The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-10-06
THE MURDER IN MISSOURI
of the Courier.

4 MEXICO, MO. OepS. % lSch.
EDITOR CouRIER.-ft becomes my painful
duty to record one Of the most bloody and
horrible outrages of the present rebellion.
which occurred at Centralia yeste day. The
morning train from St. Louis on its way up
yesterday had on board quite number Of
discharged and furloughed officers and sol.
diers, and when it reached this place, seven
men from our regiment (the LIST Iowa cav
alry) got on board to 60 to st. 10. on bust
ness, and when the train reached Ceatvalia,
15 miles above here, they found the town
full of Bill Anderson's guerilas, who mme-
diately took possession of the train. robbiAg
the citizens and passengers. and brutally
numbering the soldiers, some IS or 40 in
number. The train was then set on fire and
set in motion towards Sturgeon. The engi.
neer who had escaped jumped aboard Of the
train as 1t started, and after running out of
town short distance, uncoupled the loco.
motive from the cars and run into Sturgeon
and gave the alarm. There was in Sturgeon
about $50 mounted 1nfantry belonging to
one of the new Missouri regiments Of IL
months men, who Immediately started for
the scene OF action. While this was going
on the guerillas not being satisfied with their
fendish proceedings, amused themselves by
shooting and scalping the soldiers they had
already murdered, until the freight train
came up when they threw some of the bodies
on to the track and formed on each side OF
the engine with drawn revolvers compelled
the engineer to run the train over them,
crushing and mangling them in horrible
manner. They then burned the train on the
track. The conductor made his escape and
arrived here on foot about 5 o'clock in the
evening, but our forces here being so small
we could do nothing, the main portion being
out on a scout.
Major McDermot, commanding at this
place Immediately teiegraphed for assistance,
Col. Dyre from Warrenton arrived here this
morning with about 100 men of the 49th
Mo. year men, and Immediately proceeded
to the scene of the outrage on arriving there
he found that one half had not been told for
the guerrilas learning that the Sturgeon
men were coming left the town and secreted
themselves in cornfeld about one and a
half miles from the town, and when the
Federals came up Immediately surrounded
them and literally cut them to pieces, only
about 25 escaping. For those poor fellows
Col. Dyre could do nothing, owing to the
distance they were from the Railroad, and
his force being so small he picked up the
dead and returned to this place, and prepa-
rations are being made for their interment
Great excitement prevails. There was to
have been large Mcclellan Ratification
at this place, and the town has been full oil
citizens all day. Gen. Tom Price arrived on
the train from st Louis, and it was his in.
tention to makea speech but the excitemen,
was at such height, that he concluded he
had better postpone his speaking, aud prob.
ably it is we'll that he did, as the soldiers
were SO exasperated at the massacre, that
some of the more noisy ones declared no
peace man should speak.
Take the affair all round and it has no par
allel in the history of the present rebellion.
Talk to us of Peace man for President, at.
ter such outrages as that perpctrated by
guerrillas, that are upheld by the very men
who are eternally crying give US peace. We
soldiers can't see It in that light, we 60 in
for Old Abe and the Union, teeth and toenail,
must now close as it is getting late and We
are expecting an attack to night.
remain yours for the old flag.
j. h. SPRi NGER, 1st Serg't,
Co. I, LIST Iowa cavalry.
P. s. We were not attacked "a expected
last night. BY a telegraphic dispatch We
learn that some 600 Federals arrived at Cen.
tralia last night, and judging by the great
light in that direction, we expect the town il
in ashes this morning. AL is now quiet and
no more fears of an attack are unprecedented
at present. j. II. s.
The Rebel Invasion of Missouri,
ST. Louis, Sept. 30.-An officer reached
the city last night from Pilot Knob. Ac'
cordng to his report there was skirmishing
with the rebels at Tronton on Monday, after
which the Union forces fell back to posi-.
L.