Vernon County, Missouri Partisan
George P. B. Gatewood
Source: Provost Marshal Records
His Military Trial in St. Louis, Missouri
Statement of George P. B. Gatewood
Oct. 11, 1864
Statement of George P. B. Gatewood - who being of lawfull age deposes
and says -
I
reside at Bowling Green Pike Co. Mo. - was born and raised there - I enlisted
Gatewoods Co. Hunters Regt, Rains command on or about last of May 1861 - served
with them till about the last of Nov. 1861 when I was discharged - came home and
reenlisted in Capt. Taylor's Comp. Hunter's Regt. Rains' command and served with
them about 4 months - and was disharged with the company about the last of March
1862.
Q-
Was you with the command the whole time of your enlistment
-
A.
I was not - I was at home sick part of the time. I never layed in the brush. I
took the oath of allegeance about May 1st 1862 at Mexico Audrain Co. Mo. - He
asked me if I had been in the Southern Army - I told him I had not. After he
administered the oath I went home and raised a crop. Stayed at home till Mar.
25th 1863 - and went to Monterey Kentucky - remained in Ky. farming with my aunt
Rachel Hardin till about Oct. 1863. - Then were no Rebel Troops in the
country there - I then went to the Stamping Ground 25 miles from Monterey Ky. -
visited my fathers relations - also to Lexington Ky. - Left Ky. in May 1864 and
came back to Bowling Green Mo. - stayed about 2 days and went to work for Mr.
Crowder in Ill. Pike Co. - worked for him till the 18th Aug 1864 - left and came to St. Louis
and worked on Govt. Boat Nero Kentucky - worked there till Oct. 5th 1864 and
started for home and was arrested near Louisiana Mo. Oct. 7th 1864 - on
suppositions that I had not taken the oath - I am not a Southern Sympathizer. I
sincerely desire to see the South put down in this war and the authority of the
U.S. Govt. restored - Have never been out with any Bushwackers - I am not
aquainted with any of them - Have never been outside the Federal lines since
taking the oath - am not aquainted with any of Andersons
men.
Sworn and subscribed to on this 11th day of Oct.
1864
George P. B. Gatewood (Signature)
---------------
Statement of George P. B. Gatewood
Oct. 16, 1864
Satement of George P. B. Gatewood who being of lawful age deposes and
says -
I
reside in Bowling Green Pike County Mo. - Left Bowling Green in 1858 or 9 - and
moved to Montavallo with my father and mother - Enlisted in my fathers company
(James M. Gatewood) at Montavallo, Vernon Co. Mo. in May 1861 for 6 months -
sworn in by Col. Hunter at Montavallo - Remained with my company till Aug. 1st
1861 went home sick with the camp fever. I was sick about 6 weeks - Went to
Osceola and got my discharge there at the end of my 6 months - I then went
back to Montavallo, Vernon Co. Mo. - in about a week or two I reenlisted in
Capt. Taylor's Co., Hunter's Regiment, Rains Division sworn in by Capt. Taylor
at Montavallo for 6 months - My father's company was at that time discharged - I
served with Capt. Taylor's about 4 or 5 months - The company went from
Montavallo to Stockton, Cedar Co., Mo. about 20 miles - came back to Montavallo,
stayed around there pretty much till discharge except one trip to Drywood. I was
not along. It was in the fall of 1861.
I was in a fight at Montevallo with Taylors Comp. in the
Spring about April or May - We attacked some Iowa men thought they were Kansas
men - I was armed but did not shoot my gun at all -
Q-
How many times were supplies of clothing, rations, equiptment etc. sent
to Capt. Taylor's Company while you belonged to it from Raines Command
-
A-
He got common clothing once were armed when organized pressed or took and had
given to us our provisions -
Q-
How many times was Taylor's Company in Camp with Hunter's Regt. while you was
with it -
A-
Once near Montavallo -
Q-
How many men (Citizens) were killed by Taylor's Company while at Montavallo and
around there -
A-
Do not know of any -
Col. Moss was here produced and recognises the prisoner as being the
same G. P. B. Gatewood that he had at Osceola and who escaped from him at
Osceola, Mo.
