Col. Lewis Merill leading his 2nd Regiment Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, also known as "Merrill's Horse". 1863 Lithograph by A. McLean; Published by W. M. Harlow, 77 Fourth Street, St. Louis, Mo.
 

    In August, 1861, Capt. Lewis Merrill, 2nd Cavalry, U.S. Army, received authority from Gen. Fremont to organize and concentrate a cavalry regiment at Benton Barracks for immediate service in the field. At this particular juncture recruiting for the United States service was of a slow and tedious nature; other officers had received similar authority, and after a severe effort abandoned the project as impracticable. Capt. Merrill, however, recruited  and enlisted eight hundred men in less than one month, commenced a system of  military instruction and drill as soon as he organized the first squadron, and by dint of hard labor succeeded in raising the regiment to a high standard of discipline. In September, 1861, before thoroughly organized and equipped, this regiment received orders from Gen. Fremont  to march to Springfield, Mo. It subsequently operated successfully against guerilla  organizations in different portions of the State. [Source: "History of St. Louis City and County", by J. Thomas Scharf, 1883]

Regimental Field and Staff:

• Col. Lewis Merrill

• Lt. Col. William F. Schaffer

• Maj. George C. Marshall

• Maj. Charles B. Hunt (later promoted to Lt. Col.)

• Maj. John Y. Clopper (later promoted to Lt. Col.)

• Maj. Garrison Harker

• Maj. Jabez B. Rogers

• Adjt. Joshua W. Roher

• Q. M. George Merrill

• R. B. Hughes (commissary)

• Andrew S. Phelps (commissary)

• S. B. Thayer (surgeon)

• Henry Douglas (surgeon)

• W. H. Knickerbocker (asst. surgeon)

• A. D. Thomas (asst. surgeon)

• J. W. O. Snider (asst. surgeon)

• Robert W. Landis (chaplain)

Regimental History:

2nd REGIMENT CAVALRY.--("MERRILL HORSE.")

Organized at Benton Barracks, Mo., by Captain Lewis Merrill, U.S. A., under authority of General Fremont, September 3 to December 11, 1861. (Co. "L" organized at St. Louis, Mo., January 1, 1863, and Co. "M" at Warrenton June 30, 1863.) Before organization of Regiment was completed ordered to march to Springfield, Me., September, 1861. Fremont's Campaign against Springfield, Mo., September-October. At Sedalia, Mo., till January, 1862. Scout through Saline County December 3-12, 1861. Expedition to Milford December 15-19. Shawnee Mound or Milford, Blackwater River, December 18. Roan's Tan Yard, Silver Creek, January 8, 1862. Knobnoster January 22. Attached to Dept. of Missouri September, 1861, to January, 1862. District of Northeast Missouri, Dept. of Missouri, to June, 1863. District of Southeast Missouri, Dept. of Missouri, to August, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Arkansas Expedition, to December, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Army of Arkansas, to January, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to May, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, 7th Army Corps, to February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee, to muster out.


SERVICE.--Moved to Northern Missouri and duty at Columbia, Glasgow, Sturgeon, Paris, Huntsville, Palmyra and Warrenton, operating against guerrillas January, 1862, to June, 1863. Expedition into Schuyler and Scotland Counties, Porter's and Poindexter's guerrillas, July 12-August 8, 1862. Near Memphis, Mo., July 18. Brown Springs July 27. Moore's Mills, near Fulton, July 28. Kirksville August 6 (Detachment). Pursuit of Poindexter August 8-15, with skirmishes at Grand River, Lee's Ford, Chariton River and Walnut Creek, near Stockton, August 9. Switzler's Mill August 10. Little Compton Ferry, Yellow Creek, August 11. Roanoke September 6 (Detachment). Scotland and Boone Counties September 30 (Detachment). Joined Davidson's Cavalry Division at Pilot Knob June, 1863. Expedition to Little Rock, Ark., July 1-September 10. Grand Prairie August 17. Brownsville August 25. Bayou Metoe or Reed's Bridge August 27. Reconnaissance from Brownsville August 29. Bear Skin Lake, Ashby's Mills, September 7. Bayou Fourche and capture of Little Rock September 10. Pursuit of Price September 11-13. Near Little Rock September 11. Duty at Little Rock till March, 1864. Steele's Expedition to Camden March 23-May 3. Benton Road March 23-24. Okolona April 2-3. Prairie D'Ann April 9-12. Camden April 15-18. Moro Bottom April 25-26. Jenkins' Ferry, Saline River, April 30. Scatterville July 28. Duty in Arkansas till September. Operating against Price September and October. Booneville, Mo., October 9-12. Little Blue October 21. Big Blue, State Line, October 22. Westport October 23. Battle of Charlot October 25. Mine Creek, Osage River, Marias des Cygnes, October 25. Grierson's Expedition from Memphis against Mobile & Ohio Railroad December 21, 1864, to January 15, 1865 (Co. "E"). Near Memphis February 9 (Detachment). Moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., and duty operating against guerrillas in Georgia and Alabama and escorting trains from Chattanooga to Atlanta January to September, 1865. Mustered out September 19, 1865.
Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 53 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 205 Enlisted men by disease. Total 262.
 

