The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-12-07
a WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A Southern Yarn.
TFrom the Midway Suu.1

lFrom the Midway SUM-
On or about the night of November 1,
1864, company OF guerrillas, supposed
to be under the direction of the Confed-
crate army, came through this neighbor
hood and engaged in their deviltry. =
Among them were James Clark, alias
''s5ue Mundy," since hung in louisville;
one armed Sam Berry, who has since
died at Sing Sing, New York, and other
notorious villains. They came from
Bardistown to the old Adam Harper
farm, two miles from Midway, and sur
rounded the house. Old Mr.. Adam Har-
per and his wife had not at that time
been dead but q few years. The four
children, Betsy, Jake, Adam and John,
were all living at the house at the time
(none Of them having ever married, } and
were all at home. The guerrillas, sur
rounding the house, demanded some
thing to eat, and, representing them
selves to be soldiers trying to get out of
the State, were entertained. They came
into the house, took possession, shot and
killed Adam Harper, not knowing that
any one else was there. After finding
that there were three men in the house,
all celebrated for their daring and brave
ry, the guerrillas got out of the house
and hastened away, without getting any
money or valuables. One of them, Berry,
was shot in the hip by John Harper.
Since that tragedy Betsy and Jake Har
per have been murdered, and the only
remnen5 of the family, John Harper,
the owner of Longfellow, Ten Brock,
and other celebrated racers, has died
broken-hearted and decrepit old man.
The farm has passed into the hands of
Mr.. Frank Harper and with it all of the
horses, etc.
After this fearful tragedy, every
body i'll the neighborhood were e1-
cited, and many cried out for revenge.
Now let it be borne in mind that these
guerrillas had no connection with the
Confederate army. The matter received
the attention Of the Federal authorities
at Lexington, Gen. Burbridge in COM
mand. Against the most earnest pro
testations of the Harpers and of the best
citizens, this old cruel officer or
dered a lot cast among large company
of Confederate prisoners then in bond
age in Lexington, by which lot four men
were to be selected to be shot at the
door of the Harper place in retaliation.
The lot fell upon four young men, bright
and boyant with life and health, save
one, who was sick and disabled. His
brother, out OF compassion for him, took
the lot upon himself of one of the party
in order to minister to his wants, not
knowing what was ahead. The poor,
unfortunate victims Of Burbridge's mean
venom, did not know for what purpose
they were being singled out, and never
thought of death until they arrived at
the fatal spot. They left Lexington by
way of the old Leestown road for Mid
way. It was ascertained before the
soldiers left Lexing gton, that Mr.. Harper
would not sanction the shooting on his
farm, aid it was determined to shoot
them in Midway. They were drawn up
at spot below the present depot, in the
rear of the house now occupied by Mr..
Newton (Which has since been built) and
there they first surmised their fate
With stern coolness the officer N COM
mand of the company detailed to do the
heinous bidding of old Burbridge, Or
dered the citizens to go down to the spot
and witness the shooting. A few were
thus, by compulsion, made witnesses of
the crimo. The poor men were placed
on the death line, and the soldiers killed
them outright. One of them gave
hideous scream when the bullets pierced
his body. They were buried on the
spot, in trench about eighteen inches
deep, and blanket was thrown over the
pile of corpses, and they were lightly
covered over with earth. By permission
the citizens here obtained good coffins,
and removed the bodies to the burying
ground, where they now rest, and erect
ed tombstone over their graves.
The excitement created in this whole
section was unbounded. Some approx
ed of the murder, others denounced the
atrocity.