Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-09-27
STORIES 9 sl!S ~
CAMPg1k >
AND WAR u
GEN. LYONS BODY RECOVERED
eraphic Story Related by DR.. MeI,b..
who Brought Corpse Out Of the ,''
Confederate Lines.

Samuel H. Melcher, who now ,ir..
at 1927 West jackson boulevard Ct,
cage, obtained the body of Gen W. w..
from Gen. Price after the HATH "
Wilson'S Creek and carried If int ~
Union lines, accompanied nv a 80
teer escort of confederate soldiers T.
MS capacity of army surgeon Dr MAJ
cher was immune from capture ana
imprisonment by the enemy and mad
MS way without trouble to Gen prioo,s
headquarters, assisted by a friand,,,
colonel. He can speak AUTHORITATIVE
~ on the much discussed subject q,
ten. Lyons garb at the time of tho
battle and states that the general wos
dressed in military uniform. The story
OF the recovery of the body is told IN
DR.. Melcher's own words as follows.
When Col Sigels reserve. which
had retreated on the Wire road soutb
matted at the Thompson farm some Of
the men brought to me Gen. Rains III.
vision surgeon, Smith, who had been
captured while coming with helm for
the wounded 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 short
time we started to count and, as we
did not wish to go back, we estimated
that there were 300 or AGO 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, young lawyer of ST.
Louis, enc 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.
'As l had occasion several times
each day to pass the tent where Nc
Donald was held. saw him standing
in front of the entrance dressed in
sort of French cavalry uniform with
his arms folded, his eyes glistening
his swarthy countenance seeming to
threaten vengeance If he should ever
be free again. l had never met him
and had no i'll will, whatever opinion
he might have, and so, as | passed
simply touched my cap, and to my
surprise he seemed each time to sof
ten little and touched his in return.
$50, when / saw him step quickly
toward me as l entered the confed'
crate camp after the battle of VIII
sons Creek, and warmly take me by
the hand, l was somewhat surprised
After talking a moment in regard to
the wounded he informed me that
Gen. Lyon was killed. Instantly !
said: Can / have his body?' He at
once said: Come with me and III
see' He went with me directly TO
Gen. Prices headquarters and, as No
had never known my name, he SAID
This is Gen. Lyons surgeon. do
wishes the body. l want you to give
it to him. He is the only officer VINO
treated me decently in the arsenal
Gen Price, who was dressed as an
ordinary citizen, with no insignia Oh
rank except a black leather belt ID
which was small Colts revolver
held out his hand in fatherly man
ner and we clasped hands. Iurnln6
to Gen. Rains, he asked If he kne"
where the body was. Replying IN 'ne
affirmative, Cen Rains was ordered +"
bring it for Identification. In perhaps
twenty minutes wagon drove up anu
/ was asked to examine the conlen'''
Upon raising the blanket which GOV.
SlSO buO ldCC VI INC NSAN
once recognize our general.
Gen. Rains asked: What IS you,
pleasure?' and / replied that Woalu
like to have the body carried 70 ''0
Ray house.
".As soon as a coffin could be Inaue
the body was taken to the fneip'
farm. After the body had been Oh 81
hibition for several days Gen iIl..
ordered it buried. This was done aus,
IA by Col. Snead, who says; / pli,g9
him by instructions from Gen. Price
and 1 said as 1 put him in the gTounu.
THAT is the greatest enthusiast ever
saw and the greatest man Aug. .
an undertaken from St Louis and "a
party of relatives came and hao -.
body exhumed and it was taken e'S'-