The Life of David Pool - Research Paper Example

David Pool Francis Marion Pool alias Captain Dave Pool was an active member in the Quantrill band, a group of guerrillas who fought with Quantrell and were ready to shed their blood for the preservation of Southern rights. The various policies of the Lincoln Administration towards Missouri prompted many to join hands with Quantrell’s men and many unsatisfied revolutionaries turned out to be daring guerrillas. Francis Marion Pool played a pivotal role during the Civil War in Missouri and he was the only notable Quantrell who survived the ferocious Civil War. It is believed that Captain Dave Pool died on May 30, 1899 due to prolonged illness. Dave Pool’s war tactics and strategies are best revealed during the Lawrence raid in 1863. Similarly, he undertook remarkable operations in March 1865 with Arch Clement, Jim Anderson and 144 other men in Sherman, Texas. It has been identified that Dave Pool joined Quantrill in July 1862 “after his uncle, Archibald Poole, was killed and his home sacked by jayhawkers and another member of his family shot” (Captain Francis Marion Pool 1837 – 1899). There are many who hold that Dave Pool is named after the famous Revolutionary War guerrilla, Francis Marion who was also known as the Swamp Fox. Quantrill Army The role of the Quantrill Army was no less significant in the American Civil War that they exerted tremendous influence in determining the present status of America. That is why historians regard the Knights of the Golden Circle, or Quantrills Guerrillas or Quantrills Raiders as the most prominent group that helped the confederates. The Missouri-based band was formed in December 1861 by William Clark Quantrill and originally consisted of only ten men who were determined to right the wrongs done to Missourians by Union occupational soldiers (Longley & Eby, 2010). Kansas Jayhawkers and the Red Legs who have widespread in Missouri were their prime enemies. When the Civil War broke out the Quantrill guerrillas could attract many youngsters to their army and in a way they could act as the official arm of the Confederate Army after May 1862, when the Confederate Congress approved the Partisan Ranger Act (Longley & Eby, 2010). Some of the important leaders of Quantrills Guerrillas included William C. “Bloody Bill” Anderson, David Pool, William Gregg, and George Todd. Quantrill Army was the group of Confederate guerrilla fighters during the American Civil War. William Quantrill has often been referred to as the leader of the army who exhibited audacious nature from the very young age itself. The murder he committed while living as a professional gambler unveils his reactions against injustice. Quantrill formed a small guerrilla unit at the outbreak of the American Civil war that aimed to attack the small groups of Union soldiers. They slowly grabbed on the Civil war with their war tactics that Quantrills raiders or Quantrills bushwhackers as they became known staged a few raids into Kansas, attacking small groups of Union soldiers, and robbing and terrorising small village communities (Quantrill, n. d.). The growth of the army was so fast that it had many branches in various parts of the country. It should be noted that “Several times they came across their counterparts who were called the "Jayhawkers", these were an unruly band of Union militia based in Kansas that used to raid deep into Missouri and many skirmishes broke out between them” (Quantrill, n. d.). As the main aim of the Quantrill army was the wiping away of the Union Army, the Union Army commanders regarded him as an eye sore and therefore, declared him as outlaw and put prize on his head. They were, by no means, ready to acknowledge his fighting and as such they considered him nothing more than a desperado and free ranging terrorist, a loose cannon who lived by his own rules (Quantrill, n. d.). But an overview of the army and its activities unearth the reality that the inference of the Union Army was not entirely true. The systematic procedures, like the official army with captain and other fellow soldiers, paved for the way for the growth of the army. As the Civil War progressed, the involvement of the Quantrill army also increased that they really challenged the Union Army through the guerrilla attacks. Therefore, the Union Army commanders decided to shoot all captured guerrilla and partisan fighters who had not officially been fighting under orders of Confederate army command (Quantrill, n. d.). This decision enraged Quantrill who executed more planned attacks against the Union Army which attained him the title as the notorious guerrilla leader. The Quantrill Army slaughtered every small pocked of Union soldiers and it apparently raised the popularity of Quantrill among the general public as peoples champion and he won admiration. The underserved popularity made Quantrill more audacious that he attempted more attacks. One of such a serious attack was on August 21st 1863, when Quantrills raiders comprising of over 450 guerrilla and partisan fighters attacked the city of Lawrence in Douglas County, Kansas (Quantrill, n. d.). Historical evidences show that “The most significant event of Quantrills guerrilla career occurred on August 21, 1863, with what the South would call the Battle of Lawrence, and the North the Lawrence Massacre” (The Latin Library). It caused the lives of hundreds of people, and one can say this attack mainly caused for the Union Army to seize Quantrill and his army. He was caught on May 10th 1865 by the Union Army and passed away in the military prison on June 6th of the same year (Quantrill, n. d.). The Pool family and their farm had decisive