I am puzzled about two very different descriptions of Emmet Goss. This one from the O.R varies drastically from Noted Guerrillas by John N. Edwards who portrays Goss as a fiend.

"Goss lived in Jackson county. He owned a farm near Hickman's Mill, and up to the fall of 1861, had worked it soberly and industriously. When he concluded to quit farming and go to fighting, he Joined the Jayhawkers. Jennison commanded the 15th Kansas Cavalry, and Goss a company in this regiment. From a peaceful, thrifty citizen, he became suddenly a terror to the border." Edwards accuses Goss of horrible deeds to old people. Where did he get this info from?

I've researched some on Goss and actual data such as years of events can be verified. Emmet Goss got married, had a wife and child, farmed near Lees Summit not Hickman's Mill. He was in Jacob Axline's regiment in Feb 1862 and later was in the KS unit. Some bio info that's written by Edwards doesn't line up. It makes me question how many more statements are wrong.

Is this observation on Edwards' book something that's accepted by most Civil War historians and you take some of it with a grain of salt? Sadly, there are websites who have repeated Edwards' info and Emmet Goss' reputation and name has been tarnished. Maybe what Edwards wrote really is true. How do you know?

No, I'm not related to Goss. I just ran across all this doing Hickman Mills research. If I'm wrong, then my apologies in advance.