Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-08

we're more federals, volunteer regiments
from Iowa and Illinois, and In the west,
in the neighborhood of Kansas City,
were United States regulars from Fort
Leavenworth and Kansas volunteers
1t seemed as If of a sudden General
Lyon had flooded Missouri with armed
men pledged to keep 1t in the union, and
that all prospect of the state Joining
the Confederacy was to be speedily ban
ished along with the governor and the
other southern sympathizers.
A MEETING AT 81. LOUIS.
War in Missouri had been declared on
June IL, when at the Planters house,
In St. Louis, Governor Jackson and GEN
eral Lyon had held a final conference to
see If actual conflict between those who
wished to keep Missouri In the union
and those who wished to put her in the
Confederacy could be avoided.
With the governor had come from JEFF
ferson City, M~s. Gen. Sterling Price,
former governor, and since May COM
mapder Of the state troops, and Thomas
l.. Snead, the governors aid-de-camp.
With General Lyon were his aid, Maj
Horace L. Conant, and Col. Frank p.
Blair, his colleague and constant sup
porter in the union cause.
OF the four princials, three-the gov
ernor General Price and Colonel Blair
were dSlulc DOnllClduS, dCCuSlOinCu 70
handle both men and measures; the
fourth was the little Connecticut yam
kee infantry officer Lyon, who had been
thriving on trouble ever since the day in
February that he first came TO ST. Louis.
Yet he ii was who presently conducted
the discussion, though he had first dele
gated 1t to Blair, holding his own against
the past masters of Missouri politics,
Jackson and Price, and meeting at ev-
a.. Co.. -, 49,
neutrality In the war between the north
and south.
They were willing, they said to agree
to raise no more state troops and to
make the recent military bill dead issue
If, on the other hand, General Lyon
would agree to disarrn and disband the
home guards, the union organization, and
leave the state wholly neutral.
GENERAL LYONS ULTIMATUM,
To this General Lyon would not agree,
and for four hours or more he argued
his case. II never in my life, Thomas
L. Snead is quoted as saying, saw such
an exhibition of pluck, honesty, GOODNESS
and craftsmanship. Those old politicians
were turned about and COMPOUNDED; he
never lost his temper and was grave and
calm as death.
"At the last, rising stiffly, Lyon said,
Before 1 will consent, sir, that my gov
eminent shah agree not to march into
your state, / win see YOU sir'-he put
his forefinger against Jackson's breast
and you'-touching old General Price
and you'-to Blair-'and you'-turning to
myself and Conant--'I will, see you all un-
der the sod. This means war. Governor
Jackson
HE then took his watch out of his
pocket and said, You will be allowed
IN naf xuh
ordered for you. There will be car
riage at the door of the hotel to take you
to the train. You will be allowed time
to eat your dinner and reach .le train
without bowling himself out, he left the
room, his spurs ringing on the floor"
General Lyon had delivered his ultima
tum. and he lost no time in making
ready to carry it out. Immediately he
telegraphed .or more arms and for au-
thority to raise moro troops and issued
orders for the formation of a marching
column
Governor Jackson and his party, mean
while, riding by special train that not
a minutes time might be lost, reached
Jefferson City by 2 in the morning. Soon
after daybreak the governors procIama-
ton, denouncing Lyon and calling out 5O-
600 troops. was on the press, and orders
were issued to the commanders of the
state forces to assemble all their avail
able men Immediately, ready for service
in the field.
To delay attack from st. Louis the
bridges on the Pacific railroad across
the Gasconade and the Usage rivers
were destroyed and 1.-the telegraph wires
had also been cut.
LYON OCCUPIES JEFFERSON.
At st. Louis General Lyon had 10 $50
men, comprising FIVE regiments of Mis-
souri, volunteers. FIVE regiments of the
United States reserve corps, so-calIed.
and some few companies of regulars and
regular recruits
BY the evening of June IL he had
started a detachment by the southwest
branch of the Pacific railroad TO Rolla
and Springfield. and by the 18th there
were 5000 men on the way, commanded
by Col. Franz Sigel and Capt Thomas
W sweeny, whom General Lyon HAD
breveted brigadier.
Other detachments were sent out
along the railroad lines west ami north
west to guard against attack and at 2
o'clock of the afternoon of June 13 GEN
eral Lyon himself was embarked with
his regulars and one regiment of volun-
teers on two light-draft river steambers
bound up the Missouri to Jefferson City.
The news of his approach threw those
at JEFFERSON INTO CONSERVATION. Already
the state armory and workshop had
been removed to Boonville, up the riv-
er, and the officials now hurriedly got
ready to follow, packing up the state
archives and their most valuable prop
erty in the greatest of haste. The
small military force at Jefferson was
sent by rail to a point south of Boon
vile, wrecking the road behind them,
and the governor. with a single COM
pany, fled by steamer.
On June is, so years ago today, Cen
eral Lyon, his numbers swelled to per-
haps 1000 by the addition of another
regiment, arrived at Jefferson and re-
ceived a cordial welcome from many of
the residents, Issuing a counter proc
lamation in which he blamed on the
governor the commencement of HOSTILE
ties, he prepared to follow him to Boon
Vile, where battle and bloodshed were
soon to follow
In an engagement there on June II
General Lyon lost IA men killed, 40
wounded and five prisoners while Gen
eral Price lost about 40 in killed and
wounded and many prisoners.
GENERAL HARVEY REMOVED.
That the war in Missouri began at
this time and not a month earlier was