New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-06-24
QUANTRELL. THE MYSTERY.

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a Short Sketch by One Who Knew
Considerable About Him.
The public never seemed to have a
correct idea Of Quantrell, says T. J.
Younger, an Osceola (Mo.) CORES
pondent of the st. Louis Republic.
He came to Missouri mystery,
lived q life OF mystery, and died I'M
known even to his most intimate
friends. v
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 g. Deep
seated enmlty 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. ~ r#
The secret of his success was in the
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 as
possible, and inficting as much dam
age on the enemy as possible, retreat
ing or advancing as circumstances de-
manded.
II he had a man untitled for his work
he was sent to the regular army, and
in this way he selected until a full
company OF tried men 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 a fight his only COM
mand was Eight them, boys" when
pellmell they would go at the enemy
with such fury that few, if any, ever
withstood 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 men
under any and all circumstances; also
What the enemy would do under any
given circumstance. His men had alb
solute confidence in him and he in
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 his
most daring undertakings were pro-
found secret to his command until
they were in the swim, and then they
only knew they had duty to per-
form and leaye the rest to GUAM
trell. There were few if any of his
men knew where they weregoing 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 we'll
known. When he destroyed Blnnt's
command, near Baxter Springs. ssot a
man OF his knew what he was up to
until they were head over heels in bat
tle. After Prices raid he gathered up
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 to
Kentucky, passing himself as a. federal
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 of
the wallet and his disguise, resulting
in his death.
He was wounded at old man Wake
fields and taken to Louisville, where
ne died under the care of the sisters of
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, XII lowing he was
on some kind of a desperate mission,
with willing hands to execute his or
ders. His death left his intention a
mystery, and thus the greatest guer-
rilla chieftaln OF modern times flashed
across the military skies He came a.
mystery, originated the most de-
structive band ever known, and died
leaving them mystifed|