Greenville in Wayne County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The Civil War in the Missouri - Arkansas Borderlands, 1862-1865

Greenville Recreation Area

— Wappapello Lake —

The Civil War in the Missouri - Arkansas Borderlands, 1862-1865 Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, September 28, 2022

1. The Civil War in the Missouri - Arkansas Borderlands, 1862-1865 Marker

Inscription.

The Civil War in the Missouri - Arkansas Borderlands, 1862-1865. Greenville Recreation Area. Early on the morning of July 20, 1862, a skirmish was fought here between the local Union Militia (12th M.S.M. Cavalry) commanded by William T. Leeper and the Confederate 15th Missouri Cavalry, led by Timothy Reeves. Many of those men were from Wayne County and neighboring parts of southeastern Missouri. Over a three year period, units lead by Leeper and Reeves clashed repeatedly in a series of small skirmishes, scouts, and raids, across a broad and fluid borderland that neither side could control., Soldiers, both North and South, were wounded and killed in combat, but suffering was not limited to men or battle. Between actions, both sides engaged in a routine day-to-day struggle to protect their families and to provision themselves. Food to sustain troops was obtained from the local population by "foraging." Sometimes supplies were provided willingly, but often they were taken by threat or force. If food could be obtained from the families of our enemy and they suffered, then so much the better., The struggle for the hearts and minds of the local populace was complicated by politics and kinship as well as the cruel hardships caused by the practice of foraging. Foraging became a weapon that could be wielded to recruit and retain the loyalty of followers and suppress and punish the opposition. By depriving each other's families of food, foraging provoked bitter feelings between opponents and provided a motivation to fight as a powerful and personal as all of the other insults and wounds of war., (Sidebar): , A partial list of clashes between the followers of W.T. Leeper and Timothy Reeves , 1) Feb. 24, 1862 - Leeper led his men into a deadly ambush at Mingo Creek , 2) May 17, 1862 - Leeper captured G. Cummins, T. Averitt and Nathaniel Cato , 3) June 16, 1862 - G. Cummins, T. Averitt and Nathaniel Cato held at Ironton , 4) July 20, 1862 - Leeper humiliated by Reeves in a pre-dawn surprise attack , 5) Aug. 24, 1862 - Leeper's horse shot from under him, his men retreat in panic , 6) Aug. 30, 1862 - Leeper arrested Joel Dennis with a stolen Union horse , --- Sept. 12, 1862 - Nathaniel Cato transferred from Gratiot St. to Alton Prison , 7) Oct. 26, 1862 - Leeper engaged rebel pickets, but they all escape south , 8) Oct. 27, 1862 - Leeper captured 40 rebel prisoners south of Pitman's Ferry , 9) Dec. 10, 1862 - Pilot Knob, Leeper ordered to take charge of "ineffective men" , 10) Feb 3-4, 1863 - Leeper's men killed 29 rebels at Simeon Cato's farmhouse , --- Feb. 5, 1863 - POW Nathaniel Cato died at the Alton Military Prison , --- Mar. 2 1863 - Joel Dennis refused loyalty oath at Gratiot St. Prison, St. Louis , 11) April 20, 1863 - Gen. Marmaduke destroyed Ft. Benton, but Leeper escaped , 12) Aug. 22, 1863 - Gen M. Jeff Thompson was captured, Reeves takes command , 13) Sept. 28 - Oct 3, 1863 - Wilson and Leeper burn homes in the Irish Wilderness , 14) Oct. 8, 1863 - Leeper's men killed rebel Francis Taylor near Pocohantas , 15) Oct. 10, 1863 - Leeper attacked Reeves at his Cherokee Bay sanctuary , 16) Dec. 9, 1863 - Leeper's scouts killed 3 of Reeves rebel insurgents , 17) Dec. 17, 1863 - Joel Dennis swore loyalty oath and released at Fredericktown , 18) Dec. 21, 1863 - Reeves' men take 100+ Union prisoners, 6 are set to be killed , 19) Dec. 25, 1863 - Wilson and Leeper rescue the prisoners, kill 33 of Reeves men , 20) Jan. 23-27, 1863 - Leeper's men harassed Reeves at Cherokee Bay , 21) April 8, 1864 - Leeper relieved of command following military review board , 22) Aug. 8-10, 1864 - T.J. McGee and B. McGee killed at their Wayne Co. homes , 23) Sept. 1864 - Leeper denied commission in Co. A, 47th Mo. Infantry Vols. , 24) Sept. 19-20, 1864 - Price's Invasion, Doniphan burns, skirmish at Ponder's Mill , 25) Sept. 21, 1864 - Shelby at Leeper's home, reads his private correspondence. , 26) Sept. 27, 1864 - Pilot Knob, Maj. James Wilson captured, Leeper escaped , --- Oct. 3, 1864 - POW James Wilson and 5 of his men executed by Tim Reeves , 27) Oct. 20, 1864 - Leeper's men killed 14 rebel insurgents near Logan Creek , --- Oct. 29, 1864 - Six rebel POWs shot in in retaliation for Wilson's execution , --- Nov. 8, 1864 - Leeper lost election for U.S. Congress, returned to Patterson , 28) Nov. 16-26, 1864 - Leeper slightly wounded, 12 of Reeves men killed , 29) Dec. 8, 1864 - Unionist J. Mynes tortured and killed by Barnhard and Cato , 30) Dec. 17, 1864 - Capt J. Cochran demanded removal of McGee/Cato families , 31) Dec. 18, 1864 - Reed's 2nd Mo. Vol. Cav. (USA) killed A. Tarlton at his home , 32) Dec. 20, 1864 - Jan 4, 1865 - Reeves escaped during attack on Cherokee Bay , 33) April 15, 1865 - Leeper guided 7th Kansas, who killed 4 rebel guerrillas , 34) May 7, 1865 - 7th Kansas burned homes of McGee, Cato and Cowan , 35) May 28, 1865 - Guided by Leeper's scout, men of the 7th Kansas cavalry captured and killed 11 rebel guerillas. Joel Dennis was spared and sent home

