The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-13
B. E. Sammens, Old and Blind,
Needs Identification.
Comrades Of War Times Are All
Dead or Cannot Be Found.
CLAIM is A JUST ONE,
Say Members of McCoOk Post,
lola, Where He Lives.
wounded Many Times While in
the Service of His Country.

washington, D. c., April IA. E.
Henderson of lola, Kan, has forward
ed to Washington an affidavit and a
NUMBER of papers relating to Benja-
min Franklin Samrlons of his town.
MI. Sammons Is now rs years old, al
most blind and cannot read or write
and cannot get pension, McCook
post is trying to find some one who
knew him in the service and something
war,
Mr. Samnao1s was living in Green
nrlar county. w, Va, in 1851, and join
1u lne aoIhe Guards under Capt. Hunt.
When Gen. Cox went up the Kanawha
IN 1861, Summons was taken on duty
with MIN, and rendered valuable service
on account of his knowledge of the
country and its water courses and
Iodus. ne was given a. physical exami-
Hdiiol, pronounced as sound as dol
lar and mustered into the service in
company q, Third West Virginia cav
airy. His first duty was to lead a scout
Win capt P1nktrel and a squad of "a
| alen toward Petersburg. Next he was
detailed by Capt. j. s. witcher to car
ry dispatches from Col Hayes, Twenty
thlrd Ohio, to Col. Brown, commanding
the Thirteenth Virginia at Barversville
va, and returned to Charleston with
oispatches from these officers.
fought Blackburn's guerriIas at Spen-
Ger. A party with which he was fol-
lowed the Confederates, who had cap
tured General Scammon and were tax
ing MN to Richmond. They followed
them to Logan Court House and there
We're driven back by a large force. and
"nen retreating they came in contact
WIN rebel ambuscade, where Mr..
Sanmons was captured and taken to
Llbbey prison with some of his COM
Mr. Summons made his escape from
Llopey in the last of March, 1864, with
wellington Doddridge, an Ohio soldier.
| ana one johnson, who was drowned in
| the James river canal just above Rich
1 mond. Sammons succeeded in reaching
General Ramsey's men on the GauIey
| river, May 9, 1864. He re-enlisted as a
veteran, but was rejected on account of
wounds received in service. At Cross
Lane MS horse was shot, and. throw
ing him. his. head was crushed, and
another time his horse threw him. and
| he fell on his right shoulder and broke
! 1T. On still another occasion he was
| shot in his left forearm by BUSH
| Whacker. AT Gross Lane he was cut
| across the left side Of his head and
| also had q nine inch cut in his left side
with a saber.. At Wayne Court House
| he was shot through the left side OF
| the neck, the bullet lodging in his
shoulder blade. Mr.. Sammons had not
fully recovered from any of these
wounds when he returned to service
| He was SO badly used up that he was
sent home to recover and await fur
Their orders. When he did so, and re-
ported for duty at Charleston, he was
| told that the war was over.
Mr.. Sammons' command was scat
tered, and he felt at liberty to go where
he pleased. SO he did not receive The
regular discharge. He could not &C
| back home, for the reason that he was
charged with shooting General Black
| burn, whose two sons had declared they
would kill him if he came back. +