The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-15
Quantrell's Exodus from Missouri
The BlOunt Fight.

The BiOunt Fight.
correspondent of the Texas Telegraph, who IL
contributing to that paper "skesch:s Of QaantreIis
Men," gives the following account Of the BIoun.
affair, the fullest we have yet seeh from Confsd-
rate source:
Towards the middle Of September the euerilas
reunited al Biackwater, and were ready in n few
hours 10 leave the rendezvous for their march
south. Cold nights and &C casional frost had warn
"a them u leave Missouri, and like pOok hOuseless
birds Of passage, beaten by The pitiess STERN, they
sought a more genial CLINE, where the grass was
green and Federals less numerous. Missouri would
afford no shelter or safety after winter had get In;
tnc bare md leafess forests no hiding places, and
the pure uriven snow would afford 10 the enemy the
best means Of tracking the hunted and hungry que
riiias whenever they should leaves their holes in
search Of food. Ouilawed by order of General
Blount, prescribed by every Yankee official, the
citizens warned against furnishing food or shelter
under the crucest and severest penaltIcs the very
earth almost denying them resting place, the gal
liant three hundred broke up their rends zgous aud
lett for the plains Of Texas.
Small parties Of Feds were occasionally seen and
bagged az they approached the border of tho CherO-
kee country. But nothing occurred of any partlcu-
lar interest until they had penetrated the Indian
country TO some distance. The boys were gay and
hilarious often scattered for miles along the road,
as careless and much at ea,c as If in their own
homes and no enemy near They grew at times
boister0us under the sense Of security from iinme-
diate danger, and amused themselves daily with
displaying the Fedora! flag, and enjcinp to its be-
nignant t0lds the stupid negro or treachrro,s Pin.
The flag was good bait to hold out 10 Indians and
negroes, for both locked to the standard readily
as dish OF honey attracts flies and insects But
they never return to tell their mistake Niger and
Pin Jared alfka. and both were ieft dead side by
side.
On the 10th Of October, without guide or COM
pass, without the slightest knowiedge-ef the coun-
try, but marching in good Order-fOr the "sign',
was getting fresh-,hey suddenly came upon a
party of Fcderais tearing down some houses be
longing to the exiled Ridge party. dezen more
unsaspecting Pins and negroes, with a few Feds,
came up to the advance guard of the guerilas, but
the larger portion, not liking the ''ay OUT" and
seeming the danger, fed towards the fort, which
Col. Qnanlrell had not yet discovered. About
sixty Of TOdds men, under the leadership of Lieut.
Taylor, gave chase to the flying Federafs, while
the rest, under "Old Quant" and Todd, were dis
patching the miscreants who remained A few of
the retreating Feds were Overtaken and shot down
the Others more fortunate, s'levelled'' themselves
TO reach place OF safety; and, all ut once, Taylor
came in full view OF strong fort, surrounded with
breastwosks and dtches. This was a new fta
tire In the case; and it was very evident that
so.nethin. novel and mysterious was actuating
the Feds movements, for they were running
10 and fro, some gazing eagerly ut the advancing
(prce of Taylor, without an attempt at preparation
for resistance-while others still seemed to be
postuaNng vehcmentiy with the terror stricken
Yankees, who had 50 III idly rushed In. Flags were
flying as Ii on a gala occasion, music was heard
within the fort. and the officer appeared in full uni
form, as If for dress parade. They were not long
III state Of suspense-ior 1t takes us longer to tell
ii than IL took Lieut., Taylor to form his men and
dash like il thundcrb0H upon the breastWOfks.
The boys rushed on screaming like demOnS-and
amid the horrd din the amazed Feds heard the
shout for cold QUAINT :" That charge was masn-
ficently feroc OIs and superbly desperate But for
the inauspiciOus yell for Quantrell, every man
might have entered the fort and carried it by storm
But perfect shower of lead now greeted the storm
ing parry, and only five succeeded In eaping the
rope that was stretched over the breastwOrks. The
names of those immortal heroes are Lieut. Taylor,
Sergeant Berry, lIuz, George Shepherd, and
Peyion Long. Each man brought down one of the
enemy as he leapcd in e; bat il was impossible to
stay and contend against 800, who poured an emf
iadng fire upon the gueriias from every angle of
the toIi.
