900's, the Poplar Mountain Railway & Mining Company started selling its land. Another mining operation, Sloan Coal Company, continued mining in Short Mountain into the 1940s. Tourist cabins were built at the junction of Kentucky highways 829 and 558 and the community that developed there became known as "Cabin City."

Over the years, people have told about seeing parts of the railroad track as well as a furnace that was used in the mines. The railroad station house became the home of Wilma Guthrie. The church remains.

A Public Speaking Interrupted

Aug. 29, 1935, (AP) Albany, Ky. -- "The jerking of a microphone from in front of Circuit Judge Swope, Republican nominee for Governor of Kentucky, threw a large homecoming crowd into an uproar here and resulted in the arrest of Mose Hurt Littrell, 43, on a charge of interrupting a public speaking."

The 100th birthday anniversary of Clinton County in 1935 was a really big deal. The Disabled American Veterans of the World War, chapter 10, under the command of Littrell, organized the event, which lasted four days, August 26th through the 29th, complete with a Homecoming and Centennial Jubilee, an epic event with a who's who list of speakers. Senators Alben W. Barkley and Marvel Mills Logan of Kentucky and Huey Long of Louisiana, Congressmen John Robsion of Kentucky and Ridley Mitchell of Tennessee tentatively accepted invitations to attend, provided Congress had adjourned by celebration time. Louisville Times editor Tom Wallace also accepted an invitation to speak on the opening day. The final day of the celebration was designated as Governor's Day and Good Roads Day. Governor Ruby Laffoon and Ed Gatliff, state road commissioner, and several other members of the commission were expected to attend.

Other speakers who accepted invitations to attend were Ben Johnson of Bardstown, Dr. Baird, state commander of the D.A.V. and state adjutant of the American Legion. N.E. Whiting, head of the Veteran's Bureau in Louisville and past commander of the D.A.V., Sargeant Alvin C. York, WWII hero of Pall Mall, Kentucky State Treasurer Elam Huddleston, a former resident of Clinton County, and Judge Roscoe Tarter of Somerset.

1935 was an election year in Kentucky and on the ballot was the Kentucky governor's seat. The DAV's arrangement committee, who organized the centennial celebration, decided to invite the three leading candidates for the office. They were Lieutenant Governor A.B. "Happy" Chandler, Thomas Rhea and Judge King Swope.

Commander Littrell, who was chairman of the arrangement committee, would later write that he had advised all of the speakers not to mention anything political during their speeches. He cited Article 12 of the national Disabled American Veterans of the Work War, which provides that the corporation shall be non-political, non-sectional and as an organization shall not promote the candidacy of any person seeking public office.

Judge Swope, a former congressman and current judge in Fayette County, spoke to a crowded  courtroom inside the courthouse on Aug. 28th. Speakers were set up outside the courthouse so hundreds of others could listen. Littrell was in town but was not present when Swope began his speech. He later said the speech was 'purely political and in furtherance of his own candidacy.' A majority of the arrangement committee was present for the speech and decided Swope's was out of order. They wrote those words in a note and handed it to J.G. Smith, chairman of the Clinton County Republican party, who in turn handed it to Judge Swope, who immediately began what Mose Littrell later described as a "vitrolic assault on the senders of the note," referring to them as cowards and asserted that he would speak on any subject he might choose.

Littrell said he was outside but within range of the P.A. system and heard Judge Swope's "attack' on the committee members. In a letter to the Louisville Courier-Journal on September 3, 1935, he said he felt that it was up to him to advise the audience that the type of speech being given by Judge Swope was against the provisions of the DAV organization and to advise them that if Judge Swope continues with that type of speech, the DAV desired to disavow all connections with it and to withdraw as its sponsor. Littrell said he went into the courtroom, walked up to the microphone and took ahold of it, but before he could make his announcement, he was seized by a number of people who were sitting nearby. He was taken downstairs to the sheriff's office while Swope continued with his speech. The Republican party chairman took out a warrant for Littrell's arrest and he was taken to the Clinton County Jail, but then released on a $300 bond.

The Tennessean newspaper told a slightly different story. "Officers said Littrell seized the microphone and ran with it...members of the crowd "dragged" him to the sheriff's office downstairs.

