Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18
How Augustus LOckner Spent the Merry
Holiday in 1884
TRUE STORY OF FIGHT WITH MoSsrs MEN
Capture and Escape from the Gue-
rinas and His Desperate struE-
ale for Life Against .
Fierce winter storm-

is, CT how the Chicago paper secured the
story. Is unknown to me, but the story Is
full of errors and lacks detail. showing that
the writer lie not well posted or has forgot
ten the facts The few friends who heard
me tell the story years ago in Grand Army
OF the Republic hall at Columbus Neh, can
tell that. for as printed. 1t is an abbreviated
recital Of the facts as given by myself.
This being the first time that / ever saw II
in print / desire to have u appear cor
rectly. Here is the story:
In December, 1854. quite q large body of
cavalry was gathered in the lower part of
the Shenandoah valley, preparing to make
a raid toward ~GordonsviIle, Va The raid
resulted in no particular importance until
our return About one mile from the town
OF Warrenton / got into a bad scrape, an
experience which l win never forget. 1 had
gone to a well to fill my canteen and re-
turning TO my horse was preparing to re-
mount when two strangers, dressed in blue,
with rubber ponchos which covered their
shoulders, came TO where / was standing.
They held their revolvers under the ponchos
In such a manner that the weapons we're
concealed. My ommand at this time was
about fifty rods distant, riding from us.
One Of the strangers said: Come around
the corner OF the house quick, or well scat
ter your brains over this dooryard."
Found IL No Joke.
I sought to determine whether or not II
was a Joke. While / was celebrating my
revolver was ierked from my belt by one
or the men, while the other took charge Of
my horse. Then 1 was rushed around the
corner of the house out Of sight. Here we
all mounted and rode leisurely toward a
small wood, my captors riding close to me.
At this time a squad Of our men was riding
along the road, but was unable to realize
my situation.
l was led a captive into the woods and
was searched for any valuables which I
might have had. One OF my captors then
started toward the town with me. On the
way he said that his comrades had been
mingling with our men in the town and on
the road. From his conversation I was led
to believe that they were Mosby's scouts.
or spies. As we rode back into the town
i saw plenty OF Mosby's troopers. dressed in
blue and gray clothes, though we saw none
OF them when our troops passed through
the town. In front OF that leaders head
quarters I saw a number Of prisoners sur
rounded by a crowd Of people. These pris-
oners were compelled to exchange their
good blue uniforms for the tattered gar
ments which their captors had to offer. I
did not escape. and was soon CARRIED in an
old black overcoat, pants and old boots.
l was exceedingly grateful, as I was left in
possession OF my shirt. A crowd OF ugly.
drunken fellows treated us shamefully and
threatened to take our lives. Later three
Of us were taken to the edge of the town
stopping enroute at a house occupied by a
family named Grant. While we we're here
the drunken rabble from the town suddenly
swooped down upon us nourishing revoIvers
and sabers in the air. some, more reckless
than the others. shooting at the prisoners.
Murder of a Prisoner.
/ looked inquiringly at my cantor. whose
name was Powell. and asked If the pris-
oners were TO be shot. He replied by draw
ing his revolver and in strong language in
formed me that they were not. He sue
ceeded in stopping the rush of the drunken
mob from riding over us. While he was
seeking to protect us one OF the pursuers
shot a young prisoner from the Eighth
New York cavalry in the back. He fell
mortally wounded, expiring a short time
afterward.
That shot was an incentive for others
and the rufians commenced firing promis-
cuously at the prisoners. Unseen,
dropped from my horse, the animal serving
as a barrier. The other prisoner, an old
man from the Seventeenth Pennsylyanis
regiment. was wounde in the hip. Guards
and civilians rushed from the houses and
shamed the attacking rufians sufficiently
so that they desisted in their helIish work.
I was promised protection by one OF Mos
by's lieutenants and later buried the dead
prisoners in an open grave in a cemetery
which was in close proximity.
Powell wa nrdapaa a.
ward and turn me over to some confederate
command, and thence l was to be trans
ported to prison. We commenced the four
ney toward Culpepper. Powell, who later
proved to be the assassin OF Secretary Sew
ard. proved himself a talkative and social,
besides a brave, man. He Informed me that
l was safe from all harm as long as I acted
In good faith. Should l attempt to escape.
he said, he would do his duty and shoot me.
To impress his words. he whipped out his
revolver and sent three bullets whizzinR In
succession into a fence post, also showing
his unerring aim.
POweII's Career ms n Spy.
We stopped at a farm house. where he
seemed somewhat acquainted, and heartily
ate OF cornbread. bacon and corn coffee.
After the meal he asked one OF the young
women to play upon the plano for him, |
which request was granted. We then re-
sumed our journey, during which he be-
came laxative and informed me that his
father was a Baptist minister in Florida. |
At the commencement Of the war Powell
said he had ran away from home. drifted
to Richmond. made himself useful about
headquarters, had engaged in secret work
between that city and Washington. had
been in Canada on duty for the cause. be-
sides some serious situations in Baltimore.
finally Joining Mosby's band. where, he
said. he could help relieve a Yankee pay
master OF his greenbacks once in a while,
which he did by going to Washington and
spying out Information presumably at Mrs.
Surrat's residence. His conversation re-
vealed 70 me that he was the most bitter
secessionist / ever knew. When I inti-
mated that the south could not hold out
much longer he uttered an oath and said
that his cause had 800 900 men enlisted and
that we would have 20 walk over their dead
bodies. He also said that II necessary they
would XII, the head OF our government.
This remark did not cause any particular
impression on me at the time, as / consid-
cred 1t made during his rage. In the light
OF later developments he must have been
In conspiracy with Wilkes Booth at that
time.