St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-05-09
NUMBER 10.

about midnight. He then returned to
the Arsenal and commenced moving
the boxes of guns, weighing three
hundred pounds each, down to the
lower floor. About seven hundred
men were employed in the work. He
then took five hundred Kentucky flint
lock muskets, which had been sent
there to be altered, and sent them to
be placed on steamer as blind TO
c0rer his real movements. The secession.
lists nabbcd them at once, and raised
Il perfect Bedlam over the capture.
4 large portion of the outside crowd
left the Arsenal when this movement
was executed; and Capt. Lyons took
the remainder Of the men who were
lying around as spies, and locked them
up in his guard house. About eleven
O'Clock, the steamer City Of Alton
came alongside planks were showed
out from the windows to the main
deck, and the boxes slid down. When
the ten thousand were safely on board,
Capt. Stokes went to Capt. Lyon and
Maj. Calender, and urged them, by
the most pressing appeals, to lei him
empty tie 1rsenal. They told him to
go ahead and take whatever he want
ed. Accordingly he took eleven thou
sand more muskets, five hundred new
rifle carbines, five hundred revolvers,
one hundred aud ten thousand musket
cartridges, to say nothing Of the can
non, and a large quantity of miscel-
laneous accoutremcnts, leaving only
seven thousand muskets, to arm tho
st. Louis Volunteers.
When the whole were on board, at
two o'clock Friday morning, the order
was given, by the captain of tho
steamer, to cast off. Judge of the
CONSERVATION Of all hands when it
was found that she would not move.
The arms had been piled in great
quantities around the engines to pro-
tect them against the battery
on the levee, and the great weight
had fastened the bows of tho
boat firmly on rock, which was tear
ing a hole through the bottom at eve
ry turn of the wheels. A man of less
nerve than Capt. Stokes would have
gone crazy on the spot. He called
the arsenal men on board, and COM
menced moving the boxes to the stern
Fortunately, when about two hundred
boxes had been shifted, the boat fell
away from the shore, and hoated in
deep water. (which way 2" said
Capt. Mitchell, of the steamer. "To
Alton in the regular channel" replied
Capt. Stokes "What if we are at
tacked?" said Capt. Mitchell. "Then
we will fight !" said Capt. Stokes.
{" What if We are overpowered 2" said
Capt. Mitchell. Run her to the
deepest part Of the river and sink her."
replied Capt. Stokes. "I'll do it, was
the heroic answer of Capt. Mitchell,
and away they went past the seces-
sion battery, past the entire St.
Louis levee, and on to Alton, in the
regular channel, where they arrived at
five o'clock in the morning.
When the boat touched her landing,
Capt Stokes, fearing pursuit by some
two or three of the secession military
companies, by which the city of st.
Louis is disgraced, ran to the Market
House and rang the fire-bell. The cit
izens came tlocking pell-mell to the
river, in all sorts of habiliments.
Capt. Stokes informed them of the sit
uation Of things, and pointed out tho
freight cars. Instantly men, women
and children boarded the steamer,
seized the freight and clambered up
the levee to the cars. Rich and poor
tugged together with might and main
for two hours, when the cargo was all
deposited in the cars, and the train
moved off, amid enthusiastic cheers,
for Springfield
When Capt. Stokes reached SPRING
field, he was so exhausted by sixty
hours Of incessant labor and excite
ment, that he fell asleep while endeav-
0ring to recount his adventures to
Judge Trumbull
Secession has now received its fatal
blow not only in st. Louis but. through
out Missouri. When it became known
that the arms were gone, the st. Lou.
is Republican began TO preach peace
and neutrality, the minute-men ceased
brawling for jeff. Davis in the streets,
and Gov. Jackson began to advise
against calling the State Convention
together.