Confederate Mass Grave On the 7th of August, 1862, a party of thirteen men from Little Osage Township, in the vicinity of Balltown, started south to join Col. Coffee's Regiment of the Confederate Army, near Horse Creek. Two miles southeast of Montevallo, they unexpectedly came upon an advance party of Major Montgomery's 6th Missouri Cavalry (Union). Since the thirteen were not in uniform, the Union Forces assumed them to be Bushwackers. In the skirmish that resulted, five of the recruits were killed, one, a Mr. Nelson, escaped, and the remaining were captured. The five who were killed were buried in a mass grave near where they fell, and afterwards their friends erected over the grave a suitable tomb containing a marble slab with a suitable inscription. Of the five, John Camp, Erasumas Tucker and J.W. Crenshaw were shot dead out of their saddles. George W. Champion and A. Baker lived for a few minutes. Most of these men are on the 1860 census of Little Osage Township (Transcribed and on this site).  A. Baker may have been Abraham Baker, who lived in Papinsville in 1860. He would have been 18 years old in 1862. No Bakers lived in Little Osage Township in 1860, but may have moved in before 1862. John S. McNeil, son of Col. R. W. McNeil, a staunch Union supporter, was one of the men taken prisoner. He was taken to Springfield where he claimed to have been headed south to avoid being drafted into the Union Army. He was sentenced on 8/28/1862 to hard labor for the duration of the war. On 12/30/1862, his sentence was commuted to banishment from the state. He was soon back in Vernon County. He was arrested again in 1863 and again taken to Springfield. With the help of Ella Mayfield, he escaped on 6/16/1863. He once again took the oath of allegiance on 8/12/1865 in Vernon County. John McNeil died 5 March 1869 and is buried in Balltown Cemetery. John Camp had married Martha McNeil 30 Sept. 1860 in Vernon County. He was John McNeil's brother-in-law when he was killed. Sources:                                                                                                                                                                                           The History of Vernon County Missouri, published 1887, Brown & Company, St Louis, Mo.                                                   The Missouri Provost Marshal's Records     Five Confederate recruits were killed on August 7, 1862 and were buried in a mass grave. The grave is located 3 miles southeast of Montevallo, Missouri The stone says: Confederate Honor The Brave John A. Camp,  born Jan. 27, 1830 A. Baker G. W. Champion,  aged 38 yrs. 20 dys. J. W. Crenshaw Erasmus Tucker,  aged 21 yrs. 1 mo. Killed in battle August 8, 1862 -------------------- These are brief 1860 census entries for these men.    Name: J W Crenshaw Age in 1860: 28  Birth Year: abt 1832  Birthplace: Georgia  Home in 1860: Little Osage, Vernon, Missouri Gender: Male  Post Office: Little Osage Household Members:  J W Crenshaw 28  E L Crenshaw 25  W H B Crenshaw 5  M J Crenshaw 3  W W Crenshaw 1  P D Frasier 23  ----------------- Name: George W Champion Age in 1860: 26  Birth Year: abt 1834  Birthplace: Missouri  Home in 1860: Little Osage, Vernon, Missouri Gender: Male  Post Office: Little Osage Household Members:  Martha Champion 64  James R Champion 31  Lucy A Champion 28  George W Champion 26  ----------------- Name: J B Camp (Probate record says: John J.B.Camp) Age in 1860: 29  Birth Year: abt 1831  Birthplace: Tennessee  Home in 1860: Little Osage, Vernon, Missouri Gender: Male  Post Office: Little Osage Household Members: R W McNiel 44  J S McNiel 21  M W McNiel 20  N J McNiel 18  R M McNiel 16  H E McNiel 14  D W McNiel 12  A F McNiel 9  K A McNiel 6  J B Camp 29  ----------------- Name: Erasmus Tucker  Age in 1860: 19  Birth Year: abt 1841  Birthplace: Missouri  Home in 1860: Little Osage, Vernon, Missouri Gender: Male  Post Office: Little Osage Household Members: Elizabeth Tucker 36  Erasmus Tucker 19  William Tucker 17  Judeth Woodson 15  Hyram Smith 4  David Smith 1  ----------------- Possible for "A. Baker" (not proven): Name: Abraham S Beker Age in 1860: 16  Birth Year: abt 1844  Birthplace: Missouri  Home in 1860: Lone Oak, Bates, Missouri Gender: Male  Post Office: Pappinville Household Members:  Belkner Beker 59  Sarah Beker 49  C E Beker 19  Abraham S Beker 16  John Beker 15  Mary J Beker 12  Queen V Beker 10 ----------------- Name: Abraham S. Baker Spouse's Name: Rebecca J. Huffman Event Date: 23 Dec 1860 Event Place: St Clair, Missouri ------------------