The Trial Of George Gatewood
 
 
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The Trial Of George Gatewood
1864
From:
THE WAR OF THE REBELLION:
A COMPILATION OF THE OFFICIAL RECORDS
OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES.
 
 

The trial of George P. B. Gatewood.

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 Clintonville and a portion at Centerville - I then took Lt. Barnes (now Capt. Barnes Co. K, 1st Iowa Cav.) a guide and 24 men and proceeded to Montevallo to stay overnight. We arrived in Montavallo about 8 o'clock 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 Kansas 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 Fed. 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)

------ 

The trial of George P. B. Gatewood in St. Louis. 

Statement of George P. B. Gatewood

Oct. 11, 1864

Statement of George P. B. Gatewood - who being of lawful 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 discharged 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 allegiance 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 father's 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 Bushwhackers  - I am not acquainted with any of them - Have never been outside the Federal lines since taking the oath - am not acquainted 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

Statement 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, equipment, 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 recognizes 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 allegiance -

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 proceeded 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 possession 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 perceive they are not in possession 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 comrades) 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.

George Gatewood was found guilty and was banished from the state.

 

 

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