Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 6.
Frank Moore, Ed.

It will be remembered by the reader that on the occasion of Porter's descent upon Palmyra, he captured, among other persons, an old and highly respected resident of this city, by name Andrew Allsman. This person formerly belonged to the Third Missouri cavalry, though too old to endure all the hardships of very active duty. He was therefore detailed as a kind of special or extra provost-marshal's guard or cicerone, making himself generally useful in a variety of ways to the military of the place. Being an old resident, and widely acquainted with the people of the place and vicinity, he was frequently called upon for information touching the loyalty of men, which he always gave to the extent of his ability, though acting, we believe, in all such cases with great candor, and actuated solely by a conscientious desire to discharge his whole duty to his Government.

His knowledge of the surrounding country was the reason of his being frequently called upon to act as a guide to scouting-parties sent out to arrest disloyal persons. So efficiently and successfully did he act in these various capacities, that he won the bitter hatred of all the rebels in the city and vicinity, and they only awaited the coming of a favorable opportunity to gratify their desire for revenge. The opportunity came at last, when Porter took Palmyra. That the villains, with Porter's assent, satiated their thirst for his blood by the deliberate and predetermined murder of their helpless victim, no truly loyal man doubts. When they killed him, or how, or where, are items of the act not yet revealed to the public. Whether he was stabbed at midnight by the dagger of the assassin, or shot at midday by the rifle of the guerrilla; whether he was hung, and his body hidden beneath the scanty soil of some oaken thicket, or left as food for hogs to fatten upon; or whether, like the ill-fated Wheat, his throat was severed from ear to ear, and his body sunk beneath the wave — we know not. But that he was foully, causelessly murdered, it is useless to attempt to deny.

When Gen. McNeill returned to Palmyra, after that event, and ascertained the circumstances under which Allsman had been abducted, he caused to be issued, after due deliberation, the following notice: [28]

Palmyra, Mo., Oct. 8, 1862.

Joseph C. Porter: sir: Andrew Allsman, an aged citizen of Palmyra, and a non-combatant, having been carried from his home by a band of persons unlawfully arrayed against the peace and good order of the State of Missouri, and which band was under your control, this is to notify you that unless said Andrew Allsman is returned unharmed to his family within ten days from date , ten men who have belonged to your band, and unlawfully sworn by you to carry arms against the Government of the United States, and who are now in custody, will be shot as a meet reward for their crimes, among which is the illegal restraining of said Allsman of his liberty, and, if not returned, presumptively aiding in his murder.

Your prompt attention to this will save much suffering.

Yours, etc.,

W. R. Strachan, Provost-Marshal Gen. Dist. N. E. Missouri.

Per order of Brig.-Gen. Commanding McNeill's column.

A written duplicate of this notice he caused to be placed in the hands of the wife of Joseph C. Porter, at her residence in Lewis County, who, it was well known, was in frequent communication with her husband. The notice was published widely, and as Porter was in North-East Missouri during the whole of the ten days subsequent to the date of this notice, it is impossible that, with all his varied channels of information, he remained unapprised of Gen. McNeill's determination in the premises.

Many rebels believed the whole thing was simply intended as a scare — declaring that McNeill did not dare (!) to carry out the threat.

The ten days elapsed, and no tidings came of the murdered Allsman. It is not our intention to dwell at length upon the details of this transaction. The tenth day expired with last Friday. On that day ten rebel prisoners, already in custody, were selected to pay with their lives the penalty demanded. The names of the men so selected were as follows:

Willis Baker, Lewis County; Thos. Humston, Lewis County; Morgan Bixler, Lewis County; John Y. McPheeters, Lewis County; Herbert Hudson, Ralls County; John M. Wade, Ralls County; Marion Lair, Ralls County; Captain Thos. A. Snider, Monroe County; Eleazer Lake, Scotland County; Hiram Smith, Knox County.

These parties were informed on Friday evening, that unless Mr. Allsman was returned to his family by one o'clock on the following day, they would all be shot at that hour.

