DIARY ENTRIES of
Private Peter C. Brooks, Company C, 6th Missouri State Militia Cavalry
26 September 1864 to November 7, 1864
September 26, 1864 - Springfield
We have received orders Boots and Saddles at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. Major Plumb is taking the regiment into the field with the rest of the brigade. General Sanborn is going with us. Rumor s say Pap Price has crossed the border with 20,000 men and thirty guns and is heading for St. Louie. Just had my horse shod, thank heavens. We are told we will ride hard and fast. The 6th will leave some of our sick and lame behind along with some men to watch are stores. After the reorganization last summer we barely have 250 men here at Springfield. We have patrols out which are suppose to catch up to us. We go with the 8th and 2nd Arkansas. The 6th and 7th PEMM will catch up with us as best they might. They are scattered everywhere. We cooked three days rations and issued sixty rounds of ammunition.
September 27, 1864 - Waynesville
Arrived mid-afternoon. Bivouacked. Weather muggy. Patrols drifting in.
September 28, 1864 - Rolla
Picked up some wagons and men from the various regiments here. We hear that Pap is being fought by Ewing. No word where yet. Lots of confusion here. Horses needing shoeing are being shod here. We are to make a hard ride for the James tomorrow.
September 30, 1864 - James River
Bivouacked for the night. Troops from the 2nd Arkansas have caught up to that regiment. We number maybe 900 sabers. Sanborn has us out on picket tonight.
October 4, 1864 - Near Vienna - maybe five miles.
Bivouacked after much scouting to the north and east. Lots of rumors and no real information. Earlier this evening a tired Henry Carter of E company shot himself accidentally whilere. Tom Little captured his brother here from Shelby s regiment. This time last year Tom was captured by his brother at Neosho when Shelby raided. Strange things happen in this war. We rest here tonight. The horses need rest.
October 23, 1864 - West of Big Blue about three miles on the Kansas city-Harrisonville road. The air is brisk and cool. The sun is about to go down. I am taking a moment to write a few lines. We arrived before the Big Blue this morning before 6:30. The 2nd Arkansas was in the lead and were dismounted. Major Plumb and Company B was lost for a time and wasn t with us when we arrived. Major Murphy took over - With the 8th on our right next to the men from Phillips brigade we attacked on line crossing the shallow water up the steep incline. We were told that we were to capture a stone structure, which looked like an outbuilding sitting atop a hill north of he road. When we crossed we were stopped by one volley. I saw several men go down. The firing was very intense for only a few minutes. I had one bullet pass near me. Scared, lordy was I scared. Major Murphy rallied us and we charged up the incline forcing the rebs to with draw. The 2nd Arkansas came up behind us and to the left of the road. we continued to advance west skirmishing for the next two hours and about two and half miles. Our horses were finally brought up and we joined in on the charge into the rear of the rebel army. We are halted near Santa Fe at present I think on the Kansas line. We are to continue to chase after them tomorrow.
October 25, 1864 - Late - Fort Scott
Am very tired. We have been in the saddle constantly for the past ten days. Last night we arrived late before some hills and were told that the rebs were on it. Near dawn we were ordered to attack up the hill. We heard and did a lot of shooting as we struggled up the rocky hill, but saw nothing - at least I didn t until sunrise. We saw some Arkansas boys get captured as they fled south. We were watering and resting our mounts when Boots and Saddles was sounded. We were led at a trot for several miles until we came upon a field near a creek^ (since been told it is Mine Creek)^ where a fight was just ending. We had heard the cannon fire and several rumbling volleys before we arrived. When we came over the rise we were in the rear of the brigade. I saw rebs being rounded up, many in blue coats and uniforms. I know what will or has happened to them. My mount Danny is a bit lame - went into town for a short time to take part in all the festivities. We hear that there is more fighting under way to the east of us. I saw Cabell and Marmaduke being led into a hotel. They looked grim and tired like the rest of us. Am too tired to continue, must rest.
October 30, 1864 - Newtonia
We are in garrison here for a time with the PEMM boys while the rest of the brigade engage in scouting and patrolling the area. Late on the afternoon of the 28th we came upon the field of Newtonia while Blunt s men were engaged with the whole reb army. He was about to break when we arrived upon the field. The regiment was in the lead of the brigade that day. I was posted in the fourth line when we were ordered to advance at the trot, deploy rapidly and enter a corn field near the Ritchey mansion. Blunts boys were about to break when we arrived. We advanced steadily through the field firing volleys. I think I fired three times before the rebs withdrew and night fell upon us. The rebs left a lot of their casualties behind. We have them in the barns and in an open field to the south of here. The dead lay everywhere. I was on burial detail for two days guarding a bunch of ragged prisoners. Some were local fellas from around here.
November 11, 1864 - Springfield
We are back. Am not feeling too well. Been told to rest. A number of our men have the consumption - Was gone 46 days. The horses are worn out - we are worn out. Hopefully this will be the end of this business for awhile.
as just ending. We had heard the cannon fire and several rumbling volleys before we arrived. When we came over the rise w