The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-04-11
WHOLE NO. 1929

request of Robert ;. Stevens, lawyer 10
whom he was indebted for some former
act of kindness. This, however, was the
only act Of mercy shown. Three hun
dred buildings were fred and every busi-
ness place in the town sacked and plum
dered. When Quantrell finally ordered
a retreat at II O'Clock the business por-
ton of the town was in flames, and
scores OF dead bodies lay buried under
the fierce August sun. He was hotly
pursued by the forces of General Ewing
and Colonel Plumb, but made good his
escape into Missouri, where his follow
ers disbanded and scattered to their
no mes. Quantrell was accompanied on
this raid by 100 confederate eavalIymen
belonging to Shelby's division. Their
commander, lieutenant named john
son, was wounded in the pursuit and
afterward shot in Missouri by union
scouts. Quantrell ended the Lawrence
raid with loss of but seven men. The
number Of his victims, unarmed men
and boys, was 2S6. Later, in defending
the outrage to southern woman, Guam
treil said
81 wanted to kill Jim Lane, who lived
there, and as hadn't the honor Of his
acquaintance l killed every man l could
see to shoot at"
Quantrell now resolved to make his
way to Kentucky and from there TO
Maryland, where, as be afterward stated
he intended to surrender with lee OF
again engage in guerrilla warfare. He
dressed his men in the federal uniforms
stolen from the bodies of the union
soldies at BOxter Springs, and success
fully eluding the Union posts in Arkansas
reached the Mississippi in safety. After
trying various points he finally effected
the passage Of the river fifteen miles
above Memphis on New Years Day 1860.
Once within the federal lines, Quantrell
represented himself as federal officer
on special scouting duty, and drew rations
and supplies at the several union posts
through which he passed. His band
crossed Tennessee into Kentucky and
passed through Big Creek, COvingtOn,
Paris and other places on their way to
the mountains of southwestern Ken
lucky. Stopping one night at country
hotel, QIantrell, after supper, saw his
men to bed and ordered them not to
leave their rooms unless he called for
them. However, some of them disObey
ed this order and went to the barrOOm
for whisky. Here they fell in with a
/ group of federal officers. Guerrillas and
soldiers drank deeply and finally fell to
/ quarreling. Pistols were drawn, and in
! the fight that followed several of the
officers were shot dead. This untimely
encounter served to reveal the identity
of QnantaelI and his men, and the guer-
rilla leader saw that their only safety lay
in flight. The guerrillas hastily mounted
their horses, and by hard riding eludei
the pursuing enemy and reached the
mountains. But federal cavalry under
Major Bridgewater and Captain Terrell
drove them from one hiding place 10
another and the forces of the latter final
" brought them to bay on May 10, 1865,
near Taylorsvill, Ky. Here QlanJrell
made his last stand and fought his last
fight. Two of his followers were killed
and one wounded; the rest escaped,
scattering in all directions, and in the
end making their way back to Missouri
as best they could.
Quantrell himself was mOrtally wound
ed. He was shot through the shoulder
blade, the ball striking his spice and
paralyzing him. Two days after the
! fight he was taken 10 the United States
military prison hospital, in Louisville.
where be died on June g. He vas bur
led in st. John'scemetery, Louisville, and
when they went 10 dres him for the grave,
they found fifty marks on his body
made by bullets and sabers. In his
final moments his better nature returned
and the last words, it is said, that fell
from his lips as they grew cold in death,
were the name of his mother. As shrewd
as he was daring, and as fearless as he
was merciless, reading character at a
glance and easily molding others 10 his
will, Quantrell seems to have been an
ideal leader for such an outlaw band as
he gathered around his rowing standard.
But, while there were among his fol-
lowers men who were moved By wrongs,
real or fancied, such as the loss Of slaves,
the burning of dwellings and the killing
of relatives in battle, their leader could
claim no justification for his deeds, and
his name has passed into history as that
of the most sinister figure Of the war.