Betrayal or Survival? How Elisha Elmore Navigated the Civil War”

Introduction

A fictional depiction of 10th Missouri Infantry
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Elisha Elmore’s military service during the American Civil War is a compelling story of shifting allegiances, survival, and the chaos of war. From enlisting in the Confederate Army in 1862, to deserting in 1863, and then taking an Oath of Allegiance to the Union, Elmore’s story illustrates the complexities faced by soldiers from divided states like Missouri. His experiences, documented in multiple military records, reveal a man who endured illness, imprisonment, and political strife while navigating the turbulent wartime landscape.

Confederate Enlistment & Absence

The official records provide the specifics of Elisha Elmore’s brief Confederate service. On July 29, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, 10th Missouri Infantry (Steen’s Regiment) at West Plains, Missouri, under recruiter Simon Harris for a three-year term. His regiment, composed of Missouri men aligned with the Confederacy, was engaged in efforts to maintain Southern control over the region.

However, Elmore’s time in active service was short-lived. By November 14, 1862, he fell ill and was left behind at Clarksville, Arkansas, while his unit moved forward. No records indicate that he ever rejoined his regiment.

Marked as a Deserter

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As months passed without his return, Confederate records officially declared him a deserter. By March-April 1863, muster rolls noted: "Left sick at Clarksville, Nov 14, 1862. Now considered a deserter." On January 30, 1863, his desertion was formally recorded at Little Rock, Arkansas, and he was removed from the Confederate rolls.

Military and Political Controversy

"By early 1863, the Union Army aggressively sought to control Confederate desertions and suspected rebel sympathizers in Missouri. Elisha, now in Union custody at Rolla, found himself entangled in this crackdown. Union records regarding his imprisonment suggest that his detention may have had more to do with wartime corruption and shifting allegiances than any concrete military violation." Correspondence from Houston, Missouri, dated February 7, 1863, states:

"Elisha Elmore, who is represented as a prisoner in Rolla, complains of great wrong from Union people, by Federal officers and soldiers in being thus imprisoned. He says Tate, Taylor & others visited him with a file of soldiers, took him, and detailed him with bond of $1500 as a result. They are holding him, he says, for the sole purpose that they force money from him. A hard case of wrong & cruel Union men."

This letter, forwarded to Major General Samuel R. Curtis, raised concerns about the improper treatment of men like Elmore. Another letter from Major Wm. Barr states:

"One man by the name of Elisha Elmore, my men sent him here to Rolla. Please release him for he is a Union man. I have seen for further support to inquire of persons who reside in your town & have been in the army. He is not the proper sort unjustly. Union citizens have suffered at the hands of those men near Rolla."

These records indicate that Elmore may have been a victim of wartime chaos, accused of being a Confederate by some and defended as a Union supporter by others. Ultimately, his Oath of Allegiance to the Union secured his release, though under strict conditions.

Union Allegiance: A Forced Oath?

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Within days of being officially marked as a deserter, Elmore appeared in Union custody in Rolla, Missouri, on February 2, 1863, where he was required to swear an Oath of Allegiance to the United States. The exact timeline of his movements between November 1862 and February 1863 remains unclear. It is possible that he was already in Union custody before January 30, 1863, and that the Confederate Army only formalized his desertion after realizing he would not return.

The oath stated:

"I solemnly swear that I will support, protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States against all enemies, whether domestic or foreign; that I will bear true faith, allegiance, and loyalty to the same, any ordinance, resolution, or law of any State Convention or Legislature to the contrary notwithstanding; and further, that I will well and faithfully perform all the duties which may be required of me by the laws of the United States."

The circumstances surrounding this oath suggest that Elmore may have been captured by Union forces or sought protection after being left sick in Clarksville. His name appeared in Union military correspondence, indicating that he was imprisoned in Rolla and that several appeals were made for his release. Some officials claimed he was a Union man being unjustly held, while others accused Union soldiers of corruption, extortion, and mistreatment of civilians like Elmore.

A War-Torn Region: How the War in Missouri Shaped Elmore’s Fate

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Elmore’s predicament was not unique—Missouri was deeply divided, with shifting loyalties that forced men like him to make life-altering decisions. Understanding the brutal nature of the war in Missouri provides context for why his imprisonment and oath-taking unfolded as they did. South-Central Missouri, was a volatile and contested region during the Civil War, where loyalties were often blurred. Guerrilla warfare was rampant, with Confederate partisans and bushwhackers frequently clashing with Union troops. Union forces, determined to secure critical supply lines, stationed troops at Rolla, Houston, and Salem, the very locations where Elisha Elmore’s name appears in military records. These posts guarded the Southwest Branch of the Pacific Railroad and the Wire Road, both essential for moving troops and supplies westward.

Commanders such as Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Weydemeyer and Colonel John M. Glover were tasked with maintaining order in the region, often dealing with deserters, divided civilian allegiances, and ongoing guerrilla attacks. The brutal nature of the war in Missouri meant that justice was often swift—Confederate prisoners were sometimes executed without trial, especially in Rolla, where Union officers struggled to maintain control.

For Elmore, navigating this landscape must have been perilous. As a Confederate deserter, he would have been viewed with suspicion by both sides. Whether Elmore made his way to Union lines willingly or was taken into custody remains unclear, but his presence in Rolla placed him within the expanding reach of Union forces. His decision to take an Oath of Allegiance may have been an act of survival in an environment where one’s past actions could easily lead to imprisonment—or worse.

Conclusion: A Soldier’s War-Torn Journey

A new beginning
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Elisha Elmore’s Civil War experience was not one of a traditional soldier who fought from enlistment to war’s end. Instead, his journey was defined by illness, desertion, and a forced allegiance shift. Whether he originally enlisted in the Confederate Army out of loyalty or necessity is unclear, but his decision to leave and later swear allegiance to the Union suggests a pragmatic approach to survival in a divided state.

Sources

1. Company Muster Rolls, Confederate 10th Missouri Infantry, July 29 - October 31, 1862; September - December 31, 1862; March - April 1863
2. Confederate Service Record, Official Record of Desertion, January 30, 1863
3. Parsons’ Brigade Records, Missouri Volunteers
4. Union Oath of Allegiance, February 2, 1863, Rolla, Missouri
5. Union Military Correspondence, February 3-8, 1863 (Letters regarding Elisha Elmore’s imprisonment)
6. Civil War in Pulaski County, Missouri (Historical analysis of guerrilla warfare and Union strategy)
7. Joseph Weydemeyer and Col. John M. Glover’s Reports, Rolla District, 1862-1863