The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-05-18

into town. The militia was ordered out
and was started on run for the spot
where his friend had fallen. When we
got there sure enough, Indians could be
seen through the trees.
Haiti Carry armsl Loadp came the
command to cur excited squad
would you believe II, not a man in
the squad had a ramrod.
1.-THE Indians proved to be only three
in number, and friendly"
was it there you got the title Of col
onel?"
NO, that was in the battle Of West
port, in 1854"
Were you IN that engagement
It thought SO at the time, but II
Colonel Murdoch.
Il was in command Of a regiment Of
raw recruits, mustered IN from Wyan-
dotte. Pottawatomie and Shawnee coun-
ties. to resist the invasion Of General
Price. I guess there were more Bull
calls, Shadows and Bottoms among US
than were ever food for powder under
Sir John Falstaff. myself was mounted
on an animal that weighed 1.4OO pounds.
and that paid no more attention to me
than to g stray horsely.
Price was held in wholesome awe by
the people Of Kansas, myself and men in
cluded. In 1861 he had beseiged and cap
tured Mulligan in the face Of 80. 900 federal
troops. Since 1854 Kansas lived in dread
of an invasion from his army, and when
We saw the intrepid Price marching north
ward from Wilson creek with banners CT
victory held high, some Of US believed the
day OF doom had dawned. Now that he
was in the state and We were on the
eve CT a big battle. our shouts of COM
mand and orders Of preparation almost
shook the petals from the sunfowers.
My regiment was in the thick of the
fracas- We all swore we had been i'm
posed upon IN being made to bear the
brunt OF battle.
THE men had given me a magnificent
gold-plated sword with my name en-
graved upon it. and riding at the head Of
the regiment-wen, felt like young re-
porter with two first prize stories. All
the time I was inquiring Of a Major VIII
son, whose command was stationed near
Us, If we had better not retire. Bombs
and canister were bursting around US
and one piece Of shell struck the tip of
my horses tail just as the line broke
and we started.
''Well, that horse grew unmansgeable.
I couldn't stop him until we had gone
three miles in the direction of Kansas
City. With me were $50 men. Were
their mounts unmana geable? Every man
was willing to take an oath on it. We
formed into a semblance Of order and
proceeded toward Kansas City. On the
not learn for three hours that they were
Union sympathizers who were going to
the front
To hide our chagrin, the boys decided
to celebrate, but had no visible means
TO do it in manner as behtted the
occasion. had unbucBIed my sword and
thrown It into wagon for future ref
erence.
.'weu, sir. thos fellows took that
sword, brought it TO Kansas City and
pawned it for beer-yes. pawned it"
Did you ever recover IT."
"I have been looking for It for thirty
years, ard never pass by pawn shop in
Kansas city that I do not keep an eye
ont for my old sword"
And never found it2"
no. never found it. but Il IS somewhere.
with my name on it. and may turn up
some day. I looked around awhile to-
day, but had no success in getting
clue TO the old weapon"
Colonel 1Turdoc5 then brsnched of and
recounted his narrow escape in Lawrence
during the Quantrel raid. when 260 citi-
zens Of Lawrence We're shot down. He
only saved his life by getting into a well
IN the rear of a liquor store
The desperadoes came riding down
the street with a pistol in each hand.