Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1881-03-10
MEXICO, MO, RSDAY, MARCH

would he killed. She, indeed, SEEM
ed to be endowed with the spirit of
prophecy, and subsequent events
proved that such was the case. John
son pushed her aside abruptly and
rode rapidly through the town with
out hating. The stars and stripes
had been discarded. and in its stead,
at the head of the militia eolumn, a
black flag was waving. The column
moved directly to Singleton's barn,
where they hslted. and Major john
/ son sent out scouts to ascertain the
whel eabouts of the guerrillas. The
scouts returned in an hours time
and reported that Anderson and his
men were in waiting at the edge of
the forest one mile and a half
further on. johnson, still wild with
passion and a desire for swift re-
venge, gave the command of ''for-
ward," and soon the opposing forces
were in sight of each other Ander-
/ son sent out four or five of his men,
who rode up to within two hundred
wards Of each other. Anderson sent
out four or five of his men, who
rode up to within two hundred yards
of the militia and commenced firing
at them. They fired few shots and
then retreated, the movement having
been purp"sely made to draw the mil
itia nearer to their main body. AS
they anticipated, the militia darted
after the skirmishers and did not halt
until they were within three hundred
yards of the whole guerrilla force
They halted then, and Major john
son drew up line. A. the same time
Anderson and his men were seen to
! aismount.
"What are they doing:' asked
johnson of one of his lieutenants,
but the latter could not tell. We'll
might Major johnson ask that ques-
ton. They were looking we'll to
their bride reins and sad die girths,
and
PREPARING FOR A TERRIFIC CHARGE
that was to be as fierce in its fury as
the mad rushing of the destructive
cyclone. Looking toward the mill
tia, Anderson saw that they were dis
mounting and forming into line on
foot
+ What on earth do they mean!'
said Anderson to Jesse James
. Can it be possible they are going to
, receive our charge on foot. Who
, ever heard of such tactics and suct
: mad folly? All, we'll, so much the
better for ourselves; the fight vii
5 be brief and disastrous to them
1t was beautiful autumn weather
| and the day was the kind that make:
: the soul glad with its beauty. The
t summer flowers, still untouched by
the frost, bloomed by the roadside
and birds made joyous music as i
taking part in "a fete day when they
v should have chanted funeral an
1 them. All day long the Septemhe
e sun, unobscured by single cloud
b was full of generous warmth ant
0 grateful beaming. and it was fas
a sinking to rest beyond the western
/ hills when the two bodies of desper
e ate men drew up in line for the heroi
= death struggle. There was a husheC
II stiffness in the soft autumn air, ant
t the lowing of cattle and barking O
n dogs could be distinctly heard ia
d over the silent prairie. The mnr
n muring of a stream close by coul
o be distinctly heard as its water
n silently moved onward toward til
It sea, and the spectacle of those blood
d thirsty men glaring at each othe
n with such revengetul eyes marred TIL
e aspect of the peaceful scene.
n Major johnson detailed Il few me
s to hold their horses and formed tn
o others into line. Anderson's me
/" had remounted and seemed to b
1t waiting for formal challenge fro,
!. the militia men. There was
j. AN OMINoUs BLACK BANNER
', floating at the head of his c"lum
- also. but beside it the stars an
' bars waved in graceful abandon 9
if, as sume one has said. to give
the scene the force and effect of Ii
gitimate war.
y Major johnson called out in cles
: and defiant voice, ''Come on; we al
Is ready for the fight The guerri!la
= did not wait for second challeng,
~ Bill Anderson, Jesse and Fran
y James and Oh. Shepherd lead I'll
charge. 1t was like the mad rus
of the whirlwind, and before the mil
y" tiamen could realiz" their awful daI
)" ger the demons were upon them cur
!. ~, ing, shooting and sending death thlc
" :" aud fas, among the dumbfounde
IL soldiers. The militia never fired b'
aS " one volley, and that was when Il
V guerrillas dashed upon them. The
.'' at once became panic stricken al
., dismayed, and did not attempt
:" defend themselves. They tried
n' get to their horses, wild desire
escape from the bloody scene fillil
=, their souls, but were shot down
~ numerically as dogs. Two-thir'
nc of them were killed on the spos al
the others broke off across the cou
{, try toward Centralia. Jesse al
'o Frank james, Ol. Shepherd and TO
do or five others rode splendid ahims
81 and followed up the fleeing mlliti
80 Occasionally puff of smoke cou
"e he seen and then horse would da
off riderless over the prairie.
'S was indeed a death chase, and b
49, few of the soldiers escaped the veng
j. full bullets of the merceless bus
y" whackers. Darkness put an end
:' the carnage and but three or four IN
p'' rode into Paris some hours atterwar
-, -" to tell the story of the fearful c
w. .u slaught. The citizens gathered ne
ole day and buried the dead, and so Ell
'ei ed the memorable event. The gu
'on rillas had one man killed and two
II" three wounded.
Major johnson was killed by Je'
James almost. at the first fire. hut
died like hero. Bill Anderson ct
lS tinued his inhuman and devilish "
LID fare for two years more, when
Wv Wv met his death in charge that '
.a even more reckless and daring IL
a. e. the one near Centralia.'