It has been 150 years since the Battle of Glasgow. Descendants of three of the soldiers involved in that battle served as Grand Marshals of the commemorative parade held at 10:30 on 11 OCT 2019 during the Battle Reenactment Weekend.
Two of the soldiers were brothers from Glasgow. Captain Samuel Steinmetz was a member of the 1st Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia. He fought bravely in several battles near Rocheport and Fayette before the Battle of Glasgow. When the Glasgow battle began, Captain Steinmetz was 21 years old.
Samuel’s younger brother, Aaron, was 17. He eagerly served to defend his town and to support his brother. This is the same Steinmetz family for which the town of Steinmetz (now only a railroad crossing) is named.
When the Union defenders were forced to retreat to prepared positions at Heriford House (now St. Mary’s Rectory), Samuel and Aaron were in the trenches at the southwest corner of the defensive perimeter. A sharpshooter fired and struck Samuel, who died instantly. His brother, Aaron, rushed to his side and was then also hit. Aaron died three days later on 15 OCT 1864.
Both brothers are buried in Washington Cemetery where they lie side by side.
Another Union soldier in the battle was Jackson Searcy. He enlisted in the Missouri militia in 1861 and served with this group for six months. Then he enlisted in the regular service on 2 SEP 1864 as a Second Corporal. The company was engaged with five other companies in the Battle of Glasgow under the command of Colonel Chester Harding.
Colonel Harding was greatly outnumbered, but he held out for eight hours before he surrendered his forces. The Union soldiers were taken to Federal lines near Boonville and given parole. They eventually were returned to duty in Jackson County hunting bushwhackers along the river bottoms.
Jackson Searcy was promoted to Second Sergeant in 1865 and was honorably discharged at Benton Barracks in June of 1865.
Jackson Searcy went on to marry and to live in Beaver, Oklahoma. At the time of his death in 1939, he was the last surviving member of the 43 Missouri, Company C. He had more than 135 direct descendants. He loved to sing and to read his bible. He was 98 years old at the time of death and was well liked by all his neighbors.
Evelyn Brucks of Glasgow is a descendant of the Steinmetz family. Mrs. Jessie Lybarger is a direct descendant of Jackson Searcy. Mrs. Brucks and Mrs. Lybarger will serve as Parade Grand Marshals at the Battle of Glasgow Reenactment.
oThe third Glasgow Citizen killed in the Battle of Glasgow was a non-combatant, Rev William Goff Caples. Rev Caples was a cofounder of Central College and was a prominent Methodist Clergyman. Ironically, he had served as a Confederate Chaplain under GEN Price until he was captured and given parole. He then returned to his home and the Methodist Church in Glasgow.
Rev Caples was struck by a Confederate canon ball while standing on his porch.He was 45 years old. His home was located near the present location of the Casey’s store in Glasgow. William Goff Caples is buried with his first wife in Brunswick, MO. Caples photo from "Millie"
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