The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
NORTH SIDE NEWS
Samuel J. Reader Saw Battle of
Big Blue CannOn2
Topeka Field Piece Passed Him
After Capture.
WAS BRASS HOWITZERs
May Be Same Gun Lost FOrty.SiX
Years.
WAS BRASS HOWITZER.
Found Recently-Present to the
Historical Society.

Der %, 1864, the cannon which was
lost then but has been recently found
on the battlefield and is to be dug up
for removal to the Kansas State His
torical society rooms.
The cannon was captured by the
rebels from Col. G. w. Veale of To-
peka in the battle. Later the confed-
crates were closely pursued and rath-
er than that the field piece be re-
captured they threw it into the "BIue
Hole" in Flat creek, four miles north
of Cassville, Barry county, Mo.
Here Mr.. Reader was taken by the
rebels. His experiences are written by
himself in a book compiled from
shorthand diary he made at the time.
An entry relating to his seeing what
he now believes the artillery in ques-
ton, is particularly interesting. 1t
follows:
IT heard a guard. (his captor) call
attention to a pet bear that he said
was riding on one of the gun car
riages. l looked, but failed to see it.
But 1 saw something else, of more in
tereSt to me. AS a cannon swept past
few rods to our right, my eye caught
the inscription on the timber chest:
Capt. w. w. H. Lawrence, Topeka,
KAN 1t was our old brass howitzer,
and there probably 1 saw the last of
IT,"
Before this entry was made the big
gun referred to was also sketched by
Mr.. Reader, who in addition wrote
down the preserved data regarding
the field-piece. According to these
figures, the howitzer was a "a
FOUNDER, brass, about six feet in
length, with a $50 inch bore; weight,
1918 pounds, charge, two to two and
one-half pounds of powder, weight of
shell, 1874 pounds; range: shell at
800 yards, point blank; at 500 yards,
one degree elevation; 500 yards,
degrees elevation, etc.
Mr.. Readers book written in pen
and ink, and copiously illustrated by
county, Mo-, where the battle was
fought, also Mr.. Reeder's own handi-
work.
The account of the battle tells of
the bravery of Colonel Veale and 9TH
er officers and men. Then very vivid
ly is described how victory seemed to
have been won by the Kansas boys,
but afterwards how the rebel force of
nearly a whole division under General
Price swept the militia off the field by
a terrible cavalry charge in over
| whelming numbers. Then comes the
story of the writer's capture by the
| rebels, of suffering from hunger and
| thirst as the rebels hurried him along
with them. Afterwards is told how
Reader escaped in the darkness,
| dressed in cast-off rebel clothes. On
account of his dress he was retaken
| by his own men for a rebel, but finally
convinced the Unionists of his identity
and was allowed to return home.
Mr.. Reader was born in Washington
county. Pennsylvania, January 25,
| 1886. When a boy, he and foster
parents. moved to LaHarpe, Ill, from
there in 1855 with others he came to
| Kansas. All of these events are like
wise set down and illustrated in a
| diary His subsequent meeting with
John Brown is one of the most inter-
| -aIo hannQn0d
| Sunday, August 8, 1855, while Mr.
Reader was serving with the free state
army. The entry follows:
saw old man Brown go by with
son and OK team (disguised) as sur
veyors, and directed him to free state
camp"
| Now, opposite this entry is pasted a
photo of a painting, which the YER
satiIe Mr. Reader made to illustrate
the incident.
AS to the cannon which was lost
on the battlefield. Mr.. Reader said this
morning:
81 am quite sure that the lost and
! found cannon is the same 1 saw when
! was captured. I was standing only
a few feet from it as it went past us.
I recognized it as the one had seen
| in our camp before my capture. L was
especially interested in it and had
made a sketch of it as we'll as noted
down data about it"
Part of the famous old Sells estate,
once owned by the circus people two
miles west of the Reform school, has
been sold by John Behl, the recent
owner to Elmer Steck of Logan
county. It sold for $4,000 or $500 an
acre, as it consisted of ten acres of
we'll improved land.
A collision occurred about O'Clock
Thursday afternoon, between the
chemical from fire station No. 1, while
F. H. Cunningham was exercising the
/ horses, and a team driven by John
Corneliuson a farmer north of town
at West Gordon and North Jackson
street. No one was seriously hurt. Mr.
| Corneliuson was bruised when he was
thrown against the board. Mrs. Cor
neliuson, the other occupant of the
buggy, was uninjured and not thrown
from the seat. The front wheels OF
the buggy were smashed and the We
hicle otherwise damaged. All con-
cerned say the accident was unavoid-
able, on account of the horses turning
the corner too quick for the buggy te
get out of the way.
Notes and Personals.
Miss Hattie Hatfield and Miss Franz
Hatfield of Oskaloosa, who have beel
visiting Mrs. Hattie Horning of Grant
willie, have returned home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Talmadge Wright, en-
tertained a few friends at their hom'
in Granville Wednesday evening.
The Art and Craft Embroidery clui
. is meeting this afternoon at the home
of Mrs c. E. Jordan, 1922 North Jack
son street.
. Mrs. J. C. Travis of go North To
peka avenue, is in Lincoln, Ark, Oh
business.