Q-
Did you not make a statement or confession at Osceola when a prisoner
-
A.
I did - It was not a truthful statement - I did not acknowledge belonging to
Taylor's Comp.
Q-
Did you acknowledge that you killed two of the Iowa men at or near the barn
in Montavallo at that fight -
A-
I did not -
Q-
Did not Taylor's Company in all their actions sustain the reputation of
Bushwackers -
A-
I never understood it that way -
Q-
Do you know of their pressing horses and provisions from the citizens
-
A-
Do not know of their taking horses - do know of taking provisions
-
Q-
Do you not know of their killing certain citizens in that part of the country
-
A-
I do not -
Q-
Why did you deny serving in the Rebel Army when you took oath of allegeance -
A-
To avoid being kept as a prisoner -
Q-
When captured were you not armed -
A-
I was -
Q-
When and by whom were you captured -
A-
Near Montavallo by Col. Moss near the same evening after the fight - was taken
at Osceola and kept about a week and escaped.
Q-
Was not Captain Taylor's Company discharged as you call it - from being broken
up by the Federal Troops -
A-
I don't think it was -
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14 day of Oct.
1864
George P. B. Gatewood (Signature)
----------------
Statement of Charles E. Moss
Who
being of lawful age deposes and says -
I
was Col. of the 1st Iowa Cav. - in April 1862 - I was in command of the
post at that Osceola St. Clair Co., Mo. - On the morning of the 13th April 1862
I started with a command of 250 men for Montavallo, Vernon Co., Mo. - I encamped
a portion of them at Clintonille and a portion at Centerville - I then took Lt.
Barnes (now Capt. Barnes Co. K, 1st Iowa Cav.) a guide and 24 men and preceeded
to Montevallo to stay overnight. We arrived in Montavallo about 8 oclock P.M.
put up at a house where there was a barn for the night. About 2 hours before
daylight the guard gave an alarm - We were attack by a body of men who gathered
themselves up in the neighborhood- had two of our men killed and four wounded -
after quite a fight they dispersed - My command that were left behind came into
town soon after the dispersal of the enemy. I sent them in pursuit. About 2 P.M.
they brought in one George Gatewood, now a prisoner at Gratiot Street Prison St.
Louis, Mo. - Gatewood admitted to me that he was in that fight ,said he had
never been in the Rebel Army and that he had never fought against any Federals
before - that he was persuaded by his neighbors to join them under the pretence
that we were Kansa Jayhawkers. He did not admit to me that he killed anyone
but told John Shuler and others that he had killed two of my men as they came
out of the barn. Cap. Thomas Barns of Co. K, 1st Iowa Cav. can give the names of
the men that Gatewood told this to. His mother told me that she was
a sister of Capt. Hardin Fe. Army who lived at Bowling Green, Pike Co., Mo.
- I took said Gatewood to Osceola with me - He was confined in the guardhouse
for a few days till I could get a chance to send him to St. Louis, Mo. I had
prepared the charges and evidence in the case and had detailed a guard to take
him to Clinton to be forwarded to St. Louis, Mo. - That night he escaped from
the guard house with one other prisoner (John Bray). That is the last I
have seen of him heard he was in Bowling Green Pike Co. Mo. about a year ago and
told Maj. Turner at Macon City Mo. the circumstances - I also came to this
office and filed a paper with Capt. Burdette to have the man arrested. Gatewood
belonged to Taylor's Band of Guerrillas - At the time I was attacked Taylor was
a prisoner at Ft. Scott, Ks. - The Band was led by Dan Henley whom they call the
Wild Irishman and a cold blooded murderer to my certain knowledge - This
Gatewood is said to have acted with them for some time - He claimed
(Gatewood) to be a Union man - while I had him a prisoner. Capt. Freeman, P.M.
at Osceola while I was there took down a written confession of Gatewoods about
April 18, 1862 - John Smith at Stockton Cedar Co. Mo. Maj. A. J. Pugh at Osceola
- Col. Granby 8th M.S.M. Cav. - know almost all about this man - This is all I
know of Gatewood.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 13th day of Oct.
