Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-11-20
Death Of Con. NJ. M. Parsons


sketches of ehelby and his men in
Mexico, we take the following:
Gen. NJ. NJ. Parsous had COM
manded division of Missouri infan-
try with great credit to himself, aud
with great honor to the State. He
was soldier of remarkable personal
beauty, of great dash in battle, of
unsurpassed horse,nanship, and of
that graceful and natural suayity of
manner which cndeared him alike to
his brother officers and to the men
oTcr whom he was placed in COM
nland. His brother-iu-law; Col. III.
S,andish, was his chief OF staff, and
frank, fearless young officer, whom
the MiSsourians knew and admired.
Capt. Aaron IL. Conrow had before
the war represented Caldwell county
i'll the Legislature, and had, during
the war, been elected to the Confed-
crate Congress. With these three
men were three brave and faithful
young Irish soldiers, James Mooney.
Patrick Langdon and Michael Mon
arthy-six i'll all, who; for the crime
OF being Americans, had TO die.
Following i'll the rear of Shclby's
expedition in the vain hope of over
taking 1t, they reached the ncighbor-
hood of Pedras Negras too late to
cross the Rio Grando there. a strong
body of guerrillas had moved up in
to the town and occupied it imructii-
ately after Shelby's withdrawal.
Crossing the river, however, lower
down; they had entered Mexico in
safety, and had won their perilous
way to Monterey without serious loss
or molestatiou. Not content to go
further ut that time, and wishing TO
return 10 CamargO for purposes OF
communication with Texas, they
availed themselves of the protection
offs train Of supply wagons sent by
Janningros, heavily guarded by In
perial Mexican soldiers, to Mata-
moras. Jsnningros gave them safe
conduct as far as possible, and some
good advice as we'll, which advice
simply warned them against trusting
anything whatever to Mexican cour-
aye OF Mexican faith.
The wagon train and its escort
advanced we'll OH their way to Mata-
moras-well enough at least to be
beyond the range of French succor
should the worst come to the W worst. j..
But Oh the evening Of the fourth day,
in a narrow deiilc at the crossing of
an exceedingly rapid and dangerous
strt am, the escort was FIJI ously Il. .
sailed by a large body of Juarists.
checked at once, and tinally driven
back. Gen. Parsons and his party
retreatcd with the rest until the
nights camp was reached, when Il
little council of war was called by the
Americans. Courow and Standish
were i'll favor of abandoning tho trip
for the present. especially as the
whole country was aroused and in
waiting for the train, and more espe.
cislly as the guerriilas, attracted by
the scent of plundcr, were swarming
upon the roads and i'll ambush by
every pass and beside the fords OF
every stream. Gen. Parsons over
ruled them, and determined TO make
the venture as soon as tho moon
arose, i'll the direction of Camargo.
None took ISSUE with him further.
Accustomed to exact obedience, much
of the old soldieriy spirit was still in
existence and SO they followed him
blindly and with alacrity. At day
light the next morning the entire
party was captured. Believing,
however, that file Americans were
but the advance of larger and mere
formidable party, the MeXicans nci-
ther dismUunted nor disarmed them.
While at breakfast. and at the word
of command from Gen. Parsons, the
whole six gailopcd oil under II fierce
fire of musketry, unhurt, battling all
pursuit, and gaining some good
hours advantage over their captors.
1t availcd them nothing, however.
About noon of the second day they
were again captured, this time falling
into the hands of Figucroa, robbcr
chief as notorious among the Mexi-
cans as Dupin was among the French.
Short shrift came Afterwards. Col.
Standish was shot first. When told
| Of the fate intended for him, he badc
goodbye to his comrades, knelt a
few moments i'll silent prayer, and
then stood up firmly, facing his muir
dcrcrs. At the discharge Of the
muskctry platoon, hc was dead be-
fore ho touched the ground. Two
bullets pierced his generous and
dauntless heart.
Captain Aaron II. Conrow died
next. He expected 10 mercy, and hc
made no plea for life. a request TO
be permitted TO write a few lines to
his wife was denied him, Figucroa
savaSely ordering the execution to
proceed. The firing party shortened
the distance between it and their vic
tim, placing him but three feet away
from the muzzles of their muskets.
Like Standish he refused to have his
eyes bandaged. Knowing but few
words OF Spanish, he called out in
his brave, quick fashion, and in his
own language, "Fire !" and the deaf h
he got was certain and instantaneous.
lie fell within q few PAGES of his
comradc, death like him before he
touched the ground.
The last moments of the three
young Irish soldiers had now come.
They had seen the stern killing Of
Standish and Conrow, and they
neither trcmbled nor turncsl pale. 1t
can do no good to ask what thoughts
were theirs, and if from over the
waves of tho wide Atlantic some
visions came that wcrc strangely and
sadly out Of place in front OF the
Ah al