The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-04
STORY OF PRICE RAID.
d. B. Stephens of lola Gives an Inter
esting Account.

d. 3. Stephens of lola. Kan, vino
was connected with early Kansas his
tory and was a member of the old First
Kansas battery and also of the Second
Kansas state militia, relates something
OF the history surrounding the Price
claim raids. Mr.. Stephens says: In
1854 on October 18th the governor of
Kansas ordered out the Seventeenth
regiment of the Kansas state militia
TO defend the state from an invasion by
General Prices army which had had an
almost unmolested march till it struck
Lexington, Mo- From there to indie
pendence his march was stubbornly
contested by the Eleventh Kansas and
other Kansas regiments and was driven
back to Independence On the 2lst the
Second regiment commanded by Col
Reale was ordered across the line into
Missouri. with two companies from
Lawrence and the Topeka artillery
commanded by Capt. Burns. About
O'Clock 1000 OF Shelby'S men and Jack
mans bushwhackers met US in Maca-
bees lane. We were about 800 strong.
The enemy started danking US on
the left when there was call for two
companies to go up In a grove Captain
Bush and DR.. HuntOon's company vol
unteered. We drove the enemy back
into the lane three times. They charg-
ed upon our artillery and killed all of
them but Captain Burns and Q. G.
Gage. They beat Burns over the head
till he was insensible. Altogether we
left Al killed and wounded and 100 in
addition were taken prisoners At one
time We were drawn up in line and
had not brave Joe Shelby rode up
Jackman's Bushwhackers would have
shot every one of US. Our comrades
were lying on every side of US, dead
and wounded Ben Huse lay with his
throat cut from ear to ear. We were
marched two miles to Prices head
quarters. Captain Huntoon was taken
before General Price and was asked by
the latter what was the character of
the troops with which he had been con-
r~-1 m h
greatly astounded and would not be-
ueve that 1t was the state militia Cap
tain Huntoon informed him that there
were 10 more regiments OF just as GOOD
material and calibre. Lieutenant Bod
well of Topeka secured a skim and
floating down the Missouri river got in
the rear Of Price and informed General
Pleasenton of the conditions General
P1easenton was coming up the river
irons Vicksburg. and striking Price on
the rear threw the whole of the enc
ny's forces into a panic.
This was on the 23rd- The enemy
was driven south to within a few
miles south of the old trading post in
Linn county There General Marina |
duke was taken prisoner along with |
his brigade. My recollection is that
our first meal for a duration of two |
and one-half days was taken on the |
banks of the Marias de Cygenes river. |
We suffered more from thirst than
from hunger The enemy helped |
themselves to our clothing as their |
selves of Col. G. G. Cages boots and |
doctors on his return home thought
for several months afterward that
they would be forced to amputate his /
feet. so badly frozen were they. James |
Hasting was in his shirt sleeves while |
four inches of snow was on the /
ground. I went out among the mule |
drivers and securing two gunny sacks |
slipped them over Hastings head He /
wore this in lieu of a coat. We ar
rived at Fort Scott about the I'd of
November.
sFWhile prisoners we were given a I
handful Of corn meal for rations. I
picked up a piece of gum blanket
two feet square and placing stones |
around to hold up the edges mixed /
my meal and roasted it upon the 4
Goals We had small rations each day
after reaching Marias des Cygenes to-
gether with some beef A number
of the men gave out We were |
paroled four miles south OF Newton, /
Ark. at IL in the forenoon of October
2S- The state gave us scrip drawing \
z per cent interest
'sThe Hardie commission authorized |
by the government allowed US $685.
S17.S7 in 1872. In addition to this !
amount $46,414.3s was paid for claims
unauth orized by the commission, leav-
Ing 9,352.44 unpaid
Through Senator Plumb and 9TH
ers the United States government paid /
between February 9. 1873 and March !
20, 1855, $370,175.11. None OF this
last amount has been paid to US. The
legislature Oh 1888 turned" the Dala0C6
into the general revenue fund and in
the legislature of 1886 Farmer Smith
made violent speech against the
measure defeating US by six votes.
The senate having passed the bill.
Colonel Veale. F. O. Black and myself !
worked hard to secure its passage
but failed.
I'VE are going to place a short his
tory of the Battle of the Blue in
the hands of every senator and rep
resentative. We are also going to
send one to every county paper and
ask others to copy. I have the ad-
dresses of 25 widows OF soldiers who
fought in the Battle of the Blue and
% survivors who were present in
that engagement. I would be pleased
to see or hear by mail of anyone
concerned, they should enclose
postage of cents to cover cost of Il
mailing information"
Sails With Submarines
Newport News. Va. Jan. the Ger