1862.
Charles E. Moss (Signature)
-----------------
Benton Barracks Mo.
November 18, 1864
Lieut. Frank E. Brownell
U.S.A. Mo. Capt. Ex
Lieutenant,
The
information you desire relative to George Gatewood can be obtained from Private
Burton T. Bowman of my company now at Little Rock Ark. - Capt. Freeman is at
McGregor Iowa. I am very confident he is not in possission of the desired
information. Private Bowman was captured and can identify Gatewood as one of the
men that brutally murdered two brave boys of my command.
I have some men
here that could identify Gatewood but I persieve they are not in
posession of the information you desire.
I
am respectfully your obedient servant
Thomas Barnes
Capt. Co. K, 1st Iowa Cav.
----------------
Deposition of Pvt. Thos. B. Bowman, 1st Iowa Cavly. in the Gatewood
case
.
Headquarters Post Of Little Rock
Office Provost
Marshal
Little Rock Ark. Dec. 5, 1864
.
This day
personally appeared before me Thomas B. Bowman, Private, Co. K, 1st Iowa Cavalry
and says upon oath that I enlisted in the 1st Iowa Cavalry on the 28th day of
July, 1861.
I was taken prisoner near a place called Montevalo in the state
of Missouri by some men calling themselves "Home Guards".
The date that I was
taken I think was about the 1st of April 1862. Shortly after I was taken the men
that captured me passed on to a horse lot where Oscar B. Crumb of my Company was
standing guard who they shot as they afterward stated in my presence. They also
shot James Whitford another member of my Company while he was climbing out of a
hay loft near by. I heard the report of the guns but could not see what was done
as it was about 3 O'Clock in the morning and quite dark.
I only remember the
full name of but one of the men. It was George Gaithwood.
I heard him say that they (meaning himself and comrads) had shot some of our
men he supposed about four or five. He afterwards was captured by some of our
men and then denied having any hand in shooting the aforesaid soldiers.
Gaithwood is a common sized man, was then about 21 years of age. He is about
5 ft. 8 or 10 inches in heighth and has, I think, light brown hair and blue
eyes.
I heard the said Gaithwood say that he had fired at some of our boys
but I do not remember of his saying that he had killed either of the boys
himself, although I am not positive. Yes, I believe that George Gaithwood is one
of the actual murderers of the two unfortunate Soldiers before
mentioned.
.
Thomas B. Bowman
Private Co. K, 1st Iowa
Cavalry
.
Sworn and Subscribed to
before me this 6th day of December
1864.
At Little Rock, Arkansas
.
H. H. DeKay
Capt. 3rd Minn. Infty.
& Fort Pro. Mrshl.
.
---------------
I
have been unable to find the outcome of the trial, but George was alive and well
in 1870 - jrbakerjr
Notes:
George Gatewood's father James M. Gatewood, was
elected a State Representative from Vernon County in 1860. James M.
Gatewood was also a Captain in Hunter's Regiment, Confederate
Army. George was also in this Regiment under his father, then later under
Capt. Henry Taylor, as well as being a sometime Bushwacker on his
own.
George Phillips Braxton
Gatewood was born 26 June 1842 in Pike County, Missouri.
He was a son of James Minor
and Malinda (Hardin) Gatewood.
In 1870, George lived in Henry County, Missouri.
In 1900, he was in Noble, Cleveland Co., Oklahoma Territory with
his wife of 33 years Mary Alice.
in 1910 and 1920 they were in Roswell, Chaves County, New
Mexico.
George died 1 January
1924.
The death
of Captain James M. Gatewood, as told by the 1887 History Of Vernon County,
Missouri
James R. Baker Jr.
