New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE LATE DR.. JOHN F. HAWKINS.
STIRRING EPISODE OF THE REBELLION IN WHICH
HE WAS THE CHIEF ACTOR.


HE WAS THE CHIEF ACTOR.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
SIR: The sudden death at his home on Sun
day last Of Dr. John Hawkins eminent ply stefan
OF Knox county Indiana recalls Of the stirring in
cdents OF his career with which hope you will permit
me to acquant your readers. He a native of Maine
anu the Oldest brother OF Dexter A. Hawkins, member
OF the bar Of this city. After studying medicine he
travelled extensively in the South and West explored
the country forty years nearly the head waters of
the Red and the Arkansas rivers and hunted with the
Indians His skill with the rife and endurance on the
chase were 80 great that they wished to adopt him ana
make him their chief He married in Mississippi, took
upR tract Of land in Arkansas the White River
twenty miles north Of Duvas Bluff, and settled down
there to planting and the practice Of his profession
When the Rebellion broke he fell under suspicion as
man of Northern birth and education. an employer OF
free coored people, the OF Union sentiment In
his county and the support OF Union refugees concealed
IN large cane-brake adjoining his place IL
was not safe for the rebels TO search the
brake. and they finally put a guard OF bush
whackers on narrow point Of land near him, around
which wound White River, with orders to watch
him and also TO shoot the pilots OF all Union steamboats,
that came up the river from Duvars Bluff where our
troops had a fort. III few days number Of pilots
were shot. and close watch kept on the doctor
that It send supplies his friends In
the canebrake. He made a rough sketch Of the position
OF the busnwhackers explained the situation OF affairs
to faithful mulattO girl in his employ and mounted
her on fleet and sure-fooed mustang the first dark
night with orders deliver the sketch to the cOmman
dant az Duvas Bluff ard ask him send company OF
mounted riemen 10 clear out the bushwhackers
The girl reached the Bluff in little over two hours and
soon body Of mounted men were on the way bacK
guided by her They reached The point before
dismounted formed line across the point ready TO
IN soon as they could while she came home,
reported to the doctor and went to bed Soon after sun
rise a sharp fusade was heard the point the Union
soldiers out without prisoners but IN mgh Spirits
remounted and galoped back TO Duyals Bluff NO
more pilots shot from that point.
Not long afterward company OF rebels rode up 70 MS
ordered him to disclose the gpace Of the
Union meu in the cane-brake or they would hang MIN.
He declined they put rope around his neck and ran
him up a limb OF tree when nearly dead they let
him down. This had effect and they tried 1t again,
with like result They then told him his last moment
had come unless he disclosed He refused. They ran
him the third time and left him till apparently dead
But they had not obtained the desired information
they after great difficulty resuscated him, turned his
family out OF doors destroyed all his buildings, drove on
his stock and carried him away prisoner ninety miles
to the rebel camp He was confined for six weeks in
log sheephovel full of vermin and having foot OF NTH
in IT, and nearly starved to death that IN SIX
weeks he reduced in weight from 100 pounds
TO 10 pounds which, as he was SIX
"a
gnawed raw by vermin. They then held drum-head
court martial aud sentenced him to be shOt the next DAY
at o'clock He asked them as last TaVOr 10 give Nun
one meal OF beasteak and paper to read tnat ne ght
start on mis- long Journey with luIl stomach anu n
latest news The next morning TO his JOY they handed
him q raw steak and allowed him to 20 the camp lire ana
brO IT, He ate with relish, II was The nrs meat
he mad tasted in six weeks. He was handed a reDeI
sheet and ordered into the howell 10 await execution
He read the paper 70 the advertisements, ana
inferred from the excited tones or te artcIes tn ne
bottom was falling OF the Rebellion Everything
was in cOmmOtOn about the camp that day. he sup
posed 10 was preparation for his execution But O'CLOCK
passed and tnaly O'Clock He then asked the neuen-
an OF the guard II little performance set fOr O'CLOCK
IN which he was 10 take part had not been tOrg0ten
THE officer replied with a vOlley " 0aths The Hanks
are coming and have got to GIT up ana GIT rlght
smart" and informed the doctor that ne mlght nave
his choice 10 be without ceremony or 20 WIN theh
ne rrped that he was weak from starvation tha ne
con not walk ont that If they would give him morse
and let him 90 TO the village for medicine lie WOuld
leave with them This granted, and as an Invalid
he accompanied the rebel army in us rald INTO MIS-
soui He was closely watched that he fOund no OPP
nortnity 10 escape TIL the rebels were defeated In NO
MEMBER and their flight HIS morse fel IN tne night
regiment gallOped him. disabling mis- hOrae ana dls-
locating mis- wrist and breaking two ribs After the
rereating rebels swept by he erawled INTO Ins "ood
remained three days in hail, seet and snow
iii hearing a buge blast, he detected the strains
OF the -tarSpangled Tanner, ana Knew mat Ine
Tnior troops were near They put him In an ambulance
and sent MIN hospital at Fort scott where as soon
a. n was learned who he was, ne was gwen JranspOrta
ZION TO New-YOrk. His family, meanwhile, went 70
Dnva's Bluff and IN the Spring were given transp0rta
non IN lDdiapa where them nine months after
the tragic scenes at his plantation. al. -.
lie was an TO the time OF his death an efficient member
of the Republican Committee OF MS county anu ulu
mucn i'm ms reg iOn TO carry Indiana Tor CARRIED o.
Neu- York, Oct. -, Ioo-