Statement of Thomas W. Baker in the Matter of the United States vs William Reed William Reed was with what they called an independent company, commanded by Lorenzo D. Belt & Farmer Moon of Taney County Mo. about 1 Mar 1862, and about twelve of the Company including William Reed, Wright Nance, Josiah Nance, Naman Gimlin, Mitchell Pigg, Col. Dean, Mitchell James Chesser, John Williams, James Fagg, Lorenzo D. Beltz & Thomas Gott. About 7 March 1862 made a charge upon my house & surrounded it & searched my stable and then searched for my horse & found 2 & put them in the lot & went to the corn crib & fed their horses & took meat & flour from me. After eating their supper James Chesser saddled my mare, & rode off the remainder staid all night & I was required to feed them. They also had with them a man named Matthew Adams (a Union man) as prisoner. They said that they had shot at him before taking him, they left in the morning. I have never seem my mare since. The company of which I speak was not in the service of the C.S.A. They claimed to be independent & said that they paid themselves in property taken from Union men. It is reported that they done considerable ---- & plundering & it is reported that in one expedition up Swan Creek they burnt a house & some corn & took several horses. I know that the house was burnt & am pretty well satisfied that the company named done it.

T.W. Baker

Statement of Thomas W. Baker, May 12, 1862; Union Provost Marshals file of papers relating to individual citizens (Missouri State Archives microfilm roll F1205, National Archives Microfilm Publication No. 345, roll 227 Ree-Rei).