The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-11-15
DESPERATE MEN.
Quantren and His Band of GuerriIlas in IL
Southwest.

Southwest.
Enron NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The fol-
lowing narrative 1 have every reason for
believing to be true. / received 1T from
men who during the war were well acquaint-
ed with the individuals named. Lieut.. Jen-
kins fills, at this writing, an important office
on the Santa Fe Railroad, and is well known
as a man of great courage aud resolution.
Oliver Shaw, the other of my intOrmanta,
was caught In Texas by the rebellion, and,
being an excellent gun>mith, was compelled
TO exercise his trade in the Confederate
shops at BOnham.
Among the portents in the days of which
write none were more baleful or figured
more largely in the Southwest than Charles
Quantrel, the guerrilla, or, as he was known
by the Confederates, Quantrell the partisan.
There is no doubt that Quantrell was
commissioned as partisan officer, with the
rank of Major. As such, he was more OF
less under the direction of the officer in
whose jurisdiction he might be operating.
About the LIST of December, 1864, he and
his band appeared at Sherman, Tex, town
not far south Of Red River, which here
forms the boundary between that State and
the Indian Territory. Among the Skin
mishes which led TO their re reat 10 Sher-
man was one which occurred between Jen-
kins's troop OF % Colo. Cav. aud a portion
of these guerrillas.
The retreat OF Quantrell was well known
to the military authorities, and measures
were promptly taken to intercept them.
Two of the three parties into which the
band was divided eluded the Union cavalry,
but Lieut.. jenkins corfaled the third in a
bend of one OF the rivers of those regions.
The guerrillas were compelled to take TO
the water, so holly were they pursued,
hoping TO be able TO mount the perpendicu-
lar bank of the farther shore. The river,
however, was nearly breast deep, which,
added to the hight OF the bank, rendered II
impossible for them to ride out.
Al this moment the Colorado men opened
deadly fire upon them, killing and wound
ing men and horses. Finding themselves
9 il q trap, the gueTrillas. shetering hem
selves behind their horses, returned the fire
of the cavalry. These, however, were be
hiud trees, logs, and stumps, and Soon every
horse In the river was killed Desperate
over their situation, the rebels tauBied the
cavalry, daring them to come Ons and fight
in the open. But Lieut jenkins kept his
men steady by telling them that only
bullets count now" That detachment, al
most to a man, was cut OF.
After this the gang still numbered fully
300 mounted men. IL is true, however, that,
officially, SO men was BIS full complement
His first officer was one Todd, slim tail
maB, who had been druggist before the
war. A heavy-set fellow named William
Anderson, commonly called bill" Ander-
son, was bis second officer He was brutal
in appearance and his actions accorded with
his looks. He bad Third Lieutenant IN
one Fletcher Taylor. called Fetch by the
others He had Lost "a arm IN his last forsy,
and in demeaDor was as clever and gentle
manly q little ODe-armed man as ever cut
throat or pistoled helpless prisoner.
In this campaign, too had occurred the
Gen. Blunt aisray, In which a son Of MAJ
Gen. Curtis, of Iowa was killed. The affair
was complete surprise to both parties, be-
ing an accidental encounter at a crossroads
in the brush. Blunt's men are said TO have
acted shamefully, suffering a loss OF as men
killed, chiefly after a surrender. 1t is diff
cult to get at the facts with reference to this
part Of the tragedy. Thirty of the guerrillas
were killed, which would indicate a hot
fight Young Curtis was shot as he was
climbing out OF the ambulance. A consider
able booty was secured by the gang belong
ing 10 Gen. Blunt, portion Of which con-
sisted OF two fine spans Of mules, with their
q
sold in Texas for $500 IN gold. The Gen
erals gold-mOunied carbine and sword were
also reported among the trophies.
The clang OF the guerrillas sabers was dis
tiDctly beard in Sherman while they were
YET ha.f mile distant. The citizens turned
out en- Eiasse 10 welcome them as they APP
psared with banners flying and the pomp
and circumstance OF successful war. They
were loudly cheered, and many affectiOnate
demonstrations manifested how near TO the
hearts Of the people these men were.
They were dined and wined, after which
they rode to a plantation some 90 miles from
Sherman, belonging to a DIR. Potts, and
which lay along the banks of Red River, not
far above the old town of Preston. There
was not day of their stay in this camp
when there were not more or less OF them In
Sherman.
Their presence about Sherman kept every
thing IN lively frame of mind. These cut
Threats were full Of pleasant turns and quips
In which revOlvers played a distinguished
part. There was scarcely an object not
utilized as target. Dogs, oats, aud pigs
were killed wholesale. None were cafe un-
less kept within doors by their owners
Store door knobs in particular attracted
their attention; bets were made as 10 the
number of bullets IL would take TO knock
one TO pieces. Every knob around the
square WAS demolished.
Strange as il may seem, this pistolade
burt no person save Mrs Mariingly, who
was struck in the back by a bullet that
glanced from door knob, and inflicted a
slight wound. She was STOPPING over the
stove cooking dinner at the time. Ia such
harmless pleasantries did these men while
away their hours In Sherman.
The Confederate officer commanding this
part of Texas was Gen. Henry T. McCul-
Tough His command was known as the
Sub-DisiTict of Texas with Headquarters al
Bonbam, the capital of FaDnin County. The
Gen. Mccullough killed at Pea Ridge was
his brother.
it was this officer also who in 1863 was
defeated by the blacks at Milliken's Bend
during the siege of Yicksburg. The writer
well remembers the roar of artillery
and the rattle Of musketry Of that battle
That night through all the camps around
the city general order was read from Gen
Grant announcing the victory of the blacks