Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1901-12-19

of October, 1862. Palmyra is border
town being only about ten miles from
| Quincy, ILL.,, on the Mississippi river.
1t was on these border lines between
the free and slave states that the fra
terna) strife was waged with the
greatest bitterness. 1t was the for
tune Of the writer TO have his home at
Palmyra at the time referred to, and
during most Of the years of the war.
Most OF the citizens Of the town and
county were southern men and south.
ern sympathizers; though some fami-
lies were divided and brother was ar
rayed against brother, and father
against son. A short time before the
event of the shooting Of the ten men,
Col. Porter, in command OF a large body
of"bushwhackers, as they were called,
dashed into Palmyra and made an at
tack upon the court house, and jail,
in which a number of rebels were
held as prisoners by the Union forces
then In possession of the town. My
house was in line between the firing
parties, which made 1t rather an un-
desirable place Of residence for myself,
wife and two children Col. Porter
succeeded In releasing some Of the
prisoners, and took with them an old
citizen Of the town, Union man, by
the name OF Andrew Aulsman. This
man Aulsman, while not In the ranks
OF the militia, had made himself very
obnoxious 10 the southern people by
reporting to the Union authorities
those whom he regarded as rebels or
rebel smympathizes; and lt was a mat
ter Of rejoicing In the town that he
was carried away by Porter's men. /
was lamentlng the loss Of a fine bay
horse that Porter's men seemed to
take fancy 20, as they were retreat
ing from town. At this time Col.
Straughn, Of Shelby county, was the
provost marshal Of the district, and
Gen. John Mcneil, commandant at
the post. A few days after the Por-
ter raid, an order was issued by Gen.
Mcneil, at the Investigation of Col.
Straughn, as understood, to the effect
that if within ten days Aulsman was
not brought in alive and delivered up,
ten men, prisoners in the hands OF the
Federals, would be shot In retaliation.
This order was regarded as a mere
threat and not much Importance at
tached to it by the citizens, for they
supposed that Aulsman was alive,
and could be produced before the time
If necessary. AS the days rapidly
passed however, and nothing was
heard Of Aulsman, some uneasiness
began TO be felt by the citizens. This
uneasineSs was increased as the
limit Of the ten days approached, and
it was learned that ten men had been
selected by lot to be executed IL Auls-
man was not brought in at the expira-
tlon Of the time. And yet scarcely
any one In town could bring them
selves to believe that such diabolical
order would be carried out. The men
selected to be shot were taken at ran
dom from among a large number,
mostly held under suspicion, who had
not had trial but were supposed to
be bushwhackers, or rebel smpathiz-
ers. At last the ten days expired and
Aulsman did not appear, and for the
simple reason that he was dead, hay-
ing been shot in the woods by his cap
tors This, however, was known at
the time by the Federal officers. 1t
was denied and not believed by many
for a long time. Whether he was shot
by order or approval Of Col. Porter, /
have never known, but men are living
to-day who know the spot where An
drew Aulsman was shot and by whom.
Early in the morning Of the eleventh
day II was noticed that some unusual
preparations were going on about the
court house and jail, and it was not
long till there we're unmistakable
signs that the order Of death to the
ten men was about to be carried into
effect.
refused to believe till | saw with
my own eyes, ten wagons drive up In
order, each taking a victim, seated
upon his. colin, fling out in process
sion up Main street, towards the fair
grounds, the place of the execution.
Citizens along the line OF the process
ion looked on in mute astonishment,
scarcely able to believe their own eyes.
Nota word was spoken by any one,
but like dim spectres, seated upon
their cotiins, they moved slowly along
to the place of doom. Strong men,un-
able to bear the sight, withdrew In
doors and wept like children. One ex'
ception there was, and in memorysI
gallery their hangs one picture that
can never be erased, and that
has haunted me a thousand times.
Capt. Sldner, Of Monrore county,
young, tall, handsome, graceful, with
long black hair, falling down upon
his shoulders stood erect by the side
OF his colin, silently waving a farewell
10 friends he recognized along the
street,
A friend OF mine who wentout TO
the ground TO take charge OF his body
and one Of the Others, told me that
upon the word OF ''tire" all fell in
simultaneously killed, except Capt
sidner, who fell wounded to his knees,
was dispatched by pistol shots In that
position. remember this fair ground
SPOT with feelings Of mingled pleas
ure and horror. There first met the
country girl, who afterwards became
nv wife. The spot was forever aban-
doned for all public uses, aud to-day Is
regarded as the "held Of blood"