Lieutenant Colonel Roswell King Hart
16th MSM Cavalry USV
Roswell and Brother Pleasant Albert Pictured In Military Uniforms
Roswell King Hart was born on June 7, 1829 in North Carolina, to Henry and Barbara ( Lambeth ) Hart.
In 1833, the Hart family moved to Bedford County, Tennessee. During their journey the family negotiated the steep slope of the Cumerland Gap.
"Sister Sally" ( Sarah Elizabeth ) held four year old Roswell's hand as they walked through the mountains on the Wilderness Road.
(Source: Interview with Betah Little, May 15, 1994, and Undated tape Recording by J.W. Hendrex - Grandchildren of Roswell K. Hart)
On the 19th of October, 1850 Roswell's father Henry a former Tennesse Mounted Gunmen now at the age of 69 applied for Bounty land for his service under Andrew Jackson and
Captain Scurry in the battle of New Orleans. On March 21, 1851 Warrant # 2751 was issued. Giving Henry and his Family 80 acres.
With this warrant it was decided that the family would head West once again. ( Source: National Archives of the US )
At twenty-three, Roswell K. Hart was a wagon master when the Harts moved to Missouri.
The wagon train consisted of 72 people with 16 Conestoga wagons pulled by oxen. They traveled 16 to 20 miles a day.
Roswell owned the only horse. He rode the horse ahead to find campgrounds and to buy feed. Corn was usually purchased for 8 to 10 cents a bushel.
One person an Extortionist charged 12 cents a bushel.
When the wagon train reached the Mississippi River, caulking was applied to the wagons in order to float them across the river.
The oxen swam the river. After safely crossing the Mississippi River, a huge fire was built to dry their wet belongings.
Fourty-four days after beginning their journey, the wagon train reached Springfield, Missiouri, on the clear frosty morning of December 2, 1852.
During the day, Roswell K. Hart lost his dog Bulger. According to a letter from their Tennessee Neighbors, Bulger had made his way back to their home
where he sat on the doorstep howling. Roswell was amazed, how did Bulgar get across the Mississippi? ( Source: Tape by J.W. Hendrex )
During the Seven Years preceding the Civil War, Roswell K. Hart had a freighting business. He hauled provisions to five Indian tribes Creek, Choctaw, Seminole, Osceola and Chickasha.
He had two wagons which were pulled by oxen. The wagons were loaded with approximately 5,000 pounds each when he crossed the Arkansas River while other traders waited for the water to recede.
On another trading trip, the Indians had not recieved any government money. Roswell couldn't sell the provisions on credit because he probably wouldn't see them again. The Indians offered to trade
some 4 and 5 year old steers. The steers were about "as wild as rabbits." He traded for 14 head at $7.00 each. These steers were worked back to Springfield(MO.) Public Square and sold at auction.
Salt was scarce when the settlers arrived in Missouri. The Only supply of salt was in St. Louis. The round-trip took about four weeks with the oxen drawn wagons. On the way to St. Louis for salt Roswell
received word that the traders were having problems with Indians. He waited 2 or 3 days at Rolla while the U.S. Army corrected the problem. Later, he found a place where the Indians had poured flour in the road.
They had turned somersaults in the flour.
Roswell soon learned that he could trade for salt from the Indians in the "Nations." The salt was in "big rough chunks weighing from 15 to 35 pounds." It was "good strong salt" and brown in color. The settlers in Missouri
were glad to get the salt - salt was higher than meat. ( source: Tape by J.W. Hendrex )
In addition to freighting, Roswell went to the Mexican border where he bought cattle. In the area where grazing was good, the herd traveled slowly in order to let the cattle gain weight. The cattle sold
for 1.5 to 2 cents a pound at market in St. Louis, Missouri. ( Source: Tape by J.W. Hendrex )
Note: From the WAR OF THE REBELLION series I volume XXXIV in four parts Part III Correspondence, Ect. -
564 Headquarters District of Southwest Missouri. Springfield, MO May 12,1864
Col. John E. Phelps, Commanding, in the Field, Ark., via Cassville, MO.
