Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-14
THEY ARE TOGETHER IN DEATH.
A War Story In Which Justice Miller
and Gen. Belknap Figure.


HOW THE ENEMY WAS RxPu1sxD From IOWA xAlIr
IN THE wAR-A SEIZURE OF FEDERAL ARMS BY
FEpKRAL rRooPs-AN ACTION TAKEN on THE
ADVICE OF JUDGE MILLER.
"The death Of Judge Miller and Gen. Belknap
brings to mind an incident Of the early DAYS of
the war;" said Gen. Bussey. the assistant SEQ
Rotary of the interior. to star man this morn
ing. ~ was an aid-de-camp to Gov. Klrkwood,
in charge Of the military forces of the south-
eastern part of Iowa. At Bloomfield. 75
miles west Of Keokuk, where resided, I OBJ
tanned information from . special messenger
sent into Missouri by me that $500 rebels,
under Gen. Martin Green, were about TO make
q raid into Iowa for the purpose of stealing
horses and other supplies preparatory to going
south to join the rebel army. Believing that
Keokuk was their objective point fastened
there as rapidly as possible to notify the
citizens Of their danger and to adopt such
means ss We could for the defense Of the
people. There were no troops Of any kind
i'll that part OF the state and the citizens we're
absolutely defenseless. had been to st. Louis
ten days before to visit Gen. Fremont who had
just taken command there, to ask for arms,
but was unable to procure any. He gave me
fifty thousand rounds of ammunition, which I
shipped to Keokuk. These had in store there.
had not been in Keokuk more than two hours
when Gen. Given, the Observation-Disclosures of
the western division Of the Rock Island railway,
who was then an officer Of the Keokuk and Des
Moines road, came to me with the information
that he had just received bill of lading from
Burlington for q thousand stand of arms,
shipped from the arsenal at Washington to
Council Bluffs, Iowa, to arm Gen. Dodge's
4th Iowa infantry. l determined to seize these
guns and place them In the hands Of the citi-
zens well knowing that il the enemy did not
come that it would be difficult for me to satisfy
the government that had acted properly.
JUDGE MILLER's ADVICE.
81 called on Judge Miller, then q leading
lawyer at Keokuk, to whom stated the danger
He Immediately convened q meeting Of citi-
zens, styling themselves committee of
safety and recommended to me the course
the railroad company to hold the train subject
to my order. took off 200 guns and placed
100 of them in the hands of Gen. Belknap, who,
in one hours time, had 100 men who promised
to use them. Another 100 gave to Capt. Hugh
J. Sample; with the remainder I boarded the
train, and at Pennington, 20 miles out,
left 200 guns with Capt. Scott; 200
more were left with Henry C. Cald-
well, judge of the United States
circuit court, who was then a lawyer at Keo-
sauqua, Iowa; the remainder Itook to Ottumwa,
engaged wagons, travelled all night, reached
Bloomfield at daylight and distributed the guns
to companies organized there for the defense
OF the place. / then started back to Keokuk
where believed the enemy would ultimately
attempt to reach, rallying the people in every
direction as went, directing them to assemble
on the border, where they could be in quick
communication with each other.
REFUSING THE ENEMY.
"Col. David Moore, gallant Union citizen of
Missouri, had organized about 800 home guards
in northeast Missouri and were with them in
camp at Athens, 20 miles west of Keokuk.
The enemy determined to destroy these forces
and when reached that point, about noon,
fight was then going on between Green's
force Of 800 men and Col. Moore's Home
Guards holding the town. He had fortified
the streets with temporary barricades and was
able to hold his position until REINFORCED. At
the time l reached that point Capt. Belknap and
other troops had arrived from Keokuk. Capt.
SCOTS men from Pennington, only four miles
distant, also assembled with the arms I had
placed in their hands and with these forces the
enemy was fianked and driven from the town.
Col. Moore. with portion of my forces, fol-
lowed the enemy about forty miles, driving
them across the Missouri river. They never
made their appearance in that part
OF the state. On this occasion they did not
succeed in reaching Iowa soil. The river was
forbade at that time. Capt. Belknap's COM
mand waded the river, firing on the enemy as
they crossed About eighty men were killed and
wounded in this engagement The enemy had
artillery, which they used effectively, throwing
shells across the river into Iowa, creating great
among the non-combatants who
had gathered in considerable forces from the
surrounding country.
Secretary. Noble, then a young lawyer at
Keokuk who volunteered on this occasion,
seized a musket with which to fight on his own
account. When the Keokuk troops reached
Athens Gen. Belknap and others raised the
question as to whether they had q right to
cross into Missouri. Gen. Noble mounted a
stump and addressed the men in an enthusiast
tic speech, urging them to cross the river,
which they did. he and Capt. Anderson
leading. On the enemy's right flank
they encountered force Of the enemy
with whom they became engaged, and Secre-
tary Noble was wounded in the arm, but not
disabled. Gen. Martin Green was brother of
the United States Senator Of that name serving
from Missouri. He was afterward killed dur
ing the siege of Vicksburg, where he COM
manded division on the confederate side.
Col. David Moore, who was the real hero of tho
battle OF Athens, was made colonel of Mis-
souri, regiment and lost a leg in the battle of
Shiloh.
CoMPLIMENTED FOR THE SEIZURE.
"After the battle went to st. Louis to notify
Gen. Fremont that l had taken the guns in
tended for the fourth Iowa infantry, that he
might notify the War Department to duplicate
them. / was highly complimented for taking
the responsibility in the manner had and was
offered authority to raise regiment Of cavalry,
which did in short order. Within ten days
from the time the authority was granted had
nearly ! 200 men in camp. who were mustered
in as the third Iowa cavalry"
Suit Against the District.
The Barber Asphalt Paving Company, by Mr..
A, 8. Worthinpton, TODAY filed q suit against