The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-06-29

VI AAf AAA' VI AAt unAoiAbAn EAfiAAtta
ehieftain. William Clark Quantrell. II |
you will kindly accord me the neces-
sary space for this reply. ! desire 10 |
place on record few circumstances /
which came under the personal obser-
walton OF the writer and which will |
throw some light on the darker side |
OF the character Of one OF the most
cowardly. cruel and inhuman monsters
that ever disgraeed the soil Of Ken
lucky. says a writer In the Louisville
Commercial. quote from the article
the following: His friends say he
was In fact humane and generally
shrank from the needless taking Of
Of human life" Again: Those living
today who we're under his command
on those memorable occasions have tes-
tined that Quantrell's horror OF need
less blood splitting held his men very
much In check and minimizsd the
slaughter" There are hundreds, yes
thousands. OF men now living In the
state OF Kentucky. who In all probable
fly will read the above quotations with
scorn and contempt The good people
Of Kentucky had long ago hoped that
the air Of our beloved state would new
er again be contaminated by the name
Of William Clark Quanirell. In Jus
tice 10 the memory Of some Of those
who met their death at the hands Of
this slaughterer Of innocent men. wo-
men and children. will relate the cir
cumstanoes TO which ! have referred.
The present postmaster Of Hartford,
KY. Capt Wood Tinsley. Lieut.. An
drew Barnett and the writer we're In
Ohio county. Kentucky. during the
months Of December. 1864 and Jan
uary, 1865. on recruiting expedition.
We were quartered al the house OF
Joseph c. Barnet. father Of Andrew
Barnett. about four miles from Hart
ford. On Sunday morning. the first
day Of January. 1865, We received word
from Col q c. Shanks that Capt
William Clark had arrived al that
place In command Of a company OF
federal soldiers and had requested the
colonel 20 send for ~ 10 act az guides
on a guerrilla hunt. there being many
OF these lawless ruiians IN Ohio coun-
~. Young Barnett who was az brave
boy as ever lived and was anxious 20
help rid the county Of the pests, sig
nihed his Willingness 20 start at once.
!. however. questioned closely the col
onels messenger John Many In re-
gard 10 the dress, arms. etc. OF the
supposed federals. and while ] could
scarcely believe that such men az Col.
Shanks. Judge G. J. Lawton and mum
bers OF other prominent union men In
Hartford had been deceived. yet felt
assured that Il was trap % Saie tayly
friend Barnett and me. ~ = but all
lsJG- Of my fesrs spS&as confident that
no guerrilla could deceive Col shanks
so ! decided that II he insisted on
going would accompany him. told
him that ! was 10 Impressed with the
idea that We were going 10 fall into
the hands Of the guerrillas that
would not take any arms or money
with me. ! then gave 10 George Bar
nett. Andrews brother. my pocket
book containing about $500 In green
backs and some notes, and instructed
him what 10 DO with them IN case !
never returned This greatly excited
young Barnett's mother and she. too.
demonstrated with her son. but with
out changing his determination In the
least.
We we're soon mounted and gone.
Capt Clark had 20 successfully decelv-
ed everybody In Hartford that he felt
sure Of meeting us on the way 10 join
him. and he and his band had there
fore. left Hartford via the Greensboro
road at about the same time We left
Barnett's house Barnett and I met
them iust az We were coming out OF
the Llyermore road into the Hartford
and Greensboro road Barnett rode
up on the left OF Capt Clark and on
the left Of Barnett ! was convinced
at once that my suspicious were well
founded and that We we're indeed In
the hands Of guerrlllas. I believed
that we were done FOR. but. hoping 10
escape by stratagem, turned 10 Clark
and said Il had suspected YOU Of be-
Ing guerrillas or rebel soldiers before
left home and therefore did not bring
my arms. ammunition or money. I
was determined that II you were guer-
rillas you should not profit by any
thing more than my humble self. But
now that am with you and see that
you are all right. when we get short
distance further on | will cut across
the country 10 my home, get my arms.
money and a better horse and be with
you In an hour or So" ! saw that he
cared for nothing but the money. va
I ! told him how much ! had. ! played
my $500 for an II was worth aud saved
my life by A. when We got 10 the
HawesvIlle road they turned into II
and kept straight ahead telling CLARK
I ] would soon rcioin them. About one
mile from where I left them he de.
.
return, get the money and KIN me
During the time those events we're TAX.
ing place Mrs Barnett, who had be-
come very much excited over my aus.
plclons. had asked Yves Townsley, q
discharged federal soldier and son o
a respectable and respected farmer. &,
10 to Hartford and get an the informa
ton possible about Capt Clark ant
his followers Townsley willing to d,
this Kindness for her. mounted hil
horse and started. lie still had on hii
federal uniform. Coming into thu
owensboro road. he learned In som,
way that he could oyertako NJ mor'
quickly than TO 20 to Hartford 20
changing his route. he pressed on an,