The National tribune., 1888-12-27
CHAPTER XII.


BoslETHIEG ABOUT QUAETRELL - HARRY
AND JACK RETURN TO GES. CURTIS, AND
ARE SENT OK ANOTHER MISSION.
IL was q great modification TO both the Cap
t2ins 10 learn that they had so narrowly miss
Cd capturing GgaBtrell, who had already be-
come wei known along the Missouri border,
though less SO than IN after times. And this
is good place 10 say that Quantrell had many
marrow escapes from death or capture land verv
soon after the beginning Of his career capture
would have been equivalent to DEATH.
Once he and several Of his men were sur
rounded n a log building, which had a door
and bat ore window. The occupants Of the
building were summoned to surrender. and
when they declined 10 do SO they were told to
send ont amy women and children that might
Be there The inma IS responded BY opening
IRE with their rifles, and the shots were
promptly returned.
The assai!ants had no artillery, and the bull
lets from their s2lail-arms could not penetrate
the legs. The attack was made in the night.
and under cover OF the darkness soldier crept
up AID applied q torch 10 the side Of the build
ing. Ii was soon In a blaze, and the attacking
party felt sure they would now have their
game.
Bat while some Of the defenders were firing
FROM the front door theNindow IN the rear was
not closely watched Two men got out OF this
wineow and running the gantlet Of the soldiers
IN the rear Of the house, escaped in the dark.
ness aud were lost. One OF these men was
Quantreil.
On another occasion he vas surrounded in 2
clump of trees by Onion force two or three
times stronger than his own. His men were
falling ar5and him, and seeing that there was pC
other way ot escape, be and dozen Of his men
made dlsa through the environing line
Ihree-lonrths OF the number were killed o.
Wounaea, but the rest got OF safely, the leader
A few weeks after this he was again snr
rounded, bat with 10 better fortune than Re
fore Though he lost many Of his men he poi
Oh without scratch, and was soon heard n
again. Though his case was a desperate one
and his followers knew they would receive pt
quarter II captured by the Union forces. h,
never seemed 10 have any trouble in 6ndip,
men TO 20 under his command. Several time
his band was completely broken up and dis
persee ia Gghts with the Union forces, but d,
never iailcd 10 get IL together again, and to re
cruIt new men in place OF those who had fallel
or become weary Of his way Of warfare
" iat became Of him some of our reader
may ask
This is aQuestion easier asked than answered
His Tate is unknown; whether he is dead 0
alive nobody can say positively except the maj
himself. There was TumOr that he WAS killei
IN Eight IN louisiana or Texas near the clos
OF the war, but so far as the writer of this
story can say, the rUnlor was never confirmed
With the eud Of the war he disappeared alto
gether from sight, and no one who knew hin
has ever claimed TO have seen him in any par
OF the world III alive when the rebellion
ended he probably escaped to Mexico, aud ther
concealed himself so electualy as to renlail
altogether hidden from all who had know
him.
Before the war he was a gambler in Kansas
Missouri aad New Mexico, and many person
were familiar VITA his features during tb
years from ls5G TO 1861. At the time of th
Massacre At Lawrence he was recognized b,
sSRef1i persoEs-Inen and women aud IL