[1] Magruder enlisted in the Confederate States Army at age 17 and served under General Simon Bolivar Buckner at the Battle of Fort Donelson.

Magruder joined the personal bodyguard of Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston, serving under him at the Battle of Shiloh.

Magruder, now well behind U.S. lines, located other escaped Confederates and led them in raids against U.S. military targets south of Louisville.

About 41 men were bringing up the rear on 25 January near Simpsonville, when they were ambushed by Confederate guerrillas, which were led by Magruder.

Few of the Union troops were able to fire their muzzle-loaded Enfield infantry rifles, due to fouled powder.

As Confederates quickly closed the distance, almost all of the colored soldiers bringing up the rear were wounded or dismounted.

Clarke was quickly charged with being a guerrilla, convicted by a closed military tribunal, and hanged in March 1865.

In September 1865, a military tribunal tried Magruder for acting as a guerrilla fighter, 17 counts of murder, wounding with intent to kill, and war rape.