Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-11-24
WHOLE NUMBER 1913.


I have had hundreds Of hair-breadth
escapes for my life; but know there is
a meTciful God that knows and does ali
things right-an au-powerful hand has
protected me. I have been twenty
times suddenly walked, and fed from
my bed, when a shower of Yankee balls
would riddle the bed had sprang out
Of. have had my clothes torn from
my body with Yankee bullets, but two
only ever drew blood from me.
wish to say thatI saw a Republican
of June last, which contains some char
ges against me that are not true. It
speaks Of many crueIties committed by
Hilderbrand in Galloway county which
are utterly untrue. Inever was in Cal
lOway county in my life. It also char
ges me with cruelty to a little boy.
That is also false. I never harmed a
woman or child in my life. I warred
only with men who had made war on
me. I was also accused Of taking stock
of Jim McLane to the amount Of S., 900.
The neighbOrs all know that Jim Nc
Lane always lived from hand to mouth,
and never had anything to be stolen or
taken from him. wish to add few
remarks to explain my late troubles.
After the excitement about the war
and its troubles seemed to die out, and
men seemed disposed to heal over past
sores, in the spring of 1858, Icame back
/ to st. Francois county, and talked to
many Of the good people of the county
concerning the propriety ofreturning to
my old home. All spoke to Of all par
ties said, 'Sam come hOme.D
I came back in good faith. I moved
to my mothers old place and lived
there six months. I then moved to
HilIsboro and stayed there until last
fall. Finding it hard to make q living
there, I moved on the Mississippi Riv-
er, near Rush Tower, and chopped wood
all last winter. I then moved back to
the Three Rivers, on the Sam Herd
place, to raise a crop. There lived and
worked until the fourth of June last,
when was waylaid and shot by Jim
McIane, or Walter Evans and two 9TH
ers, that or my friends may yet call to
account.
Jim Mclane, McQuin and others way
laid my house to murder me in April
last, for several days. On the fourth ot
June I was shot through the thigh al
my house.
I went to my uncle Williams, where
they attacked me six days after. They
shot all day at me there. Iselected jim
bIcLane, whom I knew only by descrip
tiOn and Slot him from the house. Sherit
/ Breckenridge and the balance of his par
ty took good care Of their scalps after
had killed McLane. It was then thre
O'Clock, and as I had eaten no breakfas
or dinner, I cooked my supper and at
it while they kept firing at me. / wa
often amused to see my old aunt vii
Iiams lodging the balls as they came il
through the cracks. They fired the
house, and as I went out I counted thir
ty-five men that were guarding the
burning house. I saw George Doggett
Asa Jackson, 10. McGahan and Hills
boy. When the house got too hot fol
comfort, I left it and walked within siz
feet of some of the guard.-They seem.
ed blind, or at least they did not offer tc
shoot me.
I wish to say to the Radicals in anC
about Pennington to beware how they
mistreat my wife and children, as heal
they have them under arrest by order o.
the drunken Bowen, and I will say tc
Bob Hill and 10. McGahan to walk
smoothly and not let my family suffer
They helped kill my brothers, but they
have not yet killedme.
jim McLane was a tool in the hands
of that infamous creature and coward
| Gust st. Genevieve, who will some day
no matter where he may hide himself
fhave to answer for many crimes he
planned and was too cowardly to execute
but got others to do them for him. Nc,
Lane murdered Judge Burk, of St. &C.
nevieve, and preacher Polk, over eighty
Il years of age.
I wish to say to Gov. McClung thai
| I could have easily killed him while he
was in Pennington if had wanted tC
do so but I look on him as a gentleman
and that he is mislead by listening tc
the lies from the bad men, who are Rad
icals.
\ All I have written Is every word true
do not want to be killed yet awhile
neither do I wish to kill any one if they
will let me alone. Ny enemies have
charged me with being a thief during
the war. was not. All that fairly
captured I gave away to the widows anC
orphans who had been robbed and were
suffering.
Twill refer to any honest man who
knew me, whether [ was not a homes
man. In the latter part of August the
Radical Government of Missouri haC
four or five hundred armed men hunt
ing me down, and declared martial law
What tempest one poor hunted MAJ
can raise! Itis because of guilty con
cienccs. They know the wrongs they
did and knew that vengeance should fall
upon the guilty.
have had two bushels OF Radical bull
lets shot at me, but only two ever drew
blood. The old Indian when he fired
fourteen shots at General Washington
and missed him every shot, said that the
Great Spirit had turned the balls aside
God has turned away the bullets simet
at my life, and put my trust in Hin
and believe the balance of my days vii
be spent more happily.
am in fine spirits and good health as
ever I was. My wound is entirely heal
ed, and I am good for many years oflif,
if my foes allow me TO live in peace
and if they do not, on them be the con
sequences.
Let spies and infOrmers keep at = saG,
, distance from me. I do not think I car
be easily trailed, but still it is safest 70
any person that has o desire to hunt VI
Z Hnderbrand, to let that alone. Remem
j Der the greenhorn that started out t,
+ hunt grizzly bears in California.
In order that those who know me, mt
/. my family may know thst the writer q
n This u "E9uan Hu9eFhrRad. and Nat