Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-11-20
KIDNAPPING GRANT.
A Story OF theSsvicksbure Cam
palgn.

ened at other points, Governor AL
len, of Louisiana, conceived the des-
perate idea Of capturing the person
Of General Grant. He believed that
Grant was the evil genius of the Con-
federacy, and that if he could be kill
ed or taken prisoner, the seige of
Vicksburg could be raised and the
Federal army driven back. He sent
for Joe Lee and impaired to him his
thoughts, and asked him if he could
devise q plan. 1t was readily taken
to by Lee, who Immediately proposed
to execute the daring enterprise. AT
that time-that is in the Spring of
lS64-Grant and his army were en-
camped At Milligan's Bend, near
Young's Point, on the Mississippi,
some eighteen miles above Vicksburg
General Grants headquarters were
in the dwelling house that belonged
to . magnificent plantation, much of
which can be seen from the deck OF
passing steamer. Joe Lee proposed
to 60 to that house and bring away
the body of
GENERAL GRANT, DEAD OR ALIVE.
He chose five out OF his most trusty
men. They were the two James
brothers, two of the Younger brothers
and John Jarrett. These, with him.
self, made six. There never were ak
better men for such an expedition.
They were young, strong, and as
brave as the bravest. They had al
ready seen all there is in war. They
had been tried in the most trying
places; had suffered all manner Of
hardships; did not care much wheth-
err they lived or died +; were the quick
est and best shots in the world, and
rode the feetest horses in the land.
1t was just before the Federal army
sent out on that surprising march
down the west side of the river. The
country was all full of marshes,
bayous, and morasses, so that the nat
ural advantages for the execution Of
the plot were good. The plan was
for Joe Lee and his five trusty follow
ers to dress up in full Federal uni
form, ride on horseback to Milligan's
Bend, go direct to the house where
Grant was stopping, rueh in and Sc
cure his person, put him on spare
horse and then escape to the swamps
which were near by. On one Satur.
day evening late the party set out
from Dickson's house near Delhi, and
rode towards the Mississippi. There
was not soul on earth besides them
selves and Governor Allen that knew
Of their desperate mission. 1t was
something over twenty-five miles
they had to go, and the night was a
dark one, but long before day they
were
AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODS
that border on the plantation on
which Grant was quartered. There
was no enemy to attack from the west
side, and there was no particular pre-
caution about guards. The pickets
were passed before sun-up,. and,
while the general was yet asleep, the
guerillas rode boldly through the
open field toward the house. There
they were-six men-seven horses.
The empty saddle for the comman-
der of the hundred thousand men
who were camped about in every di-
rection. They approached in almost
stones throw of the house, when
they met negro. They were discov-
cred. 1t was An old man whom these
very men had run away from Delhi
not ten days before. He knew them
all and Immediately gave the alarm.
In moment there was q great tumult
and the six guerillas had nothing to
do but save their lives. They broke
through the field and in the twink
ling of an eye were back in the woods
but not until a hundred shots had
been fired after them. Before the
sun went down they were safe al
their favorite rendezvous. Thus wat
frustrated one of the most daring
plots of the war. It is not probable
that General Grant took any particu.
lar notice of the affair, and it is not a,
all probable that he has ever realized
the valuable services of the old color.
ed man. What Interpretation the
officers of the army put upon the
presence of the strange and hostile
men vt such time and place, is mo-
known, but if there were any doubtl
as to their mission, this bit of history
may serve to remove them.
| The Fairfield Ledger has the fol
lowing account of q narrow escape O
an employe of the c., D. & G.: "Pa
trick Kennedy, stone macon, who il
working on the c., B. & Q. bridges
is one OF the few men who have col
lided with q railroad engine and es
capped with life. Last Friday. Will,
he was at work on q bridge between
Mitchell's crossing and Cedar, he hac
occasion tn cross to the opposite sid,
of the track. just as he reached tn,
rails freight train seventeen, COINS
west, came in sight, and before Patricl
could get out Of the way q collision
occurred, in which he cane out SECOND
best. Some part Of the engine strucl
him just back Of the hips, and liftinf
him up, threw him a clear twenty feet
and to the ground below the bridge
When picked up he was insensibl,
from the shock, and was brought tt
town as soon as possible, and DR.
Mohr called. An examination devel
oped the astonishing fact that NJ
bones were broken, and that, asid'
r from the sudden shock and few
scratches and bruises, caused by tn
fall, Kennedy was all right. He i
now at his lodgings at the Contra
house, and grows better every day
but has no desire to interview anoth
or engine from behind. He'd risk
boot first"
THE CRAIG NATTER.
, Suits Brought Against two Bur
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