Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-05-06
The Great Isccg Contract.

Mark Twain in the last Galary gives the
following particulars respecting the great
beef contract how it was made, and the
difficulties attending its collection
In a few words as possible wish to lay
before the nation what share, howsoever
small, have had in this matter this mat
ter which has so exercised the public mind
engendered SO much ill-!eeling, and so Fl He'd
the newspapers of both continents with dis
torted statements and ex,ravagant com
ments.
The origin of this distressful thing was
tiis-and | assert here that every fact in
he following resume can be amply proved
by the official records of the general gov
ernment.
John Wilson Mackenzie, of Rotterdam,
Chemung county, New jersey, deceased,
contracted with the general government, ON
or about the 10th dav of October. 1861, to
furnish General Sherman, the sum total of
thirty barrels of beef Very well. He start
cd after General Sherman with the beef, but
when he got to Washington General Sher
man had gone to Manassas; so lie took the
beef and followed him there, but arrived too
late; be followed him to Nashville, and
from Nashville to Chattanooga, and from
Chattanooga to Atlanta-but he could nev.
er overtake him. At Atlanta he took
fresh start and followed him clear through
his march to the sea. He arrived too late
again by few days, but hearing that Sher-
man was going OCT on the Quaker City ex-
curson to tie Holy Land, he took shipping
fer Beirut. calculating to head off the other
vessel. When he arrived in Jerusalem with
his beef, he learned that Sherman had not
sailed in the Quaker City, bu. had gone to
the plains to fight the Indians. He return
ed to America ard started for the Rocky
Mountains. Alter eighteen days of ardu-
rous travel on the Plains. and when he lad
got within four miles of Sherman's head
quarters. he was tomahawked and scalped,
and the Indians got the beef They got all
Of it but one barrel. Sherman's army cap.
tured that, and so, even in death, the bold
navigator partly f.liilled his contract. In
his will, which he had kept like journal,
he bequeathed the contract to bis son Bar
tholomew W. Bartholomew W. made out
the following bill and then died:
THE UNITED STATES,
In acct. with John Wilson Mackenzie
of New Jersey. deceased Tr.
To thirty barrels of beef for General
Sherman "a 100 s 5000
To travelling expenses and transporta
tion 1900
Total Sl7,OG0
Rec'd Paymt.
He died then; but he lef, the contract to
Wm. j. Martin, who tried to collect ii, but
died before he got through. lie lett it to
Baker j. Allen, ard he tried to collect il
also. He did not survive. Baker J. Allen
left i, to Anson G. Rogers, who attempted
to collect it, and got along as far as the
Ninth Auditors office. when death, the
Great Leveler. came all unsummoned, and
foreclosed on him also. He left the bill to
relative of his in Connecticut, Vengeance
Hopkins by name, who lasted four weeks
and two DAYS, and made the best time on
record, coming within one ofreaching the
Twelfth Auditor. In his will he gave the
bill to his uncle, by the name OF O-be.j joyful
johnson. 1t was too undermining for JOY
full. His last words were: sweep not for
me, lam willing to CO." And so he was,
poor soul. Seven people inherited the COG
tract after that. But they all died. So it
came into my hands at last. 1t fell TO me
through relative by the name Of Hubbard,
Bethlehem Hubbard, of Indiana, lie had
had grudge against me for long time;
hut in his last moments he sent for me, and
forgave me everything, aud weeping, gave
me the beef contract.
This ends the history Of It up to the tiae
that succeeded to the property. ! will
now endeavog % set myself straight hefaro