Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-09-27
9 +
CAMPEA NBb
AND WAR %
GEN. LYONS BODY RECOVERED

NND "7~A
GEN. LYONS BODY RECOVERED
Graphic Story Related by Or. Melcher,,
Who Brought Corpse Out Of the /
Confederate Lines.
Samuel H. Melcher, who now lives
at 1927 West Jackson boulevard. Chi,
cago. obtained the body OF Gen. Lyon
from Gen. Price after the battle OF
Wilson's Creek and carried 1t 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
ly 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:i
When Col. Sigel's reserve, which
had retreated on the Wire road south,
Matted 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. / had him Immediately
released and we started back on the
Wire rad in the direction the fighting.
had taken place to look for woundeds
DR.. Smith took the lead through the
timber and proceeded In a northwes
erly direction until we reached q large
confederate emergency hospital. closes
by a big lpring.
Receiving information that most OF
the wounded Of the last part Of tha
battle were being attended to neal 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 rad 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
hat there were 800 or 400 on both
sides OF the path.
Upon dismounting 1t the hospital
the first and only person that l recog-
nized was the long haired Col. EN-
met Mcdonald. a young lawyer Of st.
Louis, one OF the most outspoken Sc
c%essionists. When he was taken It
the capture OF Camp jackson In st.
Louis he absolutely refused TO be pa
rolled and was accordingly brought to
the arsenal and held a prisoner.
"As ! had occasion several times
each day to pass the tent where Mo
Donald was held, l saw Thin standing
in front of the entrance dressed in =
sort Of French cavalry uniform. With,
his arms folded, his eyes g~listening,
his swarthy countenance seeming 70
threaten vengeance II he should ever
be free again. had never met hin
and had no Ill 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 a little and touched his in return.
$50, when / saw him step quickly
toward me as / entered the confed.
crate camp after the battle OF VIII.
sons Creek, and warmly take me by
the hand, I was somewhat surprised.
After talking d moment In regard to
the wounded he informed me that
Gen. Lyon was killed. Instantly !
said: Can I have his body?' He at
once said: Come with me and TIL
see.' He went with me directly to
Gen. Prices headquarters and, as he
had known my name, he said:
This is Gen. Lyons surgeon. He
wishes the body. want you to give
1t to him He is the only officer who
treated me decently in the arsenal
Gen. Price, who was dressed az an
ordinary citizen, with no insignia Of
rank except a black leather belt I'M
which was a small Colts revolver,
held out his hand in a fatherly man.
ner and we clasped hands. Turning:
to Gen. Rains, he asked II he knew.
where the body a Replying In the
affirmative, Gen. Rains was ordered to
bring 1t for Identification. In perhaps
twenty minutes q wagon drove up. and
/ was asked to examine the contents.
Upon raising the blanket which cov
cred the face of the dead man ! at.
once recognize our general.
Gen. Rains asked: What Is your
pleasure?' and / replied that I would
like t. have the body carried to the
Ray house.
GAS soon as a coffin could be made
the body was taken to the Phelps
farm. After the body had been on ex-
hibition for several days Gen. Price
ordered 1t buried. This was done Aug.
IA by Col. Snead, who says: I buried
him by instructions from Gen. Price.
and l said as l put him in the ground.
"That is the greatest enthusiast I ever
saw and the greatest man." Aug. %
an undertaken from st. Louis and .
party of relatives came and had the
body exhumed and it was taken east"
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