The National tribune., 1891-07-09
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0ur Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
SIEGE OF LEXINGTON.
Adventures OF tho Man who was Sent Tor
Rpniorrcmru's.

RpiniorccmcH's.
FDrToR NATToNAL TRIBUNE: / have been
requested 10 give little incident That happened
60 me some time during the month OF aeplch-
Der 1861:
Joined the ga Il., Col. Mullieans Irish
brigade al Chicago n May, 1901. We soon re-
ceiyed orders TO proceed 10 ST. Louis, where we
were armed and equipped for active service
From there we were Forwarded hy rall 10 J'1eI-
son CITY Mo. Wesoou received orders To lnAIth
90 Lexington, Mo-, and then commenced our
real soldier life.
Farn,crs. who had been peaceful citizens hut
n short time before, now proved 10 be guerrllas
aud bushWhac1crs; they were every where ahd
ever on the alert tor lone Union man, whom
they soon wiped out" oar marching through
the State had a tendency 20 make ihem organ
ize into regiments instead OF carrying On me
irregular warfare Of bushWhaCkcTs. We cap
tured q number OF these peaceful farmers
each day. They took the oath willingly, only
90 be on hand again when chance offered 10
annoy, rob- and Kill Union man. We arrived
al Lexington without any serious oasualNs'
went into Camp on Seminary lilil, ana COM
mcucCd ioritying at once. Col Muli'Eah soon
learned that the rebel Gen Price was marching
toward Lexington with 10000 men and reccly-
ing men aud supplies every mile he marched.
When we arrived at Lexington we found
regiment of Home Guards mouuteal. numhcr-
ing about 1000 men, our Colonel assumed
command Of the little army and prepared TO
fight Price but well hc knew that ID no REM
f0rccmcuis arrived the Irish Brigade was
doomed no matter how well we defended oar
works for we could be starved out and easily
cut Oh from water There was wall around
the Seminary buildng, and within the M
closure two or three ostcfus full OF staenant
water, which was also the receptacle oil many
dead cats and dogs The stencil was horrible.
Each day things became more desperate, the
Colonel being dangerously SO, and, consc-
aueutly he resolved 10 take decided action and
send for help, aud ii the re cnlorccmcnts did
not reach him before Price made the attack,
DE Thought they would close in on Prices rear
He therefore after consultation with Capt
Fitzgerald Lieut. Stanley aud other officers
Of the regiment concluded 10 select a man 10
ride q horse through the country as peace
Sol farmer ar best he could, 10 Jefferson City.
The man selected WAS myself aud my orders
were, ii Gen. Fremont WAS there, 10 report 70
him. and deliver the dispatch, and il he was
not there 10 take the cars for 81 Louis, and
fluid him "a, all hazards The Colonel also sent
30 or ~ mon thc next day down the river on
steamboat, which ] knew nothing OF until i
returned, he fearing might Ae captured.
I rode out Of camp az dusk, passed through
Lexington az q itic dog trot, and was soon on
the road had SO lutely travelled going 10 that
Mace Aiv instructions were 20 keep well on
the river read until daybreaE, aud tAen d was
suggested that il would be better to cross &C
some easy crossing or ferry. But OF course
everything was left 10 my own Judgment and
the number of farmers ] should meet on the
river road. and what kind OF a yarn j could
spin 10 them. soon learned that all riders,
young and Old, were going 70 OF waiting Tor
Prices army. said j was, too. ] soon found
cut bis exact line Of march, and could talk
Price rs well as any OF Tie peaceful farmers.
took direct route Tor Glasgow, intending 10
keepthc river road from there 10 or near Boone
willie aud then leave the river and strike Tor
Upton, aud from there push hard ior jefferson
City ] felt that II ] was really in Prices
lines ] would be safer than 4 WIS a. times when
Il met small squads OF hOTsemen armed with
doube-barrclcd shUtguHs. Many questioned
me closely. but I'm rather an Inland manner,
showing little if ANY suspicion, Tor had they
had the slightest mixing that ! was not one Of
them, il would have been good-by john in
short order.
AT dusk tho frst day, when about mile
from Glasgow. and while watering my horse j
was challenged by three ragged cadets Of the
Missouri State Guard, who were mounted, and
who covered ne with their guns. none being
over 20 years old. They questioned me closely,
aud said they had orders 10 take al men found,
either riding or walking, 10 their headquarters
j certainly realized that ] was IN q tiph' place
There was no time for sentiment, and j knew
that 81 was soldiers fate and made up my
mind 20 face ID like soldier. O one thing
was determined they should not iud the lis
patch. III ] had known exactly what was ia
ID j might have fllt easier; but didn't know,
and therefore ] resolved 20 destroy il before
was taken % the commanding officer 40 head
quarters. ] so once complied with their orders.
aud displayed s. willingness 10 60 which would
have al once aroused yptcWu. 5 suspicion, but
which seemed 20 quiet or alay any fear they
may have had; iu fact they appeared to be as
much alarmed o. frightened as j was.
Aly trouble WAS Ice dispatch aud how 10 de-
E,roy n Z knew Il bad bullet in each corner,
ecWed tightly ID Lad then been cut sCuarcly
through the middle consequently, ID would
sink az once ]. thrown into ilIC river. Bot how
was 4 90 get ID there before they discovered b.
After q short paricy they concluded 20 let one
take me 30 headquarters and the other two
would remain on guard on the road where
wac captured. They took my pistols from mo
90 be given back ii ] was al right, but knew
should never see them again. We rode along
tho river bank few hundred yards, when my
RuuTG halted. u4.mouutCG, aud commenced 4,
Ok his slirrnps aud saddle. i knew this wa
my chance iOr The dispatch j kept him iu tai
tiil j got the papers well in hand, aud tAet
threw them far out into tic river They saul
a. once but my careless guard had seen me
he drew bis pistols, aud sworc f j raised
hand he would shoot my head OF lie tlIel
placed me before him and marched me {,
headquarters
The Co.ouos headquarters were under
large tree. JIG was talking 90 q number o
men. some Of whom were iu shirt sleeves, with
other wore Jackets soon learned that OBJ
ragged crew that around him focEcd wcr
ColoBels, Majors add Captains. There was bu
ltllc attention paid no mr at FIRST and ] wa
about 10 BE- seut oH gE way, when my bTav
lttle guard said: +" llg bad two pistols, and b
threw loi Of papers lH the river"
That changed t.r program al once Ever
man Was on Dots IeDt iu au instant an shoutu
"a SPY, A spy Hang A.m!" Aud il "a
l0lghtl bad mol used A.s authority they won.
have hung me GO once. j iclt sick. The Col,
mel iu very TOmpDus manner said Get
tcmcu. this case calls Ton drumhcaa cgur
martial"
DID needless toE,atc ali The foolish question
they asked uc aud al the lies Z told them; bl
iu d. minutes after j reached shat camp ] wi
sentenced 10 De shot 90 sunrise tie next mau
inF. d would also br foolish % say that d
mon fee. bad over my fate, but ] can truly s..
thanked God 4 was 10 be shot instead
hung.
j WAS placed un3era strong guard or cour
j could neither pat DOR deep during The nigh
and my guards became fewer: aud a. J looks
around just before lay ! found but two youI
fellows guarding ue. 4 learned that nearly q
tic men Boz camp. Including some ui my guar
had gone into a.. sEuW 90 q iauduug0,'
dance About laybrgaE They began % fctuf
drunk. 81 course. aud three young men 3
lieyod tIU GCutugs who had watched over d
eli night ] Was given pick aud shovel, al
was told 10 IlI ybIT grave, damn you, or