The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-28
COLONEL BUNKER.
He Tells of His Duels With Governor
Bates.

"'I stood on my military record when
1 came out of the wah, sub" began
the colonel as he reluctantly and ten
derby set his empty glass aside, ana
I am standing on it to this day. II /
was to go through the whole TO years
of it over again I should make no
change. In other words, sub, can
bring myself to believe that made
any mistakes. This may smack or
conceit. but I ask you. subj ask you,
who are a fair-minded man-to con-
suit military history.
"At the battle of Cedar Mountain,
sub, I had the honoh of command
ing three brigades, being the senior
colonel and the brigadiers being killed
or wounded. AS soon as assuming the
command I at once made new dis
position of my troops, and it was ,ow-
ing~te-sthat- disposition, sub, and.-you
will find it so recorded, that we cap
tured 1000 of the enemy in a bunch.
,sIf the wah had lasted a month
longer 1 should have received my
merited promotion for the share L
took in that battle, but it has always
been a proud memory to me just the
same 1 received congratulations on
every hand, and not until I returned
to civil life did I hear single criti-
cism on my action. Then it came from
a man who had never handled musket
or sword.
rive years after the close of the
conflict 1 was importuned by a large
number of my fellow-citizens to take
the nomination for state senator.
declined for awhile, but the pressure
finally became too great and 1 con-
scented to stand. 1t may be within
your knowledge, sub, that I was elect
ed by the largest majority ever given
in our district. I went to the capital
in due time and in due time l was
the recognized leader of the senate.
Yes, sub, 1 was the leader, sub, and II
was quite natural that 1 should call
upon the governor and offer to give
him my advice on any official matters
beyond him. Imagine my surprise
when he bumped up his back, turned
away his face and a moment later OBJ
served: ~.
".Colonel Bunker, I want no advice
from a man who made such a blum
der at Cedar Mountain as you did,
"'Blunder, governor! 1 says as soon
as 1 could get my breath.
1.-The worst blunder of the wah,
:. But in what respect?'
why. you let 10000 of the enemy
But he had two men to my one.
Besides that, we captured over 5000 of
Makes no difference, colonel You
should have held him right there and
captured him to the last man. If you
were afraid to get nearer him, Suh--if
you were afraid
Il threw up my hand and stopped
him, sub, and the silence of the next
moment was painful. was obliged to
wonder If my ears had played me a
trick. Then I said:
"'Governor. did you use the word
afraid in reference to me?'
81 did, suh, he replied,
'"'And you meant it?'
az I did, suh.'
THAT was enough. said the colonel,
as he got his feet little s,,, higher up up
personal friend, and 1 lost no time send
ing Major Billings to him. 1t wasn't an
hour befo' the affair was arranged.
the ground. During the previous even
ing three or four of the governors
friends had come to me and asked me
merely to pink him. and I had agreed.
What he had said was only to me, and
I felt that honor could be satisfied with
wounding him.
THE governor was game. sub. He
was a novice with the pistol and he
had never fought a duel. but he went
at it like a man in hurry for his
dinner. He fired befo' the word and
also after the word. getting in two
shots for my one, but L sent bullet
through his shoulder and walked off.
During the next two weeks 1 was in
hopes that he would apologize, but he
the end of 20 days, with his arm still
In a sling he sent for me to say:
Yes. sub. Colonel Bunker. that was
q great blunder of yours. Had you
ordered a charge at the proper mo-
nent the enemy would have been dis
persed or captured. 1 am writing a
history of the wah, sub, and in that
history 1 shall say that had not your
courage failed you at the crucial mo-
ment-'
Il stopped him right there. sub
stopped him with a wave of the hand
and fastening my eyes on him 1 asked:
Z" Governor, is it your intention to
provoke another duel with me?,
q You can take 1t as YOU will" he