The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-11-01
STORES lES Ag
lCAPMM %
jANDWAR -
GEN. LYONS BODY RECOVERED
HraphIe Story Related BY D.. MsIehes,
Who Brought Corpse Out Of the
Confederate Lines.

Samuel II. Melcher. who now lives
1t 1927 West jackson boulevard, Chi
cago. obtained the body OF Gen. Lyon
from Gen. Price after the battle Of
Wilson's Creek and carried II into the
Union lines. accompanied BY a volun-
teer escort OF confederate soldiers. In
mis- capacity Of army surgeon DR.. Mel
cher WIS immune from capture and
Imprisonment by the enemy and made
his way without trouble to Gen. Prices
headquarters, assisted by a friendly
colonel. lie can speak authoritative
~ on the much discussed subject Of
Gen. 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.. Melcher's own words as follows:
when Col. sigel's reserve. which
mad retreated on the Wire road south,
halted at the Thompson farm some OF
the men brought TO me Gen. Rains d.
vision surgeon, Smith, who had been
captured while coming with help for
The wounded. had him Immediately
released and we started hack on the
Wire road In the direction the lighting
had taken place TO look for wounded.
DR. Smith took the lead through tho
timber and proceeded in northwest
erly direction until We reached Q large
confederate emergency hospital. close
by q 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 bow
- tsrrible the struggle had been. On
each side Of the road were dead SOL
1iers. the gray on one side and the
blue on the other. After going short
time We started to count and. - W
did not wish to 20 back. We estimated
that there were 500 or 400 on both
eides OF the path.
Upon dismounting at the hospital
the nrst and only person that ! recos-
nlsed WAS the long haired Col. I'm
met Mcdonald. . young lawyer Of 81
Louis, one of the most outspOhen 80
eessionists. When he was taken At
che capture OF Camp jackson In st.
Louis be absolutely refused to be pa
rolled and was accordingly brought to
the arvenal and held q prisoner.
As ] had occasion several times
eaeh day 10 pass the tent ~thefe No
Donald Was held. aaw him satandins
On front. Of the entrance 15essed In =
soft '6f'yfench cavalry usfform. with
lii arms folded. his eye ,Slistenins.
AZ, swaithy cou3seq l. :YEycSsGRGap ever ~
~ ffsS asSln. l had never nmet him
and had no illp viii. whatever opinion
Ne might have. and %, - I passed. I
simply touched my cap. ann TO my
Ssrpriss he seemed each time to sof-
AsA, . little and touched his IN return.
$50, when ,saw him step Quickly
toward me ~ .entered the confsd-
asate camp after the battle Of WI
sson's Greek. and warmly take me by
No. hand. ! was somewhat surprised.
Af1er talking . moment In regard to
th9 wounded he tuiermed me that
Gen. Lyon WAS killed.. Instantly q
said: Gan ] have his ,bodyr He 1t
once sid: Come With me and I'm
see.' He went with me directly 70
Gen. Prioe:s headquarters and. ~ he
had never aknown my name. he said:
This 10 Gen. Lyons snrseon. He
svishes the body. want You to give
III to him. He Ia the only ofiicer who
sssAted me decently in the ARSENAL
+Gen. Price. who was dressed ~ an
urdipary citizen, with no insignia of
rank except . black leather belt in
(which was q small Colts revolver.
held Out his hand In q fatheriy man.
nsr and we clasped hands. Turning
to Gen. Rains. he asked II he knew
where the body was. Replying In the
~fbrmative. Gen. Rains was ordered to
bring It for identification. In perhaps
twenty minutes wagon drove up. and
I Wa asked 10 examine dhe contents.
Upon raising the blanket which Gov,
erred the face of the deae man At
once recognize our general.
Gen. Rains asked: What 10 your
DIo4ooN! anu ! vophSV s"es "S~s~
Nike TO haze the body carried to the
Ray house. -i..
As soon ~ conn could be made
tho body was taken to the Phelps
farm. After the body had been on ez-
Ambition for several days Gen. rrics
,nsdereo II buried. This Wa done Aug |
~ BY Col. enead. who says: = buried
min by instructions from Gen. Prica
and / said - put him In the sround.
~Thst y the greatest enthusiast ever
saw and the greatest man" AUG. -
an undertaken from o. Louis and
varty Of relatives came anc ha1 the
BODY exhumed and 1t vas taken asst
Picture on the erssnbaeks.