The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-31
Uncommon except

SnOt Oh III Sklf- ioi-D UT ihh HaoAN-
mish with Jenni- ING BATTLE
son and his Kansas raiders only short
time prior to this date.
On reaching the house I learned from
my father who Captain Taylor was
and what he wanted. The captain
said his men were tired and hungry.
having had no rest the last twenty-four
hours, and that he wanted supper pre-
pared at once for sixty men. My, IA
Their told the captain that. being a
southern sympathizer, be had been
compelled TO take the oath of ale
could not feed or harbor Confederate
soldiers. Besides, it also became his
duty under his oath to inform the Un-
ion forces nearest by of the presence
of any Confederate soldiers in his
neighborhood. The captain replied
that his men would feed themselves
from the smokehouse and kitchen
(Which they proceeded to do, and that
men who informed on him and his men
did not live long thereafter. notwith-
standing oath of allegiance" and all
other such nonsense. .--
The mission Of Captain Taylor
through that portion of Missouri at
that particular time was supposed to
be for recruiting purposes and Incl
dentally to retaliate on a few Union
soldiers stationed at Arnoldsville, a
small town in the east side of the
county. A southern sympathizer had
been killed near Arnoldsville. presum-
ably by some Union soldier. few
days before, and this meant sure
death to one or more Union men in
the same neighborhood, prefera bly,
Union soldiers If such could be found
in the locality. Taylor had learned Of
the presence of company of Union
men at Arnoldsville. and after partak-
ing Of refreshments and resting an
hour or two at my fathers home he
and his men moved off In the darkness
aud stiffness of night down the road
In the direction of the little village of
Arnoldsville.
At the break Of day on the following
morning the Inhabitants Of the scat
tered homes constituting this small
town were aroused by the sound Of
firearms within their very midst.
There was only one street. called
Main street. which was. in fact. only
an improved portion of the county
road passing. as it did. north and
south through the village. The Union
soldiers were Quartered in the second
story of the only general merchandise
store In the town, the means of access
being stairway on the outside at the
west end of the frame building. From
the single doorway of this room on
! the second floor the boys In blue.
aroused by the pistol shots. stood for
q moment gazing at the men In red
and black who sat mounted. with pis-
tol In hand. awaiting their prey.
A voice was heard in the building to
say, Make ready, men. Forward!'
and in the moment the men in the
building were seen to file out and down
the stairway. keeping step as if In reg
ular drill on the practice field. But
these men knew the danger ahead Of
/ them. 1t meant death to some of their
number. just how many or who it must
be none cared then to even surmise.
Captain Taylor and his men lost no
time in charging the Union soldiers
now drawn up in line along the end of
the building. The red shirts were at
the disadvantage of having only small
! firearms-side arms-while the Union
| men had muskets. which carried dou.
BILE the distance the navy revolver
could reach. The rebels ON horse d.
vided as they approached under full
speed, firing as they rushed by, with