Thursday, November 28, 2013

Guerrilla Lieutenant James "Bill" Jackson.

A while back a Mr. Roger Hunt, wrote me asking if I ever heard of the guerrilla Bill Jackson, who rode through Davis County Iowa, of course I had not.  He was kind enough to sent me some information on him.  I found it very interesting, and looked for more information on him and found it in a book called ( The History of Davis County Iowa ), in the book there is a full report on the guerillas.  Now I won't copy this report word for word I'll just give you the highlights, However at the end of this page I will give you the link to the book so you can read the full report.
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In October of 1864, a group of guerrillas 12 in number entered the southeast corner of Davis county, the precise point they first entered is not known.

The guerrillas were twelve in number, dressed in Federal uniforms and mounted on splendid horses and armed with two to seven revolvers each.  On the morning of October 12, 1864, they rode up to the house of Mr.  Gustin, and entered and robbing him of his gun which they broke, took a watch which was a gift from his dying father and about $160, in money.

While at Mr. Gustin's house part of the group went to the home of William Downing, broke his gun and robbed him of what money he had in his pocket then took him prisoner. 

Next they went to the house of Thomas Miller, and took $110, dollars.

They next rode to the houses of Neckadier and Chris. Waggler, broke Waggler's gun.

Next they rode on to Blough's where they thought they made a grand haul. in getting a purse of gold, but found it had only twenty-five copper cents and a small sum of silver cons; belonging to a little boy; but they robbed the boy of his pocket knife.

Three of the gang rode from the Blough's and went on to Mr. William Power, a wealthy farmer who lived about a quarter of a mile of the Blough's place and robbed him.
Authors Note.  There is a lot more on Mr.  Power's, which can be read in the report.

They stopped at the house of David Baughman, broke his gun and took some apples.

They rode on to Perry Brown and broke his gun, then came upon James Brown, formerly of Co. B., 13th., Iowa and ordered him to :Fall in", which he understood and obeyed.

They next went to Mr. William Millsaps, but from the appearance of the house thought them poor and did not stop.

They went on too Mr.  Rease house and took his musket and broke it and robbed him of $26 dollars.

Then on to Mr.  Daniel Swartzendrover's and robbed him of $15 dollars which five belong to Mr.  William Millsaps, who they had thought was poor.

Authors note.  I fine there are just to many name, to give highlights on their stories, it won't be just to them.  So I will list many of the names in the report, some names will only have a line or two, while others will have a paragraph or two.  I know there will be some names I missed, as the report is so large.  Not on the list are many names of the militia and Iowa's Volunteer Army, which you will read in the report.

List of names.
Jacob King.
Jeremiah Miller.
David Gibson.
Isaac Smith.
Wallace Power.
James Paris.
William Sterritt.
Loyal Hotehkiss.
Frank French.
Morris McCracken.
Mr. Haney.
Thomas Hardy.
Elizar Small.
Captain Phillip Bence.
Frank Dabney.
William Losey.
Lieutenant William Niblack.
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The following information is given by Roger Hunt.
 
I got this information from the Kansas City Public Library – it confirms that Jim Jackson was given amnesty after the war but grudges die hard.  He was captured and executed by firing squad.  I also found that he buried in the Santa Fe Cemetery in a "Plot at the rear of cemetery - possibly unmarked, or marked by rocks".
 
Bill Jackson and Tom Woodson's band of guerrillas, had a skirmish with Union troops near Longwood< Missouri ( about six miles distant ) on the evening of September 22, 1864.  Their bands wounded about 123 men.  The guerrillas were reported killed.  Jackson was the son of Claiborne Jackson.  He was killed during the month of June 1864 in the Warrenburg, Missouri, area.  Ref; Western Journal of Commerce, July 9, 1864; Bartels.   
 
BIll Jackson and a band of five guerrillas on September 23, 1864, near Arrow Rock, Missouri.  He was with Bill Anderson on October 16, 1864 and November 14, 1864.  He surrendered on May 19, 1865 at Glassgow, Missouri.  Ref; Block; O. R.
Roger Hunt.
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Link to Davis County, Iowa.

History of Davis County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of many of its leading citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of Iowa and the Northwest . (1882).
https://archive.org/details/historyofdavisco00iowa
The report pages are from 556--566.

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