Just a, this june.ure our boys retrea,ed to the
spot where the command had been left; but here
was something new also Taylor found the whole
command in line of battle, snOtionless "a statues,
with QuantfeIl at their head on his warhorse
looking grim as the Sphinx of Egypt at brilliant
cavaicade of horscmen forming beautifully about
three hundred yards in front. The whisper
through the line, sit is Old BlOunt, and he thinks
we are Federais coming cut to give him reeep
iion'' 1t was true. There rode Gen. iount and
staff, glitteTing in blue cloth aod gold lace, and
about 200 of his body guard. Just then the cavai
cade moved, and the band commenced playing
Yankee Doodle. Quanire!l moved also; but the
quick eye Of BIount disc oveIcd something wrong
were under full ga!lOp, and down they swept upon
the brilliant c0rtege like an avalanche ANA hurled
them to the earth. The etruggle was short and
fierce; the shock terrific, As guerilla rode over both
horse and his fidcr and dashed out the brains Of
the latter as he passed. Again and again they
turned and fred, charged and recharged, until the
ground was streWn with the dead, ainbuances
overturned, and horses lying maiiy in every direc-
tiOn. Here occurred one of those thrilling incl
dents, one Of those marvellous episodes that ca,,se
whole nations sometimes 10 pause with breathess
wonder, and whole armies to halt and gaze with
amaZeifent and admiration
Lieut. Col. Curtis, Aijutant General on General
B!ount's staff, rode magnificent horse, richly ca
parisoHed, aud was himself dressed In the richest
uniform of his rank. lie was n remarkably hand
some man, fair and rosy, eyes blue as those of the
fairest blonde of his own CLINE; pale, fair tall ,
slender fgure--Wtth features beautiful as those
of woman. He was well armed with pistol and
sabre, and ;lssd them calamity. Ic sees that his
force is defeated, and determines u escape. But
as he turns his hOrse's head he encounters the
fierce eye of a young guerrilla as handsome, rs
brave and well armed as himself, bearing right
do4n upon him. He observes the Adjt. General
endeavoring to escape; calls to him TO stop and
fight. He does turn to meet the guerilla now
swOoping down upon him like an eagle on its prey.
The Yankee fires long range gun--but misses his
aim; he draws his six shooter and rapidly, nervous
ly discharges the contents at his adversary, who all
this time IL gaining him and dasns straight ut
him,
As an eagle swoops down on his prey, gracefully
and grandy fefocious, beautiful even In the act
of dgstructou so does Peyton Long, the Young
hero, gallanty bear down on the "cuie" Yankee;
he reserves every shot, while Curtis Is wasting his;
he dashes upon him-both pause for an instant, as
If in mntual admiratiOn-but only for moment.
Peyton Long watches his antagonist, and sways
his body tO the left to escape the sabre cut of the
Yankee; the next instant the inevitable six shooter
of the guerilla Is pointed 10 the head of the spen
did looking fellow; II Is the work of an instant;
PcytOD strikes like IN eagle, and all is Over
chi f1riu q
who mad ceased the fight To watch the encounter
between this well matched couple.
Long saw his antagonist fail heavily TO the earth,
and his noble heart essayed 10 pity and assist him
but the stern mandate, the inexible canon of the
cuerla's creed kill and spare not the Yankees, -
The order Of Gen BlOunt Outlawins every guerilla,
written by those hands before him and approved by
that futterng heart, dried up the fountain of com
miseration aBd brought him back to himself and
his duty.
The fight was over, although the Feds continued
to fire random shots from their artillery In the Fort.
The fruits Of this victory were In killed, three Ma
ioTs, one Lieutenant Colonel, five Captains, several
Lieutendnts, every member of BlOunts staff, and
two hundred privates; all of BlOunt's papers and
personal effects, several ambutances and large
Number of horses were captured. The loss OF The
gucr HAS was one or two wounded and some horses
killed.
DEATH OF CoNFEngRArB MINIsTER.-Rev.
Isaac Lewis, .thOdist minister who for forty
years has been preacher Of the Gospel in Knox
vile, died there last week. The following is from
a letter describing his last hours:
The evening before he died the privacy OF his
quiet bed room was Invaded by the rude knock OF
the Yankee soidiety at his door. One OF them,
when the door was opened, inquired "h that id
Old rebel spy was not dead yet.tiie Rouse y
wanted for a haspitaI." He was told 10 come and
saa t;,r himself H,. entered, and nothing aWed ty