Northern Missouri was in a turmoil in the years leading up to and during the Civil War of 1861-1865.  The City of Memphis was not alone in her citizens being afraid of what might come or what might happen to their property, their loved ones or themselves from either side of the contingencies who might be in power and control of their freedoms.  Peace would be a long time coming when citizens and children could gain sleep easily.  And a lifetime before their night mares would leave them.
In late 1861, Judge Thomas C. Richardson, a popular pro-slavery Democrat and outspoken secessionist was assassinated at Memphis by an unknown assailant.  This would not be the end of the worries for Memphis citizens who had already sent off many of her sons to join the 21st MO. Inf. on patrol of the Miss. River or the 29th MO. Inf. which was comprised of mostly old and young local men for protection.
Eight months later on a Sunday afternoon, July 13, 1862, Col. Joseph C. Porter and his 125-169 partisan troops quietly struck the city of Memphis in four converging columns and captured it.  They first raided the Federal armory seizing about a hundred muskets with cartridge boxes and ammunition, and several uniforms.  Next they rounded up all grown males who were taken to the court house to swear not to divulge any information about the raiders for forty-eight hours.  In an act of gentlemanly show of the "honors of war", Col. Porter freed all militiamen or suspected militiamen to await parole.  Many prayers must have been going up on that Sabbath afternoon.
Some inhabitants came out of their homes to blatantly announce their Southern loyalties---no doubt in fear that if they didn’t, then their homes might be torched.  Another woman came out with a peace offering of half a pie.  Other women of more stronger constitutions, hurled blasphemies at the rebels and one even hurled a heavy barrel stave striking a Captain squarely in the breast and almost knocking him out of his seat on his horse.  Fortunately woman were still respected and considered not a thing to deal with.  It would probably not have mattered to these woman, if it had been Rebel or Yankee soldiers occupying their town, for they were not about to humble to any side that men were taking.  Their homesteads were sacred and had already been hard worked for.
One man from the extended country area had managed to gain admittance into town to try to acquire a doctor for his ailing wife.  He then had problems leaving town until Col. Porter asked him of his politics.  The man was honest in proclaiming that he was a Union man and he fully expected the hangman’s noose to appear.  But Col. Porter admiring his honesty, asked that the man, on his honor give no information for three days.  The man gave his word and Col. Porter let him go.  It seemed that the Memphians, hearing of this, had hopes to consider that this rebel chief did have a heart and soul.
The Lovell hotel was being kept by Mr. Lovell’s daughter, Mrs. Martha Cox.  Mrs. Cox invited in some of the partisans to eat.  It was there that her oldest daughter named Virginia and in her tenth year challenged the rebels that they hadn’t capture the American flag.  Though she was almost blind, she led the rebels to the hiding place of the secreted away American flag, allowing it’s capture.  Her younger sister Mollie, aged 4, sat upon her Grandpa’s fence singing a rebel song at the top of her young lungs.  The rebels asked her Grandpa to make her stop but she only sang louder.  We’ll probably never know if she was proclaiming her young allegiance out of honor or fear.
Informants reported to the Missouri Democrat’s editor that some of the citizens were kept prisoners for a few hours in the court house.  And that the clerk was forced to give up all indictments that he had on file for horse stealing and similar crimes.  General pillage of the town by those not standing guard on the perimeters.
Most conceded that Col. Porter’s purpose for capturing Memphis, MO. was to seize Dr. Wm. Aylward, a prominent Union man of the community.  Dr. Aylward did not give up without a fight and was wounded in the neck.  His overnight guards proclaimed that he had escaped however a search the next day found him dead from a hangman’s noose.
By July 18, 1862, alarms had been sounded with Col. McNeil in hot pursuit.  Knowing this, Col. Porter’s troops planned an ambush at Vassar Hill.  What followed was the Battle of Vassar Hill where much blood was shed and many lives were lost.
For more about the Civil War in N.E. MO. : "With Porter in North Missouri" by Joseph A. Mudd and in reprint by Camp Pope Bookshop and available at James Country Merchantile on the court house lawn.  And the "Blue & Gray" magazine, Winter 2000 edition which can still be obtained from www.bluegraymagazine.com
Having gained the permission of the Memphis City Council and the Scotland County Commissioners, the reenactment of the Capture of Memphis will take place at 6:30 p.m. on May 28, 2005.  Reenactors are always ready with horses, wagons, cannons and gun powder to make the sounds and visual effects to gain the attention of the viewers in order to inspire them to study their history and honor their Veterans by remembering what they gave for their descendant’s freedoms.  A word of warning to the male citizens viewing:  You may be part of the adult males rounded up, to swear not to tell of their being there!!!