The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1901-06-06
w. f, BAILEY WHO KNEW KEO-
KUK in WAR TIMES.
Cones Back to Visit the Scene of a
Large Part of His Military
Career,

Large Part of His Military
Career.
The Gate City, the leading paper of
Keokuk. Iowa. has long article in its
issue of May 80. from which we clip the
following:
There is visiting in keokuk a gentle
man who has a peculiar interest in Keo-
kuk and likewise the city has a recipro-
cal interest in him.
w. E. Bailey of Plymouth, Indiana,
who was member of the provost guard
here during two years and who was SER
geant of the guard for one year, is
guest at the Estes hotel. He has jour
neyed back to keokuk after an absence
OF nearly thirty-seven years. He has
come to revisit the scenes of part of
his military career and to hunt up some
Of the comrades who served with him.
He was prominent parsonage during
part of the most exciting and stirring
period of the city's history, and is full of
"reminiscences of that time.
Mr. Bailey came to Keokuk in the fall
of 1862 on the hospital boat and was in
the hospital in the Leighton house, now
known as the hotel Keokuk He had
been injured by fall from his horse at
Helena. his hip being badly injured.
He remained in the hospital until the
spring Of 1863. He was still incapacita-
ted for active service. At that time the
hospital guards were consolidated and
the provost guard formed. Mr.. Bailey
was assigned to this guard and from the
fall of 1868 to the fall of 1864 he was SER
geant of the guard. His term of service
having expired he was then discharged.
Headquarters were rented in the E. X.
Hart rooms. The prison ard the guard
house as we'll as the headquarters of the
provost guard were in the old build
ing 90 the corner of Third and
Exchange streets. The building still
stands but the progress of trade has left
the old mark standing away from the
center of the city's activities At that
time. it was the center of affairs.
THE NEWSPAPER RAID.
When Mr.. Bailey arrived here, Lieu
tenant Ball was commander of the post
and was succeeded by Captain Willis.
When the old Constitution office was
raided and its presses and type thrown
into the river there was intense excite
ment. This was early in 1863. There
we're rumors that in retaliation. some of
the people opposed to the policy OF The
Gate City would make an attack upon
this paper and destroy the plant. The
paper was then esta blished in the bull
ding on Second and Main Streets and
the guard detailed number of pickets
to guard the Office. Mr.. Bailey was one
of these and the special guard was main
tanned for several months. However,
no overt attack was ever made upon the
Office.
When here, there was a considerable
amount of trouble in Tioga, ILL.,, and Mr..
Bailey was one of those who was active
in it's suppression. A mau named Glass
over there was at the head of a faction
OF southern sympathizers and reports
reached here that there was band of
guerrillas in operation over there, A de-
tail OF soldiers was sent over and mum.
Der OF the more prominent leaders were
brought here under arrest, Later David
Tooke. who preceded Mr.. Bailey as
provost sergeant Mr. Bailey himself and
a man named Holiday went over in
citizens clothes. and posing as stock
buyers gained sufficient information to
enable them to suppress the entire
movement. DR., Glass being finally killed.
At the time of the threats against The
Gate City Office, Mr.. Bailey says that
there were 300 soldiers, armed with load
ed rifles prepared to suppress any such
movement. Had riot occurred, it
would have been bloody one.
HENRY CLAY DEAN,
Mr.. Bailey was provost sergeant at the
time of the arrest of Henry Clay Dean
here. The latter protested vehemently
over his. incarceration. He wrote
long articles. strongly confederate in
their tendencies. and begged that they
be printed. but the sergeant would not
permit this. MIR. Dean asked to be al
lowed to work, and this was granted
him. many papers and records being in
his hand writing. Mr.. Bailey knew
Judge Howell and the late Hon. S, NJ
Clark, He was also we'll acquainted
with Judge Claggett. He was here when
Major Curtis.a son ofCenersl Curtis, was
buried, and visited his grave yesterday.
The changes are very marked since
last he was here. At that time from one
to fifty boats were at tbelevee almost all
the time and the business of thetown was
from Water to Third streets on Main.
Ou,ythe Estes house is the same in ap-