Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-03-05
Last Shot off the War.

Last Shot OF the War.
John j. Jones of Cottonwood Falls,
Kan, is the latest claimant for the dis
tinction of having fired the last shot in
the civil war.
Mr.. Jones, who was in Kansas City
this week, tells in interesting story
of how, on May II, 1865, detachment
of the Third Wisconsin cavalry, of
which he was a member, chased
band of guerillas, among which was
Jesse James. He fired at the bandit.
The shot, he asserts, was the last
fired during the war.
Mr.. Jones was twenty years old at
the time and private in the Wiscon-
sin regiment. He is now foreman of
stone quarry in Cottonwood Falls.
This is his story:
In April, 1865, the Third Wiscon-
sin of which 1 was member, was as
signed to Missouri to assist in the sup
preston of the guerillas, who were
terrorizing the state. including the
Home Guard. We made our headquar-
tiers in Lexington and we did not
have to organize searching parties to
discover bushwhackers who would
give up arguments.
1.-The incident in which 1 figured so
conspicuously took place on May II,
1865. A party of seventeen of us were
returning along the Warrensburg road
to Lexington from a scouting trip. We
had reached a point about four and
half miles from there, when we heard
sounds of a conflict ahead. Putting our
horses to gallop we suddenly came
upon the scene of the trouble. A de-
tachment of nine or ten guerillas was
exchanging few shots with party Of
forty-two of the Home Guards.
when the bushwhackers, one of
whom was Jesse James, saw our rein
forcementS coming up they charged
the Home Guards, and, brushing them
aside, galloped up a narrow byroad.
Two of them separated from the main
body and pointed their horses noses
across the field. A part of my detach-
ment began the chase for these, while
seven of us started after the others.
Il rode the best horse in our party
and before l knew it l was consider
ably in advance of my companions,
gaining rapidly on the guerillas. l
afterward learned that tie Home
Guard did not take up the chase, as
they feared an ambush.
81 had not gone far when 1 saw
ahead of me the bushwhackers, halted.
They fired three or four shots at me
and then continued the retreat.
could hear my companions coming up,
and again set out after the enemy at
a hot pace. A hundred yards further
on the guerillas pumped a few more
il effectual shots at me. Turning a
bend in the road 1 again came upon
the band, and my predicament this
time was no enviable one. They
line nd on1x n
ditch separated them and me.
81 had been coming at a fast gallop
and it was impossible for me to check
my horse, as they think 1 thought ]
would try to do. Digging my spurs
into my horse took the jump. After
the fight 1 measured the ditch and
found it seventeen and a half feet
wide.
When 1 refined up I was in the
midst of the band and my surrender
was demanded Immediately. Ny horse
however, was flashing about, and he
communicated this spirit to their
mounts. The horses became unman-
ageable, and to this, think, I owe my
life, for none of them could shoot with
out taking a great chance of shooting
one of their own party. Hearing my
companions coming, the guerillas
again retreated, hating about two
hundred yards further on The road
formed a horseshoe bend, so that the
distance between us, straight across
was about thirty yards There was q
pond to separate us, and l tried to cut
across the water to get ahead of them
Others of my party coming up, how.
ever, we determined to again follow
the fleeing guerillas along the road
After a short chase the guerillas
| reined up and backed into a thick
| growth of underbrush to reload
| Presently one advanced far enough
| out of cover to take a shot
THE man was Jesse James Ny
shot was effective, striking him full in
| the right breast. We saw him reel
| in the saddle and drop his revolver
Then he disappeared In the under
/ brush, and although the chase was
| continued we did not succeed in cap
| turing any of the band
| @On May 21 Dave Poole. an oniceI
of the guerillas, surrendered in War.
rensburg ~ith forty of his band to
| Can't. John Bernard of the Third Wis
Ia ~