Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-04
Leaving the Municipal Lodging House.

Leaving the Municipal Lodging House.
left the citys free lodging house late yes
terday afternoon to enter a police ambu-
lance and be driven to the railroad sta
ton, there to embark for his former Vir-
ginia home. The aged man Is rather deaf.
but he related to a Star reporter some OF
the interesting and stirring incidents of his
long and varied career. He has lived
through four of the great wars in which
this republic has been engaged, and to talk
to him was like reading the pages Of liv-
ing history.
An Interesting Career.
Born in Loudoun county. Va. in 1863. when
this country was yet in its sWaddling
clothes, he has outlived all his near rela-
tives. In fact. the only person Of blood
kin he knows of Is great-granddaughte
who lives in a western city.
II practiced law for many years." said
the aged man, and never lost a case. l
belong to blooded English stock, but. OF
course. that runs out 1 visited my great
granddaughter in big city out west ana
she wanted me to live there with her. but
it was too much like being In prison, as she
lived away up high in one OF those tan
apartment houses. 1 could only look out OF
the windows and see other cold. tall build
ings. Gods pretty panorama OF trees ana
flowers and fields was not visible
The poor old man said he felt that he
was growing more feeble every day. He
told The Star reporter that he has a little
shack of a house on half-acre lot near
Front Royal The pittance he lives upon
is a Mexican war pension granted him as
a dependent parent. his son having Shout
dered musket under General Taylor and
performed valiant service under the flag
In the tropics. He came to washington IN
hope of having his pension increased. His
son also served in the Union army in the
civil war, and the pension granted the
parent is but $i2 per month.
In the Mexican War.
Venerable John Vanhorn was himself on
the firing line at the battle of Buena Vista,
he said. and was on terms of Intimate
friendship wits the American commander.
General Taylor He says he formed COM
pany of riiemen in Virginia to take part
in the war with Mexico but at the crucial
moment when the time came to depart
for the scene of war. only seven men were
willing to accompany him. With these he
proceeded to Mexico and reported to Cen
eral Taylor near Buena Vista.
Captain Vanborn.' said General Taylor,
while the American government apprect-
ates your patriotism and sacrifices in ten
dering your service and those of your men,
1t is. think. too late now for you to go
into active service. We have the Mexicans
u,
take place. will be the last of this war
General Taylor. however, invited me to
remain in camp as his guest, and l did so.
I was present at his headquarters when the
emissaries Of General Santa Anna arrived
with their demand for the surrender of
the American army. We had only about
1000 troops. as 1 remember. while there
were 10000 Mexicans to fight u.s.
"'You had better surrender, said one of
the Mexican officers and Gen. Santa Anna
says he will be fair and honorable with
you and treat you as prisoners OF war
Return to Santa Anna. said General
TAYLOR. haughtily, and say General Taylor
never surrenders. If he wants me he must
come and take me-.
I'm a few minutes after the Mexican off,
Ger had returned to his lines" said Van
horn 1.-The battle began. The firing was
severe and many men on both sides were
killed and wounded. but the American flag
went forward to victory as 1t has always
done"
Neutral In Rebellion.
The aged man also claims that he was the
only neutral male in Virginia during the
civil war" and as such he had "a mighty
| hard time OF it, between the soldiers in
| blue and those in gray.
First one side would come In my neigh
| borhood and then the other he said, "and
| they would ask me II / was Yankee or
| secesh. When said Neither. I'm neutral,
Doth sizes WOuio WANT 10 SNOOt me- was
| imprisoned. charged with being a spy and
many other things. believe I would have
| Jared better IL / had sided with one side or
| the other" He reminded the reported OF an
| other man In West Virginia. who claimed
| to be neutral. Finally one day when he
was captured by a scouting party, the off,
| Ger In command asked him, Are you a
| Yankee or a reb?'
I'm nOthin'" replied the disheartened
! and terrified fellow. land blanked little of
that"
| Mr.. Vanhorn lived in the country where
Mosby and his men operated and frequently
met the partisan ranger and his followers
| He said Mosby had Drawing voice In
| those days and used to carry hts uncooked
| coffee about in his pockets. He would
| stop at a farm house. produce a handful of
| the ground berries and ask the lady Of the
house to make him q cup Of coffee. Several
| times while waiting for the beverage, Mr.
vanhorn said. he came near being captured
I by Union scouts.
The old mans wartime expariencea vAre