The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-16
HE HAD A LIVELY CAREER
General Poven C-ayton and His Expe
ience and Adventures.


fence and Adventures
Mexico City, May 15.-General Powell
Clayton Of Arkansas, minister of the
United States 10 Mexico, is 81 years old.
but nobody familiar with his history
could glsess within ter years of his age
He has seen nearly half a century Of the
most exciting, exhaustive and unremit-
ting strife. political and military; his
aife has not been worth a forfeit on so
many ocraeions that he cannot himself
recount them. And yet he stands today
ed by gray. his profuse mustache and
Imperial untouched by time.
He carrfes an annless sleeve, in re-
membrane OF some. of the trials through
which he. has passed, but his bearing is
genial. his handclasp so cordial and his
laughter so infectious that age has for
Eottento put its marks or him, and the
ranks Of his friends have increased with
THE rapidly quite SHOCKING to those who
were once his inveterase and implacable
enemies.
The Clayton family in Arkansas has
long been prominent il: the politics Of
state and nation. Powell Clayton, John
NJ. Clayton and VIM. H. H. Clayton be-
came ccrsspicuous figures IL southern
affairs during the reconstruction days.
John and William were twins. born Oc-
tober ID. 1S40, in Delaware county, Pa
John NJ. was prominent in politics in
jefferson courty, and 1858 he became
the Republican candidate for congress
from the Second district He was foully
assassinared while investigating the thefs
Of ballot-box.
VIM H. II. Clayton served during tive
war as second lieutenant in the 124th
Pennsylvania infantry and in 1874. on
locating at Fort Smith. was appointed
United States attorney for the Western
district Of Arkansas by. President Grant.
and was reapponted by'President Hayes.
He IL still prominent citizen of Fort
Smith.
Powell Clayton was,born in Pennsyi-
wanna. August Z. 1888. The fighting dis
position was evidently'born and bred in
TO the family. In 1855 Powell emigra;ed
10 Kansas and located Leavenworth
rs civil engineer.
There the war found him and he
promptly enlisted in the First Kansas in
Santry. being elected a captain al the age
OF 81 years. With his regiment he march
ed irto Missouri under command OF Col
George ". Dietzer. Just at this time the
federal government was concentrating its
regulars a, Fort Leavenworth under Gen
erals Siurgis and Steele. who afterwards
played SO important a part in the conflict
in southern Missouri and northern Ar
kansas.
1t was at the bloody battle of Wilson's
Creek on August 10. 1861. that Powell
Clayton showed his dashing fearlessness
and great military capacity. The battle
was waged for hours with intense earn
estness. the lines approaching again and
again within less than fifty yards OF each
other and then, after a deadly fire. fall
sng back few PAGES 20 re,oad. only to
advance again and renew the strange
battle IL the woods The First Kansas
a,ore lost. 2s4 OF i;s men that day-11
killed. ls1 badly wounded and 20 miss
ing.
For his deeds az daring at Wilson'S
Creek Powell CLAYTON was made heu;en-
ant colonel and afterwards colonel Of he
Fifth Kansas cavalry.
AS colonel OF the Third Kansas cavalry
Powell Clayton followed the fortunes OF
Of General Samuel r. Curtis command
OF c0:oo0 men into Arkansas, participant
ingin the battle Of Elk Horn Tavern. the
frs, fought on Arkansas soil. and con.in-
ued with Curtis when that officer occu-
pied Helena. The fight al Helena OCCUR
red July 4. 1858. Clayton was with Ger
eral Steele IN the capture Of Little Rock.
and was then assigned % The command
al Pine Bluff. which place he held till the
close Of the war.
During his command az Pine Bluff he
had Two desperate encounters wiz, Con-
federats cavary, one in the attack az
Pre- Bluff by General MarmAdnke whics:
was repnlsed. ard the other with a fore.
under General Dockery a, Mount Ella.
on Saline RIVER. where he captured a