If you fall back from your present position Forsyth the force at Berryville, or on the road leading to Berryville, must be increased at least by two squadrons. Major Hart says the grazing is very good on Huzza and Sugar Loaf Prairies.
Do not hurry about falling back so much as not to bring out everything.
John B. Sanborn
Brigadier-General, Commanding
In 1861 Roswell K. Hart served in the Home Guards and as a Scout for General Lyons.
The Springfield Daily News, July 27, 1913 Volume 22 # 179 Reads as Follows..
"If I had my way, I would not go into this battle, but General Fremont has ordered me to attack Price, insisting that his men are not nearly as numerous as reported; and I must obey."
These were the words General Nathaniel Lyons spoke to R. K. Hart, his trusted scout, just before ordering his men forward to battle in the early morning of August 10, 1861.
"Lyons went into battle knowing almost to a certainty that he would meet defeat," declared Major Hart at his home at 616 South Market Street yesterday. "Still if General Siegal had marched down Wilson Creek
and made a long detour around Price's army, Lyons would have won the day by his dash and courage."
Major Hart is 85 years of age, and he is one of the few men in Springfield who took part in the battle of Wilson Creek. His Brother P. A. Hart and Parker Cox were guides to General Lyons when he fell on the battle,
Hart applying a handkerchief bandage to the first wound, which Lyons received when a bullet struck his arm. He assisted in laying the body of the brave general under a neighboring tree after he fell.
Did Scout Duty
Major Hart did scout duty and was credited by General Lyons with bringing him the first reliable information as to the number and location of the Confederate. Hart's services as scout were considered of great value
to the government, and he was promoted several times, the last to lieutenant colonel in the Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry.
His story of scout work prior to the Wilson Creek battle tells of an all night experience in the camp of the Confederates which few men would have dared to undertake.
"I had just turned in three horses to General Lyons at Pond Springs, near Republic, which I had forged for him." said Hart yesterday in talking of the battle. "knowing that in case of a battle which everyone
thought imminent that he would need all the horses he could get. Just as I was leaving General Lyons called to me and said:
"Hart, I'm told you are best man I can get to find out where the rebels are located, and all about them."
Not relishing the task, Hart pleaded that he had a wife and a baby at his home on a farm near by which he did not wish to leave. However he finally accepted the task. General Lyons told him to take his own courage but not
to take arms.
"I went home and told my wife I was going into the rebel camp." I rode directly to Raines' camp one mile east of Doug Springs, where the advance forces of Price's army, numbering about 125 men, were camped. It was
early evening when I rode into their camp.
"Passing myself off as a southern sympathizer I at once started a conversation with the men in the camp Finally Hezekiah Blankenship, a neighbor of mine, who know me, came directly up saying:
"Boy I told you Hart would come over to us." He called his captain over and told him he knew me and what I said could be relied upon, Presuming I was one of them.
"I'll have to confess that I lied a little-it was fashionable in those days, sometimes to keep up appearances." said the veteran.
"They were all anxious to know about the Feds, as they called them I told them that I had seen some marching on the Springfield-Brookline road going towards Springfield, and that they had broken camp.
I said I couldn't tell much about them as I was so close I was glad to get away.
"The captain at once said I must go to headquarters. I pleaded that I had a sick baby at home, but it didn't do any good. "We'll bring you back," he said.
Raines Questions Him.
"A guard was sent with me and I was taken to General Raines' camp where Raines interrogated me closely about the Feds, asking about the numbers of them, and how many cannon they had. By this time it was
getting almost 10 o'clock, but Raines concluded I must be sent to the headquarters of General Price, six miles away on Crane creek, where the main army was camped. Generals McCullagh and Price asked me questions,
and finally ordered my return to Raines.
"When the guard and myself got back to Raines' camp it was two or three o'clock in the morning. Raines upon being awakened, got up, cussing and swearing.
"It don't seem as if I can get any sleep." he grouched.
"Say guard unlock the chest and get out that bottle." Raines had been drinking, but he took another snort out of a big black bottle.
