Thirteen year old drummer boy Josiah Walton Thruston, was wounded and captured at the Seige of Vicksburg, he died there in the hospital in 1864. It indicates that five from Morgan County, MO, died for the Confederate States and one Yankee died there (surely at one very small skirmish, as the number of casualties would far exceed that number). Josiah was a son of Dr. John Beverly Thruston and grandson of Street P. Thruston (a founder of the County Seat at Versailles, MO)and geat grandson of Revolutionary War Soldier, Wm. Thruston (b. 1753), whose family came to Morgan County from South Carolina.

Josiah's grandfather, Street Thruston was the father of the "World's Tallest Man" Henry Clay Thruston. Henry Clay Thruston was asked by one of his Confederate officers to get off his horse (he wasn't on a horse, he was standing amongst the other soldiers. The battle flags were given to him to carry into battle, as he was in sight being a little over 7 1/2 ft. tall. After the Civil War, he traveled with a circus at one time. He was buried in TX many years after the war.

Josiah's father, Dr. Thruston went after the war and retrieved the bodies of two of his sons: Josiah Walton Thruston (buried by the alpahbet by the Yankees at Vicksburg, MS) and Josiah's brother: Will Joseph Thruston, who died at Pea Ridge, ARK, at Elk Horn Tavern, March 7, 1862. At least two other Morgan Co., MO, Confederates were killed with Joseph at Pea Ridge.
These y. men are both buried at the original section of the Versailles Cemetery, Versailles, MO.

Dr. Thruston saved the lives of several from both sides during the conflict, putting himself between opponents on at least two recorded incidents and cared for injured person brought to him for assistance.

Another of Wm. Thruston's sons served in the war of 1812, Richard from S. Carolina.

(In some accounts, the last name is spelled Thurston, but we believe Thruston is the correct spelling.)

Josiah will be one of those featured (by living re-enactors) during the Morgan Co. Historical Society's Cemetery Walk, October 25, with rain date Sept. 16, 2-4 pm.

Other Civil War Soldiers will also be featured during that presentation.