The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-02

llections Of Gen. Nathaniel Lyon
which was published after his death
in the July, 1900. number OF the AN
mails Of Iowa. at Des Moines. A few
sentences from that paper will give
his estimate Of the character OF our
hero:
Though he and differed on many
points, we were more intimate than
any other two officers of the large
garrison of Fort Riley. In some re-
spects 1t was a most remarkable
friendship; we had been differently
educated, and there was scarcely q
subject IN politics, science, religion
or social matters upon which differe-
ces existed, that we did not differ
1.-THE chief mental characteristic OF
Lyon as knew him few years be-
fore the civil war, in which he lost
his life. were intensity and conscien-
tiousness. Whatever he felt he felt
with force that carried everything
before it. At the same time he was pos
sessed OF as tender a heart as ever
beat in a mans breast.
HE was especially kind to children
and animals. / have often witnessed
him get intensely angry at some
teamster who was maltreating a
took from the hand OF man the
whip with which he was belaboring a
mule about the head, and laid 1t over
the fellows shoulder until he shrieked
for mercy. Upon another occasion he
made man employed in the quarter
knees to dog he had been unmerci-
fully beating, humbly beg the dogs
pardon and promse not to do so again.
In quickness of perception, indomit-
able energy, and the most unfiinching
courage no man living or dead ever
surpassed him.
In April, 1861, Lyon was captain
OF Company B, Second u. S. Infantry,
In command of the arsenal at st.
Louis, with little handful of men.
General Sherman speaks of visiting
Captain Lyon at the arsenal about
this time, and characterizes him as
"a man OF vehement purposes and
determined action
Captain Lyon thus found himself at
the beginning OF the great struggle
/ in a critical situation; surrounded by
powerful adverse combinations, and
an onward sweep Of secession senti-
ment and influence almost resistless.
He was entirely alone with this re-
sponsibility. 1t Is true that Frank p
Blair, James O. Broadhead, o. D.
Filley and some other Unionists, per
ceiving that Lyon was the man for
the emergency, backed him with their
political influence Yet there was nc
one near to consult on his duties as
a soldier and commander in that
dark hour.
Without hesitation or delay he
took the aggressive, and at once be
gan series of movements and STRAIT
egic military operations, so rapid and
daring as to bewilder and almost para
/ lyze the enemy. He captured Camp
Jackson so quickly that General Frost
West Point graduate In command
hardly knew what had happened, and
In his humiliation and embarrassment
published long protest against such
rude treatment. Lyon did not give
him an opportunity to fire his biz
guns Just received from New Orleans
Gen. Sherman in his Memoirs, give:
the following incident of this day. He
was living In St. Louis with his family
at the time, not yet having entered
] the service He says: Miss Elsie
Dean, who lived opposite us, called
me across the street, told me he
brother-in-law, DR.. Scott, was sur
: geon in Frosts camp. and she wal
, dreadfully afraid he would be killed
: reasoned with her that General Lyol
was regular officer; that If he hat
: gone out as reported. to Camp Jack
1 son. he would take with him such
, force as would make resistance i'm
. possible but she would not be com
: forted, saying that the camp wa
e made up Of the young men from tn
! first families of st. Louis: that the.
t were proud and would fight I es
Z
s planned that young men Of the bes
/. families did not like to be killed an
better than ordinary people. Edgini
gradually UP street, was in DIV
street near Twelfth, when 1 saw
man running from the direction o
Camp Jackson at full speed. calling a
he went, They've surrendered
they've surrendered So l turne
back and rang the ben :: Airs. Deans
Eliza came to the door and explain
ed what I had heard, but she angril
slammed the door in my face. Ev
IDENTIFY she was disappointed to fin,
she was mistaken in her estimate O
the rash courage of the best families.
This was Friday, May 10th, memol
able as being the day on which tn
first blow was struck by >ederal troop
In the west against the gigantic from
Of un1us4ifiable rebellion.
1t is noteworthy fact that bot
Grant and Sherman, unknown t
each other, were in ST. Louis as civil
ians the day Camp Jackson was taker
and both Give incidents of the day 4