(Library of Congress)
John McNeil was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1813. McNeil left Nova Scotia to take a job as a hatter in Boston, Massachusetts. McNeil moved to St. Louis where he continued to ply his trade as a hatter. He spent one term in the Missouri General Assembly in the 1840s. McNeil was president of the Pacific Insurance Company in St; Louis when the Civil War began. One of the first 10,000 Federal volunteers who enlisted, McNeil was appointed colonel of the 3d US Reserve Corps Infantry. During Maj. Gen. John C. Frémont’s short time in command in the Western Department, McNeil was in command of the District of St. Louis. Then in June of 1862, McNeil was assigned the command of the Northeastern Division in the District of Missouri with his headquarters at Palmyra. McNeil’s job was to put a stop to the guerrilla insurrection taking place in northeastern Missouri, particularly the forces under the command of Col. Joseph C. Porter. In August 1862, the two commanders squared off in Kirksville, Missouri. By midafternoon, Porter was beaten and had withdrawn. McNeil continued pursuing Porter, but circled around and headed for Palmyra, capturing the town in September 1862. Porter released some 50 prisoners confined there. They took their own prisoner, one Andy Allsman, a pro-Union man thought to be an informant. At some point after Porter withdrew from Palmyra, Allmans was shot and killed by some of Porter’s forces. When McNeil reached Palmyra and learned of Allsman’s death, he sent a dispatch to Porter telling him he would execute 10 of Porter’s men held captive, unless Allsman was returned unharmed in ten days. McNeil delivered on his threat and ten days later, 10 prisoners were executed what became known as the “Palmyra Massacre.” This act earned McNeil the nickname of the "Butcher of Palmyra." McNeil was promoted to brigadier general in November 1862. During 1863, McNeil saw action against both Marmaduke and Shelby during their cavalry raids into Missouri.
In 1864, McNeil was in command of the District of Rolla when Sterling Price invaded Missouri. McNeil commanded the 2d Brigade in Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton’s Provisional Cavalry Division in the Department of Missouri. At midnight on October 23, 1864, General Pleasonton ordered McNeil to take his brigade down the Santa Fe Trail in order to cut off the Confereate army's retreat. McNeil was unable to make this happen which Pleasonton pointed out in his official report.
"General McNeil failed to obey this order, but came up to the Big Blue, some five or six miles above the point at which the rest of the division was fighting, about 12 m. on the 23d, and instead of vigorously attacking the enemy's wagon train, which was directly in front of him with but little escort, he contented himself with some skirmishing and cannonading, and the train escaped."
McNeil resigned his commission on April 12, 1865 and returned to St. Louis where he held various positions, clerk of the criminal court, sheriff, inspector of US Indian service, and superintendent of US Post Office.