Early on the morning of July 20, 1862, a skirmish was fought here between the local Union Militia (12th M.S.M. Cavalry) commanded by William T. Leeper and the Confederate 15th Missouri Cavalry, led by Timothy Reeves. Many of those men were from Wayne County and neighboring parts of southeastern Missouri. Over a three year period, units lead by Leeper and Reeves clashed repeatedly in a series of small skirmishes, scouts, and raids, across a broad and fluid borderland that neither side could control.

Soldiers, both North and South, were wounded and killed in combat, but suffering was not limited to men or battle. Between actions, both sides engaged in a routine day-to-day struggle to protect their families and to provision themselves. Food to sustain troops was obtained from the local population by "foraging." Sometimes supplies were provided willingly, but often they were taken by threat or force. If food could be obtained from the families of our enemy and they suffered, then so much the better.

The struggle for the hearts and minds of the local populace was complicated by politics and kinship as well as the cruel hardships caused by the practice of foraging. Foraging became a weapon that could be wielded to recruit and retain the loyalty of followers and suppress and punish the opposition. By depriving each other's

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families of food, foraging provoked bitter feelings between opponents and provided a motivation to fight as a powerful and personal as all of the other insults and wounds of war.

(Sidebar):
A partial list of clashes between the followers of W.T. Leeper and Timothy Reeves
1) Feb. 24, 1862 - Leeper led his men into a deadly ambush at Mingo Creek
2) May 17, 1862 - Leeper captured G. Cummins, T. Averitt and Nathaniel Cato
3) June 16, 1862 - G. Cummins, T. Averitt and Nathaniel Cato held at Ironton
4) July 20, 1862 - Leeper humiliated by Reeves in a pre-dawn surprise attack
5) Aug. 24, 1862 - Leeper's horse shot from under him, his men retreat in panic
6) Aug. 30, 1862 - Leeper arrested Joel Dennis with a stolen Union horse
--- Sept. 12, 1862 - Nathaniel Cato transferred from Gratiot St. to Alton Prison
7) Oct. 26, 1862 - Leeper engaged rebel pickets, but they all escape south
8) Oct. 27, 1862 - Leeper captured 40 rebel prisoners south of Pitman's Ferry
9) Dec. 10, 1862 - Pilot Knob, Leeper ordered to take charge of "ineffective men"
10) Feb 3-4, 1863 - Leeper's men killed 29 rebels at Simeon Cato's farmhouse
--- Feb. 5, 1863 - POW Nathaniel Cato died at the Alton Military Prison
--- Mar. 2 1863 - Joel Dennis refused loyalty oath at Gratiot St. Prison, St. Louis
11) April 20, 1863 - Gen. Marmaduke

Map of the Borderlands image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, September 28, 2022

2. Map of the Borderlands

The map, which is difficult to capture on camera due to the glare, has keyed callouts matched to the timeline on the marker.

