The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-10
THE LATE GENERAL MANSON.
His Story as to How He Was Wound.
ed and Captured at Richmond, Ky.

The last time I ever met General Manson
was but a few days before his death, and I
said to him.. General, Tourgee does you an
injustice in his Story Of a Thousand pub
lished in the Cosmopolitan"
e Them" he said, 'say what they
please; it don't make any difference to me
now. The time was when I might have
cared, but I don't care now"
You have told me often, General, that you
was aware of the enemy near Richmond,
KY, coming in force; that you were per-
sonally acquainted with Gen. Kirby Smith
and knew that he would fight; that you
wanted to fall back to the Kentucky river,
and, If 1t was necessary to make a stand
at all with the small force under your COM
mand, to make 1t there"
"Oh, I'll tell you, doctor, what was the
matter. My commanding officer was a
great drinker and did many things for
which he was not responsible"
General Manson was wounded in the battle
of Richmond, KY, and the circumstances,
as related by himself, were as follows:
when the rout came some of US officers
on horseback found ourselves hemmed In in
the corner of a field and hotly pressed by
the enemy. The question of surrendering
was discussed, some being in favor of and
others opposed to it. We hadn't long to
parley, and Captain Forsythe, putting spurs
to his horse, rode some fifty PAGES to the
front, crying out, We surrender A big
rebel drew up his gun and shot the captain
through and through. saying as he did so,
We want that horse The word was that
the rebels were not taking any prisoners,
and when We saw that scoundrel shoot Capt.
Forsythe, as brave a man as ever lived, we
whiried to run, and l was struck in the
arm arm = ny a bullet and fell off my horse. which
anxiety to get the horse, left me unmolested.
II was late in the evening, and by the time
corner and hid amongst the weeds and
brfars. After dark I started to make my
way through the woods to our lines. I was
ly famished by thirst. / would walk a
short distance and then lean up against a
saw something white a little ahead Of me,
and l halloed Who's there? the reply
came back, Who comes there? I said. *
here and surrender I told them I was
wosnded and couldn't get there, it being
and I found myself in the hands OF some
r naS to oa ma a .O on picket Ike II They s,+s said they
told them I couldn't walk, and a boy said.
Here, you can ride my horse Sc with
on to the Whites hsn ho as,pinT we mai t0I gone
far when | said something about being
nearly dead for a drink, and the boy, who
was walking beside me. offered to get me
some water if 1 would wait. Down he went
through the brush into a deep ravine and
soon came back with q small teacup half
full OF water. That cup was all he had to
carry it in, and there was only a swallow
left by the time he got to me, but he kept
going for more four or five times, as often
as would let him. We went on some
further and stopped for the night in the
woods My little friend came to me and
said, Now I have to go on picket; you take
my blankets and this bundle of clothes to
put under your head and make yourself as
comfortable as possible / didn't want to
do it, but he insisted, and said he would
be sure to come back In the morning and
get them. He then said: I know you.' I
asked him where he ever knew me, and he
said. Don't you remember, when you were
your men at a brick house where there was
a big spring near the road, and a woman
asked you not to allow the soldiers to take
the milk and butter out Of that springhouse;
for her" l told him l did. Well said he.
that was my mother, and at that time, as
she told you, my oldest brother and father
were in the confederate army Now" said
woman any way or allowed my men to, that
boy would have had me killed."
He seemed to felicitate himself on his
good luck, but l thought it wasn't like Gen.
next morning the boy came off duty and
made the wounded general ride his horse
while he walked, and the squad went to q
village three miles away. where Gen. Manson
promised to get breakfast for the whole
company, saying. Boys, l have some money
and will pay for our breakfast if you can
get it," At the tavern all hands got break
fast. Gen. Manson paid for it and soon
afterwards was taken to Gen. Kirby
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