The National tribune., 1909-12-30
CoMHApE SMITHS RECORD.
B. F. Larncd Post Rich In Military
Records.


Comrade Dawson p. Smith, Com
mander of B. F Larned Post, s, De-
partmcnt of Kansas, who has just been
appointed one of the Aids upon the
STAFF OF Commanders Chief Van SAINT,
had a somewhat remarkable record.
He was born in Pittsburg, Pa, in 1919,
and moved to Kansas in 1855. locating
near Olathe. lie enlisted in Co. II, 18th
Kan, in August of 1862. as a musician,
and WAS discharged at Fort Riley IN
1865 While the organization was De-
ing recruited at Olathe most of his
company was surprised and captured.
The nine who were captured were pa
rolled. Some of the company thought
The parole was good. while others
thought il was not but they were all
sent to Fort Larncd to fight the In
iians and were expected to remain IN
that vicinity or go to the front. All
Of this worked great hardship on the
families of the 10 veterans who had
been in the midst of the border war
which had been severely fought since
1856.
During the first engagement at Fort
Larned Comradc Smith said that they
| could only scrapc up 80 men available
for duty. The Indians at the least es-
innate, he said, numbered 5000.
Every man of us was on duty for three
lays and nights" he says, and at the
end of that time We were reinforced ey
Co. II of the 18th Kan. Cav. Co. III
brought in two boys ut that time who
| had been scalped by the Indians and
| eft for dead They were with wagon
| rain loaded with flour for Fort Union
| n Mexico Thirteen white men and
wo negroes were killed in the massa-
ere and these two boys were scalped
| md the wagon train burned.
Comrade Smith has been connected
with the Militia and Kansas National
| iuard ever since their existence, and
| $ AT present OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES oil
20 Il of the I'd Kan. n. G., the crack
| ompany of the State. His Captain is
| lis nephew. Arthur ID. Smith, and with
| he veteran comrade in the company
| : his son, son-in-law, two grand
| .rildren, two nephews and one grand
| ,ephew. Comrade Smith would like tc
| now If there is anyth ns to compare
| With this in the whole National GuarC
| the country While Comrade Smith
| : at an age that renders most men un'
| -crviceable, he is active and energetic
| md has the personal assurance of n I!
'olonel, p. NJ Hoisington, that he shall
| -emain a member as long as that Col
mel Is in command. 1t is quite need
| css to state that Comrade Smith i
| !evotedly attached to Colonel Hoising
on. and thinks him, of all the com
|
ne last As years, one of the most won
erful In his MANAGEMENT of men ant
military ability. Comrade Smith wa!
made sharpshooter last target season
md he is the only civil war veteran
n the whole Kansas National Guard
| lis term as Commander of b. +
armed Post expires this month.
Another member of B. F. Larne'
Post who has a splendid military rec
,rd is Ambrose A. Thorp. who en-
listed on the first call for three month
,olunteers at Pittsburg, Pa. When hi
line was out he went to Illinois an
enlisted for three years or the war i
20. K. 45th ILL.,, and served in tina
regiment until after the fall of Vicks
burg. then he joined the 9Th U. S. Cav
and served until March of 1866, whe
he was discharged. During his ser
I vice he held the rank of private, Lieu
. cnant and Captain. He was wounde
. Eve times. but not very SERIOUSLY, aith
he received very bad scars for eac
wound. He was engaged in all tn
campaigns from Fort Donelson to Shi
ioh and Vicksburg. He is one of tn
Earliest members of B. +. Larned Pos
I g; has been its Commander many time
+ and like Comrade Smith has been yer
active In the interest of the veterans.
r He is now on the staff of Command
I er-in-Chief Van SAINT