Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-09-26
STORIES . NE 3 I 81
CAMPTA O85
AND WAR u
GEN. LYONS BODY RECOVERED
Graphic Story Related by Or. MeIcher,
Who Brought Corpse Out of the
Confederate Lines.

Samuel H. Melcher, who now lives
ut 1927 West Jackson boulevard, Chi
cago, obtained the body OF Gen. Lyon
from Gen. Price after the battle of
Wilson's Greek and carried it into the
Union lines, accompanied by a volun-
teer escort of confederate soldiers. In
his capacity of army surgeon Dr. Mel
cher was immune from capture and
Imprisonment by the enemy and made
his way without trouble to Gen. Prices
headquarters, assisted by a friendly
colonel. He can speak authoritative
Iy on the much discussed subject of
zen. Lyons garb at the time of the
battle and states that the general was
dressed in military uniform. The story
OF the recovery of the body is told in
Dr. MeIcher's own words as follows:
When Col. sigeTs reserve, which
had retreated on the Wire road south,
halted at the Thompson farm some Of
the men brought to me Gen. Rains di-
vision surgeon, Smith, who had been
captured while coming with help for
the wounded. l had him Immediately
released and we started back on the
Wire road in the direction the fighting
had taken place to look for wounded.
DR.. Smith took the lead through the
timber and proceeded in a northwest
erly direction until we reached a large
confederate emergency hospital, close
by big spring.
Receiving information that most Of
the wounded of the last part of the
battle were being attended to near the
creek, we set out in that direction and
were soon in the road crossing over
Bloody hill. The position of the dead
on both sides of our path showed how
terrible the struggle had been. On
each side of the road were dead SOL
diers, the gray on one side and the
blue on the other. After going a short
time we started to count and, as we
did not wish to go back, we estimated
that there were 300 or 400 on both
sides Of the path.
Upon dismounting at the hospital
the first and only person that recog-
niZed was the long haired Col En-
met Mcdonald, a young lawyer of St.
Louis, one of the most outspoken Sc
cessiOnists. When he was taken at
the capture of Camp Jackson in St |
Louis he absolutely refused to be pa
rolled and was accordingly brought to |
the arsenal and held prisoner
LAS 1 had occasion several times |
each day to pass the tent where Nc |
Donald was held l saw him standing |
in front of the entrance dressed in a !
sort of French cavalry uniform. with |
his arms folded, his eyes gIistening, !
his swarthy countenance seeming to |
threaten vengeance if he should ever
be free again. 1 had never met him
and had no i'll will, whatever opinion
he might have, and so, as l passed, /
simply touched my cap, and to my
surprise he seemed each time to sof-
ten little and touched his in return.
$50, when l saw him step quickly
toward me as I entered the confed-
crate camp after the battle of VIII
sons Creek, and warmly take me by
the hand, 1 was somewhat surprised.
After talking a moment in regard to
the wounded he informed me that
Gen. Lyon was killed. Instantly I
said: Can I have his body?' He at
once said: Come with me and I'll
see' He went with me directly to
Gen. Prices headquarters and, as he
bad never known my name, he said:
This is Gen. Lyons surgeon. He
wishes the body. / want you to give
it to him He is the only officer who
treated me decently in the arsenal
Gen. Price, who was dressed as an
citizen, with no insignia of
rank except a black leather belt in
which was small Colts revolver,
held out his hand in fatherly man
ner and we clasped hands. Turning
to Gen Rains, he asked if he knew
where the body was. Replying in the
Gen. Rains was ordered to
bring it for Identification. In perhaps
twenty minutes a wagon drove up, and
I was asked to examine the contents.
Upon raising the blanket which coy
cred the face of the dead man 1 at
once recognize our general.
Gen Rains asked What is your
pleasure?' and l replied that I would
like to have the body carried to the
Ray house.
"As soon as coffin could be made
the body was taken to the Phelps
farm. After the body had been on ex-
nibition for several days Gen. Price
ordered it buried. This was done Aug
IA by Col. Snead, who says: I buried
him by instructions from Gen. Price,
and / said as I put him in the ground.
That is the greatest enthusiast l ever
saw and the greatest man." Aug. %
IN undertaken from st. Louis and a
party of relatives came and had the
5ody exhumed and # was taken east"