Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-04-24
Civil War Stories



provost duty After the company ar
rived at Atchison and went into com
Portable quarters for the spring, the
situation had been carefully canyassed
and the trouble fully investigated. Ii
was found that large number OF ne
groes in that vicinity were missing and
that a band of bushwhackers had a
rendezvous about 10 miles east of At
Gibson, at one time great slave plan
tation, who were suspected of gathering
them up for the purpose of taking them
into Texas and there to sell them as
slaves.
On the 10th day of March. 1862,
Capt A. c. Allen swore in two new re-
cruits who had come in from the far
western part of the state of Kansas.
known as the Hegwer brothers. On
their journey they had many narrow
escapes in making their way from their
home in Chase county, Kan, compelled
to travel of night and hide in the tim
Der along the streams in daytime They
were living in that part Of the country
where the Anderson brothers resided.
and the Quantrill gang was raiding
through that country almost daily.
The boys had been spotted as Union
sympathiZers, and were compelled to
make their way to the front and join
the army or be waylaid by the guer-
rillas.
On the 9th day of May, Capt. Allen
sent Tor the younger brother, Henry.
who was but II years old, and very
small for his age, not over five feet five
inches TALL weighed only a little over
100 pounds and looked to be not over
IA years old, as no one would have
taken him to be a soldier. Neither
would anyone have believed him to
have had the amount of experience
that he had gone through He had
crossed the plains in 50 and also in
go, fought Indians at different times.
hunted buffaloes and wolves and was
accustomed to all kinds of hardships.
The Captain informed him that he
had a very important and dangerous
duty to perform, and wanted to know
If he had the courage to undertake a
task of that kind. Young Hegwer said
that ''if 1t was in his line of duty as a
soldier" that when he enlisted he did
not expect to shirk any Of the duties
that were required of him, and that he
was ready and willing to undertake
anything that was possible.
well" said the Captain, young man
am glad to hear you express yourself
as willing to undertake this most haz-
ardous undertaking. do not know OF
anyone in my command capable to un
dertake this except you"
This company has been sent here,
said the Captain, "for the purpose OF
detecting band Of bushwhackers who
have been kidnapping a lot Of negroes
for the purpose of taking them South
and selling them as slaves" cat that
time slaves were from 5000 to $1,000
per head, according to their age, In the
southern states THE place suspect
ed the Captain said, lis an old slave
plantation about - miles east Of here
that l want you TO so TO. but you will
have to be very careful in your under
taking or we win never see you alive
/ again. Put on your citizens clothes
that you had on when you enlisted, and
get yourself ready to start In the morn
ing. Make your plans, and let me
know in the morning how you are go
ing to carry them OUT
The next morning young Hegwer was
seen crossing the Missouri river on "A
ferryboat, making his way IN a north
easterly direction, SO that he would ar
plantation that there would be no sus-
picion that he had been sent from At
Gibson. His disguise was perfect. No
one would suspect him as being a sol
der. 1t was almost dark and raining
when be arrived at the old plantation
When he got TO the gate he was met by
an old gray-haired man about 70 years
old. very pleasant and polite. Young
Hcgwer babe MIN the time Of day, and
inquired If il would be possible for him
10 stay dli night Ahdt NV Vas very
tired, wet and hungry, and that he had
come long way that day and was not
able To go much farther. The old gen
tleman looked at him rather pitlfuily,
iIestated quite little while, finally
wanted to know. Where air you gwlne
and wha' air you from
YouE,, Hegwer stated that his folks
lived IN Doniphan county, Kan, imme-
dlately west Of st. Joseph Mo; that
his brother was with the rebel Gen.
Price. somewhere In southern Missouri; ;
that his father was dead and his moth
or was rather cross to him. and that he
had run away from home. That
pleased the old gentleman very much,
and he took very hearty laugh over
it. He toOh him In the house. gave him
something 10 eat, and insisted that be
must make himself at home, and that
they were getting up an expedition 10
go into that country themselves and
that il might be possible he could 90