Centralia Missouri Massacre.

On September 27, 1864, the guerrilla Bill Anderson rode into Centralia Missouri, without any molestation.  Centralia was a small village of 25 houses and a station of the North Missouri rail road.  Anderson's men sacked the town gutting the two stores, then robbed the stage coach from Columbia.  About 12 o'clock they captured the west bound passenger train from St. Louis.  The express, baggage and passenger cars were all robbed the total taken was $30,000.

On the train were *23 Federal soldiers, some were on furlough, others were discharged soldiers.  One man a German was was wearing a blue blouse.  The guerrillas took them off the train and separated them from the other passengers.  They robbed every one then stripped the most of them.  Then stood them up in a line and shot the 22, soldiers and the citizens wearing the blue blouse.  One soldier Sergeant Valentine T. Peters, of the First Missouri Engineers, made a desperate struggle for life, and succeeded in felling a number of his assailants and obtained a temporary respite by hiding beneath the station house, which was fired at once and they succeeded in killing him.
*There are other reports that say there were as many as 27, men on the train, that were shot.

One soldier a Sergeant *Thomas ( Tom ) Goodman, of the First Missouri Engineers, was spared by the express orders of Bill Anderson, no one Knows why.  The soldiers were chiefly from the First Iowa Cavalry and the First Missouri Engineers.  Four of the soldiers were scalped.  All the soldiers were shot more then three times.
* After the war Thomas Goodman would write a book about his capture and escape from the guerrillas.

The list of the dead.

All the soldiers named here were from the train. All were shot on September 27, 1864.  All those who could be identifed were sent home.  The others were buried in a mass grave, and were later reburied at the National Cemetery, Jefferson Barracks.

First Iowa Cavalry.

Joseph H. Arnold, Veteran, Co. E., First Iowa Cavalry, age 23, Residence Mount Pleasant, Nativity of Ohio.  Enlisted August 8, 1861, Mustered in same.  Promoted Seventh Corporal September 8, 1862, Sixth Corporal November 1, 1862.  Fifth Corporal January 1, 1863.  Fourth Corporal November 1, 1863.  Re-enlisted and Remustered February 24, 1864.  Promoted Third Corporal April 20, 1864; Second Corporal September 9, 1864.  Killed by guerrillas September 27, 1864, at Centralia Mo., Buried in National Cemetery, Jefferson Barracks.

Charles G. Carpenter, Veteran, Co. K., First Iowa Cavalry, age 23, Residence Waukon, Nativity New York, Enlisted August 16, 1862, Mustered in same.  Re-enlisted and Remustered January 1, 1864.  Killed by guerrillas September 27, 1864, at Centralia Mo., Buried in National Cemetery, Jefferson Barracks

George W. Dilley, Veteran, Co. B., First Iowa Cavalry, age 18, Residence Davenport, Nativity Michigan.  Enlisted August 10, 1862, Mustered in August 11, 1862.  Re-enlisted and Remustered March 14, 1864.  Killed by guerrillas September 27, 1864, at Centralia Mo., Buried in National Cemetery, Jefferson Barracks

Owen P. Gore, Veteran, Co. A., First Iowa Cavalry, age 24, Residence Lee County, Nativity Illinois.  Enlisted June 13, 1861, Mustered in July 30, 1861.  Re-enlisted and Remustered February 22, 1864.  Killed by guerrillas September 27, 1864, at Centralia Mo., Buried in National Cemetery, Jefferson Barracks

Charles E. Madera, Veteran, Co. C., First Iowa Cavalry, age 18, Residence Burlington, Nativity Iowa.  Enlisted June 1, 1861, Mustered in July 30, 1864.  Re-enlisted and Remustered February 22, 1864.  Killed by guerrillas September 27, 1864, at Centralia Mo., Buried in National Cemetery, Jefferson Barracks

Oscar G. Williams, Veteran, Co. B., First Iowa Cavalry, age 20, Residence Van Buren County, Nativity Indiana.  Enlisted August 29, 1862, Mustered in same.  Re-enlisted and Remustered March 14, 1864.  Killed by guerrillas September 27, 1864, at Centralia Mo., Buried in National Cemetery, Jefferson Barracks

Missouri First Engineers.

Authors note.  I have the roster for this regiment, but because of some miss-spellings they were not found, and those that were found the info was to hard to read.  I will leave the research on these names up to you.

Valentine T. Peters.
Josiah Connor.
Charles T. Hildebiddle.
James C. Mobley.
Case Rose.
James B. Thomas.
All these men were on furlough.

A few hours after the massace *Major A. V. E. Johnson, rode into Centralia, after seeing what happen and found in what direction the buahwackers had taken Major Johnson took after them.  The total number of the regiment was a 147, nearly all were mounted on plow-horses, brood-mares and mules ( Pressed ) from the citizens for the occasion.
*In Thomas Goodman's book he states that when Major Johnson rode into Centralia he was drunk.

The bushwhackers led Major Johnson into a fallow field were a trap had been prepared.  Upon entering the field Johnson turned east to face Bill Anderson.  Bill Anderson's company draw up in a line ready to charge them.  Major Johnson's company dismounted, leaving every fourth man to hold a horses.  The rest advanced on foot to within 400 yards of Anderson's company, behind which was Poole's, all the guerrillas that could be seen, Major Johnson halted his line and fixed bayonets.Major Johnson rode 20 paces to the front, and halted, sitting motionless on his horse, his revolver in his right hand.  Major Johnson, was ready to meet his fate, some say he knew he was surrounded others say no.

When George Todd got his men into position he lifted his hat to Bill Anderson, and in turn Anderson to Poole.  Bill Anderson gave a great yell and dashed forward.  Major Johnson men gave them one volley, and the guerrillas were on them.  Major Johnson, got off three shots before he was shot out of his saddle, with a bullet through his temple.  The massacre was over in minutes.  Out of the 147, men under Johnson command 123, were killed, 23 escaped.  The guerrillas had three killed and 10 wounded.  Major Johnson had a small piece of his scalp taken.  Some of the other soldiers were also scalped.  Major Johnson was buried in Marion County, not far from his home.

The names of the men killed from the 39th., Missouri Infantry, Co. G., killed September 27, 1864.

Sergeants.

David N. Dunn.
John Donahoe.
William Lair.
George W. Miller.

Corporals.

Leander P. Burt.
Jamer S. Gunby.
William Loar.
David Riggs.
L. D. Sherwood.
Jacob R. Woxler.

Privates.

George W. Adams.
Charles M. Jenkins.
Charles Bishop.
William Knepper.
James Bell.
Philip Christian.
Louis F. Marquette.
William Christian.
Charles Masterson.
Oscar Collier.
John Moore.
John J. Cristein.
John C. Montgomery.
Homer M. Dunbar.
William A. Ross.
William Dreuman.
Robert E. Spires.
Sylvester N. Dean.
J. G. Sellers.
James S. Edwards
Edward Strachan
Eleazer Evans.
James Staleup.
Robert P. Elston.
William T. Smith.
William Floor.
Robert Simmernon.
James Forsythe.
James W. Trussell.
Robert Greenfield.
George W. Van Osdale.
William P. Golay.
Jasper N. Vaden.
Henry T. Gooeh.
A. M. Vandiver.
Joseph S. Glahn.
Jonathan Webdell.
John W. Hardin.
William T. Whitelock.
Elijah Hall.