The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-03
SAYS HE SAVED KANSAS.
Shawnee County Man Tells of His Elk
perience In Price Raid

HSFfGnCC IN FTtC6 hdiO.
Congressman Charles Curtis has intro
duced a bill in the national house of
representatives for the payment by the
government Of 10000 10 Daniel w Bout
well of Shawnee county for services rem
dered the state of Kansas during the
Price raid in October. 1864. The bill is
also endorsed by Senator Burton.
Mr. Boutwell, still resides near Topeka
and is quite a character in his way. He
has had small tract printed setting
forth some of the reasons why the gov
eminent should allow him this amount of
money. His part during those stirring
days of border warfare was a remarkable
one At the time Mr.. Boutwell, rendered
the service for which he is now seeking
compensation he was not an enlisted man
and so has no other way of procuring
relief from the government. His story
| is very interesting and Drifiy stated is as
| follows:
ION the 22nd day of October 1864, the
Confederate General Sterling Price was
| making raid through the western part
| of Missouri and threatening to invade
| Kansas.
General Pleasanton was moving his
forces so as to intercept General Price
and had moved his forces TO the neigh
borhood of Independence, Mo, in the rear
Of General Price. Governor Carney hav-
| ing been apprised of the dangers threat
ening Kansas and Fort Leavenworth. had
at the instance and request of General
Curtis of the United States army, called
out the entire militia of Kansas, and they
were marshalled in accordance with said
! proclamation under General Deitzler on
| the eastern border Of Kansas-said troops
| but lily prepared to resist the onslaught
| Of trained and tried troops. such as Gen
| eral Price had under his control.
| by his energetic movements General
! Price had placed his command between
| General Pleasanton on the east and Gen
erals Curtis and Deitzler on the west. and
completely cut off communications be-
tween the two armies. The dangers
became so alarming and pressing that,
| after consultation between Generals Cur
| tbs and Deitzler and Governor Carney, 1t
was decided that it was imperatively
| necessary TO inform General Pleasanton
Of the situation. and TO hasten an attack
on the Confederates. so as to save Fort
! Leavenworth and its stores from falling
! into the hands of General Price. and the
state of Kansas from devastation; and in
! furtherance of this plan it was decided
| 60 send a trusty man 20 General Pleas
anton with a full statement of the situa-
| ton Daniel w. Boutwell, who was then a
private citizen. having served in the Tn
ion army for three years ana having
! 6iqphar-N1 oil
to undertake this most difficult and ex-
tremely hazardous tIip-havins been fully
warned OF the dangers and difficulties
that would have TO be overcome. by Gen
eraI Deitzler and Governor Carney having
been duly instructed by General DeitzleT
| as 10 what was expected OF him, he set
out on horseback from General Deitzler S
headquarters without papers or arms.
dressed in army uniform: and about !
| o'clock p m, he arrived safe at Kansas
City. Mo. Leaving his horse there he took
4 s,ziff and started down the river: having
gone but a few miles his sNn struck a
! sandbar and he was compelled to make
his way TO the shore as best he could
here he found that he mad reached the
Confederate lines and was Immediately
!
himself in the brush he succeeded in pass
ing their pickets and at length came &c
the Little Blue river. which he crossed
after having fallen into the mud some
three or four feet deep: proceeding on his
! way-carefully avoiding the roads The
pickets and guards of the Confederates
he at daylight came within sight of Cen
eral Prices rear. about four miles below
| Independence. Mo, and after many ed
ventures finally came within the Union
lines and was conducted to Generals
| Pieasanton. Mcneil and Sanborn. where
he delivered his message. ard as a re
suit General Pleasantoa's army vas soon
/ in motion and the battle began with tbs
result Of dririns General Prices forces
back. and thus saving For; Lesvenwor,h
and its stores from seizure. and Kansas
| from devastation
Mr. Boutwells claim is endorsed by the
signatures CT sixty men who were resi-
dents OF Shawnee county at the time he
| rendered the service and are familiar
with the case.