The National tribune., 1904-07-28

hands of rebel bushw ha ckerS myself. as
shall relate further on.
TO the everlasting shame of the Confed-
crate Government. this mhuman warfare
was not only tolerated, but encouraged
and assisted by leaders of the rebellion.
from Jeff Davis down; while, to the credit
of Uncle Sam be it said. our Government
not only discouraged bushwhacking. as
practiced by the rebels, but put it down
with a strong hand whenever and wher-
ever such Il barharous style OF warfare
was attempted on our side.
The most notable attempt that | re-
member at carrying on bu>hWhacking on
the Union side tor juy-hawking. aS it was
more commonly called in Kansas was
that of IA man who was known in Kansas
as Capt. Cleveland. and who had the rep
uthtlon of being an cx-conyict. gambler.
countcrfeitrr. horse thief, robher. muir
der"r and all other kinds of a criminal.
At the beginning Of the war he had
been for n short time. Il Captain in the
9TH Kans. Cav. or ".Jennison's Jay hawk
ers.' as the regiment was often called; but
the reStra lntS of military discipline were
irkSome to Cleveland. and he soon re
signed. and. taking advantage of the upset
and turbulent condition of affairs along
the border between Kansas and Missouri,
without asking any authority from the Gov
eminent, gathered around him Il band of
tempted to carry on discriminating bust
ness on the Union side. by making raids
along the Missouri line. in imitation of til"
style of Quantrill who was then gaining
considerable notoriety as rebel guerrilla
chief.
Another item of interest in this STORY
If the 7th Kansas" is this:
Zone of the members of Co. Fl (Cleve-
lands old company has since become ia
mous-W. +. Cody. Buffalo Bill He en-
tered as a veteran recruit and was mus
tered out with the regiment"
AS Cleveland's principal object was
plumber, regardless of parties. he soon took
to robbing both Union and rebel folks in
Discriminatory
One of his exploits was to ride into
Leavenworth City one day, Mt the head of
his gang. make forced exchange Of some
inferior horses OF his mems for the best
riding animals to be found in the city, go
to the saddlcr shops and fit his men out
with new saddles and brides. give the
people he despoiled his old horses and sad
dies and an order on Uncle Sam for the
balance Of their pay-which order, of
course, was worthless-and then coolly
ride away.
AS soon as Cleveland's depredations
came to the notice of the Department Com
mander. although he was ostensibly serv-
ing the Union cause against the rebels. an
order was issued 10 turn the Union soldiers
out to hunt him down, capture or kill him,
and destroy his gang.
In the Spring Of 20 Cleveland and his
gang were operating along the border cas-:
Of Paoli and Osawatomie. His reputed
wife had taken up her residence in the lat
ter place. so as 10 be in easy communica-
ton with him. a party Of the 9th Kans
Cav. were camped in the timber near the
town, but he managed to elude them for a
while. Finally, by watching this woman's
room, the soldiers cOrralled him one n ght
On being summoned to surrender, Cleve-
land drew his revolvers to shoot his way
out. but his pistols missed fire-he had got
the charges wet in swimming his horse
across the river to reach the town-and he
was compelled to yield.
While the soldiers were taking him ont
to their camp he made break for liberty
and was shot and killed, and was buried
near the camp.
This occurred in May, CO. and it was in
the following August that Dan Ecker.
berger and /. en- route from Fort Scott to
Fort Lcavenworth, stopped at the only
hotel in Osawatomie to get dinner and
have our mules fed.
On entering the mems sitting room, to
wait till the meal was ready, my comrade
took a seat, but l, noticing a new tomb
stone In further corner of the room
walked over to look at it, and, for the
benefit Of my companion, read aloud the
inscri ption on it:
Sacred to the memory Of
Captain Marshall l.. Cleveland,
who died May 18th, 1862.
Aged -.
Earth counts one mortal less
Heaven one angel more"
1 write this from memory, and canno,
recall the age given, but think the name
date and quotation on the tom bstone were
just as l have given them.
The absurdity of such a sentiment OF
the tomb Of such a notorious criminal az
Cleveland was known to have been, STRUCK
me so forcibly that, without thinking
where l was, or who might be in hearing
blurted out impusively:
IS full of such angels"
1 was sorry 1 had used such ungentle
manly language as soon as l had uttered
it, for, as l glanced through an open door
into what seemed to be the ladies' parlor
which L had not before noticed, | saw
black eyed woman Hooking daggers" a.
me, and feared l had hurt her feelings
whoever she was.
The landlord, hurriedly approaching, a!
if fearful of another such explosion from
me, requested:
Mister, please don't use such language
IN the hearing or the lady in the mex
room. She is Capt Cleveland's widow
l told him if that was the case / wa!
sorry l had said it, and to express my re
grets to the lady for having used such al
offensive expression in her presence, ant
to say to her that had l known she wa:
related to the deceased / should not hav,
said anything to wound her feelings
"But, landlord" added, confidentially," 90
can't take it back, for, between you ant
me. l believe every word of it."
But, as I could say nothing good Of
Cleveland, l promised Ito be good"-till
left the house, at least.
The landlord informed me that Mrs
Cleveland had recently brought the tomb
stone from Leavenworth to have it placed
at the jay-hawker's grave. If it still
stands there bearing that "misft" cpl
taph, it has probably, ere now, provoked
many similar rough expressions of opinion
from those who knew his reputation in life
1t is scarcely necessary to add that
Cleveland's gang of jay-hawkers fell t.
pieces after his death; but, strange t.
say, some of his men afterwards be
came respectable citizens of Kansas, will
two of whom l became personally &C
quainted. One was, some years ago. q
Justice Of the Peace in Leavenworth, and
the other was United States Marshal OF
Kansas.
l afterwards learned that the woman
who had passed herself as capt. Cleye