At one time there were at least a dozen different roads that led out of the Randolph County seat, creating on early maps what would look like the center of a wagon wheel, (Huntsville) with the roads looking very much like spokes on that old wagon wheel. By 1859 roads came into Huntsville from almost every direction of the compass rose. There were at least four roads going to the south or southwest, several going off to the southeast, a couple heading east towards the rail line at Allen. The roads to the north and northeast connected to cross country roads coming from the east and the west, some connecting in what was then called Macon Town.

This past Sunday, a group of historians and private citizens met to trace some of the history of the roads that came out of Huntsville and headed south. One such road was the Huntsville to Fayette line, that crosses the New London (on the Mississippi River near Hannibal) to Glasgow/Lisbon ferry crossing areas that connected to Arrow Rock and Marshall areas. It was on this road that a brief but bloody skirmish took place between Bill Anderson’s troops and the local Union militia which had been stationed in Huntsville.

The day after the Anderson raid on Huntsville, Union militia caught up with Anderson’s troop which had retired some 3 miles south of town. In a classic Indian-style ambush, Anderson’s outriders lured the Union militia into a draw just across a small creek at a low water crossing on the Huntsville/Fayette road. On July 15, 1864 reports that at least two of the Union militia were killed, but records are very sketchy, so no true casualties on either side are certain. It was at this point some three miles south of Huntsville the Anderson Camp of the SCV placed a commemorative sign this past Sunday.

The second marker placed this past Sunday is located just a ½ mile north of B about half way between Higbee and Yates, on County Road 2495. This is the nearest public access to the battle known as Roan’s Tanyard or Battle of Silver Creek. The following is a collection of reports both from local newspapers, the Macon City paper and official Union dispatches and reports of the time period.

Roan’s Tan Yard or Battle of Silver Creek January 8, 1862

Rumors and sightings of a Confederate force in the Howard County area had circulated for more than a week, but the Union troops could not locate them. On January 7, 1862, information came to hand that Colonel J.A. Poindexter and his Confederate force were camped on Silver Creek.

[Poindexter had been traveling west from a series of recruiting drives in Monroe, Montgomery, and eastern Randolph counties. He was moving west to meet up with elements of General Price’s armies]

Detachments from various Union units came together and headed towards the Confederate camp which was about 14 miles northwest of Fayette. After finding the camp, the force attacked, routing the enemy and sending those that were not killed, wounded, or captured fleeing for safety.

[ with Union forces drawn away from the various Missouri River crossings, the majority of Poindexter’s group would be able to slip away during this battle and cross the Missouri and head south to Arkansas to meet up with General Price’s army to eventually engage Union forces at Pea Ridge.]

Afterwards, the Union force destroyed the camp to prevent its further use. The Confederates could no longer use their Randolph County base for recruiting and raiding.

Result(s): Union victory

Location: Randolf County

Campaign: Operations in Northeast Missouri (1861-62)

Date(s): January 8, 1862

Principal Commanders: Major W.M.G. Torrence [US]; Colonel J.A. Poindexter [CS]

Forces Engaged: Detachments from the 1st and 2nd Missouri Cavalry, 4th Ohio Cavalry, and 1st Iowa Cavalry (450) [USA]; about 250 [CSA]

Estimated Casualties: 91 total (USA 11; CSA 80)