Colonel John R. did not fight at the engagement at Spring River, AR. I think his only engagement was Wilson's Creek. His son, Capt. James Posey Woodside did fight at Spring River and was erroneously listed as being killed. I don't know why the Offical Records stated that he was a Colonel probably because he was leading men.

John R. was captured by the 1st Indiana Cav in Aug 1862 while on his way back to Thomasville from Arkansas. He spent time in Gratiot Street Prison. It is interesting to note that he is not listed on the prisoner rolls of the prison but only on a piece of paper stating that he would not be sent to the prison in Alton. He took the Oath of Allegience in September 1862 but the original document has been lost. I would agree that he had some pretty high contacts in the Union army and that it helped to spare his life. W. G. Pomeroy (sp.) a Union colonel, I think, wrote a letter on his behalf.

It is interesting to note that after the war both John R. and James Posey, as well as another of John R.'s son's Leigh Bowlin (who served in the 12th MO Cav 1865-1866) never did speak or discuss the war or thier involvement in it. It was almost as if the war never happend to them. That or the war so devestated the region that they chose not to think about it. It is rumored that the two brothers did not speak to one another very much since they took up different sides during the war.