Quantrill’s Scout Writes About the Death of George Todd

The following is an account on Captain George Todd from the book Three Years with Quantrill: A True Story Told by His Scout John McCorkle.

“One night, while we were waiting, Captain Todd was with me and several of the other boys in the brush. We were all discussing Price’s return into Missouri and what effect it would have, when Captain Todd, who seemed that night more serious than usual, remarked, ‘Boys, when Price gets here, I will join him and, in the first battle I am in with him, I shall be killed and I want you boys to see that I have a decent burial.’ I remarked, ‘Well, Captain, if I thought I was going to be killed I would not go into battle.’ He said, ‘Yes, I am going and I want you boys to go with me. I know I’ll be killed, but it is just as fitting for me to die for my country as any other man. All I ask is that you boys stay with me and see that I get a decent burial.'”

Several days later, McCorkle writes that they met up with Dan Vaughan, who relayed the following: “John, Captain Todd wants you. He was badly wounded yesterday near Blue Mills and told me to come and find you and for you to come to Independence and bring the boys with you, that he wanted to see you all before he died.”

McCorkle took off for Independence, taking a circuitous route to evade Federals, and met up with Dave Poole upon entering the town. “John, our brave leader is gone,” Dave said, dropping his head. “We are just returning from burying him. I am sorry you were not with him, for during the night he called for you frequently, and once in his delirium he said, ‘Boys, we’re in a tight place; where is John McCorkle? If he was here he could get us out of this.'”

John notes that he stayed in Independence for about an hour, spending most of his time at the newly made grave of George Todd, who he said he loved better than a brother.

Today, history notes that Todd was killed during the first day’s fighting at the Second Battle of Independence on October 21, 1864 by Lt. Col. George H. Hoyt of the Fifteenth Kansas as Price’s forces pushed the Federals through the town. Todd is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Independence, Missouri.

Learn More About the Story of Missouri During the War!