The National tribune., 1904-09-29

the General certainly must have large
command near in his rear; and for fear OF
being overtaken by a superior force. the
rebel chief hurriedy collected what ami
mails and plumber he could take with him,
and struck out down the military road for
Texas. which would take him near Fort
Gibson, which is 100 miles south of Bax-
ter Springs; seeing which Blunt deter
mined to send a messenger to Col. fhllips'
the commanding officer at that post, IN
forming him of his (Blunts) misfortune
and ordering him to try to head OF the
rebels. This messenger would have to go
down the road right behind Quantrell part
of the way, and then get past ana aheau
of him, so as to beat the rebels to Gid
son.
oUANTRELL'S BRAvADO.
With singular backwardness none of
Ril Tufts brave 'Buckskin Scouts
seemed to want this job. Tom Atkins.
an independent scout-nOt one OF the
beaded and be-fringed gentlemen that
ornamented Blunt's headquarters. but a
"for-sure" scout-volunteered to take the
message, and without any preparation
struck out behind the rebels before they
were out of sight. and lodging through
them in the following night. succeeded
in getting through to Fort Gibson anu
delivering the message in time; but
through some ones acknowledgement guam,
trell was allowed to slip by Gibson and
20 on to Sherman, Tex, uninterrupted
where it was said he> dressed himself IN
Blunts uniform, that he had captured,
and proclaimed that he had Killed the
General with his own hand.
This is probably mistake, for Juan
trell, being a slim-built man. could not
we'll have worn Blunt's clothes, as the
General was rather cOrpulent. 1t is pos
sible, however, that Quantrell may have
mistaken Mai. Curtis, whom he killed, for
Blunt, and that he wore the Majors uni
form, as that would have been near INT
for him; but he certainly ought to have
been able to distinguish between the uni
form of a Major and that of a Major
General.
Some months afterward 1 met at Fort
Gibson Lieutenant MILLER, l think, was
his name). who told me that not long
while Blunt was in command at Fort
Smith, he (the Lieutenant) was captured
by two of Quantrell's men, while he was
out with a foraging party near Fort
Smith; and when brought into Quantrells
presence. the guerrilla chief, among other
questions, asked him:
How do the Federals like it. since l
killed Gen. Blunt at Baxter Springs!
To which the Lieutenant replied:
"Kill Blunt? You must be mistaken.
You didn't kill Blunt He is in command
at Fort Smith now. / saw him, and
talked to him day before yesterday, and
he was a remarkably lively corpse at that
time, any way"
AT this he said Quantrell became very
wrothy. calling him a 60 Yankee liar."
and swearing that he had shot and killed
Gen. Blunt, at Baxter Springs. with his
own hand Quantrell then told the two
men who had captured the Lieuter.' ut to
take him off into the brush and fix him, y
which order they proceeded to execute
with cheerful alaerity.
THE LIEUTENANT GETS AWAY.
When they got ont in the bushes they
began stripping him of his uniform coat.
pants and other best clothing, before kill
ing him, to prevent their being shot full
of holes or soiled with blood, and in the
division of the spoils they found some
money in greenbacks in his pocket. While
they were quarreling over the money the
Lieutenant made dive into the brush.
In his shirt and drawers. and succeeded
in getting away. and subsequently re-
Joined his command at Fort Smith
Tom Atkins told me afterward that
when he reached Rock Creek. seven miles
below Baxter, on his way to Fort Gibson
with Blunt's message, he found the bodies
Of a number OF men whom Qnantrell had
Just caused to be shot-prisoners whom
the rebels had taken with them that far
on their retreat-and near where they
were lying he found a piece of paper pin
ned to a tree on which was written the
following:
blunt, see the result of your damnable
policy. See the vengeance Quantrell
takes for the death of one of his men,.
No name was signed TO this paper.
I think Tom said there were IL OF the
bodies. / have seen it stated in some pub
lished accounts Of this slaughter that
Quantrell got number of his men killed
at Baxter, but those who gathered and
buried the dead said that there was but
one dead rebel found, while of Blunt's
party there were 123 buried in huge
grave i'm the edge of the timber, near
where Lieut.. Ponds camp was then 10
Gated. / lived several years at and neal
Baxter Springs. after the war, and Otter
saw this big grave. About the year 1856!
Q think. these bodies were moved to thu
National Cemetery, one and a half miles
west of the town.
Besides the 123 men whose bodies were
found and buried. there must have beer
several who wandered off wounded to di'
alone on the prairie: for a few years later
when living on my farm, few miles ives
of Baxter, while riding over the prairi,
one day / found the scattered bones 81
what had probably been one of Quantrelr:
victims and / heard of other similar finds
by the early settlers on the prairie nortl
and west Of Baxter Springs, shortly afte
the war The bones l found were mucl
scattered. as though done by the wolves
and the prairie had likely been burnt owe
many times since that fatal day: the fire
had destroyed all sign of clothing and ev
erything perishable, but few of Uncl
Sans brass buttons and n belt buck
lying there proved that the bones wer
those of soldier.
MRS. THoMAs's EXPERIENCE
in her escape from the field Of slaughte
was, for lady who had never en-
countered any such danger or hardship
pretty severe. She was quite a youn
woman-the Captains second wife-an
this was probably her first sight of rebels
Compelled by the suddrnness of the nj
tack TO leave her comfortable carriage q
moments notice. without any prepare
ton for such trip. on the advice of he
rescuer. Mr.. Bridges, she prompt
mounted the horse of a dead soldier whic
Bridges had caught and brought to heI
and, guided by him, hurried away fror
the scene OF disaster. Fortunately the
were not noticed by the rebels as the
left the field. and alone they made tn
best time their horses were capable of
the direction of Fort Scott, GO miles I
the north. Getting lost on the big prair
in the following night. they had to ha