The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Day Book Co. F, 5th MSM, Cpt. Vansant

I had recently posted a response that I had the day book of Captain Jno. B. Vansant of Company F, 5th MSM cavalry of the old organization. I had layed it aside some years ago and only recently went back to my files and discovered that I had in fact transcribed it but had not put it in a computer file. After a few days work I have completed a computer file of the records of this company. Company F was part of the old organization of the 5th MSM covering a period of 31 March 1862 to June 17, 1863 when the regiment was disbanded and absorbed by other MSM regiments.

This record contains a number of intersting orders requiring Captain Vansant to arrest and or burn out southern sympathizers. The records show the company operating in and around Platte City and Independence. I include a random sample below:

Camp Wade
Platte City, June 6th, 1862
General Orders
No. 15

Captain Vansant will take out of his company of fifty men and six days rations and proceed to the neighborhood of Farleigh and dislodge, capture and kill all men who have reported to this office and are now hiding in the brush for bushwhacking purposes under the command of the notorious Paddy Cooper. You will arrest all men which in justice to this service ought to be punished and bring them to this office.

By order of
Major Wm. Drumhilles
Commanding Post

D. J. Colvin
Adjutant
This is a sample of many such orders, some of which are given directly to Vansant by Colonel William Penick. An order from Penick in late May 1863 gave a specific two page order detailing who Vansant was to burn out, who to hang and or order to move south to Arkansas. A number of names of elderly men and women are mentioned.

Those who are interested, and I can't imagine a number of you researchers out there not wanting this, I will be glad to send you the file by attachment if you are compatible with my system. Just send me your email address and I will return with an attachment.