Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-07-10
CUANTRELL. THE MYSTERY.
A Short Sketch by One Who Knew
Considerable About Him.

A Short Sketch by One Who Knew
Considerable About Him.
The public never seemed to have
correct idea of Quantrell, says Il. ].
Younger, an Osceola MOI cores
pondent of the st. Louis Republic.
He came to Missouri mystery,
nved life OF mystery, and died un.
known even to his most intimate
friends
He had but little to say about his
career, and what he did say could not
be strictly relied upon.
The only thing that was positively
known ofhim was that he was reared
in Ohio, and went from that state to
Kansas, and from there to Missouri.
He came to this State with deep.
seated enmity toward Kansas and
Kansas men.
After gathering together a band OF
chosen followers he proceeded to wage
a terrific warfare on Kansas and all
who took sides with them in the Dor
der trouble.
The secret of his success was in tho
fact hat every man in his command
was carefully selected and drilled in
the use OF the revolver, then given to
understand that he must fight when
ordered to do so, selecting his own
method, saving himself as much rs
possible, and inflicting as much dam.
age on the enemy as possible, retreat.
ing or advancing as circumstances do
manded.
If he had man untitled for his work
he was sent to the regular army, and
in this way he selected until full
company OF FREEDMEN were banded to-
gether.
He had no discipline, rarely ever
gave a command, and when he did it
was to the point. He watched the
movements of the enemy, knew when
to strike, laid his plans, and depended
upon his men to execute them. When
all was ready for fight his only com.
mand was Eight them, boys" when
pellmeil they would go at the enemy
with such fury that few, if any, ever
| WlthStOod their charges.
He was not a tactician Or an educat.
ed soldier, but simply good Judge OF
human nature. He knew what to ex.
pect of each and every one of his mer
under any and all circumstances; also
what the enemy would do under any
given circumstance His men had all
so!ute confidence in him and he il
them. Hence they went to the enemy
as an earthquake to aroaring cyclone
Quantrell was not communicative
even to his best friends, except when
absolutely necessary. Many of biz
most daring undertakings were pro
found secret to his command until
they were in the swim, and then they
only knew they had a duty to per
form and leaye the rest to Guam
trell. There were few if any of his
men knew where they were going when
they made the Lawrence raid. They
were called together, Quantrell turned
his horse in the direction of Lawrence
and they followed. The result is well
known. When he destroyed Blunt't
command, near Baxter Springs not a
man of his knew what he was up &c
until they were head over heels in bat
tie. After Prices raid he gathered ur
twenty-five of his old guard, started
from Jackson county, Missouri,
crossed the Usage river at Linn Creek,
Mo, thence to Pocahontas, Ark,
thence to the Mississippi river, cross
ing over into Tennessee, thence tc
Kentucky, passing himself as fedora
officer, drawing supplies at the posts
as they went until some OF his men
got drunk and shot some of his feder
al officers, thus letting the cat out oil
the wallet and his disguise, resulting
in his death.
| He was wounded at old man Wake
| fields and taken to Louisville, where
he died under the care of the sisters O,
charity, and was buried in the Catho
lie cemetery, and to this day no living
man has any idea what took him into
Kentucky or where he was going from
there, or what he expected to accom-.
pllsh His men had followed him
with blind confidence, knowing he was
on some kind of desperate mission
with willing hands to execute his or
ders. His death left his intention 6
mystery and thus the greatest guer.
rilla chieftam of modern times flashed
across the military skies. He came n
mystery, originated the most de.
structive band ever known, and died
leaving them mystifed.