"I'm not sure youre a d---d spy," he said to me, as he wiped the dregs of whiskey from his lips. I had expected a break like this, so I said, "General, if I'd been a spy i wouldn't have rode into your camp voluntarily."
The guard then, to whom I have always been most thankful, then spoke up: "Stewart said it would be all right to let this fellow leave, and I believe he's all right." I had, in my former talk, told Raines the Feds had
taken three horses from me. He Questioned me closely about them.
ARE YOU READY?
"Are you ready to take up a gun and run the abolitionists out of the country?" he asked. I told him I hadn't yet made plans to do so.
"BY ------! it's time you were doing so!" he said. I told him of my wife and children and Raines became impatient.
"Oh He##, don't talk to me like that. Now take a drink and tell me all about it," and a black bottle was produced.
"Finally he ordered the guard to let me go home, but again said I must at once get a gun and "Run the d---d abolisitionists out of the country."
"This was August 2, I think" said Hart "When I returned to General Lyons that morning the sun was riseing. I made report to him of the camps and estimated to him that Generals Price and McCullough had between 15,000 and 16,000
men. I told Lyons he did not have enough men to cope with the Confederates. He said he knew it, and had asked Fremont to order two regiments stationed at Waynesville doing nothing to come over, but no orders had been given.
"It's not a fight of my choice, and I'm going into it knowing that I will never get out." said the undaunted warrior.
"The General told me I had given him the first reliable information of the enemy's location and number, and promised that I would be well remembered and my wife and baby taken care of if anything should happen to me.
"We're going to get into a fight." he continued, "but I want you to stay out."
The Doug Springs Skirmish took place afterward, and events moved rapidly until the famous battle took place with its disastorous consequences, to the cause of the North.
In Desperate Place
"The general knew he was in a desperate place, but he hoped by his display of daring to make up for his lack in numbers, and he was shot down while leading his troops gallantly on a charge. He impressed me in his conversation as one
of the bravest men I have ever met." said Major Hart,and he never wavered from the line of duty he thought he owed to his country.
His sacrifice certainly came from General Fremont's ignorance of the strength of the Confederate army and the marching tactics of General Siegel, who conceived a mistaken notion that he must march to the rear of Price's forces
instead of uniting his forces with Lyons' men."
Roswell was also one of the men put in charge with destroying Union supplies
that they had to leave behind when Siegal led the Union army out of
Springfield after they lost the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Later Roswell
joined them at Rolla.
30 July 1862 Roswell King Hart Enlisted in the 72nd EMM at the Rank of Captain, He was Ordered into Service 16 August 1862 By General Broun.
During His service in the 72nd EMM, Roswell was ordered to try to capture Alf Bolin, a bushwacker, and his 50 men. Roswell K. Hart and a company of 110 soldiers pursued Bolin and his men until they crossed the White River just at night. The cavalry made camp in a gravel bar bottom by a cornfield. About 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., an old man came to the outpost requesting to see the commanding officer. The man told Roswell that General Marmaduke's main command of 3,000 men was across the river. Realizing that the Confederates were in the process of surrounding them, Captain Hart ordered his company to retreat through the cornfield, He ordered a shoot and run military tactic to slow the Confederate advance. This tactic permitted them to get farther ahead. That night they camped in Ozark, Missouri. The next day they rode into Springfield, Missouri. About 10:00 a. m. the following day, the battle of Springfield commenced.
During the Battle of Springfield, Roswell had his horse shot , which pinned
his leg under the dead beast. A Confederate Cavalryman was riding down upon
him with pistol drawn, when one of Roswell's men shot the rebel out of his
saddle, then pulled Roswell free.
Battle of Springfield
MILITARY ORDER OF THE LOYAL LEGION
OF THE UNITED STATES
MISSOURI COMMANDERY
More To Come Still Under Construction!!
Most of the words here are taken from A Paper Given Out at the Hart Reunion 1994 by Barbra Hendrex
Special thanks go to Eddie Davis and Sloan Robertson