The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-05-13
DEATH OF MIR. CATHCART.
Letter from his Late Partner at vicks'
burg.

Letter from his Late Partner at vicks-
burg.
We are permitted to print portion OF let
ter received Tuesday from Mr.. ROWLAND, the
partner of Mr.. CArHCART at VicksDurg, "nlch
contains particulars of the business 10 which
he was engaged his capture and death, that
will bo interesting to his friends. The remains
ofMr CarucARr left st. Louis on the 4th inst.
on the Hawkey State. and will probably arrive
here on Sunday or Monday. The following is
the letter:
VICKsBURG. Miss, April q.
week to communicate to our mutual friend,
Col. Marshall, the sad intelligence of the death
of my associate and partner, Mr.. John w.
Cathcart, who was barbarousiy murdered on
the 18th inst. by Southern fiends.
Yesterday forwarded his remains per steam
er John H. Dickey," to the care of Messrs
W. T. Greene & Co., st. Louis, and instructed
them to telegraph you as to the disposition of
the remains, and now take the liberty of COM
municating to you the details.
1t is now nearly two months since Mr.. Cath
cart and myself associated ourselves on bust
ness expedition, and left st. Louis. u X
We decided to take "a venture in planting. We
therefore made arrangements to this end. +
went to St. Louis to purchase stock and sup
plies, while Cathcart remained below. One
month ago returned with sixty head of stock
and ample supplies, but on the boat arriving
at the plantation selected goo miles from
here), l received orders to proceed to Vicks.
burg with allthe freight, as the guerillas had
driven all the planters from that point.
Arriving at that point I met Cathcart, and
we looked the matter over, to decide what to
do. We had to dispose of our stock and sup
plies at loss, or put them to work on plan
tation. A seemingly favorable opportunity
presented itself for US to secure very fine plan
tation in sight of the city. on the Louisiana side.
It was deemed by all fortunate selection, as
we'll as safe. Ca heart and myself always felt
much anxiety, as we had fine lot of work
horses, while most of the planters were work
ing condemned stock. We feared that the
good stock would eventually excite the Gu
pidity of the thieves that infest the neighbour
hood.
Almost all of our friends advised us not to
arm ourselves and our hands, to resist the
guerillas, as they argued that in the event of
our falling into their hands after any show of
resistance, no quarter would be shown to us;
while. on the other hand, without armed re.
sistance we would lose only our property,
and suffer no personal injury. We felt, how
ever, extremely anxious, but did not arm for
resistance. We quietly and energetically
pushed ahead in our enterprise, and in few
days we accomplished what was deemed eX.
(,,Ir nj
seemed fattering.
But Providence wllled otherwise.
On the afternoon of Monday. April II. lcf:
Cathcart in good health and spirits, and it was
my intention TO transact my business at Vicks-
burg and return the same evening. As / had
generally attended to the business at Vicks-
burg. suggested before | mounted that he had
better go instead as the trip would be recrea-
ton; but he declined remarhing that as soon
as we had got everything systematiZed and
working smoothly he would take a trip to New
Orleans.
l was detained by business until it was too
late to cross the river, and remained in Vicks-
burg all night AT sunrise next morning
crossed the river, and on landing on the
louisiana side l was informed that the guer-
illas had raidcd our plantation. and had taken
most of our stock, aid also Cathcart and old
Dr. Fahensback Gan army physician who was
located at the Government hospital at our
plantation.) l Immediately crossed the river
and applied TO Gen. Macarthur for a force to
pursue, but with no success, and then ilnme.
diately went over the river. and rode out to
the plantation. | there found everything in
confusion and panic. 1 found that Cathcart
and the Doctor, also about fifty head of horses
and thirty or forty negroes had been taken
away about an hour before day.
l set about to secure all the information /
could about the fate of the white men. sent
out scouts as far as l deemed it safe, and as far
Is could induce them to go, and gained the
intelligence that about seven miles out the
white men were riding along with the other
prisoners. That lightened me up. and led me
TO indulge the hope that they would be re-
tanned rs captives merely.
l continued my efforts with the military arl-
thOrities for a force to 20 into the country to
learn their fate, without avail, until Friday,
when small force of cavalry was furnished
to me-
At the same time improvised small force
Of negroes to 20 out the road to hunt for intel.
ligence, or the bodies of the dead, while l,
with the cavalry started down twenty-five
sas river, the haunts of the guerillas.
will give all the particulars of their cap
ture and fate. as far as could ascertain it.
The first intelligence Cathcart had was q
pounding at his door by the villains, telling
him." Get up and open the door, God damn
you" Not being speedy enough for them,
they broke it open and presented their weap.
Ons at him. They asked" Who are you ~
He informed them. What are you doing
here, God damn you!" Planting" "WhG
gave you authority to work this plantation ~
He stated that he had q government lease,
They then said Well, come along with us.
and we will show you Northern men how to
grow cotton, God damn YOU He CON-
menced to pack his carpet bag, but they in.
formed him-"Y You wont have need of any
clothing long,"
However, it seems that they let him take his
carpet bag with him, for he had it with him
when he mounted his horse.
Wednesday rumOrs came in that they had
both been shot. Thursday and Friday the air
was full of painful rumors, being principally
traced to negro testimony. Hope struggled
against dispair. You cannot conceive the ago
nv of those days. visited the plantation dai
w, but there was such q panic, even with thu
whites, that it was deemed imprudent. But
was determined to spare no effort to learI
their fate, and if possible to render some as
sistance.
Saturday started force down the river, ant
across the country, while little force OF faith
full negroes went out to examine In that dlrec
ton.
After going out about eight miles, the,
found the body of DR.. Fahnestock, about To-
yards from the road His left ear had beer
cut off before killing, and his person str.ppe'
OF all clothing except shirt and drawers an;
md 81. - ln h0,d fhfQ hn