Veterans of Two Wars

[Janet Harrington]

Two of the Very Few Left of Those Who Fought in the Mexican War Live in Elk County

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    Last year Collier's Weekly published an article about the survivors of the Mexican war, and state, we are told, that there was only 27 of those who fought on the American side living in the United States.  We do not know how true the statement is, but we have two of the old veterans in this county, both old settlers and good men, and we present to our readers a brief sketch of their lives together with their pictures.
   It seems only a few years ago that men who served in the Mexican war were very numerous, but when we remember that it has been more than 50 years since the close of that war it is not surprising that there are so few of the soldiers left among us.

Samuel McGuire

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  Samuel Wallace McGuire was born October 27, 1826, near West Liberty, Morgan county, Kentucky.
  He enlisted in the Mexican war when 20 years of age, in Company G 3rd Kentucky Volunteers under Captain Ewing and started the same day for Mexico, took ship at New Oreleans sailed across the Gulf of Mexico to Vera Cruise.  He was under Gen. Butler's division who was second in command under Gen. Winfield Scott.
  Gen. Scott captured Vera Cruise and from there marched to Sera Gorda where there was a very hot contested battle.  They marched from there to Jalappa had a battle with the Mexicans there drove the enemy and captured the city then marched on to the city of Perrote and captured it, then moved on and captured the fort of Rio Freo pass moved from there to the National bridge, there they shelled and drove the enemy and captured the fort.
  Now Gen. Scott with his army moved on to Peublo, drove the Mexicans and captured the city with its forts.  Then the army moved on to the city of Mexico and captured Pinion Gate and Turkey Byo both strong forts, pursued the enemy and captured the fort of Malena, Del Rey.  From there Gen. Scott and his army moved on to Chepultipec, another strong fort and drove the enemy out and captured the fort.
  From Chepultipec they moved into the City of Mexico, stormed and captured the city after heavy fighting, took the Mexican flag down off of the Halls of Montezuma and hoisted the American flag.  Gen. Scott with his army now went into quarters as there was no more fighting.
  The President of Mexico, also commander of the Mexican army (Santa Anna) moved southwest some distance and formed a new capitol and negotiations for peace.  Our ministers came on and the Americans remained in the city of Mexico till the ratification of peace which took place in June 1848, then Gen. Scott with his army moved back to Vera Cruise.  From here they took ship to New Orleans and from there they went by steamboat to Louisville, Kentucky, where they were mustered out.
  This happened so long ago that Capt. mcGuire forgets a great many of the dates.
  Capt. McGuire moved from Kentucky to Pettis county, Missouri, near Brownsville where he lived until the beginning of the rebellion when he enlisted at the first call.
  Directly after the first call the citizens of several counties organized a regiment electing Jacob Nouse, colonel and G. W. Grover, lieutenant colonel.  Mr. McGuire was elected captain of Company A. in Nouse and Grover regiment and served till the 27th of june, when the reenlisted in the three years service.  Grover was made colonel and White lieutenant colonel of the 27th Missouri Volunteers.
  Up to this time there had been but little fighting in Missouri.  Gen. Lyons had taken possession of Camp Jackson, then he moved west on to Boonville and captured it, then moved south to Springfield and fought the battle of Wilson Creek and was killed there.
  The principal duties of McGuire's regiment had been guarding the bridges on the Pacific railroad east of Sedalia, also guarding Jefferson City.  Seven companies of his regiment was ordered to Lexington while he with three companies was left in Jefferson City helping to guard the capitol.
  Then Price made a raid back into Missouri to Lexington and attacked the Federal forces.  That was the beginning of the seige of Lexington which lasted several weeks.  price's forces overpowered the Federal forces, killing and wounding a great man, of our men, killing his (McGuires) colonels, Grover and White, then Capt. mcGuire being the senior surving officer cammanded the remainder of his regiment doing a great deal of scouting and skirmishing.
  In the meantime Gen Marmaduke, Price and Shelby made different raids through Missouri, the Federal troops meeting them and driving them out:
  In December 1861 Price established headquarters near Oceola on the Osage river and the Federal troops commanded by Gen. Pope and Gen. Steele made what is known as the grand move on Price and drove him out of Missouri.  The Federal troops fell back to Warrensburg and captured 2,600 of the rebels at the battle of Milford, Johnson county and took them to Sedalia and they were sent to St. Louis.
  After being mustered out of the 27th Missouri Volunteers at Benton Barracks he enlilsted in the 7th Missouri Cavalry with John F. Phillips as his colonel and Tom T. Crittenden as his lieutenant colonel.  McGuire was elected 2nd lieutenant and soon after he was ordered south into Arkansas.  About October 1862 they had a heavy engagement with the enemy on White river.  In January 1863 they were stationed at Elk Horn, Arkansas, when Marmaduke made his raid on Springfield.  His regiment was ordered to Springfield on forced march.  The Federal troops drove Marmaduke and his command out of Missouri then his regiment was ordered to Greenfield, for winter quarters and there they had considerable skirmishing and fighting.
  In May they were ordered to South Missouri again.  In the fall of 1863 they were ordered back to Sedalia.  Soon after Price, Marmaduke and Shelby made another raid and was again driven out by his regiment.
  In the winter of 1863 McGuire was promoted to 1st lieutenant of Company B of 7th Missouri cavalry.  In the fall of '64 Price, marmaduke and Shelby made another raid into Missouri.  Their regiment with many other troops encountered the enemy on the Osage river.  The Federal troops fell back to Jefferson City and there got reenforcements and drove them west near Boonville, having several engagements with them, then at Marshall they had another battle with them and drove them from there west by way of Lexington to near Kansas City.  They turned south then through Jackson county and on the River Blue they made a stand and there they had another battle, then they moved on south near the state line to Deadwood or Dry Fork, Bates county, Missouri.  The Federal troops here encountered them again and had another battle, capturing Gen. Marmaduke and Gen. McCowen and a good many other prisoners.  The rest of Marmaduke's forces moved on south after the capture, the Federal troops fell back to Warrensburg, there went into winter quarters and remained until mustered out in 1865.
  While he was in no heavy hard fought battles in the rebellion he was in constant moving service and fighting.  He says with pride that he was very fortunate in having a fine set of superior officers over him in each regiment he served in and Col. John F. Phillips and Lieut. Col. Tom T. Crittenden were especially fine men and officers as every one knows.
  Captain McGuire lives in Howard with his daughter, Mrs. Anna Wright, and his granddaughter, Miss Frances Wright.  He is quite feeble in body but his mental faculties are strong.

(This article that was saved by someone in the Vinette family only had the information on Samuel McGuire.  There is a picture that shows two gentlemen, but there is nothing under the picture to identify either of the men.)

[genealogynut]

Thanks, Janet!  I enjoyed your posting this.  It is a needed change from all these monotonous biographies  I've been transcribing.

[Janet Harrington]

I will probably try to scan the picture and put it on the forum, but it is so delicate and I doubt that it will show much of anything.  I'll still give it a try.

[genealogynut]

I hope you have much better luck than what we have had in trying to put pictures on here.  When we try to scan a copy of a copy of a picture, it comes out terrible