1st MO Inf. (3 months) Rifle Battalion Co.A (Franklin Co.)

1st MO Inf. (3 months) Rifle Battalion Co.A (Franklin Co.)

When President Lincoln issued his first call for 75,000 for three months, the call was telegraphed to Franklin county, and David Murphy raised a party of 53 men and hurried them to St. Louis. Those men were the first raised in the interior of the State outside of St. Louis. for the cause of the Union. In response to the request, Captain Murphy sent the following as among those whom he recalled as having responded to the first call of arms from this county. After reaching St. Louis the men were united with 35 other men from St. Louis, and formed with them, what is officially known as Co.A Rifle Battalion, 1st MO Inf. (3 months).

It was assigned to the 1st MO Inf. (3 months) under Col. Blair, participated in the capture of Camp Jackson in St. Louis, May 10, 1861, acted as he prison guard with the rest of the regiment until the Camp Jackson prisoner were paroled, joined Capt. Coles, Co.A 5th MO Inf. (3 months), in the expedition to Potosi, May 14, 1861, performed other service in S.E. MO, and on Sep. 18, 1861 was reorganized into the 1st MO Art. for three years service.

Another account written after David Murphy's death by Clark Brown, a noted historian and newspaper man from Franklin Co., MO, gives greater deatil into those first few days with a few minor changes to the official record:

The recent death of David Murphy in San Diego, California (April 11, 1916), brings to mind many interesting events in Franklin county, Missouri, in which Mr. Murphy took an active part. Perhaps the most notable and praiseworthy was his action at the beginning of the war in April, 1861. David Murphy had come to Missouri from the east in about 1857 and by trade was a carpenter and worked for the Missouri Pacific Railway off and on for three or four years next preceding the breaking out of the war, and spent a large part of his time in St. Louis. During the winter of 1858 and 1859 he was in Union, and although about twenty-five years old, attended school in the newly-built school house, now the residence of Mrs. Whitson. His teacher at the time was Amos P. Foster who afterwards became Presiding Judge of the county court. In April of 1859 he was back in St. Louis and took a most active part in the election, fighting in company with Frank P. Blair, Chas. P. Johnson, O. R. Filley and others of note at that time. During the winter of 1860-61 he was teaching the public school in Union. On April 18, the news reached Union that President Lincoln had issued his call for 75,000 men to serve for three months unless sooner discharged and had desigated four regiments to be raised in Missouri. The papers also contained Governor C. F. Jackson's reply to the President's call through Simon Cameron, Secretary of War, which contained this closing sentence: "Not one man will the State of Missouri furnish to carry out any such unholy crusade-C. F. Jackson, Governor of Missouri." Young Murphy was with the crowd that had gathered at the postoffice when the exciting news came to Union. The postoffice was then kept in about the center of the block which faces the court house square on the west. and Otto Wengler was postmster. As soon as David Murphy saw Governor Jackson's telegram to the Secretary of War he announced his intension of going to Illinois and enlist, as Governor of that State had announced that he would furnish all the men that the government had assigned to Illinois. Murphy got the school board together as soon as possible and resigned and the next morning went to the school house, and after calling the children to order he told them that school was dismissed until after the war. Murphy went at once to Washington and boarded the train for St. Louis, on his way to Illinois. He reached St. Louis that night, April 19, 1861, at 6 o'clock. As he stood at the corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets, an hour or so later, he met Frank P. Blair and told him his object in going to Illinois. Blair replied, "Pooh! Missouri is going to raise its full quota of men reguardless of the Governor. You go back to Franklin county, raise a company, and bring it to Jefferson Barracks. Go at once. Good night." The next day, April 20, found Murphy back in Union with the result that witin a very few days about fifty young men of Union met at Vitt's mill and organized by electing Murphy captain.

On the morning of the 23rd a deputy sheriff accosted Murphy in a blustering manner and asked him if he intended to take a company to the St. Louis arsenal. Murphy replied that he did. A heated argument ensued in which the deputy sheriff drew a revolver on Murphy but was promptly disarmed by J. W. Maupin, an adherent of Murphy.

There was some debate as to how to get to St. Louis after the company was organized. Murphy was in favor of going to Pacific in the night and take the morning accommodation train to the city, but he was overruled, as a large majority of the men were adverse to going overland to Pacific because of the strong feeling for the South in parts of the territory between Union and Pacific. It was finally decided that the company should go to Washington and South Point-some going to each point in a manner to attract least attention. Bt the time the afternoon train reached Franklin county volunteers were at the depot with relatives and friends. As the engine was taking wood and water loud shouts were heard from the rear of thr train with hurrahs for Jeff. Davis. The rear coach was filled with SOuthern sympathizers going to St. Louis to assist on their side of the impending conflict. Those on the train demanded that Murphy's company be not permitted to board the train, and for a few minutes the wildest confusion prevailed. But Murphy was calm and fearless and got his men into the two front coaches in perfect order turned the seats so all the men could face the enemy in the rear. At South Point a few more Franklin county boys joined Murphy. At this junction four men came from the rear cars, dressed in gray, and ran along the side of the front cars and one of them, Bob Finney, who knew Murphy, shouted to him to get out of there for they were going to clean out the Dutch. Finney was completely taken aback and dumb-founded when Murphy told him that he was in command and that he and his men would fight to the death before yielding. Finney only said, "We did not know, Murphy, that you were with the Dutch." After he train left South Point, Conductor White informed Murphy that there was a gathering of Confederate sympathizers at Gray Summit who were planning to take Murphy off the train should he be on it and hang him. "Then," said Murphy, "this train won't stop at Gray Summit." The conductor replied, "We have to, for Gray Summit is a regular scheduled stopping place and I will be held personally and strictly responsible for any deviation from the rules." Murphy said nothing in reply, but when the train stopped at Labadie he got off and just as the train was starting climbed into the cab with the engineer and fireman. Going up the hill to Gray SUmmit Murphy told the engineer tht he must not stop at Gray Summit. The engineer protested more vigorously than did the conductor that he must stop at all regular scheduled stopping places, etc. When the train got within a short distance of Gray Summit, Murphy drew his revolver and pointed it at the engineer's head, told him in no uncertain language that if he slowed up the train one iota while going through Gray Summit he would blow his head off. The platform and depot were surrounded by an excited crowd of men, but that a regular Mo. Pacific passenger train did not make its regular scheduled stop at Gray Summit. At Pacific Murphy got back in his coach, much to the surprise and delight of the men who had no idea what had become of him. The company reached St. Louis without further incident. It was with difficulty, however, that Murphy and his band of forty men reached the Turner's hall at 10th and Walnut streets where they were obligated to sleep on the bare floor. The next day they left in groups of two for Jefferson Barracks where they were joined the next day bt thirteen more men from Franklin county, Missouri. There fifty-three were the first men to arrive in St. Louis from out in the State to enlist in the Federal Army in the whole State of Missouri.