role in the Civil War as Dave Pool and John Pool were the part of the guerrilla attacks. History identifies that Dave and John, rode with Quantrills Raiders during the Civil War. The online article entitled; Pool Family Farm and Cemetery provides a clear picture of the involvement of Dave pool when it writes thus, “Dave Pool was the Captain of the Lafayette County group and the farm was sometimes used as a camp for the raiders.” The article also identifies that “Dave Pool with 85 of his men surrendered 21 May 1865, to Col. Harding at Lexington, MO and were granted amnesty” (Pool Family Farm and Cemetery, n.d.). Dave Pool and the Quantrill army Francis Marion Pool is renowned as an early member of the Quantrill’s band. He was elected as a sergeant in the band in July, 1862, assumed the rank of a captain in April 1865, and later he moved to Texas after the war. On September 27, 1864, David Pool “led the decoy party that lured the Federals into the trap that caused the death of almost the entire Federal detachment” (Banasik, 2003, p. 104). It has been reported that the most ferocious conflict during the Civil War took place near Centralia, Boone County, Missouri on September 27, 1864 and Francis Marion Pool played a pivotal role in the guerrilla operation. The clash took place between 200 Federal soldiers under the leadership of Major A.V.E Johnston of the Thirty-ninth Missouri Infantry and the guerrillas under Captain Bill Anderson and Captain George Todd. The guerrillas won remarkable victory in the battle and most of the French soldiers were killed while scarcely a dozen of them escaped with their lives. On the other hand, only two of the guerrillas were killed in the conflict. The battle took place on 23rd evening when Bill Anderson’s band attacked a Union baggage train and scattered the 80-man detachment of the Third Missouri State Militia Cavalry who were on guard. The rebels killed twelve soldiers and three black teamsters. Having heard that there were some Yankee troops in the neighbourhood, it was Captain Todd who distributed a detachment of 10 men under David Pool to go out and reconnoitre the movements of the Federal soldiers. The squad consisted of Dave Pool, Woot and Tuck Hill, Jeff Emery, Bill Stuart, John Pool, Peyton Long, Zach Sutherland and two other soldiers. Pool did his duty excellently. He easily “found out the location of the Federals, rose close to them and then galloped rapidly away” (Banasik, 2003, p. 104). Pool was able to measure and report the exact strength of the Federal troop. The Federal band followed Pool’s band and they were trapped and outshone by the guerrilla war strategies to Pool’s band. It can also be seen that Major Johnston ignored the warnings from the residents of Centralia of the actual strength of the guerrillas as he thought that the French army’s long range fires could easily defeat the guerrilla troop. Dave Pool’s role in Centralia, Missouri during the War During the autumn season it became necessary for the guerrillas to leave Missouri and hasten to south. In July and September 1864 the guerrillas under the leadership of Anderson made considerable advancements of which Dave Pool had immense contributions. On July 11, 1864, Bill Anderson and his team mates crossed the Missouri River into Carroll County. Later Dave Pool and other guerrillas moved to Randolph County and the guerrillas made a strong attack on Huntsville on July 15 in the early morning. The expedition of the guerrillas continued to Ray and Carroll Counties as well. The same year in September the Quantrill’s band undertook remarkable operations in Howard and Boone Counties where Dave Pool’s guerrillas met with both success and setbacks. On September 23, Anderson and Dave Pool’s guerrilla team ambushed a Federal train near Rocheport, killing 15, and burning the train. The train attack proved the organized power of the Quantrill’s band and the incident marked the beginning of the Centralia war in Missouri. From Hunsville, the guerrillas under the combined leaderships of Anderson, Captain Todd and Dave Pool marched towards Centralia on the North Missouri Railroad, with only sixty men. They camped near the town and made a massive attack on the garrison, killing and capturing many of the opponents. Then the troop waited for the arrival of the noon train from St. Charles, Missouri. As the train reached near the Centralia station, the rebels opened fire, robbed the passengers and killed the Federal troops on the train quite mercilessly. Almost twenty-three soldiers in the Federal troop and one civilian were executed by the revolutionaries. Most of the executed soldiers were from the first Iowa Cavalry Regiment and the First Missouri Engineer regiment. Dave Pool and his men displayed tremendous amount of war tactics and strategies during the whole operation. Thus, it can be seen that the Centralia train massacre invoked terror on the Federal forces and as such it was inevitable for the Confederates to put an end to the guerrilla war tactics of the Quantrill’s men. The Federal troops under the command of Major A.V. Johnston were entrusted to follow the guerrillas and defeat them. Her and his troop members camped about three miles south of Centralia, ‘dismounted his troops and awaited the next move by the guerrillas’ (Banasik, 2003, p. 81). However, his plans were shattered by Dave Pool and his men who spied on his camp and reported to the guerrillas the exact strength of his troop. In the battle that followed the Federals were shattered and most of them were shot dead by the Quantrill troop. The consequences of Anderson’s and Dave Pool’s various expeditions were many and varied. Their “operations in