The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Were there two Joe Harts?

The 1863 career of Joe Hart, the guerrilla who terrorized Andrew County in 1863, is described in Bruce Nichols, vol. II.

In June 1862, General Ben Loan, MSM, wrote to General John Schofield about several prisoners Loan had in St. Joseph. They included a Joseph Hart who was sentenced to confinement during the war for marauding. Also in captivity at this time, were Joseph Kirk, Charles Cooper, John Eller, John Gallagher and men named Thomas, Wilson, Pendleton, Bond, and Campbell.

Loan wrote that "There are good reasons for believing that Hart is the guerrilla chief known as Quantrell. He was captured in Clay County by Col. Catherwood's command [6th MSM Cav.]. Col. McFerran [1st MSM Cav.] who has had the custody of Hart is satisfied that he and Quantrel are one and the same person." [It's amazing how little the high command knew about Quantrill at this point.]

Hart and the other prisoners had unsuccessfully tried to escape the previous night (June 26, 1862) and nearly succeeded because of the defectiveness of the Savage Pistol with which the guards were armed. "Some of the men snapping the lock on every cap on the cylinder, without discharging the pistol; others fired once in four trials. Bond was badly wounded--no others hurt."

The prisoners must have escaped at some point if this Joseph Hart is the same as the Joe Hart of 1863. Also, Joe Kirk was active in August 1862 according to Bruce Nichols, vol. I, so must have escaped. Does anyone know how and when the escape occurred or if there were in fact two Joe Harts?

The Loan to Schofield letter can be found online in Missouri Provost Marshal records for Two or More Persons in File 1091, Frame 80-85, on Reel 1585.

Tom Jones