Annals of Platte County, Missouri - Paxton
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1864. JULY. 368 CAMDEN POINT. HOW THE MEN BEHAVED. They were orderly, and seemed perfectly at home. They killed several beeves. and notied the citizens to go and get What they wanted. The soldiers seemed to regard all the citizens as friends. Among them, were Taylor and Threlkeld and their guerrillas. On the morrow all was quiet. One of the foreign companies went to the southern border of Buchanan to visit REV. CHARLES MORRIS with the punishment threatened in case he continued to preach in Platte County. They surrounded Morris house. and demanded his surrender. Morris had armed himself. and had called to his aid two of his friends. and they determined to resist. But the house was set on re. a.nd as the inma.tes came from the ames they were riddled with bullets. Morris was a l"orthern Methodist preacher. and had been ordered by the Pla.tte County Defensive Association to desist from preaching under the penalty of death. But Morris did not heed the threat. and his death Was the consequence. The sequel was the death of Dr. Jos. Vvalker on the 28th day of August, following. THORNTON AT CAMDEN POIXT. July 1:2~After remaining two days at Platte City. Thornton and his Four Hundred Went to Camden Point. and encamped on the road leading north. THE CAMDEN POINT FIGHT. JiuI,z/ J3On the morning of the 13th of July Colonels Ford and Jennison. being in Weston. started to Ca.mden Point. in pursuit of Thornton. The force consisted of one company of the 16th Kansas. 30 men; one company of the 15th Kansas. 40 men; two companies of the 2d Colorado. 150 men; three companies of the Missouri State Militia. 150 men; and 2d Colorado Battery. 30 men; making 400 in all. An advance gua.rd of 40 men captured three pickets at Bee Creek. and. after giving notice to the rear. dashed into Cam- den. A ag with the legend Protect Missouri had just been pre- sented to Col. Thornton by the ladiesand his men were enjoying a picnic in the blue-grass pasture north of Camden. and were taken by surprise. After an etfovrt to organize. they ed north and east. lut ere they started they red a volley upon their pur- sners. The Federal loss was: Private C. A. Flannagan. killed; .e1;-T-51111 L. K. Crane. severely wounded ; and several others slightly wmmded. The (nnfederates lostz killed. Richard A]- vis. Peter ls-ments. Alemalme Hanliii. Robert Mt-Cormick. An- drew Smith. and Jesse Myles. Maj. John Mt-(lner was killed at his home. several miles away. by a party in pursuit of eeing Con- f((l6l2liI-SI and Alfred Jack was shot at. witliout effect. Years later a liamlsmne monument was erected at (amden Point in honor of the (mifetlerate dead. The ag presented to Colonel Thm-ntrm was eaptm-e(l. and is still pi-eservecl as a trophy.