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Archie ClementConfederate guerrilla leader during the American Civil War
Date of Birth: 01.01.1846
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Archy Clement
Archy Clement, also known as "Little Archy," was a leader of the Confederate partisans during the American Civil War. He was notorious for his brutality towards Union soldiers and their supporters in Missouri.
Early Life
Archy Clement was born on January 1, 1846, in Stokes County, North Carolina. His family relocated to Missouri when he was an infant, and it is believed that he grew up in Cass County, Missouri. By the start of the partisan war, Clement had risen to the rank of lieutenant under the command of William T. Anderson, the infamous Confederate leader known as "Bloody Bill."
Partisan Activities
Clement became Anderson's trusted confidant and was involved in several major operations in 1864. One notable incident was the Centralia Massacre, where Confederate partisans ambushed a train on the Northern Missouri Railroad, robbing and killing Union soldiers returning home from the Battle of Atlanta. Only one Union sergeant was spared for possible exchange as a prisoner of war.
After Anderson's death in October 1864, Clement assumed leadership and continued the fight into the following year. Despite the surrender of General Robert E. Lee's army in Virginia, Clement refused to surrender and demanded the surrender of Lexington, Missouri. Some of his comrades, including Dave Pool, surrendered, but Clement and the notorious outlaw Jesse James remained on the run.
Outlaw Years
In 1866, Clement transitioned into a life of bank robbery, primarily targeting banks associated with Missouri Unionists. On February 13, a group of armed bandits, including Clement, stormed the Clay County Savings Association in Liberty, Missouri, making off with $58,000 in cash and bonds. Clement became a wanted man, and the list of outlaws grew to include Frank James, Oliver Shepard, Bud and Donny Pence, Ben Cooper, and Allen Parmer.
Later Years and Death
In November 1866, Clement led a group of 100 former Confederate partisans in Lexington on election day. Intimidation and gunfire resulted in the defeat of the Republican Party, which was Clement's objective. Governor Thomas C. Fletcher responded by sending a detachment of state militia led by Major Bacon Montgomery. Clement retreated, only to return on December 13. When Montgomery learned that Clement was drinking at a bar in a local hotel, he seized the opportunity and sent men to arrest him.
A fierce shootout ensued, during which Clement was shot in the chest. Despite his injuries, he managed to escape the bar and mount a horse. However, the horse was shot, and when Montgomery and his men approached the fallen partisan, Clement attempted to pull the trigger of his revolver with his teeth.
Before succumbing to his wounds, Clement uttered his famous last words: "What I always said I would do, I have done... I die before surrendering."
