The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-06-13
OLD BATTLE GROUND.
Central College Located on the
Famous Ground Where
Blue and Gray
Met in '6I-
SOME HISTORY OF TIE BATTLE
Written for This Paper by One Who
Carried IL Musket on the Occasion.

Central Female College is situated U"
the most commanding spot IN the oiu u"
ti6cations where occurred the famous
b.ttle of Lexington. 1t stands where
one stood the old Masonic College' IL
fact the north ell of Central Is ~"
tie Masonic College of lool' o"''
shoru of its once imposing front ana III
den by a building so much larger u
~prettier that the old building looks sh"O
bv and insignificant. This bulidlng'
whicb nov looks so small and dingy In
osor with oNew Central, once had
a reputation as an educational ceh'ei
which was scarcely second to the repu'"
tion of Central" today. How were SUCH
teachers as Patterson, Shaver, Schenk'
Cameron and our much loved Johh L.
RvInnd. Here were gathered sueh
bows as S~layback, Clemens, (AlarK
Twainl Steve Elkins aud hundreds Oh
others who have written their names
hioh on the scroll of fame.
In 1861 the ..sesesh' element strohS-
L, dominated in Missouri, and Latay-
cite, Jackson, Clay, Ray and Saline
~oopn,ies afterward became known by
such appellatives AS "Rebeldom' Inc
..I,t,le Confederacy,' &c. Lincoln
was scarcely inaugurated before active
nrenaratlons were begun all over Inc
state. and especially in this vicinity 10
Take Missouri out of the union ana INK
~ fortunes with the ~confedcracy-
There were no railroads III TINS pari Vi
the state there were but few telegraph
r lines. and all travel and most OF oul
: news was by steam boat on the river
q And, strange as it may appear Inc
s, neople were about as happy as theI
n. are now. and s'news'' fresh from 81
o Louis in four or five days was not con
s;dered ssslow," Lexington beng
river town, and the largest town
hotween St. Louis and St. Joseph, was
a point of great Importance.
Among the first acts OF hostility wa
the capture of a at thiS
Mace which was carrying supplies te
Fort Leayenworth. A few rifles, two
thorsand five hundred pounds OF pow
der and a few percussion caps were
oantpred. and at that time the news
was sent abroad that a great deed nat
heen done. Many things which ther
appeared great have dwlndled lh''
n~o,b,noness compared with latel
events.
About the first of June the LeXing
ton ..troops' marched to the "blue'
near Independence, where IA h''l
scr,mmage occurred. About the Zo''
. t lime thew were back in Lexington
getting ready for II march south In
first distribution of arms was made Jus
.hout where the water tower nov
.,onds and the first distribution G
,,a.Le,s occurred in a building nov
mart of Elizabeth Aull Seminary prop
ertv Verify the boys began to LOOK ik
.oId;ers with their guns and blankets
and the war seemed TO be a realty.
Ahout the middle of May, 1856
Kellv,s Irish brigade arrived IN He.
npton. They had been run out Oh .
: Louis. They were exhibited ana driii'
in our streets, and we gazed in wonde
;no admiration at the precision OF tho
II and at their wonderful capaci
drink whisky. They were pet'
nv our people, and all things were IF
III ,ham We had an idea thai tn
we're giants, and the federal Cover
'.wonld have a time" whenever
came in contact with Kelly's 0rigad
We started south about the 18th
limo imagining ourselves an army'a
;,G wbere we would be able