Most of them received the announcement with composure or indifference. The Rev. James S. Green, of this city, remained with them during that night, as their spiritual adviser, endeavoring to prepare them for their sudden entrance into the presence of their Maker.

A little after eleven o'clock A. M. the next day, three Government wagons drove to the jail. One contained four and each of the others three rough board coffins. The condemned men were conducted from the prison and seated in the wagons--one upon each coffin. A sufficient guard of soldiers accompanied them, and the cavalcade started for the fatal grounds. Proceeding cast to Main street, the cortege turned and moved slowly southward as far as Malone's livery stable. Thence turning east it entered the Hannibal road, pursuing it nearly to the residence of Col. James Culbertson. There, throwing down the fences, they turned northward, entering the fair grounds (half a mile east of the town) on the west side, and driving within the circular amphitheatrical ring, paused for the final consummation of the scene.

The ten coffins were removed from the wagons and placed in a row, six or eight feet apart, forming a line north and south, about fifteen paces east of the central pagoda or music-stand in the centre of the ring. Each coffin was placed upon the ground with its foot west and head east. Thirty soldiers of the Second M. S. M. were drawn up in a single line, extending north and south, facing the row of coffins. This line of executioners ran immediately at the east base of the pagoda, leaving a space between them and the coffins of twelve or thirteen paces. Reserves were drawn up in line upon either flank of these executioners.

The arrangements completed, the doomed men knelt upon the grass between their coffins and the soldiers while the Rev. R. M. Rhodes offered up a prayer. At the conclusion of this, each prisoner took his seat upon the foot of his coffin, facing the muskets which in a few moments were to launch them into eternity. They were nearly all firm and undaunted. Two or three only showed signs of trepidation.

The most noted of the ten was Capt. Thomas A. Snider of Monroe County, whose capture at Shelbyville, in the disguise of a woman, we related several weeks since. He was now elegantly attired in a suit of black broadcloth, with white vest. A luxurious growth of beautiful hair rolled down upon his shoulders, which, with his fine personal appearance, could not but bring to mind the handsome but vicious Absalom. There was nothing especially worthy of note in the appearance of the others. One of them, Willis Baker of Lewis County, was proven to be the man who last year shot and killed Mr. Ezekiel Pratte, his Union neighbor, near Williamstown, in that county. All the others were rebels of lesser note, the particulars of whose crimes we are not familiar with.

A few minutes after one o'clock, Colonel Strachan, Provost-Marshal General, and the Rev. Mr. Rhoads, shook hands with the prisoners. Two of them accepted bandages for their eyes — all the rest refused. A hundred spectators had gathered around the amphitheatre to witness the impressive scene. The stillness of death pervaded the place.

The officer in command now stepped forward and gave the word of command: “Ready; aim; fire!” The discharges, however, were not made simultaneously — probably through want of a perfeet [29] previous understanding of the orders and of the time at which to fire. Two of the rebels fell backward upon their coffins and died instantly. Captain Snider sprang forward and fell with his head toward the soldiers, his face upward, his hands clasped upon his breast, and the left leg drawn half-way up. He did not move again, but died immediately. He had requested the soldiers to aim at his heart, and they obeyed but too implicitly. The other seven were not killed outright; so the reserves were called in, who despatched them with their revolvers.

The lifeless remains were then placed in coffins, the lids, upon which the name of each man was written, were screwed on, and the direful procession returned to town by the same route that it pursued in going. But the souls of ten men that went out came not back.

Friends came and took seven of the corpses. Three were buried by the military in the public cemetery. The tragedy was over.

It seems hard that ten men should die for one. Under ordinary circumstances it could hardly be justified. But severe diseases demand severe remedies. The safety of the people is the supreme law. It overrides all other considerations. The madness of rebellion has become so deep-seated that ordinary methods of cure are inadequate. To take life for life would be little intimidation to men seeking the heart's blood of an obnoxious enemy. They could well afford to make even exchanges under many circumstances. It is only by striking the deepest terror into them — causing them to thoroughly respect the lives of loyal men — that they can be taught to observe the obligations of humanity and of law.