The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-18
The Old Slave o, Gen. shelby

ant. Uncle Billy Hunter In spite of his
~ years, is still sturdy and vigorous.
he remembers the war times remark
ably we'll, and likes nothing better
than to talk of the many fights and
incidents in the life of his "old massa, .
the famous confederate general, whose
BODY rests in Forest Hill cemetery.
With the exception of Shelby's expe-
ditlon into Mesico-one of the most
dramatic events In our history-and
the thirty years after the war, when
the general lost sight of him entirely,
Uncle Billy was with him from the
time he was IL years old Billy Is at
his best when he gets started on Cen
Shelby during the war. Deere never
was man like Gen. Shelby, sah," said
Billy the other day to a reporter from
the Kansas, City Star. His sojers jes
thought the world of him. 'Twant
never Go fight but Come on, boys,
an he was always in de front, leadin'
EN- on. Many's the time I've brought
up big fresh boss for him when his
was SHOT, and carried coffee an bite
o something to eat to him on the field.
Wasn't no one else could cook for the
general 'cept ole Billy Come here,
you black niger, an get me something
to eat!' he ulster yell, an you bet |
did right smart. He would cuss me
awful, but, Lor'! that wasn't nothing.
When he didn't knew there was
yS&iMs on tarapggh The, war
rtended him, and when he was shot In
the wrist at Cape Girardo l nursed
him Lots o men went hungry in
those days, but generally could pick
up something for the general Had to.
be mighty careful bout it, for he didn't
allow no stealin'. Yes, sab, was cap
| tured jes' once. Lemme see, that was
at Lone Jack. Gen. Shelby sent me to
Col. Jordan's camp bout mile away,
and the feds scooped me and took me
into the village, but in an hour and
half the James brothers came chargin'
through and drove the feds off They
pulled me out from between two
feather beds, where l was keeping
away from the bullets, and took me
back to Shelby. When he saw me he
looked mad clean through Where
have you been. you black rascal?' says
be. go get me some breakfast darned
smart When Gen. Shelby started for
| Mexico with his 1000 picked men he
\ bays to me. Billy, you take Miss Betty
Il that's my missus-and the children
back home, and you're free man. So
Y left him at Galveston and carried
\ them cross the Gulf of Mexico to New
Orleans. and from there to Lexington
mfR and sound. After that drifted off
on 1hy own hook, workin' as porter in
hotelsl IAN tendin bar, and never
heard OF tla ,ss,. general for morn thirty
years. One daS-While was working
for Jim Baldus in chicago heard that
my ole massa was \, United States
marshal in Kansas City, aud l let him
know where was. He sent for me to
come back, but | guess dfdnt, start
quick enough to suit him, for one Sun
day when l was readin' the papers in
the barroom in walks man and says:
I'm Deputy Marshal Potts of Kansas
City, an I'm looking for William
Hunter rs the man, sah,' says l.
What you done, Billy?' said Baldus.
I'll stand by YOU Gen. Shelby told
me to bring you back with me- Potts
said. He said that darned Niger
worked for me for more than thirty
years, an he's going to take 1t easy
now. You bring him back, and III
give him all the land he wants." I'D
| IN through FIRE and water for the ole
massa.' says l. and back starts. The
missus gave me two horses, and
stayed with 'em till the general died
done lost the best friend had then
An now I'm living with Joe Shelby
Jr., sab, and tend his children jest a:
did him when he was little Teller
But every Decoration day goes owe
to my ole massa's grave and pu
flowers on 1t in memory Of the fines
man that ever lived, sah-Gen. Jo
Shelby"