Roy,

Oh yes, there was lots of action in the Jacksonville area of north-central Randolph County during 1861 and 1862. That is part of a region of Missouri they still call "Little Dixie" for good reason.

If I knew the name of your ancestor I could look him up in Neil Block's "Shades of Gray: Confederate Soldiers and Veterans of Randolph County." Neil monitors this forum, so he should come in.

You mentioned Schuyler County, but Jacksonville, MO is two counties away from there in Randolph County, so I am a little puzzled. Was your ancestor from Schuyler or Randolph Counties, or both?

You picked up on "Merrill" with some knowledge that Colonel and later Brigadier General Lewis Merrill was the chief of the District of Northeast Missouri with headquarters at Macon City, Macon County. Did your ancestor have to face a Union tribunal under Merrill during the war?

Bruce Nichols