L. E. Koniuszeski also arrived at about the same time from Southeast Missouri with thirty-five men. These were consolidated by Col. Blair with the Franklin county boys and were the Rifle Batallion attached to the First Missouri Infantry. Murphy was elected captain of the new company on the first ballot but declined to serve, as Koniuszeski had had military experience and Murphy had none, and at the latter's suggestion the former was elected captain and Murphy was then elected first lieutenant.

I have not the space to relate the subsequent history of Col. Murphy and the Franklin county boys. Their work is a part of the history of our country. I only desire to add and impress it upon the minds of those who are interested in our county history that while Col. Murphy was a man of many eccentricities, it was owing to his individual efforts, his loyality, his energy and his courage that Frankin county has that honor of having raised and sent the first company of men to leave their homes for the preservation of our nation in the troublesome time of 1861.
CLARK BROWN



1st MO Inf. (3 months) Rifle Battalion Co.A

Rank	 Officer		Commissioned	Remarks

-------- ---------------------- --------------- ---------------------------------------

Captain  L. E. Koniuszeski	Apr. 20, 1861

1st Lt.  David Murphy*		Apr. 20, 1861

2nd Lt.  John P. Hibler*	Apr. 20, 1861



Privates (51)*

-------------

Ahrensmann, Henry

Arnold, Florence

Beckmann, Bernard

Beinke, Hermann

Balke, Charles

Borberg, Chas.

Briegle, Philip

Damschroeder, Chris

Diemann, Fritz

Duemler, August

Duemler, John G.

Duemler, John H.

Gehrkin, Hv.

Giebler, Thos.

Hartman, Wm.

Hein, J. F.

Hosteller, Christ.

Hug, George

Jacober, Casper

Kiel, Fred

Kohring, H. J.

Leslie, Fred

Lindner, Wm. J.

Loeffler, Herman

Maupin, John W.

Meyersieck, Wm.

Miller, Frank

Miller, John

Miller, Wm.

Mittendorf, Henry

Moeller, Fred

Nagel, Wm.

Oesterle, Joseph

Osterhauf, Herman

Osterhaus, Wm.

Park, Anderson

Park, James

Sanderman, Aug.

Scheebaum, Henry

Scheebaum, John

Schlake, Henry

Schidlhein, Martin

Schmidt, Joseph

Solf, Aug.

Spiedel, Aug.

Tochhermann, Chas.

Vitt, Alfred

Wendel, Chas.

Wieman, George

Wilke, Aug.

Wilkger, Fred



*=Murphy, Hibler, and the 51 privates make up the 53 total men in Clark Brown's account.

Sources:
1) "Franklin Co. Tribune, V.51, No.6, Fiftieth Anniversary Edition", Published in Union, MO; May 7, 1915; p.9.
2) "Annual Report of the Adjutant General of Missouri for the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1865", Jefferson City, MO; Emory, Foster Public Printer, c1866; p.60-61
For additional regimental history information go to the MISSOURI VOLUNTEER FORCES IN THE CIVIL WAR with Federal Service (UNION): 1st REGIMENT MO INFANTRY (3 MONTHS).
3)"INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF COL. DAVID MURPHY" by CLARK BROWN from the CLARK BROWN Files, p.223, at the Four Rivers Genealogical Society Library in Washington, MO.

Note: "The Union Cause in St. Louis in 1861" c1909 is a very good reference and does give a listing of Co.A and Co.B as well (w/John McFall as Capt. of Co.B who was also from Frankln Co.). It is not known at what time this muster was made but appears to possibly been the muster out record as J. P. Hibler is listed as 1st Lt. of Co.A by which time David Murphy had transferred to Co.I, 1st MO Lt. Art. as 1st Lt.. Murphy received honors from the Battle of Wilson's Creek for gallant conduct and meritorious service in Co.I, 1st MO Lt. Art.. He was then promoted to Capt. of Co.F, 1st MO Lt. Art., which became known as Murphy's Battalion. He rose to the rank of Major by 1863, resigned at Vicksburg and returned home to Franklin County. He was involved in the Dolle and Barnes affairs, was commisioned Adj. of the 47th MO Inf. in 1864, went to Pilot Knob for the battle with Price, was put in charge of the artillery for the fight, recieved commendations, was promoted Lt. Col. of the 50th MO Inf., and then Col..

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Sources: "Franklin Co. Tribune, V.51, No.6, Fiftieth Anniversary Edition", Published in Union, MO; May 7, 1915; p.9. "Annual Report of the Adjutant General of Missouri for the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1865", Jefferson City, MO; Emory, Foster Public Printer, c1866; p.60-61