The first armed clashes of the war, the fall of Fort Sumpter (sic), the subsequent route of inexperienced men and officers at Bull Run, built up the confidence of the Southern armies. One effect of such reverses was to create suspicions in the minds of many men genuinely loyal to the Union. After the equally inexplicable debacle at Wilson’s Creek in southern Missouri, we had to give up hope of securing any help from that quarter. Our location on roads leading from Missouri into Arkansas placed us between two fires, unmistakably endangering our existence. At that, however, we had nothing as yet to fear from our neighbors; the bete noir of our lives were gangs made up of thievish scoundrels who carried on warfare in gangster fashion. For their protection they operated under a flag; and under it they carried on their nefarious business of robbery and plunder. The objectivity and impartiality with which they operated were remarkable; their tolerance so comprehensive that under one set of circumstances they operated as good Secessionists, under another as equally good Union men. We were soon made aware of our plight; and to the best of our people the horrendous lessons of civil war were being learned. The terrorizing bands were outfitted in military uniforms; they committed deed of violence as if devils incarnate, and in every respect they were similar to the roving bands that plagued peaceful people during the Thirty Years’ War.
“Memoirs, Letters, and Diary Entries of German Settlers in Northwest Arkansas, 1853-1863”. Selected and Translated By Clarence Evans, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The Arkansas Historical Quarterly Vol. VI Fall, 1947 No. 3