Soldier's History

The following concerning nearly one-half of the above roster, was furnished William E. Connelly, author of "Doniphan's Expedition and the Conquest of New Mexico and California," a most estimable work, by the late John S. Story, of whom praiseworthy mention.

Henry T. Ogden, second lieutenant. A man of wonderful energy; full of life; nervous; had to be doing something; always playing pranks. Came to Clay County before the Mexican War; as a joke pretended for a day or two to be deaf and dumb; a bright man, and well educated; could quote from Shakespeare by the hour; often harangued the troops in a humorous vein; a favorite of officers and men; was a lawyer; lives now in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan; From one of the Carolinas; a tailor.
1st Lieutenant. L. B. Sublett; A Virginian; farmer; killed two deer at one shot in the north part of Clay County.
2nd Lieutenant Charles. H. Moss; Irishman; died in Clay County.
1st Sergent Thos. McCarty; Kentuckian; born in Mason County.
John Warren; Kentuckian; farmer; died in Arkansas.
W. C. Campbell; Merchant in Liberty; went to St. Louis; killed in southern Missouri in the Civil War.
Joshna B. Tillery; Virginian; farmer.
John Neal; Raised in Clay County; married a Miss Evans, whose father owned 240 acres of land, now in the heart of Kansas City.
J. J. Moore; Virginian; raised in Clay County.
Ell Murray; From Woodford County, Kentucky; John T. Hughes married his sister.
R. T. Stevenson; Kentuckian; cousin of the wife of John T. Hughes and Noah Carpenter.
A. R. Smith; Reared in Clay County; brother to No. 20.
Newton A. Jacobs; Reared in Clay County.
No. 21. Reared in Clay county; family came to Missouri; his father was a minister (Disciple or Christian); Everett was a devout Christian, and carried his religion clear through the term of his service; did not backslide, and had the respect of all the soldiers; read the Bible constantly.
W. W. Drew; Died in Clinton County.
J. K. Rollins; Went to Congress from Nebraska.
Peter Pixley; From Tennessee; died in Clay County.
Hall. Alexander; Father a Kentuckian; went to California in 1849; became reckless there; killed three men; was killed; no relation to Willard P. Hall.
Jacobs, Newton; Lived in Ray County.
Jacobs, Baylor; Brother of No. 38; lived in Ray County.
Letchworth, Joseph M; Father a Kentuckian.
Long. Richardson; A Kentuckian; cousin to the other Longs.
McQuiddy, Albert; Father from Woodford County; died two months after he got home from the army.
Murray, Eli; A Kentuckian.
Mosby, Dewilton; Father a Kentuckian.
Miller, Abraham; Tennessean.
Moore, J. J.; Tennessean.
Nealey, Richard A.; Tennessean.
Price, Jesse I.; Son of Ebenezer Price, of Clay County; cousin to John T. Hughes; his uncle was a candidate for colonel against Doniphan.
Pence, Josiah; Kentuckian; married a daughter of Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky.
Pence, William H.; Kentuckian; lives on a farm near Kearney, Clay County, now, 1906.
Pixlee, Peter C.; Kentuckian.
Russell, William H.; Kentuckian.
Shouse, John W.; Kentuckian.
Sullivan, Obadiah; Kentuckian; had been five years in regular army; knew how to forage for food; would aid his starving comrades to steal food from the commissary with great pleasure.
Scott, Alexander C.; Kentuckian; big man; was called "Frosty" White, because he was old and his hair and beard were white.
Stephenson, Robert T.; Living yet in Clay County.
Tillery, Joshua B.; Kentuckian.
Tillery, Henry; Kentuckian; brother to 81.
Thompson, William A.; Tennessean.
Waller, Thomas; Kentuckian.
York, James N.; New Yorker.
William Wallace, sergeant, and George H. Wallace, corporal, were brothers; sons of a noted character, who was an Indian fighter and freighter across the plains.

John S. Groom, Corporal, was born in Clay County; his father was a Tennessean, and came to Clay County, about 1818.
Benjamin Marsh, corporal, reared in Clay County.
James Barnes, Farrier, came to Clay County from Baysville, Kentucky.

The volunteer companies numbering somewhat over 1,000 men, under their respective commanders, were all assembled at Fort Leavenworth, by the 19th day of July, 1846, and on that day held an election for field officers; Gen. A. W. Doniphan was elected colonel; C. E. Ruff, lieutenant-colonel and William Gilpin, major. Colonel Ruff and Major Gilpin were West Pointers, strict disciplinarians, and on that account very unpopular with the young volunteers. The September following, Colonel Ruff resigned, and was appointed captain in the regular army. Col. Congreve Jackson of Howard County, succeeded Colonel Ruff as lieutenant-colonel. A singular fact may here be mentioned. The Democrats, us a party, were in favor of the war against Mexico, and the Whig party opposed to the war, yet it was a Democratic war, and a Whig fight; perhaps a majority of officers and soldiers were Whigs; certainly Generals Scott and Taylor were Whigs, and but little doubt that a majority of the volunteers from Kentucky and Missouri were Whigs. Capt. O. P. Moss's company was composed of 114 men, and ninety were Whigs and twenty-four were Democrats. Doniphan and Moss were Whigs.

About two weeks after the arrival at home of Colonel Doniphan, and the Clay County volunteers, 15th day of July, 1847, there was given a grand public reception to them, and a dinner spread in A grove a little southeast of Liberty. There was a large procession in charge of Judge James T. V. Thompson, as grand marshal. The welcoming address was delivered by Col. Henry L. Routt, to which Colonel Doniphan responded. Other speakers addressed the vast assemblage. Hon. David R. Atchison and Judge James H. Birch.

The necrology of Company C. John M. Finley died at El Paso, of typhoid fever, aged 21. William Duncan died in New Mexico, at Bent's Fort. John D. Lard was killed by Benjamin W. Marsh, at the Valverde crossing of the Rio del Norte. Marsh was tried by court-martial, but acquitted. James Wills died en route to Chihuahua, below El Paso.

After the grand reception to General Doniphan and his volunteers at Liberty, an invitation was extended to them, by Jackson County, to attend a reception in their honor at Independence. This invitation was accepted, and on the day appointed a vast concourse of people assembled in a grove southwest of Independence. An elaborate repast was spread under the shade of the trees. After the sumptuous dinner, an address of welcome was delivered by the Hon. Samuel H. Woodson, and responded to by Colonel Doniphan. A poem, dedicated to Colonel Doniphan and his soldiers was then read by a Mrs. Buchanan; at the closing of which she crowned Colonel Doniphan with flowers. No more gaily and enjoyable day was ever experienced by the Jackson County people.

Clay County| AHGP Missouri

Source: History of Clay County, Missouri, by W. H. Woodson, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, 1920.