The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-20
JOE HART.
The Poet Laureate Of the Mis-
SOurl BuShWhackerS.

Special Correspondence of the Globe Democrat
CHILLrcorHE, Mo-, February 29.-In July,
1868. noted rebel guerrilla chieftain, COM
monty called Joe Hart, was killed by squad
OF militia i'll the northwestern part of Living
Ston county, some twelve or fifteen miles from
Chillicothe. His real name was Joseph Law
rellco Hart, and at the outbreak OF the civil
war his parents Che was unmarried resided in
Andrew county. He was about twenty-eight
years OF age. EnliSting i'll the Missouri rebel
army i'll the fall of 1861, he followed General
Price out of the state into Arkansas and across
the Mississippi TO Corinth. In the fall of 1862
he deserted the confederate army and returned
by devious ways and through many perls to
Missouri Taking up quarters in that land of
welcome for every man willing to shoot fed
eral or against the federal tiag--Jackson coun-
ty-he organized a small gang of bushwhack-
ers and took the field. Colonel Parker, of the
confederate service. aGtcrward killed at We'll
lin2ton by McFerrans state militia, gave him
commission as Captain in the list Battalion,
LIST Regiment, Frontier Line Brigade, Missouri
Partisan Rangers &. s. A."
A SOLITARY COMMISSION.
Here it may be proper to state that this Col
onel Parker is said to have been the only Mis-
sourian that ever received n commission from
the confederate authorities as II BIPARTISAN ran
ger" Quantrell, Anderson, Todd, Poole and
all the rest of the guerilla chiefs were without
commissions Their services were appreciatcd
and they and their comrades were often used
by tho confederate commanders, but they were
not regularly i'll the confederate service and
not entitled to the omoumentS and privileges
OF confederate officers and soldiers. think it
was i'll the winter of 1862 when the confederate
congress wiped out the legal existence of the
partisan ranger bands, and there were no more
Jealous supporters of the measure than the
Missouri members. Colonel Casper Wister
Bell, of Charlton county, the representative
from the fourth district, made u sttoug speech
i'll its favor.
Not long after receiving his commission
from Colonel Parker--which was really not n
proper commission after all since il was issued
without authority-liart had n brush or two
with the KanSaus in jackson. On one
occasion he routed q party OF dozen or moro,
who were quarterod in barn ON the Little
Blue, killed two, captured half dozen horses
and chased the rest away. This brought
against him an entire federal company. The
country became too hot to hold him, and he
crossed the Missouri from jackson into Clay.
lie now had only ten men; the remainder of
the band chose to remain on the south side of
the river, and take their chances under
"Charlie" Quantiel.
WARM WELCOME.
Protesting to be regularly in the confederate
service, Captain" Hart at first received u
warm welcome from the rebel population OF
the Fishing River country. The timber and
bluff country along Fishing river afforded
scores of bushwhacler lairs and guerilla hiding
places. Where now stands tho city of
Excelsior Springs was a rather noted
rendezvous. Below Prathorsville in the thick
timbered bottoms was another. Always in the
neighborhood of the house Of Mrs. Samuel,
the mother of the James boys, there was q
hiding place. with at least one good point to
recommend it-"grub" could be obtained at
any hour of the day or night Into this coun-
try, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of whose population
were pro-conledeTates, came Joe Hart and his
little band. They encamped at first in n little
secluded cove on Fishing river, back of Mis-
souri, City, where they could build fires in
safety and wait for the spring time. The mon
employed the interval in pistol practice, in
making cartridges i'll "proCuring' good
mounts, while the people fed them Some
times they took their meals at the houses, but
oitcner girls and women carried provisions to
them-hampers of sdemeat sandwiches and a
pot of coffee generally, with occasionally q
"chickcn dinner" Soon after Iart'8 arrival
i'll the country he and " companion passed tho
night farm house. A federal scouting party
from Liberty came into the ncighborhood, and
Hart was saved from capture by q young wo-
man, a noted guorilla's sister, who ran half a
mile across the fields TO awaken him.
HART's POETRY.
Joe Hart was young man of good address,
glib talker and possessed of q fair education.
Like Quantrell, he had been school teacher.
His was romantic and sensational DISPOSITION.
He read poetry and novels, quoted Byron, and
wrote some initiative verses, senseeas and
8appy for the most part, and so far rs | know
he was the only poet among the Missouri guer-
illas. His effusions were uniformly addressed
to some rebel female who had carried his grub
to him as he lay in the brush, or had shown
him some such favor and attention. One of
these compositions have seen. IL was sent
to the young lady before mentioned, who
saved Hart from capture or death when the
federals were about TO take him, and was en-
titled, "a Sonnet to Miss Bertha r., of Clay,
County, Missouri, written and composed by
Captain Joe Il. Hart, 9. S. A." | can give
the clfusion entire, but think two verses, the
first and tic last, will suffice:
Fair lady can G. r forget
Thy Kindness to stranger,
The happy day when first We met,
That day 20 full Of danger
My lie you saved, know it we'll
Upou That golden morning,
And escaped those fcnds Of hell
BY your quick words Of warning
And now each day as you come forth
Unto my sylvan bower,
i realize your precious WORTH
Aud bless the happy hour
The food You bring in your fair hands
is nectar and ambrosia;
And, though am slain by federal bands,
You need not fear exposure
A DANDY GUERILLA.
What with his rhymes and reyolvers, his
shOtguns and sonucts, this sentimental sc0un-
drel was Il character He could handle pen
as skifally as pistol his handwriting was az
delicate as a lady's and lie WAS proud Of his
proficiency in this accomplishment, Claiming
to be a confederate, he robbed and plundered
the defcnceess of both sides Unfortunately.
With him watches and money had no politics,
and good horses no rights that ho was bound
to respect. Possessing liberal share of bray
cry OK rather desperate personal courage, ho
was It swaggerer and blustercr, fond Of gascon-
aiding and Of cxaqgcrating the character and
extent OF his exploits Living the life OF an
ontlaw, hiding by day and slulking by night,
sleeping in beds Of dry leaves, and making his
81 ny Ap fpu
in his dress and a dancing master ia his man
ners.
In the early spring Of 1863 before the leaves
on the naples were as big rs the wing Of a
sparrow, and whom the first bluebells and wood
were ranging through Clay. Up and down,
forward and back. Life was . burden 10 The
nennle. THO moot ALlanl Of tho coulederntn