Emory S. Foster

Emory S. Foster (November 5, 1839 – December 23, 1902) was a major in the 7th Missouri State Militia Cavalry during the American Civil War. Afterwards he was a St. Louis, Missouri newspaper editor who fought a duel with rival editor and former Confederate John N. Edwards.

Foster was born in Greene County, Missouri.

He was a staunch Unionist whose brother Marshall was murdered by secessionists in early 1861 on his way to vote. During the American Civil War, on Emory formed a Unionist Home Guard company called "Foster's Mounted Rangers" in which he served as captain, enlisting on August 28, 1861. He later enlisted in the Federally funded Missouri State Militia, being elected major of the 7th MSM Cavalry. He and his men engaged in skirmishes around his new home in Warrensburg, Missouri and Foster gained a reputation as an aggressive commander.

On August 15, 1862 after a two-day march from Warrensburg, Missouri to Lexington, Missouri, he was ordered to take 800 men on a 20-mile march to Lone Jack, Missouri to engage Confederate troops that were attempting to capture Jackson County, Missouri in what would become the Battle of Lone Jack.

Upon arrival, Foster's force encountered an 800-1,600 man sleeping Confederate recruiting force under Colonel John T. Coffee and Lieutenant Colonel John Charles Tracy and routed them. However, the firing of Foster's artillery alerted other Confederate recruiting commands in the area of his presence and intent. Confederates under Colonels Vard Cockrell, Upton Hays, and DeWitt C. Hunter were joined by Lt. Col. Tracy and a fierce five-hour battle ensued the next morning. The Federals withdrew after Foster was wounded and Col. Coffee's command joined Cockrell.

...
Wikipedia