The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1912-11-29
The Capture Of Lexington.

count of the battle of Lexington,
in the April number of the Re-
view, revives many memories of
those stirring times in Missouri
history Of half a century ago.
A native Of Illinois, | became
a resident Of Bolivar, Polk coun-
ty,, Missouri, in 1853. And
though consecrated to the peace,
full arts of Galen and Esculapius
by the Mcdowell Medical Col
lege, of s.. Louis, | rose in 1856
to the military rank of a Missouri
colonel. This honor was thrust
upon me by Governor Bob Stew
art, who commissioned me Mill
tary Inspector of the Sixth Mi
litia district, which comprised a
bout all that part Of the state
south of the Usage and west of
the Gasconadc rivers. In an
ticipation Of the portending on
flict, that then seemed inevitable
the work assigned to the Military
Inspectors was to organize the
state militia and put it on the
semblance of a war basis. The
active exercise of that duty was
prolific Of some exciting exper-
fences in the memorable border
troubles Of that era.
Naturally, the southern heart
Of Southwest Missouri was fired
by the Camp Jackson massacre,
in May, 1861, and in June with a
few comrades, l joined General
Price, on the Blackwater, as he
fell back FROM the Missouri river.
With the patriots, led by General
Rains, | marched up Bloody Hill
at the battle of Wilson Creek,
August 10Th, and was not far
behind the first who found the
dead body Of General Lyon. Up
on reorganization Of our forces
Immediately thereafter, / found
myself chief ordinance officer
Of the division, with a train of
nineteen ordinance and baggage
wagons, and a guard of four
mounted companies. Then came
a brief furlough, and triumphal
return to our home town, Bolivar,
where our reception was in fact
an ovation. During the exercis-
es the ladies of the village pre-
sented to me a gorgeous uniform
of Confederate gray, with collar,
and cuffs up to the elbows, all
gold-braided, embellished with a
Colonel's shoulder straps, and
the coat and vest resplendent
with gilt buttons, displaying the
rampant bears of the states
escutcheon. A pair of cavalry
boots, black felt hat and dress
sword completed the outfit.
Rugged out in my new regimen
tails, with white Numbered shirt,
in acknowledgment of the flat
tering regards of my townsmen
and towns ladies'. I afforded them
an opportunity for a few days to
see a typical defender Of south
ern rights, arrayed in a manner
that eclipsed Solomon in all his
glory. This social trump, how
ever, was soon ended by an
order from General Price to pro-
ceed at once to Osceola, on the
Usage river, and set my force to
work preparing fixed ammu-
milton. No time was lost in
complying with that order. TAX
ing possession of a large vacant
building there a hundred, or
more, of my men were soon at
work converting the raw mater
ial into cartridges of various
kinds, canister shot, etc. About
the same time General Price put
his army in motion in the direc.
ton of Bates county, on the Dor
der, ostenSlbly to catch and chas-
tise jim Lane, and his band of
Kansas Marauders, who had
boldly raIded several of our
western counties, and committed {
serious depredations. On reach
ing the Usage river the army