The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-09-22
! INTHE DAYS OF
A. CIVIL STRIFE.
MAPLEToN ENTERPRISE.

'i"t 'eteial iIlehu oI the puDllc school
system and defender of the nations
liberties, Capt. Clark Keysor, presented
his resignation, but the same was not
accepted. Father Keysor, now nearly
eighty years of age, has ever been a
promoter of the best interests of his
home city and has given much of his
time to the promotion of the cause OF
education and is even today regarded as
me of the most valuable members of
The board of education.
Recently in going through some old pa
pers which We're the property of our
'ainted father who passed to the other
shore fifteen years ago. we ran across
letter written by Father Keysor over
forty years ago, when he was in the
southland in response to the nations
:all. The letter is dated at Rolla, Mis-
souri,, March 26th 1864, and we do not
believe it will betray any confidence in
giving the letter to the public at this
time, showing as it does some insight
into the lives of the soldiers of the Civil
war.
Mr. Keysor said in part: "The jour
ley of life is checkered with disappoint-
ments, and 1 am thinking that / might
IS well contribute a little to change
your thoughts from their natural chan
mel, as to spend all my time in tactics
md regulations. Could | but write
something to interest you it would be
with great pleasure that / would devote
some time to transmitting my thoughts
to friends that l have known in DAYS
gone by. Knowing that you are
familiar with the history of the regi-
ment and my position will give you
a brief synopsis of my sojourn in this
country. | was detailed on court
commission the first of November and
served until the first of February, when
again joined my regiment at Rolla
My captain being absent had to assume
command and perform some of the cap
tain's duties. | am thankful that / re-
tain my health and do not find it neces-
sary to engage in any habits that tend
morally and physically to destroy man.
The captain has written to us but once
ince he went to Minnesota yet he feels
deep and lively interest in his com
pany.
"Maor Markham arrived here with
fifty five recruits on the 22d and we eX
)ect more in few days. They are all
o be sent here for drill. There are
four companies of our regiment here and
four at Kansas City, one in st. Louis
md one at Franklin on the Pacific rail
Dad about forty miles west of st. Louis,
I'll doing guard duty The men here
ONE on guard duty every alternate
hight. We are camped on an eminence
lbout a mile from town and have a fort
lere with four thirty-two Founders and
lenty of ammunition to supply them
for some time to come.
"Rolla has population of about l,5OO
md large portion of them are refugees |
from Arkansas and if you should wish |
to see. slothfulness, ignorance, and the
lowest degradation that human beings
IAN descend to, you can find it here. 1t
is at present the terminus of the rail |
road and consequently the depot of sup
)lies for the west and southwest and
makes considerable quartermaster and
,ommssary business. There are from
wenty five to forty six mule teams that
load here every day for other posts.
There is stationed here at this post be-
IF the fifth Missouri cavalry and one of
the First Missouri infantry and two of
The Second Wisconsin cavalry, and bat
5ery l. four guns, which constitutes the
military force commanded by Colonel
Seigel, brother of the general.
"This is the most barren country |
ever saw. it was covered with small oak
timber but has all been cut off for miles
,round and as to the soil there is none
except in the ravines, the ridges are
covered with small stone and they sell
lom die a grove more than two feet
deep, and that usually takes four men
a day. | have mentioned the above so
that you can form some idea of the
of the country, and then
you won't doubt my word when L tell
you that | should like to return to Min
nesota and again enjoy the blessings OF
private life We have had to pay Sligo
for potatoes and 80 cents for butter, and
other delicacies in proportion, but never
theless | hold my own very well. The
future looks a little dark for we are
about five months without pay, but we
anticipate seeing the paymaster soon
which is about all there is to keep up
our spirits. Church privileges are rath-
ed limited for there is but one room for
all denominations and that is uninviting