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42nd Missouri Infantry Volunteers
A Brief History (1864 - 1865)
The original 42nd Missouri Infantry Volunteers was a late war regiment organized in 1864, in and around Macon Missouri. Recruiting for the Regiment commenced in early August and it was intended that this regiment would stay in Missouri. By the end of August several companies had been organized at Macon and recruiting began to pick up due to the numerous Guerrilla attacks in the region. By the middle of September the regiment numbered 956 men and was nearly complete with 10 full companies. The companies were largely recruited from the following localities.
The regiment was sent to Benton barracks, St. Louis, where the officers received their commissions and the regiment was officially mustered in. The same day the 42nd Missouri embarked on transports for Paducah, where it received orders to report to Gen. Thomas at Nashville. Before reaching Nashville it was sent to Fort Donelson, which place was then threatened by a Confederate force, and remained there until late December, losing 150 men by disease.
The 42nd Missouri arrived at Nashville and was sent to garrison the post at Tullahoma, and there it remained until mustered out. While at Tullahoma the regiment garrisoned the town and a series of block houses and actively sent out patrols throughout Tennessee and northern Alabama. Numerous skirmish were fought with Guerillas and Confederate forces, including the battle of Corn Farm in Franklin Tennessee in February 1865.
Companies, H, I and K, (being 6 month companies) were mustered out and, thereby reducing the number of the regiment below the minimum. About the same time the remainder of the regiment was ordered to Shelbyville, Tennessee, where it remained as a garrison, doing occasional scouting service, until the 23rd of June, when, under orders of the department commander, proceeded to Nashville, where the regiment was mustered out on
the 28th of June, 1865.
A Brief History (1864 - 1865)
The original 42nd Missouri Infantry Volunteers was a late war regiment organized in 1864, in and around Macon Missouri. Recruiting for the Regiment commenced in early August and it was intended that this regiment would stay in Missouri. By the end of August several companies had been organized at Macon and recruiting began to pick up due to the numerous Guerrilla attacks in the region. By the middle of September the regiment numbered 956 men and was nearly complete with 10 full companies. The companies were largely recruited from the following localities.
The regiment was sent to Benton barracks, St. Louis, where the officers received their commissions and the regiment was officially mustered in. The same day the 42nd Missouri embarked on transports for Paducah, where it received orders to report to Gen. Thomas at Nashville. Before reaching Nashville it was sent to Fort Donelson, which place was then threatened by a Confederate force, and remained there until late December, losing 150 men by disease.
The 42nd Missouri arrived at Nashville and was sent to garrison the post at Tullahoma, and there it remained until mustered out. While at Tullahoma the regiment garrisoned the town and a series of block houses and actively sent out patrols throughout Tennessee and northern Alabama. Numerous skirmish were fought with Guerillas and Confederate forces, including the battle of Corn Farm in Franklin Tennessee in February 1865.
Companies, H, I and K, (being 6 month companies) were mustered out and, thereby reducing the number of the regiment below the minimum. About the same time the remainder of the regiment was ordered to Shelbyville, Tennessee, where it remained as a garrison, doing occasional scouting service, until the 23rd of June, when, under orders of the department commander, proceeded to Nashville, where the regiment was mustered out on
the 28th of June, 1865.
Company A - Brookfield MO.
Company B - Macon MO.
Company C - Unionville MO.
Company D - Hartford & Macon MO.
Company E - Greencastle MO.
Company F - Linn & Macon Counties
Company G - Greentop MO.
Company H - Macon MO.
Company I - Bucklin MO.
Company K - Macon MO.
Company B - Macon MO.
Company C - Unionville MO.
Company D - Hartford & Macon MO.
Company E - Greencastle MO.
Company F - Linn & Macon Counties
Company G - Greentop MO.
Company H - Macon MO.
Company I - Bucklin MO.
Company K - Macon MO.
The first few weeks of the regiment saw it actively engaged against Confederate guerrilla’s in North Central Missouri, and serving along the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Several companies of the regiment also participated in the pursuit of Bloody Bill Anderson after his massacre of the 39th Missouri at Centralia. In late September, Lieutenant-Colonel Stauber was ordered to Sturgeon, Missouri, with companies A, C and H; they remained at that point and at Columbia, Missouri, during Price's 1864 raid. The other companies of the regiment were stationed along the line of the North Missouri and Hannibal & St. Joseph railroads, with headquarters at Macon. A portion of the regiment was mounted, and did scouting duty in Macon, Randolph, Chariton, Howard, Boone, and Monroe counties, until November, 1864, when orders were received to proceed to Paducah, Kentucky. The regiment rendezvoused at Macon, from which point it moved to St. Louis.
