The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-03-29
aENERAL NELSON'S pEAfH.
New Account OF the Tragedy by an Ely.
Witness.

John Carnes, of Grant County, At Buhr's to-
day, and in a conversation with him he
mentioned that he was present at the killing
of General Nelson by General Davis in the
Gait House, in Louisville, in 1862, and
witnessed the. whole occurrence He said
that he had read some publications IN re-
gard to il, but all of them varied in a more
or less degree from his recollection of the
facts Thinking his statement might be of
interest took it down.
Il was IN Louisviliei in September, 1862. lam
not positive as to the day of the month, and
happened TO be in the Gait House on the
morning that General Nelson was shot
There was great deal of excitement in the
CITY at the near approach Of Bragg's Army,
and the place was full of troops. i had re-
Gently been commissioned as a Second Lieu
tenant in the Thirty-second Kentucky In
fantry, Colonel Morrow. l was sitting on a
coil of heating pipes in the office, near the
corner of the counter, on the east side OF the
room, and about opposite the hall door which
led to the ladies' parlor on the west side
Governor Morton and General Nelson were
talking together few feet from memo
more than eight or ten-and i was
observing them closely. Ny stten-
ton was particularly fixed upon
Governor Morton, as / had never seen
him before. After some ten or fifteen min
utes' conversation they moved up TO the
counter and General Nelson leaned upon ii
on his left elbow. They were soon Joined
by two other gentlemen, one of them Cen
era Davis, and the other a tall, stout man
in linen buster, whose name / have forgot
ten. Breakfast tickets were asked for by
Governor Morton, General Nelson and Gen
eral Davis The clerk handed them out,
when Nelson and Davis entered into a very
earnest conversation, but in n tone of voice
so low that did not catch what they said.
4 Il l.. =
and struck down, as though excitedly ges-
ticulating, and, turning to the Governor, /
heard him say, in loud voice: Governor
Morton, is this the kind of officers you send
to the Army to insult meg Governor Morton
turned pale but made no reply. He looked
surprised and anxious, and as though he
feared some trouble between the men. General
Nelson then raised his arm a second time,
looking toward General Davis. and re-
marked, L don't intend to be insulted in
this way and slapped him in the face. |
noticed as he did this that the breakfast
ticket flew out of his hand. General Davis
did not resent the blow, but walked away in
company with the gentleman in the duster
whom. l took to be an officer, diagonally
across the Office, and entered room 10 the
south of the door which led TO the ladies'
parlof. General Nelson, too. Immediately
left, passing west and into the door leading
to the same parlor, which he entered and
walked to about the center of the room, di-
recily under the chandelier. i could see
him distinctly from where | sat. He paused.
dropped his hands TO his sides and looked
up toward the ceiling, remaining in that at
titude for probably minute; turned and
started in the direction of the office
door opposite the main stairway. At
this moment General Davis, who
had left the room to the south
OF the entrance, still accompanied by the
man in the buster, encountered Nelson.
There was not over five feet between them.
Nelson had just reached the bottom OF the
stairway. Davis called out, Not another
step further, instantly drew his pistol and
fired. There was q small man standing near
Nelson, and when the shot was fired, the
latter turned, and with his left hand gras ped
this man by the back of his neck and
whirled him around, then let go of him and
proceeded slowly up the stairway. two
gentlemen caught Davis and quite struggle
ensued. Governor Morton rushed up and
also took hold of Davis. The latter resisted
with all his strength, while the man in the
buster kept calling out, Let him gon Davis
repeated this, and added that he would not
shoot again. He was finally disarmed, and
quiet for a moment restored. Everybody
was asteunded and you might have heard
pin drop. Then some one called out. Who
gave him that pistol? The man in the dus-
ter answered, Il did, by -, and would
give another If he needed it, He and
Davis then walked towards the room from
which they had emerged after the slapping
amidst the prof0undest silence on the part
of the spectators. They did not enter the
door.
"The first man to move was Governor
Morton, who started 10 the stairway which
he mounted with quick, light step. He
was followed by General Crittenden a mo-
of proSaptlv a in mi
form came to the foot of the stairway aud
asked loudly if there was a surgeon present,
that he was needed in General Nelson's room
Immediately. He returned up stairs. out
soon came back, and cried out: For Gods
sake, If there is a surgeon in the house, have
him sent To General Nelson's room, quick'
surgeon who had come at the moment,
went up, aud l followed him. Just as we
reached General Nelson's door, General
Crittenden came out. | asked him: How
is the Generalr He replied in low tone:
He is dying; he can not live fifteen min
uteS. did not go in, but through the open
door saw the General lying on the bed
returned to the office. Governor Morton
soon came dow, and passed out without
Saying word. About twenty minutes after
the shooting occurred, word was brought
that the General was dead.
IL then went out on the street Just as two
quick and were formed in front OF the hotel.
went to John w. Finnelrs office-he was
the Auditor General of the State, and had
been driven from Frankfort by the advance
of the enemy-and told him of the occur
renee. He seemed inexpressibly shocked;
ordered his Office closed and went TO the
Gait House. / returned with him. l did
not care to see the body.
1T was a very sad day and one of deep
apprehension. There were a large number
of Indiana regiments in the city, and it was
understood that they would interfere if any
attempt was made to arrest General Davis.
Nelson, since the battle of Richmond had
been extremely unpopular with the people
of the State"
As Mr.. Carnes. is gentleman of respecta-
bility, and was never before interviewed on
this subject, nor has made any publication
thereto, his statement Is of value.