The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-12-27
a Pnthetfc Sforu 4of ne Uar.
The GuerfIIa,s Wife. who Became a
sister Of Mercy.

.bere rode mn TO the old but comfortable /
farm house of Andrew Harris, near lnde- 4
peudence Mo. a hand of seventy men, arm
ed to the teeth with shot guns and revoivers
They were all strong aud young, and had an /
fYr,concerned air of determined bravery.
They all sat up well on their horses, were
young and hardy looking a few were but I
ttSTs -vTlJjle>crhsrS had boards aud long hair. /
They were dressed in divers styles-some in /
red blue or checked flannel shirts, others /
wore coats All had boots coming up over I
the pantalnons above the knee, and most ,
with big spurs at tee heels. Their horses |
were magnificent and we'll decl1ed off with /
fine saddles and snowy hriSles. AT the
head of the company rode p small man with !
a pale face, light, short hair, blue eyes, and !
n slight moustache 1t was Quantrell and
his men Who needs to be told who they
were, or what they were? Not such robbers.
nor friehtfnl-looking people, as some would
imagine but bad enough indeet. They
opened the gate of the barn-yard and went
fIl and dismounted, having left guard for
the hill half mile hack. They pulled down
the hay, opened the corp-crib, and made
themselves at home without saying word
10 Andrew arris, the good old farmer they
had come to despoil. But he was not dis
turhed-he was ready to give them all he
had for he was one of that numerous class
who lived in that section that was but too
ready 80 succor anybody whose mission It
was 10 f ght the Kansas JayhawRers. The
gUerillas then found Mr.. Harris a friend,
warm and ready to aid them even at the
risk of his life. 0uantrell was then invited
to take dinner at the house with the family,
and his officers were invited to come with
him. 6ne who went was john McKeene,
! in courage or stature the peer OF any mao
in the command and one OF the great gueril-
/ In chieftaiu 8 most trusted councillors. lie
! had become famous for daring deeds as well
as a handsome appearance. He had come
/ from C5ass county. and i'm the breaking cut
/ OF the war his father and two brothers had
been killed bv Jennison' men from Kansas.
| McKeene took oath that no grass should
grow under his feet in pursuit of the mnr
-derers of his father and brothers, and he
kept his oath with frightful vengeance.
There was then, instead of fear, enthusi-
asm at The house of Andrew Harris on the
September day that Quautreli came TO forage
on him. Never were corn, hay and oats. as
well as food for the men, given away with =
better good will. But Andrew Harris was
| not alone in his hospitality. HIS wife had a
! son with Price, and another buried on the
field of Wilson's Creek. She was therefore
doing a labor of love. And there was an
/ other the only child left at home, p girl of
seventeen years old, who, like many OF her
Sex in that time and country, had wished
hundred times that she we're man, that she
might go into the war. Her name, young
, as she was, had beer spoken throughout half
/ aIIundred counties. She was known az every
( ederal post IL the State, and the aHthoTf-
ties had often threatened 10 ba.niSh or i'm
1 prison her. AS a womaR, she was fully as
notorious as John McKeeue was as a man. .
They had heard of each other many time,
aud had longed to see each OtEer. he had
said she was the braEest vonan'iu Missouri;
she had said he was the bravest man of all
the rough.riders of the border. Conseque n t
u when they met at her fathers table, 1t
'wRs q cordial meeting, and each was more
than pleased.
AS the sun went down Quantrell and bis
men rode away, and as they passed along in
front of the house Annie stood at the gate
and received a salute from each one.
nt, -, oil oSx-in mo bAfDrn
I had come up, the advance guard OF the ptiT-
suiug FedeTaSs came mp -to'the house of An
drew Harrisin hot pursuit. Whey had beer
told bv dozen friendly citizens OF the hos
pitality extended to Quantrell aud his mer
by the old farmer, and this was offence
enough. They called him out, and, after {
few unimpOrtaut e questions. shot him down,
then burned the hOase. In less than al
hour they had made a scene of black -desola
lion, and the girl and the mother had songh
refuge with kind-hearted neighbor.
was the wav Df the times-a characteristic .
guerilla warfare, and something that need
no apoi8cv nov since time has dried up the
tears for the buried dead and'pHt out the fires
The pursuit of Quantrell continued unit
he was overtaken. There was close, sharl
fight which resulted in the defeat and dis
bandmenl of the guerillas. john Mcheen'
/ returned So iIe ruins Of he-ifarris nome
! stead and learned the whole story. HI Hie
I Annie Harris, and the two pledged thel
/ vows Of eternal vengeance. There was NOR
thct.
and deal the blows of death as he did. The
went to an li,s7nljie preachers house o1
horseback aud witEout alighting, had hin
make them man and wife She threw ava
- her yyomau's dress, and dOuuea a male al
tire. She put on belt. beside, aud two re
velvers, and her long hair sEe tucked u
under iler hat She looked as much ike
soldier as many y0Nng boy HAT went on
/ with Ouantrell.
The whole land was fall of Federal so
.sliers and -yahn Mckeene and his gueriil
wife had 10 share the dangers and priTatior
of all 'cheir kind. Their home was the sac
die tlieir shelter nhe woods. They we're 4
gether iu more than one ambush attack, an
together SAW more than one Uf the hated el
-ell,y bite the tfvist. When the winter cam
and the leaves left the trees they rodesaTv =
to the South, and waited here until IL
leaves were again as big the ears of IL
squirrels, when they returned 10 their col
slant battle ground On June morning
1868 as they, with half a duZsu Others, we
riding aleA4g over the prairie, near wbel
now stands the Tittle town of Lees Sunni
they were met by detachment of ;he Sc
' enth Missouri State Militia There was
> desperate encounter, in which John NJ
Keene was sho: dead, and Annie Mckeel
was shot through the shoulder The othe
-. of the gueriias escaped. When the Eede
ne ais came mp TO where Mckeene and his w
en- we're lEirg, -onez Cf the soldiers ieve.ed
on revolver at the head of the woman iR q
guise, but before the trigger was pulled s.
pr threw off her hat, snatched her long la
3sse down. and sat up before him with the ia
~ of u woman. The revolver was put up, al
est the mystery solved. She told their all S
tor had 9ived for was gone, bat that she W
his not ready to die herself She begged the
NFo 10 give her companion the best burial tn
- could and said she aranted TO go To KaGs
~ CITY. There was a tone of voice and sty
X / of earnpstness about what she said, I'll
touched the hearts Of the rough soldiers, n
they buried John Mex eene 'ost on tire bro
~. prairie hut there was not a stone nor
y piece of wood v ithin a half dozen rliles
p ihe 9l@ce, and EothiEg was left To Tsark :
g place of the grave. But i, was sGch hHT
as manya poor man did not have in thoseda
Annie McKeene was taken 10 kan'
h City, where she recovered under the bless
- care of some Sisters of Mercy. Sire went
= Memphis, Tenn, aud there Joined the Ca
AS' oiic Church, and resolved to devote her
RE to the care OF the sick and distressed s
M M becxEIe a Sister of Mercy, went to the fir,
bv Of the array, and dnring the remainder
dull The war was Uuremirtipg in her work
life love and mercy. After the coming ot pei
lng she went to New Orleans, and becav1e
"a. tarhed to the Convent ef tire Sisters OF NJ
cy. In devotion TO her nsisSicss there Y
yists not one who SURPASSED lfer ia r.arnestzsy