The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-29
WHEN HARLAN, FEDERAL,
FIRED AT LURTON, C.. S. a.
Supreme Court Justices Once Foes-Now Col.
leagues and Friends acquaintance Began
at Long Range Under Fire-Story of
Lurton S Mar Record

o. LOllS AdllSc VI
Lurton S Y
:, cannon Was on bluff half mile
away from the banks OF the Cumber
land. II MAS ira !ncd upon wagon In
tic middle OF the river.
lohn Marshall Harlan. now associate
justice OF the United states Supreme
Court. then colonel OF the Tenth Ken
iucky Infantry. was in command OF
tho gun He was a long-loGgcd, blue
eyed diagnosed and distinguished
looking man. even ,hcr.
in tho water. OH horseback just he
hind the wagon rode Horace Harmon
X f.nrton. private IN tic Third Kentucky
Cavalry, now also an associate justice
ir the United states supreme Court.
Ills eyes were gray and his chin Was
almost as wide as his head.
Tie Tenth infantry WAS Federal. The
Third Cavalry WAS Confederate. Col
@onci Harlan was trying hard to hi.
Trooper Lurton With a cannon ball.
Tho shells splashcd so near tina, tho
drivers cut tho tugs and ncd with
their mules, leaving the wagon in the
water. Private Lurton. rcar guards
man, followed as quickly aa he could.
SO began. al long range, thc pc
culiar acquaintance of two great Ken
q tncktans. Forty seven years after liar-
ian attempted 10 kill Tnrton with n
cannon bail thcy' sat IN black robes,
also III friendship and forgctfulncss.
on the bench OF the nations highest
court.
In Frankfort one Sunday morning
James Harlan aud his son. John Mar
shall Harlan, were on their way TO
church. IfftS negro men ana boyS.
cha !nc'l IN rairs q, tho wrists. came
stunning down the street Sold away
from their wives and mothers they
were bound for the river. where they
were TO be shipped TO tic cotton fields
Or the South. IN armed slave driver
marched in front. Ioines Iiarlan halt
cd. When the slave driver came
abreast James la rlan walked into Tho,
street. He MAS tail man. Ike his
son, and could look Very fierce. stick
Ing his index finger almost irio the
face or the slave driver. nc roarcd:
You arc damned scoundrcl. Good
morning. SIR"
Whcrcupon the Harlans went TO
church. Judge Harlan IS Il Presbyterian
elder, That MAS the only time io
said. when telling OF tho incident. II
eyer heard my father swear The en-
phasIs he gave 10 his fathers remarks
seemed 10 indicate that profanity in
his opinion, MAS .cxcusa bic. and even
theological, under the circumstances.
X Goncriclliy, therefore. John Marshall
Harlan was q Union man. He raised
the Tenth Kentucky Infantry and be-
came colonel OF tho regiment. although
lie was a lawyer and not {; soldier by
profession. Shooting at Llirton there
Tore was 4 prAiscWorthv performance.
The elder Lur!on was Lycursus r..
physician. When the war broke out
lie put his family into n carria &c and
started South. Hc had lived at New
port, In Kentucky, on the Ohio River.
not far from Cincinnati There Horace
Harmon. his son. was born. From New
port tho Lur,ons moved to Northern
Tennessee.
wanted to enter the army, tic
Confederate army" Mr.. Justice I.urton
said 10 me, putting considerable stress
on the word Confederate. "but my
father stopped me temporarily by his
vigorous opposition. He thought was
only a small boy, but was seventeen
years old and had begun going with
the girls. When received q hoop
skirt or two, gentle hints from some
body that my duty was ut the front.
III felt that should be dSgraccd for
ever If didn't fight. While We were in
q carriage on our way toward the
Confederate lines, during the fall OF
1861, NC came upon "a body al soldiers.
made to get mo back, bu, remained
where | was and joined the Fifth
Tennessee Infantry as Il private.
Late in January, 1862, 1 was sent
home sick General Grant started 10
invest Fort Donclson OF February IT,.
Fort Donelson was in the county west
Il OF Clarksvillc, where my parents lived
] thought that Generals Floyd Pillow
and Buckner. who were in command
OF the Confederate forces, would whip
Grant and end the war on the spot.
There was to be big battle, ] felt
sure. and my place was in tho ranks
with muskct. was not entirely we'll,
but departed for Fort Donclson with
out saying much about II to my par
ents. We'll, ! fought in the snow and
rain IS a volunteer, unattached. Fort
Donclson was surrendered on the 18th
and was taken prisoner We lost 1000
men in battle ana about 1900 of us
were captured.
with the rest i was sent to Camp
Chase. near Columbus. Q. y number
Of negro servants were permitted 10
accompany US. ! exchanged clothing.
with one OF them, giving him my gray
uniform for suit Of dark cloth. and,
pretending to be an outside workman.
helped around tho barracks which
were being built on the grounds. AZ
Tho first opportunity walked out OF
/ the gate. and then to Columbus where
boarded a train for Louisville
found friends in Louisville, and was
soon back In GAINESVILLE again. In a
short time joined the Third kentucky
Caralry."i
And became one Of j DIN Morgan's
/. raiders?" ] said.
II served With the Third Caxalry,"
Judge Lurton replied ignoring my
question, until again captured which
occurred ut tho battle OF Burlington
island, after General Morgan had COM
plctcd his lions IN Indiana
and Ohio and was returning TO his
own country, by marching day and,
night and changing horses a T. nearly
svcry farm" @
Tho December aftor8Judsc Iurto,r