The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1901-12-28
BLACK PAGE IN MISSOURI WAR HISTORY
Another Writer Tells of the Noted PALMYRA Massacre
No Voluntary Substitution.
WANTON MURDER OF TEN BRAVE, INNOCENT MEN
Chonlcler OF Fact an eWness-Heroic Department of
Monroe County Officer

federal officers. 1t was denied and not
believed by many for long time.
Whether he was shot by order or
approval of Col. Porter, | have never
know, but men are living today who
know the spot where Andrew Auls-
man was shot and by whom.
Early in the morning of the eleventh
day it was noticed that some unusual
preparations were going on about the
court house and Jail and it was not
long till there was 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 coffin, filing out in procession
up Main street toward the fair
grounds. Citizens along the line
looked on in mute aStoniShment,
scarcely able to believe their own eyes.
Not word was spoken by any one,
but like dim Spectres, seated upon
their coffins, they moved slowly along
to the place of doom. Strong men,
unable to bear the sight, withdrew in
doors and wept like children. One
exception there was, and In memory's
gallery there hangs one picture that
can never be erased, and that has
haunted me Thousand times. Capt
Snider, of Monroe county, young, tall,
handsome, graceful, with long black
hair falling down upon his shoulders,
stood erect by the side Of bis coffin,
silently waving a farewell to friends
he recognized along the street.
A friend Of mine who went out to
the ground to take charge of his body
and one of the others, told me that
upon the word of ''fire all fell instan-
taneouslV killed, except Capt. Snider,
who fell wounded to his knees, and
was dispatched by pistol shots while
in that position. l remember this fair
ground spot with feelings Of mingled
pleasure and horror. There | first
met the country girl, who afterwards
became my wife. The spot was for
ever abandoned for all public uses, and
today is regarded as the "field of
blood"
have always thought that Colonel
StrGughn was more responsible for the
shooting of these ten men than was
Col. Mcneil. He had a wonderful
influence over men, and had the repu.
tation of being a man of shocking
immortality,
| have learned from good authority
that he came to a horrible end after
the war at New Orleans.
/ have often seen the statement
that young man voluntarily ordered
himself substitute in place of one OF
the doomed men, and preachers have
used the supposed fact as an illustra.
tion of the substitutionary death OF
Christ. The story is not true. Upon
the urgent appeals of the wife and
children Of one of these men he was
released and young man selected tC
take his place, but it was not yolun.
tary act.
The killing of Aulsman was a great
crime, and the parties to it ought to
have been punished, but it was nc
justification of the wholesale massacre
by Straughn and Mcneil, of men who
were in no way responsible for the
death of Aulsman. I was a union
man throughout the war, but never
had a word of apology for this cruel
and unwarranted deed, and regard it
as one most atrociOus in all the history
of the war.