Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-08-26

tory.
From the Woodland tCalI Mail.
Hardly anyone who knows him
would think that in DIR. w. w. Mac
farlane, one of our most esteemed and
citizens, we have one of the
bravest heroes of the late civil war.
This is a fact, however, and through
the kindness of the doctor the Mail
has been afforded the pleasure Of re-
producing a bit of his war experience,
which was published in the Mexico
LEDGER, of Missouri, years ago, and
which was afterwards published in a
history Of Audrain county, Mo-:
A BIT OF LOCAL HISTORY.
DIR. w. w. MACFARLANE LED OUT TO
BE SHOT.
Many, II not all, OF our readers have
heard of DIR. W. w. Macfarlane's
thrilling adventure during the late
war. You have all heard of it and, at
the same time, have not heard the
particulars. A LEDGER reporter has
cleaned all the facts he could without
interviewing the doctor, for we knew
he would give us nothing for publica-
ton.
DR.. MacfarIane and about fifty more
Confederates were one day fighting
thrice their number of Federals nea
Moore's mill, IN Galloway county,
| when the doctor and Pres. Wilkerson
were sent out to reconnoitre. The
doctor is color blind. He had not gone
far before he saw some men in the
brush near by, but, as he could not
tell blue from gray, thought they were
members of his own company. He
kept on his way, when "spit! spit!
spill" went bullets by his ear. He
thought they were random shots. He
then turned toward the men and saw
that they were shooting at him, the
bullets whistling uncomfortably close.
He kept on toward them shouting:
"What in the devil Cor words to that
effect) are you shooting at me for?"
They rushed in and captured him be-
fore he found out that they were not
members of his own company. He
was taken to Fulton and kept In
prison for a time. He was then
brought to Mexico. In a few days
Col. Smart, well but not favorably
known in Mexico, had an order for
"Macfarlane to be shot" When the
day for the execution arrived he was
led out near where Mr. Dunbar's resi-
dence now is, in North Mexico. The
guns were loaded, the coffin was there
and Macfarlane had taken his position
but he never fInched. Col. Smart
then began to givehim a lecture, but
the doctor told him to stop, that hi
orders were to shoot him, not to tall
i, him to death. Fhe men formed II
line and the order was given to SNAKE
READY! Take aimI" The doctor coulC
hear the locks click and see the capi
glisten on the tubes, as the execution
ers were only a few feet distant. Jus
as the doctor "a sighting along th'
dark barrels of the rifles and wonder
ing if they would not shoot below hi
Q face, Col. Morsey stepped out and or
. dered a halt in the proceedings, say
t ing that he had an order for a com
mutation of the sentence to imprison
0 ment during the raj Smart had thi
Q order several hours before, but sti
took the doctor out, wishing to Civ
d him a good scare We do not kno'
O how badly the doctor was frightened
v but do know that he never weakened
II He fully expected to die, but saw n
d way out of it, and was going to die q
J. he lived-a brave man. What a con
ft trast he was to Smart. After he re
70 ceived orders not to shoot Macfarlan'
g instead of telling him he put hi
through all the above torture, whic
is amounted to the same, as far as huma
ID feeling goes, as if he had shot hin
and this Ia not all. On the way to tt
place where he was to be shot, in tt
,e face of the Communication, he wante
q Macfarlane to try to make his escaI
as so he could shoot him down runnir
<. like a dog. Macfarlane thought
ia better to be shot in the face for ii
cause he was fighting than to be sh
he In the back in an endeavor to escap
nd Smart was in this way cheated out
ne his morbid desire for human blood.
d. DIR. MacfarIane remained a prison
70, during the war and now resides
IL Mexico with his family. He sho'
the same character in all his dealin
ell that he displayed on this trying occ
at sion.
THE SEQUEL.
er. An incident which occurred yes
nd and years after the one just describ'
in this city, furnishes ar INTEREST,"
sequel to the original story. Dr.Ms
farlane was the physician of the COT
ty hospital in 1885, having succeed
DIR. Ross in that position. One day
visited the hospital in company W
DIR. Ross, who introduced him to 81
eral patients in the hospital. Ame
them was one in particular, who for
the principal subject Of this narrati
He was a weather-beaten man,
face and frame showing the effects
a life spent amid exposure and ha
ships. In Introducing them Dr.. Il
W said to the patient: "This is q \
sourian," meaning DR.. Macfarls
and the sick mans eyes lighted wi
-. CLEAN of interest and delight "a
gazed into the benevolent countena
of q fellow countryman.
A mutual friendship sprang up
tween them and ere long they '
Nc discussing old Missouri's history. I
aco, had lived in the same neighbour
wife and each knew many friends of