The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-05-20
MISSOURI BUTCHERY.
Some or Ouantrelrs Bloody work.


Cav, Mo. Veteran Vols, TO call to memory that
fatal Sd day of November, 1862, when Guam
trelrs combined forces came up in the rear of
and attacked an escort commanded by VIM. M.
Newly, First Lieutenant Co. G., 9th Cav, III.
3. NJ, numbering % men, % Of which were OF
Co. G.; the other man Il cannot call to memory
his nsme) belonged to Co. a, same regiment.
Comrades, this was struggle for life or death,
no quarter being shown by Quantrell or any of
his followers to Federal soldiers, and it is
claimed and believed that Quantrell held q
Majors commission in the Confederate army,
signed by Gen. Sterling Price.
If the pupil of the writer's eyes were not
terribly enlarged. QuantrelPs forces in this
conflict numbered 250 men, and of course in
cludod the James and Younger brothers. The
escort referred to was in charge OF 10 Govern
ment teams and wagons on their way from
Harrisonville, Cas- Co, to Warrensburg, John
son Co., Mo-, a distance of 80 miles, aud when
IL miles out from Harrisonville was attacked
by the force, and in the rear, as above etforth,
and there 10 men lay down their lives, 10 wit:
Timothy Rose, Charles Swim, Joshua Bedford,
John Ratliff and Edwin A. Fish, all of Co. q,
and five of the teamsters (names not known).
Mortallywounded, PerryAllen and dangerously
wounded, Joseph Hunt, same company. Taken
prisoners, VIM. NJ. Newly, First Lieutenant !;
John X. Irwin, Freeman l.. Friend, Harry
Williams and James Hardness.
The place Of attack was on an open prairie,
but to the east, aud but 80 yards distant, was
the entrance to a long and narrow lane, through
which we must run the gantlet or die; for
from the entrance to this lane, which led due
east for one and half miles. the fence, leading
off at right and left angles to south and
north OF the entrance, gave little or no show of
escape by the flank.
When first attacked Lieut.. Newby's men
were scattered along the road for three-quar-
ters or mile in rear and front of the trai n,
the Lieutenant himself in advance, who, as
soon as the alarm reached him, returned to the
train, gathering up his men as best he could !;
bat those of his escort coming up from the rear
he could not check, for they had seen enough
to know that resistance in that case was death,
and sped on, and this enabled Geo. Keely and
VIM. III. Watson to escape by the left flank and
gain the rear of the enemy, whereby they
returned to camp at Harrisonyille and reported
to e. G. Catharwood, Colonel commanding post.
When the Lieutenant ordered his men into
action, and looked around himself, he found
that he had of his escort himself the writer, and
James L. Oxford ready for duty. At this juno
ture the writer remarked TO the Lieutenant
that resistance was useless and certain death (;
whereupon the Lieutenant broke ranks, with
the admonition that every man take care of
No. l, and it was obeyed with alacrity.
Being by this time hard pushed, we must run
the lane or turn up our heels, and the successful
competitors for that dear boon Qife) were the
writer, ID. b. Todd, J. l.. Weese, II. P. Brewer,
Alfred Allison, l. III. Hosier, j. l.. Oxford, r. l..
Nelson, w. G.. Hogan, and the Co. A man whose
name do not know. This list comprises the
names of men arriving in Warrensburg %
miles from scene of conflict, in squads of one,
two and three, all the way from l O'Clock 10 10
o'clock on the morning Of the 4th day of No
vamber, 1852. w. G. Hogan, being mounted
upon broken-down horse, was overtaken, or
was about to be, near tie eastern extremity Of
the gantlet, and seeing it was about TO go
against him, dismounted, turned his horse
crosswise the road, and using him "a a breast
work, opened on the three or four Johnnies
who were in pursuit, when they called halt
and exchanged few shots with Hogan, and
told him to go to HI, and rode away
rapidly; then Hogan remounted, rode for a
short distance, where he met with a boy, with
whom he exchanged horses, giving or leaving
his saddle as boot. He remounted upon the bare
back horse and rode in safety to Warrensburg.
In the course OF week or so this squad was
enabled TO return to their company and regi-
ment at Jacksonville, and Hogan was enabled
70 return the horse to its proper owner and Sc
cure his own equipage.
As before stated two comrades reported to
rcgimental headquarters, aud, OF course, the
regiment started in hot pursuit. and overlook
the Johnnies while at their supper the same
evening. They made dash at them, and in the
scrimmage Lieut.. Newly fell of his horse as
though shot, and the rebs, in their fright, did
not take time 10 see whether he was or not, and
when his regiment rode upon the ground he
rose up and announced himself as Lieut..
Newly, and when the next dash on them
was made John K. Irwin rode his horse aside
into fence corner and Was left, and in a few
minutes rej0ined his company. Now I will
account for the remainder and more unlucky
of the five that were taken prisoners.
Here Qusntrell resorted to his old tactics,
that when attacked by superior or anything
like even numbers to scatter his forces to the
four winds. making it impossible to tell their
whereabouts So there yet remained in their
hands, T. l.. Friend, Henry Williams and Jas.
Hardness, and strenuous efforts were made for
their recovery; but Quantrell could not be
found, and tho pursuit had to be abandoned,
and the first learned Of their fate was some
three weeks after. when F. l.. Friend was
driven in buggy to camp by little boy.
Oh, comrades, that meeting never shall for
get; and, comrades the story told by him was
one of the most horrible / ever heard. He
said the trio were taken on south from place
OF capture to near the Usage River, and were
shot from of their horses, he being the third
and last one shot. They begged to be allowed
TO dismount to be shot, bat were refused.
Hardness, Williams, and Friend fell from their
uOl5cSt IIlcuu receiving snOb tuaL cut out
both his eyes, and. as he lay upon the ground,
one Of the rebs said the d-n amt
dead yet, at the same time throwing down
his revolver and firing second shot that
went through his mouth. This shot produced
Inconsistencies, and they were then left for
dead, but after time he returned to conscious
ness, and lay perfectly still until satisfied that
the rebs were gone He then arose and called
to the other boys, but got no answer, and sup
posed the shots they received were fatal He
then, sightless and weak from loss of blood,
felt round till he found road, followed the
road and finally found fence. He then fol-
lowed the fence by feeling till he heard dog
bark; he then went in the direction of the
barking, and by that means reached q house,
where he was taken in and taken care of, and
when able sent to camp. He is yet a resident
OF this County and drawing q S72 pension.
The mortally-wounded man Perry Allen) re-
ceiyed but ono shot, through the mouth, but he
died in few days.
Joseph Hunt received two shots, the first in
the forehead, just below the edge of the hair,
which glanced upward, doing but little harm;
the second shot took one bone out of the arm,
from the wrist to the elbow. He was living
and drawing q pension at Des Moines, Iowa,
but short time ago.
In reading the history of the James and
YOungers. one would suppose that they were
brave; but l say it is not true. When they
could outnunber 10 to one, they would fight,
and not otherwise.-T. l.. SULLIVAN, Quarter
master-SergeaDt, Co. @, 18th Mo. Cav.
The Battle OF Cold Harbor.
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