The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-02-03
OF TrrrREsr no ROCK rsLANDERs.

Gen. Horace Caprcn was the first colonel
of the 18th ulineis cavalry. After the war
he was Commissioner of Agriculture. At
the suggestion of Gen Grant, then Presi-
dent, he represented the Japanese govern
ment by introducing amongst that people
all modern improvements known in this
country relating to the arts, sciences, agri-
culture, horticulture, ETC., etc. When he
went to Japan ship was placed at his
disposal. which he filed with seeds of
variety, implements of every character,
blooded cattle and horses OF all kinds and
and thousand other articles. The first
needle, the first bodkin ever seen in Japan
Gen. Capron took with him. He 10 now
living with his accomplished wife in Wash
ington, enjoying his well earned reward
In recent sketch in the national Trio
une, the soldiers true friend, we find the
following incident in the soldier life of
Capt. Mayo, who was engaged in the dry
goods business for many years. He
died in Pock Island some
years ago in California from the effects of
the wound mentioned by Gen. Capron,
leaving four or five children orphans. their
mother having died in Rock Island before
the family went to California. Can't
Mayo was a true friend-a generous, no.
ble-hearted man. Judge Adams and Mr..
Milton Mills married nieces of Capt. Mayo.
Here is the incident:
A STRANGE sToRY--woNDERFUL VITALITY
OF WOUNDED OFFICER.
To the Editor National Tribune
Lieutenant Herbert Mayo, of the four
enth Illinois cavalry, deserves more than
the simple record of his service and death.
comprised within the words, "killed in
battle" Many of the gallant dead who
responded to the Nations call, from the
state of Illinois, for troops to crush the
great rebellion against its life, who fought
CALAMITY and died grandly in the very
front of battle, in the vigor of youth and
strength, now lie buried and forgotten
with this simple paragraph in three words
KILLED in battle" hid away in the musty
records of the state. Lieut.. Mayo, al
though not killed, as he was reported to
be, was shot through the body, fell from
his horse, and was left for dead, and his
of tenacity of life known. Lieut.. Mayo
seeing the charge of our troops to drive
back the enemy and relieve Capt. San
foras command, seized a carbine from
one of his men and spurred to the front of
the charging column. At the first volley
he fell from mis- horse, pierced through by
a rife ball. How he escaped from being
ground to death by horses no one knows,
but after they had passed he managed to
crawfint an adjoining cornfield where he
laid himself down TO die. One of the
members of Kentucky regiment on the
retreat passed through the field and found
Lieut.. Mayo. as he supposed, breathing
his last. Lieut.. Mayo handed him the
carbine and requested it to be delivered
to me, with his dying message. This
carbine was brought out by the Kentucky
soldier, and delivered into my hands in
Marietta, with the message, and he was
and his family duly notified.
Some weeks after this, while the regiment
was in camp at Marietta, Door, haggard
looking man approached my tent where
were several officers, sfnd the first remark
was: Here comes another poor Ander-
sonville prisoner" He was without hat.
shoes, or coat, q pair of pants hanging in
strips, and a flannel shirt, both clotted
with blood, was all that covered him.
Hair and beard unkempt and stiHened
with mud. feet and legs bleeding and bare,
As he approaced sill ran as one man ex |
THE ghost of Mayo" The |
forlorn object took hold of the tent pole |
and answered, Yes, it is Mayo"
Through all the time he had never met a |
solitary man, or been inside of house. |
He had wandered through swamps. forded |
'ivers, and during all this time his only |
nj haH hor md rolf
water. He supposed for long time that /
he ball which struck him in the breast was |
till in his body, but could not account |
or the quantity of blood which daily ran |
nto his boots, until one day whist bath |
ng in stream he put his finger in the |
hole IN his back where the ball had come |
put, and there WIS the fountain from /
which the blood had flown. He lived sew
raj years, but died from the effects Of the |
wound. HORACE CAPRoH.
WAsHINeToN, Jan. 80, 1883.