In studying the in-depth 2014 archaeological and historiographical study "A Desperate and Bloody Fight: The Battle of Moore's Mill, Callaway County, Missouri, July 28, 1862" one of the footnoted source materials in this great study is a purported memoir of a Federal Soldier published in 1900, 1902. This memoir is "As I Saw It" written by Harvey Argyle and published by Home Publishing Company of San Francisco.

I'm having a hard time coming to a conclusion that this book is not a work of fiction, however. In it Argyle never identifies his unit. He states the company he belonged to was recruited "from a village less than 50 miles from Mexico, Mo." but never states what the name of the village is. Hmm. He refers to his captain repeatedly in the memoir, but never by name. He refers to himself as being a sergeant in the company, but I can not find a soldier by the name of Harvey Argyle of any rank in any unit in any command in the entire Federal army, let alone from a Missouri unit.

Further, he refers the flag bearer of the company as being a Jack Richards, who was killed on a skirmish near the Salt River Bridge in northeast Missouri. I can identify no such person. Argyle mentions a comrade Andy Wilson, a Jenkins, and a Roberson. I find no individuals readily identifiable as serving in the same Missouri unit.

He says his father was a lieutenant "in another regiment." I can identify no Lieutenant Argyle in any Missouri unit.

The timeframe indicated is from 1861 through summer of 1862. Argyle mentions being stationed in Mexico, Missouri at the time Col. Ulysses Grant was in command there. As his memoir evolves he discusses engaging in the skirmish at the Salt River Bridge and then at Moore's Mill. He says his unit afterwards engaged in more skirmishes throughout the rest of the course of the war but none were of the same consequence as Moore's Mill.

His sketchiness involving referencing his town of origin, his unit, his father's unit, and his own commanding officer sent up red flags. My inability to locate a unit for the individuals he refers to by name in his memoir, including himself, all are leading me to believe he may have been a confabulator and wannabe and that his memoir is probably not usable as a primary source, or even a historical source.

I would love it if someone could dissuade me on this point.