List of Killed of Thirty-ninth Missouri Infantry,
at Battle of Centralia, Mo.,
September 27, 1864.


The following is quoted directly from The History of Boone County Missouri by W.F. Switzler originally published in 1882, page 462.

The exact number of Federals killed, it is believed, has been correctly ascertained, together with their names. J.A. Waddell, Adjutant General of the State, furnishes from the muster rolls of the companies of the Thirty-ninth Missouri, on file in his office, the name of every man reported killed at Centralia, as follows:

List of Killed of Thirty-ninth Missouri Infantry, at Battle of Centralia, Mo., September 27, 1864.

Field officers:

COMPANY A

Line officers:

Non-commissioned officers:

Privates:

total count, company A: 56

COMPANY G

Non-commissioned officers:

Privates:

total count, company G: 51

COMPANY H

Non-commissioned officers:

Privates:

total count, company H: 15

Recapitulation
Field officers 1
Line officers 1
Non-commissioned officers
and privates		 Company A 55
Company G 51
Company H 15
Total 123

The following are the names of some of Capt. Theiss's company (H.), who escaped:

The seventy-nine bodies buried at Centralia were disinterred December 17, 1873, under direction of Capt. Nelson, and forwarded to Jefferson City, and reinterred in the national cemetery at that place. James A. Harris had the contract for taking them up, for which he received $150. A monument which had been placed over the grave was removed by C.A. Brown for $30. About fifty-six bodies were taken up the first day. The bones, clothing, cartridge boxes, belts, etc., were well preserved. The skeletons were small, indicating they were of young men. Those who buried them say they were young men, in most cases, with smooth faces and without even mustaches. Seventy-nine skulls were taken out of this grave, each with a bullet hole in it.

Additional information sent by Jan Irwin, jcirwin@pacbell.net, on 6 August 2000.

One of my ancestors was a survivor of the Centralia Massacre from Company H. His name was Edward Knox Irwin. I have confirmed that he was in Company H and according to the "Green City, MO Centennial History", he survived the massacre because he was left to watch some of the horses in Centralia due to his young age (though this story lists him as 16 while subsequent census records would put him at 19 years of age at the time). The story continues that the horses whinnied and gave away his hiding location but because the bushwackers were more interested in taking the horses, Edward was able to escape and ran to Sturgeon where he hid out with some other soldiers who had escaped. I have written for his service records from NARA but nothing has arrived yet. But, I do know he was in Co. H Missouri 39th and he did survive the war.

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