Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-27
AwROKILLED xOLLTCOFFERs'
Letter /, the Cincinnati Enoulrer.l

Letter % the Clnclnnat Enqulrer.l
SOMERSET, KY, August II, 1881
This question has become as difficult
to answer as the famous WHO struck
Billy Patterson" and the inquiry for
Charley Ross. History utterly breaks
down under its great weight, and the
world is left in doubt. Some historians
say: 1.-THE Confederate General, sur.
rounded by his staff, was leading his
men, when Colonel Fry, of the Fourth
Kentucky Regiment, shot him with a
pistol" but eye-witnesses ray that
Zollicoffer had became separated from
his command, and that there was but
one man with him, and he was killed
at the same time with Zollicofer.
1t was neal this place that the gal
liant Confederate fell, in the battle of
Mill Springs, and there are a number
of men now living in the vicinity who
were in the engagement when Zolli-
Golfer was killed. and among the num-
Der is one Ike Chrisman, of Wayne
county, who claims to have fired the
fatal shot. Colonel Alexander, then
a captain in the First Kentucky caval-
ry, also an eyewitness, says that Ike
Chrisman fred the fatal shot. 1t is
we'll known hal several shot wounds
we're found in Zollicoffer's body, but
one Of which was by a large ball, sup
posed to be from a Shapes rife, which
Chrisman had in the engagement, and
which he fred at Zollicoffer. Chris
mans own story of the affair is that
he was not far off when he saw Zolli.
Golfer Che did not know, then, who it
was) approach Colonel Fry; heard him
order Fry to surrender, and saw him
shoot at Fry with a pistol, the ball
from which struck and killed Fry's
horse. and then be (Chrisman) fired
what he believes to have been the
fatal shot, as Zollicoffer fell immedi-
ately, pierced through the body with
a large ball.
After the war Chrisman thought so
much about the matter that he became
insane and had to be semitic an asylum.
His friends tried to persuade him that
he did not fire the fatal shot, but he
persisted, and still persists confident
ly that he did it. He is now, however,
believed to be perfectly sane.
At least a dozen men are claiming
the honor (?) Of firing the fatal shot,
but this cheap notoriety has ever been
denied Colonel Fry. 1t has also been
claimed by some of the eye witnesses
that Bill Delaney, of Lincoln county,
certainly did the killing, as he was
very close to Zollicoffer, and a good
marksman.
A story is also going the rounds in
the newspapers about how an Indian
ian fred at Zollicoffer about seventy
FIVE yards off, and claims that he killed
'Zollicoffer. This story has Zollicoffer
dressed in rebel uniform, which is not
a fact, as eye witnesses state that no
was dressed in citizens costume when
killed.
Within an hour after the battle it
would have been impossible to desig-
nate the man who did the killing, and
that impossibility still necessarily ex-
lists. Books may say Colonel Fry
killed him, but all is not history that
passes under its name, and it appears
as foolish to speculate upon "Who
killed zOllicoffer?" as it is to investi
gate the killing of Cock Robin.
Colonel Alexander is very positive
that Chrisman fred the fatal shot,
and that it would seem that be ought
to know about as much as anybody
about the matter.