The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

menC did not provide them, the country
blacksmiths used up all the stock of fiat
files, as these were supposed to make the
best weapons. Many of the men became
experts in pitching these knives to stick
point foremost into tree or post. Dur
ing one of these practices knife glanced
and stuck through the heel Of one of the
boys above mentioned. When his father
heard of the mishap he remarked that il
Unjust have well nigh ruined the shoe"
Later, this same hoy, as he continued
to be called, was shot by several bullets
any one of which would have killed
many men, and at least one OF which
passed entirely through his body. When
the news reached home that John was
shot, a neighbor asked the father if John
was much hurt. He replied that ''some
said the wound was mortal and others
thought it was only FATAL" he could not
tell himself chow it would determinate,
but leastwayS he disposed the bounty
would be safe anyway"
A THOROUGHLY RECONSTRUCTED DOCTOR.
Some of these illiterate Kentuckians
really believed that if it had not been for
DR.. PendletOn there would have been no
war, and many men said that if the war
ever ended and the doctor came back
there to live they would shoot him on
sight. The war did end, however, and
the doctor returned, and in a few weeks
was practicing his profession in the very
families who had promised to shoot him
on sight. Such are the changes in men S
sentiments in times Of war and in times
of peace.
When the work of recruiting for the
Union army had begun in earnest, the
custom Of holding what were called
'barOecues' was inaugurated. a large
gathering would be held in some grove,
and orators and recruiting officers would
address the people and appeal to the
spirit of patriotism until men who sat
beside their wives with child upon their
knees would kiss the wife and child and
walk up by the dozens and sign the roll
which meant separation for years for all,
and forever for many. As rapidly as the
companies were filled they were sent on
to the nearest post or camp" and merged
into the rapidly filling regiments and
brigadeS. Often there would be left only
the old men and small boys to take care
of the home Every able bodied man, in
Guiding in some cases father ami sons,
were enlisted in the army.
Nor was the Confederacy without its
active friends in Kentucky at this time.
a convention had been called to meet
at Russellville, which organized provi-
siOnal state government under the mill
tary protection of Gen. Buckner's army,
and this convention appointed represen-
tatives to the Confederate congress and
determined to carry Kentucky into Sc
cession. But the Federal forces in the
meanwhile were menacing Buckner and
getting into an uncomfortable proximity
with a rapidly augmenting force. Buck
ner made feint to move on Crittenden
at Rochester, but got no farther than
RusSellville, whence he was ordered to
Fort Donelson, where lie arrived in time
to get his raw Kentucky troops into that
engagement. No sooner was Bowling
Green evacuated by Buckner than it was
occupied by the Federal forces, and it
continued to be the key to the military
possession of Kentucky throughout the
war, and figured prominently as a base
of supplies and control Of the great
northern and southern artery, the L. and
n. railroad.
THE WANDERING REFUGEES.
AS soon as Kentucky was practically
abandoned by the Confederates, and Ten
uessee became the contested line, ther5
upon the scene a class of refu-
gees from Tennessee, particularly the
eastern part of the state. These people
were in the main poor, slaveless, litter
ate and loyal. Many of these rustic
when once safe within the Fed
eral lines, imbibed the spirit of war and
enlisted in the army. They came in
squads of half dozen or more and trav-
eled on foot through the forests in order
TO avoid encountering guerrillaS. Events
now followed each other in rapid sue.
cession. The lines of the contesting ar
mics were more or less clearly defined,
and Kentucky was no longer claimed as
ground.
In consequence there was but little
fighting in the state that could be digni-
ted with the name of battle; yet there
was a class of bushwhacking warfare
which was ever fruitful Of most exciting
episode without being of sufficient i'm
Dortance to gain recognition in the pages
Of war history. With the exception of
Bragg's invasion of the state failure to
prevent which Gen. Buell. has had occa-
sion to remember), the battle of Perry
vile and Wilder's defense of Green River
bridge against Bragg's army and a short
period of hostilities about Paducah, the
sighting in kentucky was Of the skirmish
and bushwhacking order.
As soon as the Federal front was far
enough from the Ohio river, facing south,
TO leave room in the rear of the line for
operations, innumerable guerrilla bands
appeared upon the scene. While these
bands of marauders and freebooters were
not attached TO either army, they were
IN sympathy with the south and operated
chiefly against the life and property of
the loyal citizens.
The leaders of these guerrillas were
generally deserters from the Confederate
army vino could not return home and
hey did not choose to return to their
So, for the sake Of employ
nent and through love for adventure
more than any patriotic motive, they
gathered about them a following of their
kind, and many OF the second crop of
boys could not very well
reach the southern line anu did not dis
criminata very finely between legiti-
rIate Confederate soldier and an indie