The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-04-06

l|a| 'G
THO RsD. "a PRII 6
Youngers are restored their liberties
they will prove good and useful 81 Ii.
zens during the remainder OF their
days.
some people imagine that the
]! Yelo lou are sfends incarnate; that
they ruthlessly murdered men, women
and children in Missouri during war
times ll enWho fought the Youngers
know better. When the war broke
out the Youngers were mere boys. but
they We're brave fighters and respected
9 fallen foe. Annexed heretois a let
ter written by Col. Emory Foster,
president Of the board Of public inn
proyements Of st. Louis, which speaks
volumes for Cole Younger. e. The
writer knew Col. Foster in the seven
ties when he (Foster) was editor of the
St. Louis Journal, and'a more chival-
rous man never breathed the breath
Of life: ;ss IL: as..>s.. ,S.. r.
<'S%t: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE
BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS s
x ST LOUIS.
r. n +. ~ St. Louis, Mo-; May Z, 1898
Hon. Geo. NJ. Bennett .; e. sa@-.r5
Dear Sir:-In response to yours of the 2nd
inst. l submit the following statement of the
obligation conferred upon me by Cole Younger
in 1862: = ...- Ill., -
On August Is OF that year was placed in
command Of about 40 Federal soldiers sent bv
Gen. JAS Totten to check Confederate force
supposed to be 1000 strong and located near
Lone jack in Jackson county, Mo. I was or
dered to attack this force wherever I might
ind 1t, and hold it until Gen. Warren, moving
from Clinton. Henry county, Mo-. could ioin me-
i was at that time major of the 9TH cavalry
Missouri militia. Ten regiments, so desig
mated, were mustered into the U. S: service on
the same footing as volunteers 1 marched
1rom Lexington at sunrise. and struck the Con-
1ederates half a mile south Of Lone Jack about
O'CLOCK on the evening of the same day
August Is. The Confederate force was scat
that another and larger force of Confederates
unuer Col. Cockerell, was camped about three
miles northwest of Lone Jack. Expecting that
Gen Warren wouldsjoin me that night. or early
next morning. ordered my men to sleep in
line IN Lone Jack. About 8 o'clock on the
morning OF August 16 my pickets came in. re-
poio1us ona1 ooO0 Confederates were marching
"! Aolle jack awaited them, and about 40
minutes AFTER my picl1ets had been driven in
Inoy "C'acked us. The battle continued over
I'VE nours' most OF the time across a village
s'reet' not more than sixty feet wide. During
ZIG pfosress OF the fight my attention was
calleo 10 young Confederate riding in front of
ing confederate line, distributing ammunition
~ JIG men from what seemed to be a sssplint
pt'shet. he rode along under q most CALLING
hre from our side the entire length of the Con-
leoeiaCe INES, ana when he at last disappeared
our Boys recognized his CALAMITY in ringing
cneers. was told by some of our men from
tne western border OF the State that they rec
osnlzed the daring young rider as Cole Younger.
About $3.50 A. NJ Confederates captured our ar
Illery-tWo pieces. led charge recaptured
tne guns ana was shot down. The Confeder-.
ates at this time: ceased firing. and soon after
were IN retreat. The wounded of both forces
were gathered up (among them myself. with
my brother, both supposed to be mortally
"ounded) and were placed in houses. Nv
prother and were placed in the same bed. in A.
small house in the southern, part of Lone Jack.
Many others were in the same room badly
wounded. About an hour after the Confeder.I
ates had left the field the officer who by means
OF his rank took command of the Federals
When became unconscious gathered his men |
together and returned to lexington. Soon
a1ter the iConfederates returned. The first
man VINO entered my room was John --. q
guerilla, followed by a dozen or more men, who
seemed to obey him. He was personally known
TO me, and had been my enemy from before the |
war He said he and his men had lust; shot a |
lieutenant of a Cass county company whom
they found wounded and that he would shoot
me and my brother. While he was standing
over US threatening US with his drawn pistol. !
the young man had seen distributing ammuti- |
ton along the front of the Confederate line
rushed into the room from the west door, and. |
selzlng the fellow, thrust him out of the room.
Several Confederates followed the young Con-
federate into the room, and I heard them call !
him Cole Younger. He (Younger) sent for Col.
Cockere11 Tin command of the Confeder !
1orces), and stated the case to him. He also
called the young man Cole Younger, and d.
rected him to guard the house, which he did.
My brother had with him about $500 and L had !
about $500. This money and our ,revolvers,
We're, with the knowledge and approval of Cole
younger, placed in safe hands. and were finally |
delivered to my mother in Warrenburg. NO. |
Cole Younger was then certainly. high type Of
manhood, and every inch q soldier who risked |
his own life to protect that of wounded and dis
abled enemies. believe he Still retains those
qualities and would prove himself as good
citizen as we have among us if set free, and
would fight for the Stars and Stripes as fear
lessly as he did for the southern flag Ihave
never seen him since the battle of Lone Jack. |
know much OF the conditions and circum-
stances under which the Youngers were placed
after the war. and knowing this, have great
sympathy for them" Many men, now promi-
nent and useful citizens of Missouri, were, like
the YOungorS unable n rot,,rn IN that, ,,o,,,