Richard White Hancock and the American Civil War

In April of 1862, when Dick Hancock was a few months short of his seventeenth birthday, he joined the Missouri State Militia, supporting the Union troops.  He was a member of the 6th Missouri Regiment, Company E, cavalry unit.  He inflated his age by a bit, in order to enlist.  The company Descriptive Book gives details:
 
Richard W Hancock; Co E, 6th Regt Mo State Militia Cavalry;  enlisted 12 April 1862 at Cameron Missouri by Capt Murphy for a term of 3 years; age 18; 5 feet 10 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes; dark hair; born Scott Kentucky; occupation farmer.

Richard White “Dick” Hancock was born in 1845 in Scott county Kentucky, one of the younger of Edward Hancock and Jemima White’s nine children.  About 1855 his family removed to Missouri, where the Hancock family lived for a number of years near the community of Victoria in Daviess County.  In the early years of America’s Civil War young Dick answered the call to serve with the Union.

Dick Hancock’s military “returns” show him serving in several different capacities through the war years.  In February of 1863 he was recorded as a hospital nurse, and in January 1864 he was “absent” doing recruiting service in Northwest Missouri.  Several returns listed him as “away for service in the field”.  By late 1864, during the months of November and December, he was working as a cook for the troops.  

The Missouri State Militia forces were authorized, subsidized, and equipped by the federal government.  Their primary activity remained within the state.  The war in Missouri was more of a local affair.  Union supporters were in the majority.  Confederate sympathizers and secessionists made guerilla style attacks on their neighbors.  Engaging these guerilla bands became the primary work of the State Militia.  After enlistment, Dick Hancock was stationed at Cameron Missouri, but within a short time the troops of the 6th Regiment began to move around the state.  In the Fall of 1862, “guerrilla bands of every size and description, sometimes operating in conjunction with small Confederate forces based in Arkansas, swarmed out of the woods and swamps and attacked towns and railroads, carried off horses and weapons, and killed Unionist civilians by the hundreds.”

The leaders of the State Militia began an effort to “starve out” the opposition by identifying the civilian population that provided food, shelter, horses, and new recruits.  Relatives and supporters of the guerillas were often fined or imprisoned; their properties and communities were sometimes put to the torch.  “This was a war of stealth and raid without a front, without formal organization, and with almost no division between the civilian and the warrior.”

Toward the close of the War the 6th Regiment was called to Westport (today a part of Kansas City).  The Battle of Westport occurred on the 23rd of October 1864, and is sometimes referred to as the “Gettysburg of the West”.  It is probably the only formal battlefield that Dick Hancock attended.  The Union forces of Major General Samuel R Curtis soundly defeated the Confederates.  This was one of the largest actions to occur west of the Mississippi River, involving more than thirty thousand troops.  It was also the last major action in the area.  

Dick Hancock continued with his regiment for several months after the Westport battle.  This was the time period when he was noted as a cook for the troops.  Discharges began for the 6th Regiment in February of 1865.  About this time Dick Hancock’s horse and equipment was valued by the government at sixty-five dollars. After his service, young Dick, still a teenager, returned home to the family farm near Victoria Missouri.  He was soon to turn twenty years of age, and in the following year he married Elizabeth Taylor, and settled in neighboring Dekalb county Missouri.  


For more details on Richard White Hancock, visit his page at Family Stories, pamgarrett.com.

About the Photo:  Encampment of Union cavalry scouts near Hancock Maryland; WW Charles for Harper's Weekly, 1 Feb 1862; from the National Park Service Historical Collection.

Moving back in time:  Otis Sylvester Garrett 1894 > Margaret Susan Hancock 1869 > Richard White Hancock 1845.
Richard White Hancock is my husband’s greatgreat-grandfather.

Gettysburg Remembered

Richard Albert Clarkson was living with the family of his uncle, Joseph Albert Clarkson, when the Civil War began. He was a young man of about sixteen. His primary service during the war was with the 14th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry from Charlotte county Virginia. Many years after the war, RA was asked to share his war recollections.  The first of two letters is addressed to Captain Edwin Bouldin. Captain Bouldin headed RA’s regiment and they remained in touch with each other throughout their lives.  Among other anecdotes, he gives this description of Camp life:

. . . In January ’63 I joined the Company, then in Winter Quarters near Salem, Roanoke co, Va . . our Mess was a large one composed, if I remember right, of your honorable self, . . . Roberts of Drakes Branch, Sam Gaines of Charlotte CH [Courthouse], Ad West of Halifax, McMorris of Dupree’s old store, Sam’l McCargo and myself of Wyliesburg, and the two servants . . . your man (whose name I have forgotten) who always indulged in the Indian war-hoop when he got a little “red eye” ahead, and the Negro Gilas employed by Roberts, McCargo and myself. Guard duty around the camp, and the usual morning and afternoon drill was all that bothered us. The remainder of the time was spent in pleasures and sleep. I had a violin, and Ad West a banjo, -by-the-way, I have never seen his equal as a banjoist since, and we used to almost raise the tent with our musical performances the principal ‘air’ being ‘Git up Liza Jane’. This I believe was your favorite instrumental piece, and we gave it to you till you would often cry, “hold, enough”. The music ended, games were taken up, those who liked cards engaging in the ever continued game of bluff, while others would satisfy themselves with checkers, chess, etc. McMorris and I whittled out of cedar, red and white, a set of chess-men and our occupation, when not on duty, or making music, was wholly chess-playing. All over the camp could be heard the terms, “I see you better” and “I’ll straddle you”, etc. etc. Occasionally Sam Gaines and I who were inclined to be ladies-men would, with your permission, visit the young ladies in Salem, and at Hollins’ Institute. Well do I remember the first time I heard the sweet song “Lorena”. Modest, gentle Miss Margy Logan of Salem sang it for Sam and I, to perfection. Never since, have I heard it as she sang it. Association may have something to do with it, I was captivated, just old enough to fall in love, and vain enough to think all girls loved me.  Alas! I was mistaken in this case, for the other fellow (Sam) made the impression, and I was left.

The second letter is addressed to Mrs Falconer. Her identity is unknown, but the letter suggests that she was collecting Civil War reminiscences. In this second letter RA shares his experience at the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  It’s more sobering tones report the death of his great friend, Sam McCargo:

[july 1 gettysburg] Ewell’s corps occupied the left of Gen Lee’s line of battle, and our brigade of cavalry

was placed on his (Ewell’s) left flank, which Buford’s cavalry tried to turn. ‘Twas here that our Brig Gen Jenkins was badly wounded by the bursting of a shell. I saw him brought off the field. Our ammunition gave out and the Captain of my company, Edwin E Bouldin, ordered me to find the ordinance train. After I returned the fighting in our part of the field became fierce. My mess mate, Samuel McCargo, was wounded and throwing up his arms exclaimed “Clarkson, get me off the field.” I tried to support him but had to call help. Meantime he was shot again, and John Roberts, whom I had called was also shot. His wound however was slight, and in taking McCargo off he (McCargo) received a third wound and finally had to be left in the enemy’s hand, where he died.

These letters, in full, are available under the Feature Articles at Family Stories, pamgarrett.com. See Gettysburg Remembered.  Richard Albert Clarkson is my great, great grandfather.

Photo:  Black and white photograph of Town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, about the time of the Civil War battle;  1863; published 1907; Carl Schurz, Reminiscences, Volume Three, McClure Publishing Co., 1907; author unknown; Wikipedia Commons.