Nebraska advertiser., 1864-04-07
A DREADFUL FIGHT BETWEEN
COPPERHEADS ANDSOLDIERS.

AHAALLoLOA ALOLuOl9 y = "a
This afternoon a dreadful affair took
place in cur town, the most shocking in
It's details that has ever occurred in our
part Of the State. Earlyin the morning
squads of Copperheads came in town,
from various directions, and, as the Sc
ouel will show. armed and determined
upon summary vengeance upon our
soldiers. During the Gay %premonitions
Of coming trouble were too evident
Some Of the soldiers, about to return to
to their regiments, were somewhat ex.
cited BY liquor, and consequently rather
boistrious, bat not belligerent - were
more disposed for fun than fight. About
four o'clock, a soldier, Oliver Sallee,
stepped up to Nelson Wells, who has
been regarded as the leader Of the Cop
perheads in this county, and placing his
hand good naturally against him, play
fully asked him if there were any Cop
perheads in town? Wells replied, "Yes,
God d-n you, | am onen' and draw
ing his revolver shot at Sallee, but miss
ed him. In an instant Sullee was sho.
from another direction, and fell, but rails
ing himself up, he fired at Wells, the
ball taking effect in his vitals. He (W.)
went as far as Chambers & McCrory's
store. and passing in, fell dead. The
Copperheads were gathered behind
Judge Edwards office, loading their fire
arms, and then would step out and fire
from the corner at the soldiers indiscrim-
inately, with guns and revolTers. OF
course, having come fully prepared, they
had vastly the advantage over the soldiers
who were not expecting such an attack,
and were, for most part, unarmed:-
Those who were armed would hardly
know at whom to fire until they were
fired upon. The C~opperheads were seen
to hurry to their wagons, hitched at the
square, and gather Iherefrom several
guns, which were concealed under the
straw. They were freely used and with
terrible effect. Thomas Jeffries was the
next to fall, receiving an ugly wound in
the neck. VIM. Gilman was shot by B.
F. Dukes, the ball striking a rib on his
left side and glanced off. Dukes was
then seen to fire al Colonel Mitchell, and
afterwards declared that he had killed
him. Colonel M received several shots
through his cloths; one hit his watch and
glanced off, producing only a slight flesh
wound upon his abdomen. The watch
thus. p~rovldentially, saved his life. DIR.
York, Surgeon of the 54th Illinois, while
passing through the Court House, was
approached by some one from behind,
who took deliberate aim and shot dead
the pistol being held so close to him
that the powder burned his coat! So far
as we can learn, DR.. York was not
actively engaged in the ARRAY, save in
his professional capacity as surgeon, and
in trying to restore order. A soldier,
Alfred Swim, company G., 54th Illinois,
was shot, and taken to Drs. Allen and
Van Meters Office, where he soon died.
Mr. S. lived somewhere near Casey, in
Clark county, where he leaves a wife
and three children. He is spoken of by
all as having been an excellent soldier
and a good citizen. VIM. G.. Hart.
Deputy Provost Marshal, was shot in
several places-in the head and vitals ;
his wounds are probably mortal. James
Goodrich, company G. 54th Illinois, re-
ceived a shocking wound, being shot in
the bowels. His wound, we fear, will
prove mortal.
Unarmed as our boys were, Colonel
Mitchell soon rallied all he could, citizens
and soldiers and improvising such arms
as could be had, gathered at the south
west corner of the square, as the Cop
perheads retreated down the street run
ming east therefrom. Dispatches were
sent to NATION for soldiers. and three
hundred were soon on the way. The
Copperheads halted somewhere near
Mrs. Dickson's and remained for some
time, then turned and went off. Beyond
j. H. O'Hair's residence they gathered
together, consulted for a time, and then
moved off in a n%ortheasterly direction,
cutting the telegraph wire as they went
unfortunately before a dispatch could
be sent to DR.. York's family, at Paris,
giving notice of his assassination.
About five o'clock the reinforcements
from NATION arrived, and while in the
Court House yard, Mr.. John Cooper,
from Salisbury. was captured, and
brought in as a prisoner, by Mr.. w. A.
Noe, and a soldier. Mr.. c., had taken
an active part in the affray; when in
front of Jenkins store he attempted to
escape, aud when commanded to halt re-
fused to do SO, whereupon Mr.. Noe fired
over C.'s head, who, in return, fired at
some of our men, when orders were given
to fire upon him, which was done, and he
fell dead at Jenkins door. Unfortunate-
Iy one of the balls passed through the
closed door and struck Mr.. John jenkins
in The groin, producing a serious, and
probably, mortal wound. Mr.. Cooper
was shot through the neck and shoulder.
When the Cepperheads were halted near
Mrs. Dickson's, he was heard to say that
as they now had no leader he was ready
to lead them back and kill the Id
soldiers and burn the town. or die in the
attempt; and at various places he was
heard to threaten TO cut out the he arts of
the Odd Abolitionists," and use
kindred expressions.
How many there were of the Copper
heads, we do not know, nor can we esti-
mate the number, save by the size Of the
squad that retreated in several directions.
We think there may have been from n
hundred to one hundred and fifty, and all