Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-04-01
g5gyg5t,1ZG;l5T;;;
[RleS'|izI1El(fFl}ll|llF''Z||sE2 'iI1l(F}|lF
MUCH WOUNDED JOHN coGER.
The Old Confederate Guerrilla who
Shot Himself Because of
His Wife.

"Ireckon youread about John Coger's
shooting himself out in Grain Valley,
Mo.?" said an old guerrilla now living
in New York. at is strange thing to
me how a soldier, and particularly
man like John Coger, would shoot him
self because he couldn't get along with
his wife, know men to do fool things
about women when they are in the lol-
lypop stage, but John Coger was born
fighter, and he had been married long
time-42 years-and his wife had borne
and raised six children. John must be
nigh 20 years old. / think any man who
went through the civil war, whether he
was federal or confederate, ought to
have the privilege of living the remain
der of his days quietly and of dying in
peace at home.
But that isn't the story. John Coger
was one of the men who at times
growled wheu Quantrell gave him an
order And that was mighty uncom-
mon with Quantrelrs men 1 always
had an idea that John Coger had some
sort Of grudge against Quantrell, but
he never would admit it. I reckon you
know that the old Quantrell band-I
mean the first one-consisted of eight
men. Then when Quantrell was made
captain there were 80. Coger was one
of the 80. After we had been at it for
awhile there sprung up a superstition
that the bullet or knife hadn't been
nodded or whetted that could kill John
Coger. And still there hardly ever was
a fight in which he didn't get hit. And
it got to be byword after a fight:
Where was John Coger hit this time?
1t was. as John Edwards used to say,
astonishing how much lead John Coger
could get along with and keep fat on it.
When the war was over John Coger took
a census of his wounds one day and
found %.
Zone of the things that Coger hated
Quantrell for happened the year wc
came back into Missouri after winter
ing in Te8as-1S64. Not far from Ne
osha Ward Coeurall, then colonel, was
bushed and shot in the arm George
Shepherd, Frank James and John Co
ger dashed into the brush and broke up
q camp of militia. They said they killed
10. That same day and growing out of
that fight, VIII Mcclure captured fed
eral right in the face of line of his own
men. McGu;re had been doing spy duty
and wore a blue uniform. So when he
rode up to the federal line he wasn't
noticed, but he said to federal, whose
name he learned later was Sergt. Rus
sell: Come with me and say nothing
and he said it very low Russell didn't
know that he was being led away from
his own men oy Quantrell spy, so he
rode off with him, and when they were
out of range of the federal guns Nc
Guire turned to the federal and says:
"'You're my prisoner. QuantreL
wants to see ycu.'
''None of us ever knew why, bu'
Quantrell ordered the federal shot. ant
he selected John Coger to do it. Wher
John got the order he shut his eyes anC
clinched his teeth, but he said nothing
back. He went to Russell and said a
cool as if he was asking him to take
drink:
"'I don't like this job, but I've got t.
do it,
John told me afterward that tn
young federal said TO him: 'Blaz
away, but you are carrying out the or
ders of cursed cur and coward.'
1T was one of the uuwritten laws o
that organization to allow no one t,
speak i'll of its leader without paying
the penalty. asked John what he re
piled to the federaPs abuse of Quantrell