Clay, Howard, Caroll and Randolph counties paralysed and annoyed the enemy; thousands of Federal soldiers hunted the ubiquitous guerrillas” (Banasik, 2003, p. 80). On the other hand, the guerrillas burned railroads, bridges and block-houses, cut down telegraph wires, cut off supplies and killed many Unionists. However, Dave Pool and his troop members were so swift and planned in their movements that “the guerrillas could not be caught, and only found when the crack of their pistols was heard or a ball went crashing through their bones” (Banasik, 2003, p. 80). All these victories offered Dave Pool and the other Quantrill troop members to undertake more of rebel activities to preserve the interests of the Southerners. A significant advancement was made by the Quantrill raiders on September 23, 1864, when they conducted a highly successful raid on a Federal train near Rocheport. Later, the guerrillas planned a joint venture to attack on Fayette, Howard County and the troop comprised of “Anderson’s 84-man band joined George Todd’s 80 men, Dave pool’s 28 men and about another 105 men under assorted leaders including Quantrill” (Banasik, 2003, p. 81). The commander of the operation was Anderson. However, Dave Pool’s men met with unexpected setbacks during the operation. The guerrillas attacked the on September 24. However, “a premature firing at a negro soldier in the town, alerted the garrison, who quickly barricaded themselves in the court house and some log buildings” (Banasik, 2003, p. 81). The battle that followed caused the lives of around 5-13 guerrillas and almost 30 of them were wounded whereas the Federal forces has a comparatively lesser loss. Even though Anderson pressed the Huntsville County to surrender on September 25, he had to retreat from the town as he was being pressed by Major Austin A. King who was pursuing the rebels from Fayette. The nest day, even though “Anderson supported by George Todd, led an abortive attack on Fayette, Howard County,” his troop experienced “a disproportionate loss for no gain” (Banasik, 2003, p. 80). The Defeat of Quantrill Army and Dave Pool’s Post-War life One can never undermine the achievements made by Dave pool as an active member of Quantrill’s army. Gilmore observes that “on October 6, Dave Poole, a guerrilla lieutenant, led the advance guard of Quantrill’s force, while William Gregg commanded the rear guard” (Gilmore, 2006, p. 260). The adventures of Dave Pool include his capturing of a Union wagon train near Spring River, his spying over the enemy camp, and his innovative war strategies. However, the month of October proved to be of serious set backs to the Quantrill Army as the Federal forces were successful in putting an end to the three pillars of Quantrill Army-Anderson, George Todd and Quantrill himself. Towards the last of October Gen.Price was able to put an end to Anderson’s expeditions. Anderson, misjudging the size of the Federals got into the trap made by Gen.Price. Even though Anderson and his troop had a heroic fight, he was shot dead in the battle. Later, Quantrill also was seriously wounded in the battles to come and the Quantrill army ceased to have any stronger leadership except that of Dave Pool. Similarly, the “local Federal authorities became desperate to capture Quantrill and his band, dead or alive, and hired a Federal deserter and Kentucky Union guerrilla, Edwin Terrill, to accomplish the feat” (Gilmore, 2006, p. 296). In the following battle Quantrill was mortally wounded and after 27 days of treatment he died on June 6, 1865. Many of Quantrill’s guerrillas surrendered later on after Quantrill met with failure. After the death of Anderson and Quantrill the Federal troops under Maj. B. K. Davis held that the guerrillas could be pardoned if they are ready to surrender ands set aside their arms. On May 12, Dodge sent a message to his assistant adjutant general, Captain Clarke, outlining the Union plan: “Any of these bands that you describe that propose to lay down their arms can do so, and the military authorities will take no further action in the case…it is too late to surrender after our troops catch them in arms” (Gilmore, 2006, p. 296). The provision was welcomed by Dave Pool and he prompted his followers to surrender. As a result, Dave Pool took command of Todds men after he was killed and he with 65 men, surrendered 21 May 1865 to Col. Chester Harding at Lexington, MO” (Captain Francis Marion Pool 1837 – 1899). It has been pointed out by Gilmore that “David Poole and “forty men” surrendered at Lexington, Missouri” (Gilmore, 2006, p. 296). David Poole was rational enough to advise his other troop members to surrender before the Federal troops. It has also been documented that he died of some expectations and dreams. Thus, it can be concluded that Dave Pool is a significant historical figure when it comes to dealing with the Quantrill army. References Captain Francis Marion Pool 1837 – 1899. The Family Records of Linda West Thompson. Retrieved 4 June 2011 from: http://tthompsonmedia.com/west/getperson.php?personID=I8651&tree=West Banasik, Michael E. (2003). Cavaliers of the brush: Quantrill and his men. Illustrated ed: Press of the Camp Pope Bookshop. Gilmore, Donald L. (2006). Civil War on the Missouri-Kansas border. Illustrated ed: Pelican Publishing. Longley, Jay & Eby, Colin. (2010). Knights of the Golden Circle. Retrieved 4 June from . Pool Family Farm and Cemetery. lfthompson.com. Retrieved 4 June from . Quantrill. (n. d). Retrieved 4 June from . The Latin Library. William Clarke Quantrill. The Latin Library.com. Retrieved 4 June from http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/chron/civilwarnotes/quantrill.html Read More