The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-11-27
A CAREER.
AS Soldier, Frortiersman and Argo.
naut Il Mas Full of Interest

Many are the stories of adventure
and daring which are told of the young
manhood of the late Governor Drake.
After the discovery of gold in Cali
fornia, young Drake, catching the
mania of the day, organized a train to
cross the plains to the Eldorado. The
train consisted of two wagons leach
drawn by eight oxen), accompanied by
five men and a boy. They crossed the
Missouri river at Council Bluffs on the
first OF May, 1852. He here organized
a company Of seventeen men, of which
he was chosen captain. 1t was known
as the Drakesville train. When the
party reached the Horse Shoe Bend of
Shell Greek, near the Platte river, it
was met by fifty Pawnees, who de-
manded q toll Of five oxen for crossing
the creek. Young Drake refusing to
pay, prepared for Alright. He sent back
to another train for reinforcements,
and began battle with. the Indians.
When brakes reinforcements arrived
the enemy had been strengthened so
that they numbered about 800. The
fight was desperate n bloody. De-
mOraliZed by loss of their leader, who
WaS killed by Drake himself, the ma
tiVes fled leaving several Of their num-
Der dead on the field. The party reach
ed Sacramento without further Incl
dent. Securing a ranch on the Ameri-
Sdi liNSi, LIN SIlSdSeu d HCru6r TO
attend to his cattle while he sought
gold in the Yuba diggings. He was aft
erwards engaged in the horse business
at Sacramento, acting as his own auc-
tioneer in selling his stock. He re-
turned to Iowa in 1855. He crossed the
plains again in 1854, with a drove of 100
mich COWS. Returning again by sea,
the steamer Yankee Blade, on which
he was a passenger, "a wrecked near
; Point Aguilla in Mexico. The vessel
| was a total wreck and may lives, esti-
mated at 500. were lost. Securing a
small boat which he wrested from some
rouGhs who We're robbing the passen-
gers, he made a narrow escape to land.
The shore they reached was barren and
they lived for five days. on raw meat.
Finally, a steamer took them and land
ed them at q Francisco. Then he
took passage for home.
Starts in Business.
lie returned home about the first of
November, and entered into the mer-
camille business at Drakeville with his
father and older brother, John Hamil-
ton, as partners under the firm name
| Of Drake e Sons. This partnership
was very successful, and continued un-
til January 1, 1858, when Francis re-
tired, taking as part of his assets a
steam grist sawmill much out of both
patronage and repair. This he put in
good condition, ~devoting his personal
attention to it's management. In Sep
TENDER, 1859, he removed to Unionville.
Appanoose county, where he entered
the mercantile business and became a
live stock dealer and pork packer.
/ At the outbreak of the civil war in
1861 he enlisted as a private in a COM
pany organized at Unionville and was
soon after elected and commissioned
by Governor Kirkwood as it's captain.
His first service was to reinforce Col
onel Moore of the Twenty-first Mis-
souri, regiment, who was besieged at
Memphis, Mo.
This he did in disregard OF an order
issued by one of the governors aides,
at Bloomfield, IL. On arriving at
Bloomfield, he found three other COM
panies on their way to Memphis that
had been halted lv this order, on the
ground that Iowa companies should
not cross the state line and invade Mis-
souri," Notwithstanding this, in the
belief that the circumstances justified
the movement, and the action would be
approved by the governor. he consulted
the other companies and it was decided
to go ahead, and that Captain Drake
should command the battalion, which
Was accordingly done.
An Iowa Border Fight.
Not long afterwards, General Patton,
commanding 1000 confederate soldiers
In Missouri, attacked Colonel Cranor
driving him into Taylor county, Iowa,
and a regiment called Colonel Ed
wards Independent Regiment was or
ganized, of which John Edwards was
made colonel. Captain brakes COM
pany WAS made a part of that regiment,
and he was elected major, and with this
command served through 1861 in Mis-
souri,, driving General Patton from the
northern part of the state. He was
assigned by General Prentiss to the
! command of st. Joseph, Mo, holding
The position at the time of Colonel Null
llgan's surrender to Price at Lexington.
AT the organization of the Thirty
sixth Iowa infantry in 1862 he was
made lieutenant colonel. General Drake
took a pr 9inent part in the campaign