The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-01
Great Moments IN War
Told by Living Generals
BY Philip r. Dillon

Ioped the horse straight at the herd OF
cattle. One wheel struck a COW. The
shock took the horse clean off his
feet, threw him into the air and down
he landed on his back in a ditch with
the sulky on top Of him. / was flung
twenty feet.
But good fortune was with me. The
snlky was not broken, and better still,
the horse was still full Of life and his
legs uninjured. Swiftly Mr.. Bloom and
his hired man helped me to hitch up
again, and away We went, the horss
wilder than ever. At the Pittsburs
ford he plunged through the Der
Moines river, half a mile wide. and a.
mile and half further came to the
town OF Keosauqua. Here tried to-
stop him but he would not stop. !
guided him around the square in the
center OF the town Round and round
he raced, three times, and then
crowd Of the towns people stopped
him and got out left him there for
good. took the train for Keokuk
and reached that place.
| notified the authorities OF keokuk
! to barricale their streets againgt the
coming of Martin Green. One of the
railroad officials came to me with
bill of lading showing 1000 guns in
transit, shipped by the war depart
ment to Col. Grenville M. Dodge, at
| Council Bluffs for the regiment he
was raising there, and these guns had
| just arrived in Keokuk and were
about to go out on the west bound
train. ] felt that Providence was with
me. seized the guns and the train.
Il found the ammunition which
General Fremont had sent, and by
more wonderful good fortune the cart
ridges were exactly right for the cali
bre Of the guns.
Immediately gave 100 guns to
Gen. Belknap, afterward secretary OF
war, and 100 to II. ]. Sample. / got
on the train with 500 guns. At Athens,
Mo, Col David Moore was in camp
\ with 800 loyal Missourians armed with
a few shotguns. gave him 200 rifles.
Four miles further UP, at Pennington,
4 left 100 guns with Capt. O. III. p.
Scott. At Keosauqua / left 200 guns.
The other 300 guns took to Ottumwa,
hired wagons and hauled them to
Bloomfield, my home, where three
companies were promptly raised, and
l Immediately started back to Keo-
kuk.
"On the way received message
from Colonel Moore, telling that
Green's forces were advancing on him
and battle was momentarily expect.
! ed A special train brought detach.
ment TO his aid
J, Moore had barricaded the streets
! OF Athens. Green attacked him but
! the resistance was so strong that
Green retired. For two days my
: Home Guards continued to arrive al
:. Athens. Then Colonel Moore, in com
mand. followed the rebels into Mis-
souri,. They never came back to Iowa.
Having seized the guns without war.
rant ordinarily great offence
started to get my action legalized. Gen
/, Fremont said to me: You have rem
dered very important service You
have shown fitness for command
Next day he appointed me colonel and
(, authorized me to raise regiment oil
cavalry In ten days had LOO men
in camp. mustered In as the Third
> Iowa Cavalry
But have never ceased to wonder
what would have happened II that wild
mustang had not landed on his bach
In the soft ditch. and thus saved hi;
legs to carry me on
General Bnssey, as many II no
:. most keokukians are aware is rela
tive OF Mrs. Wells NJ. Irwin of thi.
i CITY.