The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division

Tim,

You helped me more than you knew. After I sent my first reply about possible confusion about William H. L. Cundiff dying in Union military prison at St. Louis on 15 December 1862, I found the 1860 census entry for a W. H. H. Cundiff age 29, a physician living at or near Pleasant Hill in northeast Cass County. This doctor was born in KY and had estimated worth of $1000 in real estate and $1000 of personal property. I also found the record of J. H. B. Cundiff, editor, age 28, born in Virginia with wife born Maryland, and two small children born in MO. J. H. B. Cundiff was worth $8000 in real estate and $600 in personal property. This family had a 26 year-old servant, H Barns, born Ireland. They lived in the city of St. Joseph. The Union prison ledger was correct about the death of William Cundiff of Boone County who died in the Alton Illinois Union Military Prison during December 1862, as stated in the "California Weekly News" (of California, Missouri) issue of 9 January 1863.

So, there were two separate men, both of whom served the southern cause in Missouri during the Civil War. William Cundiff was I suppose Doctor W. H. H. Cundiff living in Pleasant Hill a few miles from Kansas City in the 1860 Cass County, MO census. For reasons unknown to me, Dr. Cundiff somehow joined Colonel Poindexter's recruiting command in NE MO, was captured in Boone County at or near Columbia on or about 15 October 1862, sent to the Alton, IL military prison, where he died of typhoid pneumonia 15 December 1862. Meanwhile, the newspaper editor, James H. B. Cundiff of St. Joseph joined the southern cause from St. Joseph, returned to his home area in autumn 1864 to recruit more southern men, and was killed in battle later in Tennessee. Although James was born in Virginia, William, the doctor, was born in Kentucky. Possibly they were brothers or cousins, it is hard to tell. I say they MAY have been related because of the unusual two middle initials in their name. Further, they were both educated men, born only one year apart, and devoted to the southern cause.

It appears we were both correct. Who knew?

I also found mention of a Hannah Cundiff, age 66, born in Maryland, who lived in the city of St. Joseph, and who died in St. Joseph on 25 September 1863 according to the "Daily Missouri Republican" newspaper of St. Louis, the issue of 1 October 1863. The newspaper notice indicated that Hannah Cundiff died of "bereaved children." I would guess that meant the lady passed away because she was heavily sorrowed because of her children, or because she mourned the death of her children. I wonder if this lady was the mother of one or even both of these Cundiff men. By my source, James Cundiff was still living when Hannah died, but William died the previous December. Interesting.

Bruce Nichols

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Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Re: Battle of Wilson's Creek MSG Fifth Division
Col James Hampton Roads Cundiff
Re: William Henry L Cundiff
Re: William Henry L Cundiff
Re: William Henry L Cundiff
Re: William Henry L Cundiff
Re: Col JHR Cundiff, PS Pfouts, Gen James Craig
Re: Col JHR Cundiff, PS Pfouts, Gen James Craig