---

 



The Ballad: "The Merrill Horse"

(also known as, "The Guerrillas Conquered")

an HISTORICAL BALLAD of the WAR against

GUERRILLAS in Nth EAST MISSOURI

written & composed by POLYHYMNIA

& dedicated to the regiment of

MERRIL HORSE

Saint Louis, Mo.

 
   

Verse One:


The "Merrill Blue Caps" have been out in the field,
  And have chased the wild foe to his den;
They have conquer'd Poindexter, caused Porter to yield,
  And peace reigns triumphant again.
Missouri, the star-link of State now is free
  Wherever the "Blue Caps" have been;
All glory and honor to Merrill shall be,
  He's the Champion and pride of his men.
 

All glory and honor to Merrill shall be,
  He's the Champion and pride of his men.




Verse Two:


Where many vile rebels lay biting the dust,
  And Major Hunt charged in the van.
The guerrilla chief monster entrench'd in his den,
  Lay waiting to deal the death blow,
But routed and whipp'd, their chief, Poindexter, fled,
  While "Merrill's Horse" charg'd on the foe.
But routed and whipp'd, their chief, Poindexter, fled,
  While "Merrill's Horse" charg'd on the foe.

But routed and whipp'd, their chief, Poindexter, fled,
  While "Merrill's Horse" charg'd on the foe.



 

Verse Three:


Next to the death-knell at Memphis they're called
  To cope with their thrice maddened foes,
Where steel meets with steel each foe is appalled
  At the death groans, as crimson blood floes.
But Robinson thrice had led on to the charge,
  When balls pierced his side, and he fell.
Ere leaving his Major to charge with his men,
  "'Tis the last," said he "Major, farewell."

Ere leaving his Major to charge with his men,
  "'Tis the last," said he "Major, farewell."



 

Verse Four:


The battle was ended, the foe left the field,
  The gain was but loss to us then---
But, true to our cause, and sworn never to yield,
  We resolved to fight Porter again.
On! onward we trailed him as southward he roamed,
  Till at Moore's Mill the contest began,
Where rifle balls whistled and dread cannon moaned,
  To the music of Guitar's bold plan.

Where rifle balls whistled and dread cannon moaned,
  To the music of Guitar's bold plan.




Verse Five:


Four hours Porter fought, feeling sure of success,
  Till our presence to him was made known;
"Great God!" cried the guerrilla, "the Blue Caps play chess,
  I will fight the Militia or none!"
His lines broke asunder, his comrades dismayed,
  To the victors the battle field gave,
And proudly the "Blue Caps" in armor arrayed,
  Cried "Our banner forever shall wave."

And proudly the "Blue Caps" in armor arrayed,
  Cried "Our banner forever shall wave."




Verse Six:


At Kirksville the death stroke to Porter was played,
  And hundreds of rebels licked dust;
The guerrilla bands scattered, their leaders estrayed,
  Their cause since forever seems lost;
There the heartless you Coudrey dashed unto the foe
  Where hall-showers of lead rest the air,
And laughing at smoke clouds and armor's bright glow,
  Seemed pleased at the conflict of war.

And laughing at smoke clouds and armor's bright glow,
  Seemed pleased at the conflict of war.




Verse Seven:


Once more the land-pirates assembled their bands,
  But Hunt and the "Blue Caps" were there,
And near Compton's Ferry the chased the brigands,
  Entrusting some lead to their care;
Suprised at such fare, a skedaddle began,
  Into Grand River, pell-mell went they,
Instead of retreating the Butternuts ran,
  And the daring "Blue Caps" won the day.

Instead of retreating the Butternuts ran,
  And the daring "Blue Caps" won the day.




Verse Eight:


Our Colors and Standard these names bear aloft,
  'Wid the battle red banners of fame,
And as oft as we can, while a rebel is left,
  We will add our stripes a new name.
While a star or a stripe to our flag-staff belongs,
  Any foe of our ensign will meet,
We'll protect it, adore it, and praise it in songs,
  Or make it our last winding sheet.

We'll protect it, adore it, and praise it in songs,
  Or make it our last winding sheet.

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  The Music of the American Civil War 

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