The National tribune., 1897-10-07
DEFENDS THEIR RECORD.
Missouri Comrade Tells WHY CeHtair
Glass OF Troops Should Not be RidicuIed.

Missouri Comrade Tells why a Certain
Glass OF Troops Should Not be RidicuIed.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: enlisted
Feb. %, 1862, in the lat Mo. S. NJ, to serve
three, years; then veteranized in the Sum-
mer OF 1864. My veteran discharge gives
my last enlistment as Feb. %, 1864, exactly
two years from the first enlistment. How
ever, know it was later than that when /
re-enlsted. At the expiration of our 30
days furlough we were ordered to report at
Benton Barracks, st. Louis.
Those of our regiment and the fragments
of other regiments who had re-enlsted were
organized into the 18th Mo. Cav, with E.
c. Catherwood as its Colonel. We were
just organized, aud mounted in time to
drop in on Pap" Prices heels near St.
Louis, during his last raid in the Fall Of '64.
We stayed with him" until we demoral-
| lied his army, capturing one battery of
six pieces at Independence, Mo-, killing and
wounding number of his men. We struck
him again on the Usage River on his way
south, capturing Gen. Marmaduke with
1000 prisoners.
We next collided with him near the
Arkansas line. Here we about finished
him, but he managed to slip off with the
few men left and evade his own capture.
Our spoils for the chase, in addition to the
above mentioned, was a large provision
train that Price had gathered up while pass
ingthrough the State.
We were ordered to Rolla, Mo-, and went
into Winter quarters. Lees surrender to
Grant took place the following April; so, not
being needed south, our regiment and a
detachment of the Sd Wis. Cav. were
ordered to the Indian frontier, in western
Kansas and Colorado, where we saw good
deal of hard service between that time and
the time of our final muster-out, at Ft.
Leavensworth, Kan, April 18, 1866.
There are comrades who cast reflections
on our first service record, calling us Paw
paw militia" and say that we have no right
to pension under any general law for this sery-
ice. This is not fair to the 10 regiments of
this class Of troops, being nine of cavalry and
one of infantry. The infantry regiment was
called The 1st, and commanded by Col. John
B. Gray, of st. Louis. These troops were
enlisted under the following circumstances,
if l mistake not: Claiborne Jackson, being
Governor Of Missouri at the breaking out of
the war, attempted to turn erything over
to the South and did turn over S3,000,000
that were in the State Treasury at that time,
in defiance of the Legislature, which opposed
The Republican State Convention re-
assembled and ordered new election to be
held the following November, which resulted
in the choice for Governor of III. X Gamble
and Lieutenant Governor VIM. j. Hall. All
State officials who had become traitors were
replaced by loyal men.
Union troops were greatly needed immedi-
ately. The State authorities, under this
great pressure, were advised to make re-
quest of the President and Secretary of War
to permit the enlistment of the above-named
troops. They were to be enlisted for three
years or during the war, to be paid, armed
and equipped by the United States Govern
ment: to be entitled to all emoluments of
other volunteers, the only difference being
that our service was to be confined to the
State.
The Government complied with its con-
tract in every detail. We were paid $100
bounty for our first service, $400 bounty to
yeteranze; nor has the Government ever
rejected pension claim on account of our
service record.
do not believe that body of men could
be found in the army that represented more
loyalty or willingness to perform every duty
required.
AS to the Enrolled Mo. S. S." They were
not enlisted volunteers at all. A proclama-
tion was issued by the Governor declaring
that all citizens of the State should be en-
rolled, organized into companies and regi-
ments for Home Guards. They were allowed
to remain at home They were subject to
being called out for duty at such time as
needed Some of them were armed by the
State with muskets, while others armed
themselves with shotguns and rifles. A
great many of those enrolled" were dis
loyal, and used the enrolment law as q
disguise to commit depredations on loyal
citizens and Union soldiers in the State
S. M. REEVES, Co. F, 18th Mo. Cav, Mon
tana, Kan.