The National tribune., 1884-08-28

ont 10 attack his desperate foe with Ito men.
lie said 4 few words TO them. Informing them
OF their danger. Not ainched or desired
to remain behind IL was as when Gonzales
addressed his men at La Espina:
I" 4 lead We not to win feld-
/ lead ye forth TO die y
The bushwhaekers led Maj. Johnson and his
men southeast from Centralia across the prairie
into q fsllow field. on the farm on one Capt
Fullonwi5cr Here a fatal amb1scade and
trap had been prepared. The Federals marched
south into the Said, and thea turned and faced
the east, Immediately opposite Bill Anderson's
company drawn up in line ready 10 charge
them. The line now dismounted. and leaving
every loarlh man to hold horses. the rest adj
vaneed on foot to within about 400 yards of
Anderson isicem pany. behind which was Pooles,
All the vRgrrnlas that could be seen. The line
halted and fxed bayonets. johnson rode 20
PAGES 10 the 'front.' and halted, sitting motion
less en- his horse his revolver in his right hand.
The gueEriilas were preparing to charge HIM
he c0ald sec that.
lnt Mai johnson could not see all of his
fearful peril: ai least. il Is believed he could
ng,t The fall0w cornGcid was sort OF moraIne,
slnF,:ue 10 the east On either side, running
into Young Greek from west to east was whatwe
in the Vest call slOnEh, a sort OF ravine filled
with Ilnm bushes crab apple hazel and other
brush Behind This line OF brush, securely hid
den. and lying down on their horses, with one
loot in the stiTrnp and the other on the ground,
Were han lrads Of gnerrillas the most desper-
ate men then ia existence, the best pistol shots
III America. On the north were Thrailkill,
Esnra0l and Tom Todd on the south George
Tod3. in the center was Bill Anderson. and
lapring has line in the rear was Dave Poole
When George Todd had gotUen his men into
position as be wanted them, he lifted his hat 10
Bin anderson. the latter lifted his hat to Poole,
and then with great yell Anderson dashed
forward JOhnson's men could Gre but one vol
lev and this they did in "A moment Anderson
and his band were upan them; then Poole and
his men; then the T0dds, Thrailkill and Cor
don came swarniiug up IRON the tanks AID the
bloody work was soon over. No quarter was
shown to q single Federal; perhaps none was
asked. The cReFrillas say the most OF the Fed
erals died lghting-strikiug with their mus
kets. stahbhg and thrusting with their bayo-
nets Mai johnson fired three shots from his
revolver, and was Their shot out Of his saddle
O ullet through his temple. Capt Smith was
killed. Iieuts. Jaynes, Gill and Moore es-
capped. being mounted.
Anderson and Poole kept on for the fourth
men holding the horses. and IN five minutes
were in Cantralia Fifteen men were killed
between the field and the village. Lieut..
Javnes now living near HunneweN TINS
Connty was the first in town from the scene Of
carnage. capt. Theis riel TO form his COM
panv and Eight, but before be could DO so the
guerril.as were upon them All that could
then sci ont for Sturgeon. Fifteen OF Iheis s
company LII were killed in Cenfralia aud on
the Toad 10 Sturgeon. Some were killed in
outh0pses and one was murdered By the bed
side of a sick lady. One citizen was killed by
the cuerrilas.
Oat of the l47 men under Johnson's COM
mand but % escaped. for l23 were killed,
and one Frank Barnes. Co. III. was wounded
shot five times Company A lost IS men killed.
including Capt. Smith: Co. g, 81 men killed
Co. III, l5 killed, oae wounded. The gnerriiias
lost but three killed and 10 wounded Maj.
johnson had small piece Of his scalp taken.
Six or eight Others were scalped, and Samuel
Bell, Of Co. G, was mutilated in a revolving
manner not to be described. Some Of the
bodies were buried at Mexico. Mo-: Others by
the citizens st CenIralia- Friends came aud
carried away many. Mai. johnson was buried
In Marion County, not far from his home.
1T is but proper that ] should say that the
reports which have been circulated that Mai
johnson carried black flag at the head of his
command that he cursed and swore at the citi-
zens Of Centralia. threatening them with dire
vengeance when be should return from the
battlefield, and that be was drunk at The time
and did not know what he was doing. are
al cruel and malicious SANDERS wholly with
out foundation. Maj. johnson was a seh0o
teacher and sometimes oticiated a. minister
lie was an honorable, Christian gentleman
temperate at all times, and the people of Cen
trHi.a say lie spoke kindly TO and with sym
pathy FOR them. He perhaps did not know how
largely the gnerriias outnumbered his men
but no doubt If be had be would have moved
against them Just the same. lie said: 7" | vii
fight them, anyhow"
The euerrlllas carried from two to six Colt.
navy rev0iveTs each, and were quite pTofcien
IN their use Their horses We're also the hes
IN Missouri. The Eederals had only musket
and bzTonets for arms and generally miserabl
La Ks III horses.
Frank james. the noted bandit, was at Cen
tralia a member OF Andersons company. Hi
brother, jesse. was not present
SHELB-ETLLE, No.