Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-03-31
IN WAR TIMES.
Mexico and Vicinity the Play
ground-some Of the Old Boys
Still Here.

NbhEAtNe Abt WI itE lih'lin w
militia to be equipped for the de.
Tense of Missouri. One of these re.
giments had headquarters in Mex
leo. Col. Smart Of Louisiana, No.
in command. We believe this was
in the fall of 1864, shortly after
Col. L. $. Grants headquarters
were moved from Mexico to Iron
ton, Mo.
Preceding the coming of the
above command there were two
companies of enrolled State mill
tia located here. We think of the
following men who were members
of one or the other of these two
companies. The late John w.
Sputswood. north of Mexico.
Solomon Fox. now of Rush Hill;
the late +. J. Clcndenin. Of Mex
leo: James Fox. now living VI
Mexico; \. c. Corner and W. II.
Beal. now citizens Of Laddonia.
and Ambrose Eubanks, after
wards a member of the Missouri
Legislature.
Capt. Swift one day ordered out
one or two companies-and one If
the men named above and yet
living was one of the squad-to
make a scout southwest of Mex
leo. in the direction of Boone
county. They left Mexico abou;
dark. marched eight or ten miles
that night and then were ordered
to 20 into camp. \ field of shock
oats was raided and the horses
were fed. The top rails of fence
were appropriated and directly
bright fires were burning The
night was cool. John Spotswood
came to one of the fires with a
hat full Of apples. Reported where
there were more and it was not
long till the pile was gone,
Soon all was quiet. but at four
o'clock in the morning all We're
up and on the march again.
Capt. Pollyn ordered one Of the
men. dressed in citizens clothes.
to go ahead and find out what he
could. The first man he came Il
with was about sun-up, out in his
barn yard. He was asked: Can
you tell me where our boys are
camped?" Referring to the Con
federates and feigning to be one Of
them.
He said: "No, see them riding
along here most every day.
Haven't seen any for several days.
They must be northwest of here.
There is plenty of water and tim.
Der over that way"
The scouts answer was: "Well,
yes, you are right. There are about
l75 men from Monroe and An
drain counties Think you will find
them at them water-holeS. We
have been on the march all night
and are tired and hungry What
had we better lo?"
The stranger answered: "You
SCATTER out to the houses you see
on the prairies, The neighbors will
be glad TO feed you
About then the militia column
came in sight The scout rode back
and reported Lieutenant Eu-
banks called oct 3 men to 60 to 4
certain house and feed their
horses and get breakfast. In the
dining room was a sewing machine
perhaps the first ever brought t.
this section of Missouri. Une OF the
boys, called Fox, was looking at
it very earnestly, for he had never
seen one before, when some one
called it a piano. Then Fox want
ed some music, when it was ex-
planned that the lady Of the house
was too busy getting then breaN-
fast and that there was no time
for music, anyway. In saddling up
TO leave strict orders were given
that no man should take any
thing away with him that was not
his. Eubanks discovered one fell
low with a new saddle. He was