The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-08-22
SAVED BY HIS WIFE.
A Thrilling "Reminiscences of QuanireIl's
Raid.

SAVED by HIS WIFE.
A Thrilling "Reminiscences OF Quanirell's
Raid.
AT the Methodist Preachers meet
ing, at the Methodist Book Concern,
at Cincinnati, Oct. 18th, Rev. Mr..
Fisher of the Pittsburg Conference,
was introduced as "the man who was
wonderfully saved during Quantrclls
raid by the heroism of his wife"
Methodist Preachers always have
time to relate or hear Gan cXpcr-
icnce," and such an introduction, of
course, set a dozen or more Of them
calling for the story, which the Doe
tor reluctantly consented to tell.
After some preliminary remarks,
DR.. Fisher began the story Said he:
81 was always an anti-slavery man of
the most ANTI kind, and after |
moved to Kansas, without any prom
inence having been sworn to my SEN
timcnts by myself | found myself
the object of the most vindictive ha-
tired of the pro-slavery party of the
region where | resided. My life was
unsuccessfully sought several times.
When the war broke out | went as a
Chaplain. Most of the male mem
bers of my church went to the war,
and l went as one of Jim Lanes
Chaplains.
The news of my connection with
the army, and of my being put in
charge of contrabands who were sent
to Kansas, got abroad and the rebels
hated me worse than ever. They
got my photograph and distributed
it throughout the country, and it was
fixed among them that was to be
shot whenever they found me. Once
when l was sent up the river with
body of contrabands, not being well,
| went home for little rest. was
living at Lawrence. The town had
Il few guns in the armory, ard there
was an understanding with the farm
crs of the surrounding country
that upon the ringing Of an alarm,
they should come in and defend the
town, but the coming of Z .antreli
and his men was complete surprise.
When the alarm was rung the arSen-
al was already captured and on fire.
| was in bed. and head about three
o'clock in the morning horses gallOp
ing very rapidly away, and woke my
wife, telling her that it was singular
that horses should be galloping 50
fast so early in the morning; but she
said she guessed it was some farmers
who had been in to a railroad meet |
ing the evening before, and were
hurrying back to their work. We
lay and talked for some time. The
children were going out that morn
ing to get some grapes, and my wife
thought she would call them earlier
than usual, and herein, brethren, |
see the hand of Providence. 1t was
not yet daylight, but day was dawn
ing. Having called the children, she
went and looked out Of the front
door, and instantly called me: "Pa,
the rebels are in town." | said that
could not be; but nevertheless, /
sprang from the bed and ran to the
door.
There they were just across the
green, and just then they shot the
United Brethren preacher, as he was
milking his cow in his barn-yard. |
rushed back into the house; my wife
caught up her babe. l have four
BOYS; one was on my wife's breast,
another was by her side, and the two
oldest were twelve and fourteen
years old. We all rushed up the lot
in which our house stood. Then |
left my wife, and with the two oldest
boys ran up the hill; but something
seemed to tell me that l was running
away from safety. So told the
boys to run on, and [ would 60 back
to mother. 1t was then in the grey
light of morning, and the rebels had
divided into little squads, and were
ransacking the town, killing every
man they found, and burning houses.
My boys separated, my oldest getting
with neighbours boy, Robert Win
ton, and while the two were running
for life, the soldiers saw them and
fired a volley, killing poor Bobby,
and frightening my boy almost to
death. He ran in and hid among
some graves in the graveyard. My
younger son ran off on the prairie.
In fixing up my cellar l had
thrown up bank of earth near the
entrance, and crept down there and
laid myself between the mound of
earth and the wall in such way
that the earth would partially screen
me. / lay up close to the kitchen
floor. | had not been there long
when four of QuantrelI's men rode up
% the house and demanded admit
Snce. My wife went to the front
\or and let them in. They demand
Whether was not in the house or
6};he cellar. She replied: "My hus-
Y Ia and two older boys ran off as
y b as the firing began The lead
- wore that he knew l was in the
Aar. My wife replied that she had
two young children by her and that
Vhe did not want any more oaths ut
sred before them. you have doubt
my word she replied; you can
Sfor yourselves | lay SO near
,or that I could hear every word
3 s said. The men demanded a
ne replied that We didn't
Us. Then they wanted
She SAID we hadn't any.
Aen, with an oath what
She replied that we
in lamp. Then
; lamp, and my wife
vi the men in their
II. turned the wick
!. ca Milling to light
,ugh ed on my wife
n w 4be ligh. "P'