destroyed Ft. Benton, but Leeper escaped
12) Aug. 22, 1863 - Gen M. Jeff Thompson was captured, Reeves takes command
13) Sept. 28 - Oct 3, 1863 - Wilson and Leeper burn homes in the Irish Wilderness
14) Oct. 8, 1863 - Leeper's men killed rebel Francis Taylor near Pocohantas
15) Oct. 10, 1863 - Leeper attacked Reeves at his Cherokee Bay sanctuary
16) Dec. 9, 1863 - Leeper's scouts killed 3 of Reeves rebel insurgents
17) Dec. 17, 1863 - Joel Dennis swore loyalty oath and released at Fredericktown
18) Dec. 21, 1863 - Reeves' men take 100+ Union prisoners, 6 are set to be killed
19) Dec. 25, 1863 - Wilson and Leeper rescue the prisoners, kill 33 of Reeves men
20) Jan. 23-27, 1863 - Leeper's men harassed Reeves at Cherokee Bay
21) April 8, 1864 - Leeper relieved of command following military review board
22) Aug. 8-10, 1864 - T.J. McGee and B. McGee killed at their Wayne Co. homes
23) Sept. 1864 - Leeper denied commission in Co. A, 47th Mo. Infantry Vols.
24) Sept. 19-20, 1864 - Price's Invasion, Doniphan burns, skirmish at Ponder's Mill
25) Sept. 21, 1864 - Shelby at Leeper's home, reads his private correspondence.
26) Sept. 27, 1864 - Pilot Knob, Maj. James Wilson captured, Leeper escaped
--- Oct. 3, 1864 - POW James Wilson and 5 of his men executed by Tim Reeves
27) Oct. 20, 1864 - Leeper's men killed

Civil War Markers along the Bike Trail image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, September 28, 2022

3. Civil War Markers along the Bike Trail

As the bike trail turns to the north, there is a bench and three markers.

14 rebel insurgents near Logan Creek
--- Oct. 29, 1864 - Six rebel POWs shot in in retaliation for Wilson's execution
--- Nov. 8, 1864 - Leeper lost election for U.S. Congress, returned to Patterson
28) Nov. 16-26, 1864 - Leeper slightly wounded, 12 of Reeves men killed
29) Dec. 8, 1864 - Unionist J. Mynes tortured and killed by Barnhard and Cato
30) Dec. 17, 1864 - Capt J. Cochran demanded removal of McGee/Cato families
31) Dec. 18, 1864 - Reed's 2nd Mo. Vol. Cav. (USA) killed A. Tarlton at his home
32) Dec. 20, 1864 - Jan 4, 1865 - Reeves escaped during attack on Cherokee Bay
33) April 15, 1865 - Leeper guided 7th Kansas, who killed 4 rebel guerrillas
34) May 7, 1865 - 7th Kansas burned homes of McGee, Cato and Cowan
35) May 28, 1865 - Guided by Leeper's scout, men of the 7th Kansas cavalry captured and killed 11 rebel guerillas. Joel Dennis was spared and sent home

Erected by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is April 20, 1863.

Location. 37° 6.38′ N, 90° 27.617′ W. Marker is in Greenville, Missouri, in Wayne County. It can be reached from U.S. 67, on the right when traveling south. Located along the Greenville Bike Trail, just

Grave of Unknown U.S. Soldier image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, September 28, 2022

4. Grave of Unknown U.S. Soldier

Located to the south of the marker (and recreation area) is a grave known locally as the "Lonesome Pine Soldier Grave." It is not known who the soldier is, but objects associated with the burial indicate him to be a federal (U.S. or Union) soldier. Association with the fighting at Greenville is possible, but not likely (most of the deaths from Greenville fighting are accounted for). An oft repeated story is the soldier was killed while defending a supply train, either at the site of burial or elsewhere on the roads through southeast Missouri. The grave is located on County Road 500, at the intersection of that road and US Highway 67.

north of the camping area, in the Greenville Recreation Area of Wappapello Lake. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Greenville MO 63944, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Missouri. It is also in the American Ozarks,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The "Surprise at Greenville," July 20, 1862 (here, next to this marker); The Upper Greenville Bridge, 1906-1947 (here, next to this marker); Greenville School (approx. 0.4 miles away); Tie-Hacking (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sam Brown (approx. 0.4 miles away); Greenville Jailhouse (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Wayne County Courthouse At Old Greenville (approx. half a mile away); Harry S. Truman (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenville.

The Lonesome Pine Grave image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, September 28, 2022

5. The Lonesome Pine Grave

County Highway 500 is the old roadbed of US Highway 67. A retaining wall was built to protect the gravesite and pine tree from erosion. With the rerouting of the highway, the gravesite is now on a quiet, less busy spur off the main highway. Given the nature of the irregular warfare throughout this part of the country from 1861 to 1865, very likely many such graves exist in southeastern Missouri - unmarked, unrecorded, and unknown.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 30, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 27, 2022, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,672 times since then and 112 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 27, 2022, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2, 3. submitted on October 29, 2022, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 4, 5. submitted on October 30, 2022, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.