The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1900-07-12
SOLDIERS STORIES.
ENTERTAINING REMiNiCENCES
OF THE WAR.
Graphic Account Of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed On the Battlefield and in
Camp-Veterans of the Rebellion Re-

II story 10 TELL. ana WITH one icCOIu we
gathered round him as he refilled his
pipe and sought n satisfactory recline
on the cushions.
Yes" he began; those were days OF
suspense and anxiety. but, you know,
we volunteers never doubted the result
for an instant. We had our misgivings.
to be sure, at times, but We knew th4<
| ultimate victory was ahead Of US.
Il often recall incidents connected
with those early days.
did l ever tell you how Gov. Yates
cleaned out the ST. Louis arsenalY
We'll. You see it was In 1851, and Mt
that time 1t was almost impossible to
| get muskets as fast as they were need
ed. Illinois was filling her quota
promptly. but most Of the regiments
had to go to the front before being
equipped.
Gov. Yates had an eye on the st.
Louis arsenal and he determined to
| equip some Of the Illinois troops with
| the arms stored there. With this object
in view he secured from the Secretary
of War a requisitlOn for 10000 mus
kets.
AT that time the arsenal was Occu-
pied by few United States regulars
under the command Of Capt Lyon, that
brave and efficient soldier who fell at
Wilson's Creek in the August follow
| ing.
As you will remember, the govern
30
time was in the hands of disloyalists:
and all over the State troops were be-
ing raised for the Southern Confeder-
| acy. There was camp in st. Louis
where volunteers We're being assembled
and drilled. The arsenal was under
surveillance and every movement on
the part Of Capt. Lyon was being re-
ported at the headquarters Of the dis
uniOnists, who were making prepara-
tons to Overwhelm him.
"As matter Of preparation they had
already planted battery on a point
just below the arsenal and another one
on the st. Louis levee. so as to COM
mand the river. This was previous to
the seizure Of Camp Jackson by the
forces under Capt. Lyon. which oc-
| CURED short time afterward
"Of course. under such conditions, the
removal Of the arms from the arsenal
was attended with difficulty and some
danger. However, the Governor was
fortunate in securing the services of
Capt. Stokes, of the regular army, an
! officer eminently qualified in every way
for the undertaking.
with the requisition of the Secre-
tary Of War in his pocket Capt. Stokes
went to st. Louis, arriving there April
"A. 1861. He found the city In q state
! Of intense excitiment; warlike prepara-
tiOns were everywhere In evidence, and
the arsenal was surrounded by an i'm
mense mob. many Of whom were
armed, and all Of them making hostile
demonstrations.
when at length he gained admission
and presented the requisitiOn to Capt.
Lyon the latter frankly expressed
doubt Of the possibility Of executing 1t,
but he told Capt. Stokes to go ahead
and make the attempt. and that he
would render all the assistance In his
power. A large force was soon at work
getting the arms ready for shipment.
"On the very next day Capt. Lyon
received information that Gov. Jack
son. Of Missouri, had issued orders for
the immediate concentration of troops
at st. Louis, for the purpose Of captur-
ing the arsenal; and on learning this
Capt. Stokes decided to make the re-
moval that night at all hazards.
During the day he telegraphed to
Alton and engaged the steamer City
Of Alton to be at the arsenal about mid
night.
In looking through the arsenal he
found a quantity Of old fiint-lock mus
kets that had been sent there to be al
tered. and, as blind to cover his real
movements, Capt. Stokes sent these
tiint-locks, ostensibly to be placed on a
steamer that was lying at the levee,
we'll knowing that the mob would
pOunce upon them, as, in fact, 1t did.
This capture seemed to satisfy them
for while. At any rate. the number
surrounding the arsenal visibly dimin-
ished as night approached.
Il happened to be in Alton when the
dispatch from Capt. Stokes was re-
ceived. and being acquainted with
Capt. Mitchell, Of the steamer, solic-
tied permission to accompany the expe-
ditiOn. He readily granted my request,
and 1 was on hand promptly at the
hour designated for starting.
THE distance from Alton to st. Louis
is about twenty miles, and it took us
a little more than an hour-as l now
recOllect-to make the run Ii was Just
about midnight when the boat swung
round at the arsenal landing. and a
line was run out To the shore.
You are badly mistaken if you think
we lost any time in filling that requisi-
ton. The way the men fell to work on
that job was something to see Talk
of hustling! Well. after the 10000 mus
kets We had come for were safely on
board we all expected that the boat
would pull out, but this was not the
case.
1Acn tuOuS6uu muSkelS, over
100000 cartridges, about COO carbines.
500 revolvers, besides cannon and a
large quantity Of miscellaneous ac-
couternents, were hustled on board. 1t |
seems that Capt. Lyon In view Of all |
the circumstances, and upon the earn |
est request and strong presentation
Of the situation by Capt. Stokes. gave |
the latter permission to take away all |
he could carry.
"A detail Of regulars was placed on |
the steamer as guard and then the |
captain gave the signal to depart. The
wheels revOlved but the boat would not |
bulge. We We're in 4 fix. sure enough. |
You see, in loading up, the cargo lad |
been placed in large quantities around
the boiler and engine, so as to protect |
them from the batteries on shore in
case of an attack, and their immense
weight had pressed down the bows Of /