White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1863-09-10
Correspondence.
(For the Chiefly
FoRr Scorr, September 2, 1863

1age of Fort Scott is really . prosperous and
thriving place. Its citizens claim to have 1000
inhabitants; bat think their numbers are less
than / 500, unles. the soldiers temporarily sta
toned here be counted in TO swell the numbers
in the latter case, the population will vary
from 1850 to several thousand.
The town is located on both sides of the
Marmaton, stream about the size of Wolf
River, in your County, and with banks equally
precipitous; but BY much the larger part of the
town is on the south side of the stream. 1t lies
on fat, with the hills surrounding it, at dis
lance of two or three miles-the Marmaton
running through the basin from west to east,
with its banks fringed with timber. In the
centre Of the town is a triangle well covered
with houses, and the opposite sides Of the
streets, surrounding the triangle. are very we'll
built up. The houses are mostly small. and Of
wood; though the Wilder House is three sto-
~ brick, of fair size. The place is improving.
with some good buildings going up for stores
and residences. B! -5iv"
Last week there was frost here, and along
the border north, sufficient to kill some tender
plants. but only in rare cases to damage the
corn. rr
The prairies in this section Of the State are
beginning to grow weeds rather than grass.
Along the boasted valley of the Neosho, the
most of the prairie lands have become weed
pastures; and you can see nothing for miles, in
IL h,,t a ,k So
here and there on your prairies. In my opin-
ion, the Neesho Valley is not 80 good q coun-
try as the valley of the Marais des Cygnes, Ell
ther for corn or stock pasture. In few years
the majority Of the prairie land in Southern
Kansas, if not nearly all, will be devoid of
grass and covered with weeds. The farmers
here have got to SOW grass seed for tame pas
ture; and my impression, from all see and
hear, is. that this section of the State is better
adapted to tame grasses than Northern Kansas.
The season here is two weeks earlier and two
longer than with you, and they feed a month
and a half less in Winter; but their stock real
ly needs feed as badly as yours. do not think
their stock looks so well here as the stock in
your section of the State-owing, probably, to
your prairie grass being better
have heard, from several citizens in John
son, Miami, and other Counties, what seems to
be the truth of the raid of Quantrell Guam
trell's band was first discovered by a soldier
belonging to the 9th Regiment K. w., who was
a member of the company stationed at Aubrey,
Miami County. The soldier has weakness
for whiskey, and in going from camp to the
house of a man living about three miles north
Of Aubrey, where he was accustomed to get u
liquor, he fell in with Quantrell. The guerriH
las questioned him closely as to who he was
aud whittier bound. He replied that he was a
citizen living near BY, and that he had sick
child, for whom he was going to his neighbor's
the liquor man-close at hand, 20 obtain
some medicine. Three of the guerrillas ac-
companed him to the man, house, but he gave
him the wink, and asked for medicine for his
sick child; and the man, taking the hint, sup
piled him with qrinine and 1amphor. The
guerri'las then allowed him 30 return to his
camp, and he notified the officer in command of
what he had seen. This was about one hour
before sunset. The officer in command, though
having fully so effective men, wa. too cowarily
to pursue, so sent messenger to Kansas City
for instructions. His company is well armed
with carbines, while Quantrell's horde was
poorly armed, except with revolvers. By at
tackinG Quantrell's rear and skirmishing with
him, he might have SO delayed him that the
whole country could have been aroused, and
the cut-throat band either destroyed or driven
from the State.
After entering the State, Quantrell travelled
rapidly, and did not rob any person until more
than fifteen miles from the border-then horses
alone we're taken, and by squad of only three
or four men, claiming to be soldiers going on
an express, or en- route for some recruiting sta
ton which they were compelled to reach the
next morning, and they only wanted to eI-
change horses. Thus they passed along, wax
ing no suspicion until after they had robbed
few men in and about Gardner. Even then
the citizens of Gardner thought the band only
a small one, and so sent messenger to Olathe,
to warn the people there of the danger. not
supposing they had gone to Lawrence. From
Gardner to Lawrence they passed swiftly on,
on the most direct road.
1t is thought that Quantrell had guards sta
toned the day before at the crossing of the
Wakarusa, to prevent any person from running
through to warn Lawrence.
Maj. Plumb has been censured for too great
prudence in managing the pursuit of QuantreIl's
band. 1t is said that he could have attacked
him. but declined TO do so.
In Paola, I was informed that Liet Col.
Clark. of the 9Th Kansas Volunteers, was called
up about midnight, Saturday night, and inform
ed that Quantrell was encamped only few
miles northeast of town; and although having,
with Gen. Lane and his citizen band, abou,
500 men under him, that he refused to make
the attack that night; and the next morning,
when he reached QuantreIl's camp, the bandit
had flown some three hours previous.
The citizens of Gardner charge that q com
pany of cavalry, with howitzer, came to their
place Friday A. NJ, when Quantrell was burn
ing houses near Brooklyn, and that although
they showed the officer in command the burn
ing buildings, he refused to move to cut off
Quantre:Ps retreat. but said he should obey
orders, and 50 vent straight toward lawrence
then. alas. mass Of ruins. Another caval-
ry officer, shown the burning town of Brooklyn
BY the citizens Of Gardner. and guide offered
to lead him, 60 that he could head on Quan-
trell, only replied BY damning the town of
Gardner, and wishing Quantrell had burned it
also; and of vent the officer to obey orders, BY