Littrell told the Louisville Courier-Journal that he was a Republican who had the highest respect for Judge Swope, but felt that it was his duty as a member of the DAV to abide by the Article 12 of the organization's constitution. Swope said he accepted the invitation to speak with the understanding that he could make a political speech.

Littrell was charged and indicted. An Oct. 4th trial date was continued until Nov. 15th because it was believed Littrell would receive a fairer trial "after" the election. On the 15th, Littrell pleaded guilty to a charge of  Disturbing a Public Speaker and was fined $300 to be paid within three months.

King Swope lost the election to Happy Chandler in one of the most lopsided gubernatorial races in Kentucky history at that time. In the 1939 primary, he lost the Republican nomination for governor  to John Sherman Cooper.
Mose Hurt Littrell was born on Nov. 24, 1892 to Thomas Mark and Nannie Hurt Littrell. He died on Mar. 16, 1938. He was married to Mary McMillan. They had a daughter, Mary, the wife of Gayron Cross.

A Great Light In The World

Felix Adler once said, "The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by."

There are other holiday's that honor all soldiers, but Memorial Day is special because of what it represents.

"Oh, tell me not that they are dead, that generous host, that airy army of invisible heroes. They hover as a cloud of witnesses above this nation. Are they dead that yet speak louder than we can speak, and a more universal language? Are they dead that yet act? Are they dead that yet move upon society, and inspire the people with nobler motives, and more heroic patriotism? Ye that mourn, let gladness mingle with your tears. It was your son, but now he is the nation's. He made your household bright: now his example inspires a thousand households. Dear to his brothers and sisters, he is now brother to every generous youth in the land. Before, he was narrowed, appropriated, shut up to you. Now he is augmented, set free, and given to all. Before, he was yours: he is ours. He has died from the family, that he might live to the nation. Not one name shall be forgotten: or neglected : and it shall by and by be confessed of our modern heroes, it is of an ancient hero, that he did more for his country by his death than by his whole life." (Henry Ward Beecher)

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

A Kentucky Family On Both Sides

Just before he died on Feb. 5, 1941, my great, great-grandfather, George Boles, looked at my grandmother, Vada Frost Boles, and said, "I killed your uncle." What was he talking about? Who did he kill?

Because of Abraham Lincoln's stance against slavery, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas seceded from the Union between December 1860 and February 1861. After South Carolina’s April 1861 attack on Fort Sumter and President Lincoln’s Call to Arms to put down the rebellion, four more states - Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia - also seceded. The Civil War was on.

But, while Tennessee voted for succession, most of the counties in the Upper Cumberland area voted against it. The Fentress County vote was 128 for and 651 against, however, the vote in neighboring Overton County, which included the area that is now Pickett County, was 1,471 for and 364 against. While a succession vote never took place in Kentucky, 100,000 Kentuckians served in the Union Army and between 25,000 and 40,000 answered the call for the Confederacy.

Many communities and families were torn on the slavery issue. My grandmother Vada's Frost family is one example. It was literally brother against brother in her great-uncle Fletcher's family. Fletcher was the older brother of Vada's grandfather, Cord Frost. Fletcher and Cord married the Owens sisters, Cyrena and Almira.

RIDING WITH CHAMP FERGUSON

Three of Fletcher and Cyrena's sons fought in the war. Alexander served in the Union army, but two of his brothers joined the Confederacy.

The 11th KY Cavalry of Kentucky Volunteers, B.W. Duke's Brigade, was organized on Aug. 10, 1862 and mustered into Confederate service on Sept. 10th for three years. Fountain Frost was a member of this Company K from its beginning. He was elected 1st Lieutenant on Sept. 1, 1862 and commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on March 10, 1863. He also rode with notorious guerilla Champ Ferguson. At Ferguson's trial after the war, he was specifically mentioned as being with him in March and October of 1862. Alvin Piles testified he saw Ferguson in the fall of 1862 driving out cattle, horses and mules on the South Fork in Wayne County. Over twenty men were with him, including Fount Frost.

Two days before he was hung on Oct. 20, 1865, part of Champ Ferguson's confession to a Nashville Dispatch reporter included this..."I killed Joseph Stover after he had shot at me twice. He was taking a third aim when I shot him in the mouth, and Fount Frost shot him in the side at the same time." This happened in April of 1862.

