The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-07
QUEER STORY OF oUANrRELL.
COL McDougall says He Did Escape in
a Coffin.

TrOnt the IOut8tttte CObffcf-JOurTt0f ALent.l
An account was published recently which
had been spread all over the country, stat
ing that Ouantrell. the famous guerilla, who
was wounded in skirmish in Kentucky,
brought to Louisville, placed in hospital,
where he is generally conceded to have died,
did not die here, but escaped by some
means. and died only short time ago near
birmingham, Ala. This story was generally
re0arded as akin to those published occa-
si6nalIv about Wilkes Booth, and, aside
from the interest excited no great amount
of comment save among men who were
actively engaged in the stirring events of
the war. One of these having read of the
decease Of the alleged Quantrell in Ala
hama. dropped a line to the COUr;eT-Jour-
nal In which he said that he had facts in
regard TO the great guerilla which he would
communicate If it was thought they would
nroye of interest. This gentleman is Col.
Henry H. McDougail, at present located at
Dos Fifth street. To him Courier-Jour-
nal reporter went and received his state
ment.
al have seen the statement in regard to
Ouantrell's death near Birmingham. can
not saw whether it was Quantrell or not,
Inf do know that he did not die at the
time his death was supposed to have
occurred knew Quantren well, and saw
and conversed with him as late as 1868,
when he was with me four days at Jackson
port, Ark"
''What kind of a looking man was he %
1.-THE descriptions usually published of
him are not correct. He Is described as
having black beard and black hair and
ewes He was a man of about five feet
eleven inches in hight, with what might
he called a sandy beard and moustache-
not red-with hair of the same color. and
clear blue eyes. His beard was course and
not very long. He was of rather slender
build. but all muscle, as quick as lightning
and as cool as a man could possibly be- His
face was thin, and he had a long, sharp
nose.
when he came to my camp. he was with
me four days at that time, and took part in
two little fights. Quantrell was not his
name. His name was Charles Hart, and he
went to Missouri and Kansas from Mary
land. His REASONS for being out there in
the confederate army he gave to me at the
time speak of. His brother had been in
Kansas for some time, and had been in
volved in the famous border war, during
which-in 1859 or 1660--he was killed by
Col Jim Lanes men. 1t was to avenge
that brothers death that Charles Hart. or
Ouantrell was fighting.
There was a man named Quantrell en-
gagged in that same border war. He also
He lived on the Wyandotte reservation. It
was doubtless his name that Charles Hart
took when he began his work of vengeance.
In 1862, when Gen. Van Dorm took nearly
all the confederate troops east of the Missis-
sippi river, was left in command of all
the troops that remained IN North Arkansas
and South Missouri, operating against fed
eral wagon rains, principally from Rolia,
Mo-, to Batesvllle, Ark, and between Rolia
and Springfield, No. My regiment was re-
organized IN 1864 and placed in Jackman's
brigade of Gen. j. o. Shelby's division, with
which we remained till the close of the war
1T was in 1862 as stated. that became
acquainted with Quantrell l saw him sew
eral times in 1864. After the battle of
Glasgow, Mo-, in 1884, while my regiment
was encamped on the north side of the
Missouri river, Quantrell came to me and
wanted ME to take the regiment and go
with him on raid up on the Hannibal and
St. Joseph railroad. | declined. He then
wanted me to let Capt Tom Lennox of my
command take his company and go with
| him, but declined that also He then went
away.
Il saw Quantrell again in the winter of
1864, just before he crossed over into Ken
lucky. l heard that at or near Smiley's-I
think that's the name, but am not sure
nearly all his company were killed, Guam
trell himself being wounded. Quantrell
hAtAloVA4 dlleIWdru bOlQ LAG Iil6 story Oh U0aL
affair." be said, to the best of my recollec-
ton, that, when surrounded in the barn, he
undertook to cut his way out. There were
Two men with him when he rode to the
gate. One Of these was killed and Guam
trell was shot off his horse, falling among
tne mud and slush of the barnyard. He
was covered with mud and blood, and the
iederals did not recognize him, but supposed
the man who was killed was he. Quantrell
was brought to Louisville. The manner in
winch he escaped was this:
he was Catholic, and was in the hands
OF two Catholic nurses, whether male or
female do not know, but in the course of
time Fellow prisoner died and was placed
IN coffin for burial That night. before
the corpse was removed. the coffin was
opened ana Quantrell placed in it, while the
ueau man was put in his bed. In this he
vas assisted by the nurses. When the cof-
M vas taken out it was placed in the hands
Vi southern sympathlzers, the guerilla was
IeseaSel ana straightway sent off to Canada.
nv. remaining there short time he went
W OauIeinala, thence to California, and
IueIce pack to Missouri. In California he
mace DIS home portion of the time with
MI Maryland, on the San Joaquin river. who
no" IlVes IN San Sabo county, Texas. He
returned overland to Platte county, Mis-
1ouIl ana thence went to Jacksonport.
ar 1, ne found that | was living there,
L
was very much surprised to see him. He
renamed In Jacksonport several DAYS and
uurlhg That time l concealed him in the
anUeroom OF masonic lodge. Four other
PERSONS Dea' not necessary to name, knew of his
presence there. The county was full of
U-ayso militia at the time, and it would
d 5;S 10 Tor Quantrell to be seen. Ouautrell
M Siu nov consider the location healthy for
b LIN ana SO struck out for Texas. I advised
ell lon Vlat he could not pursue his plan of
bo -; a1Fmlng anywhere around there. as
nc .. saiu he wanted to- do.
ro,,. heard of QuantrelI frequently for the
No Io Two Years. but finally lost trace of him.
to n iaVest information was that he had gone
FLU guatemala and settled in the town of
stsT o. on Lake Peton. 1t was during his
conn., a. - aecksonport that he gave me his &C
snb 1.+v VI his escape from Louisville and his
fror, quent wanderings The last l heard
TIA h niL1 was in 1879 As / stated, this story
che Vuantrell himself--or Hart. if YOU
hv T roo. 70 call him so-can be substantiated
k1a r-' =, whom it is not necessary to name.
takar Su9ntreli well. and cannot be mis-
who Az ~ MS identity. Whether the man
canno ote ~ near Birmingham was he or not,
RueriII. Say, out the description suits the
''' oeVCer than any have sesn."