Guarding Daviess County against the Rebels

MESSRS EDITORS: I felt it a duty not only to myself, but especially to those who have associated themselves with me in the important duty of guarding the interests of our county against treason and lawlessness to say a few words in reference to our history thus far. In July last, under General Fisk’s appeal to the loyal men of North Missouri, I organized a company of men who had always been loyal to the Government and who were with but few exceptions over age for military service, many of them having sons in the Union army. Some of them have lived to get home, whilst others found their last resting place beneath the clods of the many battle fields where they fell battling for freedom and liberty. I informally reported my company to General Fisk and told him we were ready for duty. I was promised arms as soon as they could be precured. Up to the 21st of Oct. my company held itself in readiness for any service we might be called upon to perform for our country, at which time my company was called on to report at Hamilton, Caldwell County, it being expected that there would be work for us to do. We answered to the call promptly, nobly indeed did the gray line beards of the Silver Grays step into line we were not many, but never was there truer hearts rallied for the defence of the dear old flag. From Hamilton (in consequence of trouble in our very midst) we ware sent back with thirty muskets and ammunition to punish those heartless fiends who were carrying out a part of the programme of all traitors by stealing our horses and robbing our citizens.

I immediately organized my company in squads under Sergts. These squads were so situated as to be able to patrol the entire county. I make it the duty of each squad commander to report to me all matters of importance that might come under his notice that we might at any time get together at the shortest notice and meet any emergency that might arise.

Believing as I have always believed that a gun in times of rebellion in the hands of rebels was dangerous and that the safest policy to adopt towards our enemies was to disarm them and thereby render them powerless and having no orders to govern my actions except the principle of justice and right, and no officer to report to I issued the following order.

“Head Quarters Silver Grays Gallatin Mo. Oct. 27th
Special order no. -sergt. — you are hereby ordered to complete the arming of your squad by pressing guns and pistols from rebels and rebel sympathizers within the field of your operations.”

This order was issued in good faith not to satisfy any personal prejudice or individual comity, bat upon the broad grounds that no rebel, no person who is disloyal to this Government has a right to posses and hold with impunity the means by which the Government might be destroyed.

I gave further orders verbal that in case the men could not all be armed in this manner, that they should take arms from such able bodied loyal men as would not assist us in our noble work. Let me ask the loyal men of Daviess county Missouri. I ask the rebels themeselves if such e policy had beed pursued, if such orders had been issued and carried out, would Shelby, would Coffee would Quantrell, would Porter or even Price have made their raids into our State, and would Missouri to-day have been weeping over her wounded and slaughtered? Fathers and sons the answer is all over the land no. Price was invited to our State by rebels, he was told that thousands would rally to his standard with their shot guns and rifles, their pistols, their buck-shot and powder, all they wanted was their leader and they would free themselves from the hated abolition yoke and from the rule of the Mud Sill of the North. As well might you expect to arrest the black current of drunkness whilst a million of distilleries vomit forth their poisonous decoctions, as to bring peace to Missouri whilst her thousands of traitors stand armed for our destruction.

Hardly had our work of rendering permanent peace in our county by disarming the haters of our flag and our country commenced, before I received an order peremptory, the forthwith return all arms and ammunition to these from whom they were taken. The following is a copy of the order which I desire published, that all loyal citizens may see why I return to rebels in this county their arms.

HEAD QUARTERS 23rd REGT. E.M.M. GALLATIN MO- Cet. 31st, 1864
Capt. W.H. Folmsbee,

Sir, you are hereby ordered to return all arms and ammunition and all other things that was taken from any citizen of the county by your company forthwith, to the proper owners, as it was in violation of orders from Head Quarters. This must be attended to at once; peace and quiet must reign in this county, and there is no order from Head Quarters authorizing the taking the arms from any peaceable citizen.

Respectfully yours,
S.P. Cox, Lt. Col Com’d’g.

It will be noticed that the order says that peace and quiet must reign in this county. We would infer that in order to have peace, we must let the enemies of loyally, the enemies of our flag, the enemies of free institutions, the enemies of our brave Soldiers in the field, in a word, the enemies of our homes and our friends to have and hold arms that peace may come. Whilst I reluctantly, with fear as to the consequences obey such orders, I boldly proclaim the danger of such policy, and say to the loyalists of Missouri, that only from armed rebels and sympathizers need we fear a disturbance of peace and quiet, for whilst the viper, the rattlesnake or the copperheads retain their fangs, there is danger.

In conclusion let me say to the Gray Beards of my company and to all loyal men let us await the result. If armed traitors in our midst remain quiet, and peace prevail, we will thank God and loyalty for it; but remember, the commission of a single overt act or the infringment of a single right belonging to the friends of the Union, may call forth a thousand gleaming swords, which shall be wielded by strong hands and hearts to guard the temple of our liberties.

Let our watch word be; be ye always ready.

W.H. FOLMSBEE, Capt.
Com’d’g Silver Grays.

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Gallatin North Missourian, November 3, 1864, Page 3. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/gallatin-north-missourian-civil-war-summ/199258075/ : accessed June 9, 2026), clip page for Civil War summary by user darryl_gpc54