The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-04-25
WILD BILLS STORY.


l.
WILD BILLS STORY.
A writer in Harper's Mon hly
gives an interesting account of the
career of q frontiersman named
"Wild Bill" during the war. He
was a man of tremendous physical
strength, which had been devel-
oped@nd trained by his mode Of
life, and that he was an unerring
shot. The substantial facts of the
affair were told the writer by an
officer of. the regular army, who,
an hour after it occurred, saw Bill
and his ten dead opponents. The
story as told by Bill himself is as
follows:
at was in 81, when / guided a
detachment of cavalry who were
coming in from Camp Floyd. We
had nearly reached the Kansas
line, and were in South Nebraska,
when one afternoon | went out Of
the camp to go to the cabin Of an
old friend of mine, Mrs. Wal
than. / took only one Of my re-
volvers with me, for although the
war had broken out, I didn't think
it necessary to carry both my pis-
tolls, and in all ordinary scrimma.
ges, one is better than a dozen, ef
you shoot straight. l saw some
wild turkeys on the road as l was
goin down and popped one of 'em
over, thinking he'd be just the
thing for supper.
"Well. I rode up to Mrs. Wal,
tham's, jumped off my horse, and
went into-the cabin, which is like
most of the cabins on the prairie,
with only one room, and that had
two doors, one opening in front,
and t'other in the yard, like.
How are you, Mrs. Waltham p
l said, feeling as jolly as you
please.
"The minute she saw me she
turned as white as a sheet and
screamed; "Is that you, Bill? Oh,
my God |! they will kill you! Run
run They will kill you !"
"Who's a.goin to kill me ?" said
1. "There's two can play at that
game"
"It's M'Kandlas and his gang
There's ten Of them, and you've nc
chance. They've jest gone down
the road to the rn-rick, They
came up here only five minutes
ago. M'Kandlas was dragging
poor Parson Shipley on the grounc
with a lariat round his neck, The
preacher was most dead with chok
ing and the horses stamping OF
him. M'Kandlas knows yer bring
ing in that party of Yankee caval
ry, and he swears he'll cut your
heart out. Run, Bill, runl But
it's too late; they are coming up the
lane"
eWhile she was talking l re.
membered | had but one revolver
and load gone out OF that. Or
the table there was a horn of pow
der and some little bars of lead. ]
poured some powder r.into the emp
ty chamber and rammed the lead
after it by hammering the barre
on the table, and had just capped
the pistol when l heard M'Kandlat
shout:
"There's that id Yank Wild
Bills Horse; he's here; and wei
skin him alive"
If / thought of runnin' before
it war too late now, and the house
was my best bolt--a sort of fortress
like, | meyer thought l should
leave that room alive"
The scout stopped in his story
rose from his seat; strode back and
forward in q state of great excite
ment.
Il tell you what it is, Kernel y
he resumed, after q while, ii DOM
mind a scrimmage with these fell
lows round here. Shoot one OF
two of them and the rest run away
But all of M'Kandlas' gang were
reckless, blood. thirsty devils, who
would fight as long as they had
strength to pull trigger. | have
been in tight places, but that's one
of the few times | said my prayers
"Surround the house and give
him no quarter p yelled MKand
las. When l heard that, | felt az
quiet and cool as if / was a.goin
to church. l looked round The
room and saw a Hawkins rife
hanging over the bed.
ais that loaded ?" said | to Mrs
Waltham.
EYES," tho poor thing whispered
She was SO frightened she couldnt
speak out loud.
"Are you sure?" said !, as J
Jumped to the bed and caught j
from it's hooks. Although my eyt
did not lsavethe door, yet ] could
see she nodded yes again. ] pul
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