The National tribune., 1883-03-29
PRICES RAID.
How Major Smith OF the Independent Colorado
Met His Death.
from the Sedan (Kan.) Times.I

Met His Death.
From the Sedan (KGn.) Tin1ssI
Having seen several letters In THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE referring to the death of Maios
Smith, Second Colorado Cavalry, who was
killed at the battle of the Little Blue, near
Independence, Mo-, October DIST, 1864, the
editor of the Times has concluded that his
personal recollection of the affair might nor
prove uninterestiRg-esp specially to those who
were engaged In the campaign known as tina
" Price raid"
l desire to preface this "reminiscences by say,
ing that Major Smith and myself had cam
paigned together in the Indian Territory and
Arkansas in 1868, and that l felt proud to class
him among my personal friends. Being tenn
perarily detached from my regiment-whieEs
was at Fort Smith-and happening to be az
Fort LeavenwOrth when the State of Kansas
was called to arms by Prices threatened inva-
sion, was ordered to report to General BIuna
and was assigned to duty be sum IL IA
needless to speak Of 66stiIit's movements prior
to the battle Of the Little Blue any farther
than to say that he had been at Lexington. had
found Price, and had also found good OPEN
ing for some pretty sharp fighting which be
had Improved In his usual spirited manner
On falling back from Lexington, General Blunt
desired to establish his line on the Little Blua
and dispute the crossing of the enemy, but was
OyerrUled by General Curtis. who ordered him
back to Independence. General Blunt. how
ever, obtained permission to leave Colonel Tom
Moonlight, with the Eleventh Kansas and s
few squadrOns from other regiments-which,
by courtesy, was called MOonlight's brigade
at the Blue as corps of observation. The RESI-
of the command moved on to Independence.
Every one in that command who knew General
Blunt or Colonel Moonlight felt there would
be right smart of a serimmage" before We
fell back TO the big Blue" where General
Curtis desired the next stand should be made.
That night Blunt and his staff stopped at
hotel in Independence and the writer retired
to bed quite early, being worn out and hai2
sick. Across the hall was a room in which
Colonel JennisOn and some kindred spirits were
enjoying game of draw-poker" Shortly
after turning in, Major Smith came to my.roOna
and wanted to know if Il would disturb me IL
he did some writing there. told him no, but
asked, in bantering way, why he was not en-
gagged with the party across the hall. The
Major returned an evasive answer, and seeing
that he appeared to be greatly depressed, / iOked
him and tried to laugh away his blues. shall
never forget the way he looked, nor his man
ner, as he came and stood over me and asked
if / believed in fOrewarnings Of death. IL waa
vain to try to laugh the matter away, when he
solennly asserted that he believed there would
be severe action the next day and that he
would not live to see the result. He paced the
floor for while and then resumed his writing
/ had been in the saddle all night the nighs
before and dropped off to sleep, but the MajoE
put in most of the night walking the floor and
writing.
Early the next morning Colonel Moonligha
was attacked, and as he probably thought thas
it was the duty of corps of observation"
to stand its ground and observe, he stood his
ground until General Blunt came to his assist
ance. As we mounted we saw Major Smith,
and, as it proved, for the last time alive. ES
was in good spirits and responded gaily to our
salutation. The Second Colorado was pushes
rapidly forward to relieve Moonlight, as we
knew that his ammunition was nearly ex-
hausted. After guiding Colonel Moonlight te
the ammunition train, the writer was directed
10 take an order to Jennison and then TO
report to Colonel Ford. When I arrived in the
rear of Ford's line I saw some men coming Gus
of the smoke of the action, leading a hsrso
with mans body thrown across the saddle,
the blood steamipg from his head It wa1
hardly necessary to take the second look. In
tuitively knew that the Majors premOnitioa
was not an idle fancy, and there amidst tina
hurting bullets and the crash of battle, babe
all that was left of him a final adieu. / neves
knew to whom he delivered his papers until
saw letter of Captain West company F, Sec
ond Colorado, in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE,
who says they were given TO him, and also
says, have always felt as though he had a
premonition that this would be his last fight,
as nearly all the night before he spent In
arranging his papers and writing LETTERS The
sensational story that Major Smith and Georgs
Todd killed each other simultaneously is I'M
worthy of consideration. It is true they fell
about the same time, and we learned FROM
Jerry Glathart and Samuel Fry, who had
been prisoners in Prices hands that Todd
was heading the charge against Smiths COM
mand, when he was killed but whose particular
bullet did the fatal work for either-when
bullets were flying like hail-'twOuld taxa
oIaniseience to tell. H g. WARD.