The Centralia Massacre (a war poem and true story)

Camped southeast of Centralia town, the Rebel force was strong
More than just a rag-tag bunch, trained guerrillas made up this throng
Not officially sanctioned by the South, but not considered wrong

The northbound train pulled into town on that brisk September morn
22 retired Union soldiers on board now civilians, just like when they were born
Peacefully making their way back home, back to their lives and fields of corn

Bloody Bill Anderson led the guerrilla squad that met that morning’s train
Forcibly removing the retirees and executing 21, an act considered insane
Goodman was spared and told the tale in his Thrilling Record of that day’s pain

Guerrillas terrorized the town, looting, burning, and leaving it not so neat
Young Will Rowland, protecting a wagon full of women, drove them off the street
Although a Rebel sympathizer, a civilian was he, and strained to be discrete

Guerrilla Tom Little came upon the wagon and struck Mrs. Redman in the head
Will grabbed the barrel of Little’s drawn pistol, hoping to divert its lethal lead
Tom Little regained control and shot our young hero, Will Rowland was now dead

Major Johnston and the 39th Missouri Infantry arrived in town later that same day
They had orders from Union brass to impose control and keep the guerrillas at bay
They interviewed town folk and formed a plan, intent on making those Rebels pay

Major Johnston and 125 men descended on the Rebel camp not knowing of its size
Only four of them came back that day, all others slaughtered beneath the autumn skies
The 300 guerrillas, hiding in the woods, surrounded the soldiers and took them by surprise

“No quarter” was the Rebel cry; No prisoners taken, every soldier got a bullet to the head
The Rebels only lost three men, while littering the battlefield with 122 Union men dead
80 plus soldiers were never extracted from the carnage, entombed in a mass grave instead

The events that day in Boone County, Missouri are known as the Centralia Massacre
The single Civil War engagement with highest percentage of men killed ever to occur
We solemnly remember the lives lost that day, war is always serious, don’t treat it cavalier

——

Linked to dVerse Poets Pub — Poetics – War Poetry

Linked to a true story: Murder in Centralia

Photo credit: Centralia Battlefield