On 24 March 1863, Capt.J R. VANDERPOOL of Company C, First Arkansas Infantry (under Col. James M. JOHNSON), was ordered from Fayetteville, Arkansas, along with Capt. Abial STEVENS of Company E, First Regular Arkansas Infantry and a group of men to go to Newton County for scouting. They encountered many Confederate forces and retreated to the post at Fayetteville, leaving several Union men behind. When these men returned to Fayetteville, they found the post had been evacuated on 16 April 1863. They were then at high risk of being captured by Confederates and had to hide. Those known to have been left behind in Newton County, were: Gilbert SMITH, David FLOOD, James SMITH (Gilbert's brother and David's brother-in-law), John STANDRIDGE, Kelsey GILMORE, O. C. BRIGHT, and possibly others. All of these men were taken prisoner plus David's neighbor Berry STONE (who may have hidden the men). Someone had a knife and some men cut themselves loose and escaped. David FLOOD, his brother-in-law James SMITH and Berry STONE were hanged by Confederates on the same tree, supposedly in Limestone Valley. "You could see the rope marks one year later," according to one source. When David FLOOD was taken prisoner, his wife Martha followed after the men pleading; but they were hanged anyway. John STANDRIDGE and the others returned to their command. John STANDRIDGE later heard of his father's death and returned to Newton County to protect his family. He was killed by bushwhackers on 19 Feb 1865. His widow was unable to draw his pension, since he had been absent without leave.