The Red Cloud chief., 1893-09-22

WV "Y !" - s'"s " " ''' l
that had all the time seemed very
strange TO her. "And vas Gen. Price
really defeated at Pea Ridge?" she
asked. When ] assured her that such
was the truth, she said that they sell
dom got to see a newspaper, and never
any but southern papers, and that they
had been made to belieyc that the yam
KEGS had been defeated 10 every battle
Of any consequence, and that the war
would soon be over and the coEfcder-
acy firmly established.
think many OF these people had
very little preference as to which side
should succeed, and expressed a pref.
erence for one side or the other, just
as they happened TO be in rebel or
union company. But in n thing
they all agreed, and. that was in speak
ing we'll Of Gen. Price; which ! think
was not because he was a Missourian,
but because he was a kind hearted and
estimablc man, both in the army and
out Of it. Whether he was q profess
sor Of Christianity or not l do not
know; but If lie was not he was cred.
tied with doing many acts OF Kindness
whore "military necessity" would have
allowed him to do otherwise. heard
il said during the war, and have heard
il said since, that Gen. Price was not
in full sympathy with tho rebellion,
and was opposed TO secession and
only went with the south, as some
others did, through loyalty to his
state.
A mistaken loyalty, but %pardonable;
let US spread the maptel Of charity
over his mistakes and revere his
memory for his virtues. My first fav-
orable impression Of him was formed
in February 'G2 when our forces un.
der Gen. Curtis advanced on the con
federatcs in southwestern Missouri.
As we advanced they retreatcd into
the mountains Of northwestern A,kan-
sas; on reaching Sugar creek VIC went
into camp and Gen. Curtis put the
men to work at once making breast
works and preparing for defence in
case VIC should be attacked; for it was
wisely concluded that we had gone
as far as was e~xped,ont just then, as
Gen. Price had been looking for US,
and was preparing a trap for us in
which we might have been caught had
VIC not stopped When We did. We nc.
ccssarily had to forage for subsistence
for the horses and as the rebel forces
had been II that locality for two or
three months, horsc feed was quite
scarce, and many teams that had been
sent out to forage had returned with
empty wagons. l was detailed one
day as a sergeant aud sem out in
charge Of foraging party consisting Of
two Transfers with their teams Of six
mules each and six cavalry men as es.
corts. My instructions were TO take
any thing and every thing that
could ind that the horses could cat,
unless the owners could show protec.
ton papers properly ST. ned by some
union officer. My orders were per.
emp'ory and | promised TO obey them.
After going several miles throu.l
the woods and over many hills W,
found a small log house around which
was apiece Of cleared land too small
to BE- called a farm. The premises
were occupied by a feeble old man,
and his little grand. daughter eight OF
ten years Of age. Their possessions
consisted Of a COW, q few pigs and q
small qunatity Of corr in the shock
which the old man said was all tina,
they had in the world to keep then
through the remainder Of the winter
l told him what my orders were, ant
that l should have to take his fodder
i, but as the performance Of such an un
pleasant duty was much against IN,
sense Of right, | put it off as long as
, could by Listening to his story O.
/, dcs ! ut'cn AMI hardships. lIe said h,
was q union man in sentiment but hi,
age and poverty kept him from ,akin.
=, any part in the war. lie said tina
, Gen. Prices men had taken the mos
9 of his corn, hogs and chickens, bu
; that with Gen. Prices orders the,
, had left him what little be had lof