GILREATH'S MILL, FENTRESS COUNTY

In September of 1863, a skirmish between Ferguson's company and Tinker Dave Beaty's Independent Scouts took place at Gilreath's Mill off present day Highway 325 in Fentress County. Fountain Frost was killed by Beaty's men. He was buried in an unmarked grave in what is now called Red Hill Methodist Cemetary next to mill.

GEORGE BOLES' CONFESSION

Did George Boles kill Fount Frost? It's not conclusive, but Fount is probably who George was talking about when on his death bed he told Vada Boles that he had killed one of her relatives. The actual account says Fount was killed by Beaty's men. George Boles was a member of Tinker Dave Beaty's Independent Scouts. His mother, Matilda, was Tinker Dave's sister. Fount Frost wasn't my grandmother's uncle, as he stated on his death bed. He was her second cousin, the son of her great uncle. Still, it makes sense that George was talking about Fount Frost.

GUERILLA WARFARE

Guerilla activities were hard on the citizens of Fentress and Clinton counties. My ancestors rode with both Champ Ferguson and Tinker Dave Beaty. Tinker Dave became Champ's greatest enemy during the Civil War. Beaty was as ruthless and vicious in his defense of the Union as Ferguson was of the Confederacy. The Nashville Dispatch noted that Beaty ‘fought Champ Ferguson from the beginning to the end of his career. "They have shot at each other innumerable times, and each has received ugly wounds. They were deadly enemies, and hunted each other down with savage ferocity," wrote the newspaper. Beaty testified against Ferguson at his trial, which began on July 11, 1865. After Beaty's testimony, a reporter asked Ferguson what he thought of Beaty. ‘Well, there are meaner men than Tinker Dave,’ Ferguson responded. ‘He fought me bravely and gave me some heavy licks, but I always gave him as good as he sent. I have nothing against Tinker Dave. We both tried to get each other during the War, but we always proved too cunning for each other.’ He noted that he was a skilled shooter who always hit his mark, except when the mark was Beaty.'

MORGAN'S RAID

Fount Frost's brother, Samuel, was with Co. H 7th KY Cavalry during the Civil War and saw his life come to a tragic end following his capture during Morgan's Raid, a highly publicized incursion that purposely coincided with the Vicksburg and Gettysburg campains, meant to draw tens of thousands of U.S. troops away from those events.

The raid headed north from Sparta, TN on June 11, 1863. Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan and 2,460 handpicked Rebels routed local militia at the Battle of Corydon in Indiana and headed east across southern Ohio. It was there that Union Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside ordered out all available troops and a battle at Buffington Island in Meigs County, Ohio on July 19, 1863 ended in the capture of over half of the 1,700-man Confederate force. General Morgan and some 700 men escaped, only to surrender a week later, on July 26th, at the Battle of Salineville at New Lisbon.

CAMP DOUGLAS PRISON CAMP

Samuel Frost was sent to Camp Douglas Prison in Chicago. He died there eight months later on March 26, 1864. The official cause of death was listed as 'general debility,' a broad term referring to a loss of strength in the body, which in his case was no doubt highly degenerative considering the conditions at the camp. The official death toll at Camp Douglas was 4,454, but it has been estimated that more than 6,000 Confederate prisoners died there during the Civil War, not from battle wounds, but from diseases like smallpox, dysentery and pneumonia, plus starvation and torture. 4,275 known Confederates, including Samuel Frost, are buried in the Confederate Mound at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago, one of the largest mass graves in North America. There could be as many as 1,500 more who were reported as unaccounted for.

Fount and Samuel's brother, Alexander, who served in the Union Army, didn't die in the Civil War. He married Lizzie Rains on Sept. 23, 1888 in Carroll County, Arkansas. Alexander died around 1899. Their uncle, Cord Frost, my great, great-grandfather, was a Private in Co. H, 13th Kentucky Calvary from Dec. 1, 1863 to June 10, 1865. He named my great-grandfather, Ulysses Simpson Frost. His nickname was "Grant."

Vada Frost Boles, her husband, Elmer Boles, George Boles' grandson, and my mother.