Thanks Bruce for the further leads I'll look them up.

What generated the Pike County comment was that Bay and a number of the Montgomery County EMM were initially enrolled in the Pike County Battalion of the 49th EMM with Anderson a noted radical republican, (I tread lightly on Kirby Ross's ground here.) back in July 1862. The note on John M Steel reads "Enrolled July 28, 1862 Co E 1st or Pike County Battalion as part of the 49th Regiment of Enrolled Missouri Militia, as Private under Capt. Trower. Roll of 1862 shows 56 days service. Note: This Co. is designated as Co "E" 49th Regt in heading but as Co. E 1st Battlion Pike County in certificate to same roll. The Adjt. General's report of 1863 gives it as Co. A Pike County Battalion, with a notation that Company was transferred to Co. A 67th Regt. March 29th 1863."

I concur that Bay was from Montgomery City. The Steele boys were from near Middletown roughly 10 miles northeast of Montgomery City. By 1870 James Steele had married and was living just across the county line in Pike County. John disappears and I have no further on him past his discharge in 1864.

What strikes me here is the apparent appearance of a group of radical republicans which seem to have bonded together early in the war and aligned themselves with whatever military enity was handy, Pike Co. Home Guards, 49th EMM, 67th EMM, etc. and were up to who knows what in the neighborhood.

I'll see what I can do to work up a cross reference between the 3 units.

John R.