Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-25
DOWN TEXAS.
Southern Talk about Kirby Smith,
GoneraI Holmes, Quantren and 9th
Iron Views AfoOt,' by a Correspondent Of the
Cincinnati Commercially
December 8, 1855.

December 8, 1865.
Dissatisfied with the comfertless loOk of
the hotel (the rain having held up), 1 set
on again and walked to Mr.. Flournoy's
place, which adjoins the Texas line. -
This gentleman Ia fine specimen of the
genuine genial Southern planter tells me
Kirby Smith had spent much time at this
plaee-that in his opinion the stories of
the Generals cotton speculation are all
fabrication He believes Smith, on the
contrary, to be one of the purest of South
ern leaders. "Well for the South had all
her Generals been as honest as Kirby
Smith. His wife, while they stayed here,
had an elegant little pony carriage, q
present from some admirer of the General,
and one day she informed the General
that she had traded it with my daughter
for six bales of cotton. This was in jest.)
That won't do, Madam, was the response;
! even so small q transaction in my family
would be alarmingly magnifed-six bales
would spring to six thousand The Cen
eral had given the Alexanders about him
some profitable contracts, and one day one
of them made him a present of a check for
| $500 in gold. This check was all the
properly l believe him to have possessed
when he left here.p
Mine host continued: Holmes who pre-
ceded Kirby Smith in this department, was
q notorious old granny. Colonel Shelby
was called before him one morning, his
head trembling on his shoulders, with a
sort of rieketty affection. "Oolonsl Shelby,
1 hear bad reports of you, sir-Very bad.
You are an outlaw, am told that your
men are robbing and plundering citizens"
"Who tells you Sc, GensralFh inquired
the Colonel.
"Oh, everybody" was the reply-"eYery-
body, and you know what everybody says
must be true"
"Well, | don't knew about that, Gen.
eral, !" responded Shelby, with a twinkle in
his eye. ~ should be sorry to believe that
what everybody says must always be the
truth, for the fact Is, sir, that everybody
says you are nothing but a damned old
foolf'
Nj. Flournoy was strong on Holmes
weakness.
Once Holmes and staff called at the
house of an old planter to stay all night
The old planter was not very cordial (hRv-
ing suffered from soldiers lately, and the
party, without making themselves knewn-
attempted to eonciliate him, while tbeil
General was industriously eating, keeping
both ears open, however, to enjoy the con.
versation. The planter didn't seem in
clined to melt at first but at last conde.
scended to ask questions (rather than an
swer any quite familiarly. Having salts
fed himself as to the whereabouts of al
tho prominent military characters in whom
he seemed particularly interested, he sud
denly turned, and to the great consterna.
tien of his complaissnt guests, the staff sit
ting sHeog., together with their General
himself also unconfessed inquired, "And
where, now, is that did old fool, Holmes
I wonderp
Ny host explained how Quantrell went
back to Missouri from Texas. He had
been marauding and plundering after his
return with his men round Red River
when Gen. Smith summoned him, and,
when he was seated, informed him our
teously that he must consider himself
under arrest. aWhyf" He had been
plundering the citizens and he was an
outlaw. While they sat talking, Smiths
servant announced dinner, when the Gen.
eral, rising, invited Quantrell to accom-
pany him, but Quantrell replying that he
did not feel like eating anything, Smith
left him, requesting him to remain until
his return. While the General was ab.
sent, however, Quantrell slipped off, leay-
ing behind the following note: ~ start
with my oommand to Missouri. You need
not try to intercept, for we are all deter
mined not to Be taken alice.
"Yet," added my host, "from his face,
you would not judge Quantrell to be the
desperate he was. OF slight stature and
gentle mien for all that, with the great
est dash and daring he knocked the heads
of his desperate men Win the butt OF his
pistol when they grew d~isorderly."