The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-26
IN CHOLERA DAYS
Ft. Riley Was Scene of Scourge
in Fifties.
Disease Appeared Among Men
Who Erected Buildings.
COMMANDER A VICTIM
Major Armistead Did Not Know
Wife Was Ill.
August 3, 1856, When 15 Died,
Worst Day of Epidemic.

Leavenworth, Kan, Sept. 26--EarIy
settlers gcing to and returning from
Leavenworth along the "old military
road > IS years ago this summer, might
have seen in Salt Creek valley some
distance from the road, a large ceeIiip. l.
Congress had decided to build at Fort
Riley an important cavalry post ms
canp contained about 500 mechanics
and Iaborers. Major E. A. Ogdeh WdS
in charge of the work. The late Fer-
cival G. Lowe, then post wagon mas mas
ter at Fort Leavenworth' had chalse
work began at Fort Riley in July
and on the first of August cholerd
broke out. A messenger, q man --ls. ndlll~0
Orton was dispatched to Fort LedV eti- l
orth for medical assistance ana ne
rode from Fort Riley to Fort Leaven-
worth in 40 hours. One OF the HLSe
~ he stricken was Major Ogden VINO
died two days later. his last Molus
was a message to his wife: Tell ner
that [ appreciated her love 10 the ia7l' d
was Great Distress.
To his account of the scourge MI
Lowe adds: THE distress of August z,
was as nothing compared with AuSuSl
8. Brevet Major Wood hau gone -
Fort Kearney with his company Ieae -
ing his wife and two children All htu
cholera. Brevet Major Ar1nlstead,
afterwards Major General ArInlstead
of the confederate army, had gone uP
the Smoky Hill with his COMPANY ios1 I1fs
|
VITO had cholera Additional cases
r-ere noted all over the post Thus the
morning of the Sd opened. An an an
bularce had gone after Major arm Arlnl-
stead Rev Mr.. Clarkson, the post
| chaniain, with his wife and niece, were
the only nurses for Mrs Woou any
her two children and MIS- Arm istesau; s u
T never saw braver or more uSNoeSu
nurses and friends tnan lle Cl1rt &C. cbii-
\ Trhev took Mrs. Armistead s Two en- @
dren home, and did everything @ tnal
| co1lId he done for the Others But Mls-
Woou and her two children anu u nie
! Arnistead died during the uay. : =
| teen IN all died on the Sd OF AUG
| Major Ogden Mrs Armistead' MI .
XTood and two children. the major or
| derly and nine workmen-
A Terrible Experience.
Mrs. Clarkson and her niece nao Pr ee
nared the body of Mrs. Arnllstee1 -, IL
| b11ria1. hut it. was not. coffined untll the the
! o1aior,s arrival Entering the hdH
| through the door from the south porch,
one walked about ten feet hortu nor IN ai.r ~
| entered a room through door on s enS
1ef+ At the left of the door Stoou
= Rod With head to the east. FROM
the mantle at the west END OIL the RON t1l
candle shed a dim light over tne
room ana the bed on which mrs Arilli-
stead lay, the white cloelies oo+ COW
cred and to one standing a Lttie way
from the bed she seemed TO pc sleep
ing peacefully, and no one nol cpt ie,
anf IF the fact would have thought M hei
@nedIa @l.e = lovely picture of lovely wo-
man. - 40 arob,,-
l1anca had been gone, expected thg
major sometime before mldnlgnl-
lrnev that the faithful driver, +. p
ceei wealthy farmer Of ffort Platfe to f9qn bpiha
~, onickly. About 1 o'clock l hearC
an ambulance rattlng o4o oyer and 5ne dTead read
aI ~ meet him. AS the ambulance
stopped at the porch opened per lbdo tng on9, mg
band. and inquired: How about my
famiIy?' I hesitated little little ena wn1cn oon' M
tinued: Are they all. all gone-wlIe VIE,
cbiidren. all?' No, major said |. YOU
cbiidren are safe at Mr. Ciarkson ms: 3;
he said TO more then. Taxing non
Of his left arm. we walked TO an NJ
e+anned inside the room Taking OF
~ nv moor wife!' The agony OF ina ina
T,inlIte during which he gazed on ne,
was terrible. led him gently +3e a"ay eon
About 100 died in all during the con
..-.,oroe of the plague.