The National tribune., 1903-11-26
CHASING PRICE.
How "MerriIls Horse" Helped Carry q St.
Louis Election In 1854.

How "Merrill's Horse" Helped Carry St.
Louis Election In 1854.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The re-
enlisted veterans of Merrilrs Horse. with
recruits enough to constitute IL full CON-
panies, left st. Louis Sept. 2S. 1864, going
south to Franklin. on the U. p II. r..
where We were brigaded with the 18th
No., Tth Kan, 18th Ill. and 9Th Mo-, all
commanded by Gen. McNeill.
| Near here Capt. Elwell was sent South
with Co. B, to locate the enemy, meeting
| Prices advance and skirn,is,iing till night
fall. when he rejoined the brigade.
Gen. Pleasonton. with strong cavalry
force and several light batteries, had
moved out from st. Louis. followed by
| Gen. A. j. Smith, with his infantry. On
| Oct. 9Th Serg't Tibbet, Of Co. Il, with 10
| men, was sent out to locate Prices adj
vance. While leisurely marching along in
| thick timber so full of underbrush as
to make fianking impossible, he came face
| to face with Prices men. Blue and gray
were both surprised, but Ttbbet, who sell
dom lost his head, got the lead by calling
out: Draw saber-charge" Every man
obeyed, and soon the rebs were going down
the road at speed they probably never
were able to beat. Private Hoag rode
a fine horse, that became excited. and
soon led his squad, running right among
the fleeing enemy, where he cut right and
left, emptying several saddles. Near a
creek was battery whose Captain, on
hearing the tumult, had quickly got into
position, creating blockade and checking
the stampede. Hoag's horse being thus
checked, he turned and as quickly retreat
ed as he had advanced. still striking right
and left till he joined his comrades.
Price turned west. passing around JEFF
terson City. ana captured Lexington. Here
Gen. Pleasonton camped in n woodland
pasture on the telegraph road. After sup
per our regiment was sent to town to see
it Price was still there. Near the town
the regiment was halted and Sergeant
and 1O men were sent forward. our Major
thinking it useless to expose 700 or 500
men. In the town we came into full view
OF several thousand men. who had bon
fires on the main street. On turning to 20
back we found that a picket newly placed
blocked our way. We wandered around
in the dark till we captured one of Shelby
staff officers, Captain, named Moran.
He was well acquainted with the town,
and consented to guide us to our company
where we arrived at 3 n. IN.
Gen. PleasOnton pushed their rear
guard rapidly from this time on. At the
Little Blue we found the bridge burned.
With rails We made temporary bridge, |
over which We crossed, with only a short
stop.
After the Blue was crossed we ran our
horses few miles. and came upon the
enemy's skirmishers, and dismannting
drove them until We came near Indepen-
dence
They We're gathering from both sides
into the main road. while in front we could
plainly see battery of six guns ready |
to fire as soon as their skirmishers passed |
Just then some one in our rear called |
out open ranks in front" Looking back |
we saw Capt Turly. followed by the 18th |
Ne. Cav, in solid column of fours. The |
Captain was two or three rods ahead of |
his men. his head bent forward. saber in
hand. He was making the air blue with
language not learned at Sunday school,
while the 18th, to man. were spurrins
horses to their greatest speed.
l had seen charges, in fact, had been in
a few, but never saw anything that ap-
this as the men thundered past
us, making the. very earth tremble They
rushed over and past the gray skirmishers
and captured the battery before it could
fire shot and then rounded up some go
prisoners. l
The next day the fight at westport came
off. but being on the extreme left we
only heard the guns.
We turned south on a road parallel
with the Fort Scott road arriving at Nine
Run in time to see but not in time TO help
in the 5000 saber charge
We here saw Marmaduke marched to
The rear by boy, Private Dunlavy of the
ID iowa Cav. Continuing south on the left
Hank of the combined forces of Pleason-
ton. Curtis and BlOunt, We moved rapidly
to about II miles east of Fort Scott. to
l high ridge overlooking the Usage Bot
-om, where Price had his army drawn up
N five lines to check us until crossingi
could be effected, the bridge having been
burned by detachment of our troops
We continued to Cassville in the ex-
RENE southwest Of Missouri, where on
he evening of the first Monday in No
rember Serg't A. j. Anson, now of Mar
ihalltown, Iowa, came to me with a de-
all for Serg't NJ. J. Ruckhite, Serg't Peter
Baker, now Of Goodland, Kan, and my
'elf, to be judges of election to be held
he next day before marching. He said:
You are to be Foreman, and swear the
'ther two in: then one of them must
wear you in. (We neglected the swear G
,art the next day. "Then," continued a
North and from two or three Southern
states. many will not be allowed their
-ote at home. Now, contend that every
nan, old or young, that is fighting for his
.ountry is entitled to a vote; besides, the
Fourth Ward in St Louis needs helpw
The next morning after arrangements
we're complete, as far as we could make
hem, Serg't Baker announced the polls
pen for votes.
Then snow began to fall-irst in little
vhiffs and eddies, then for while it
formed, until, by 10 a. m, all had voted,
Who wished to. and Serg't Buckhite an
that 7S0 votes had been cast for
Abraham Lincoln-no votes for any other
at which Corp'l Borge, of our company,
aid: Little Mac is showed under,"
OF course. it showed loyal votes all that
morning, and l now claim that MerrilrsI
forse was the banner Lincoln regiment,
o far as yet reported. If any other regi-
nent did as well let lis hear from them
further. the Fourth Ward in st. Louis
vas Union that election, having the help
f over 300 votes Of our regiment, who
ad moved into the city that day!
Starting before supper on election day
re went on scout riding most of the night
nd till near noon without forage for man
r horse. Near Mt. Vernon, Mo-, we scat
cred to hunt a meal. A comrade and
vent to farmhouse, where we were Civ
n fine dinner Of honey, biscuits, sausage, a
Office and things. y
Soon afterward we were pushing Prices
emoralized force south into Arkansas i
ally, seeing wrecks Of wagons and plum !,
er of every description strewn by the II
Dad, and capturing many rebels who were t.
tterly worn out, unable to get away.
'ne tall young man, dressed in rags, and
aduced to mere skeleton, was lying byI