The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1914-05-14
Joseph ", Estsp.

Joseph w. Eastep lives at Bradley
vile with his daughter, Mrs, Joe Mos
ley-better known as Aunt frankie
and her husband. He is 80 years old,
and is still active and healthy, except
that lis hearing is poor The follow
ing is the story Of his life about as he
gave it:
was born in Scott county, Virginia,
April S, 1882. When about six years
old was brought St, Louis and bound
out. After about four years l ran away
and worked for farmer in Madison
county, ILL.,, he said he'd give me
board, as good as he ate, and clothes,
and when l was older give rue wages.
was getting eight dollars month,
when left there and went TO Alton,
Ill.,, to join the army.
This was in the summer o! 1847.
Joined an independent company Of
one hundred and twenty-five cavalry,
Josiah Little was captain. We were
to furnish our own horses and volun
teered for FIVE years. We were to re-
ceive $40 a month and get bounty
Of 100 acres Of land at the end of the
war.
I'm not sure about dates, but | think
it was in July, l847, when we left
Alton and went to Jefferson Barracks,
where we stayed till we got our full
equipment. From there we went 10
New Orleans, going down the MissiS-
sippi in a boat. While at New Or
leans, and some OF the others took
measles and we're left behind in a
hospital. We finally got started across
the Gull, but we we're in a sail boat,
and it took US twenty-one days TO
reach Vera Cruz. Scott had had
already taken the City Of Mexico, and
the war was mostly over.
From Vera Cruz, we went to Rio
Frio, a point between Vera Cruz and
the City Of Mexico and forty miles
from either. Our work was TO guard
the mail carriers between these three
places. When we were not guarding
the mail route we had to 60 into the
mountains and drive in cattle to help
feed ourselves and the infantry station
ed there. We were living of the
Mexicans as far as beef was concerned
but bless your soul, it was the poorest
beef you ever saw, when we'd boil it
the grease wouldn't even raise on it.
Once one Of our company, a man
namen Chester, was caught by a
Mexican with a lariat. He followed
and some Of our men came up in time
10 shoot at the Mexican, making him
turn loose aud run away. The Mexi-
cans are good at lariat throwing, and
il he had got it round Ches;er's neck,
he would not had time to hollow. On
the way from Vera Cruz 10 Rio Frio,
we were attacked by about 800 gueril-
las and two or three Of our men we're
killed.
We stayed at Rio Frio til, the end
Of the war and then went back to Vera
Cruz and across to New Orleans.
This time we took a steamer and
crossed in seven days. One Of our
men, James Barr, died during the
passage and we buried him in the
Gull. l think it was in July l848
when we got back to Alton, l remem-
Der hearing the cannon firing in Saint
Louis to celebrate the Fourth, just
before we reached there.
While visiting an Uncle in Lillard
county, Missouri, l met Louisa Jane
Grady, who afterwards became my wife.
We were married in May l847 l
have nine children living and four
dead, l have forty grandchildren and
about ior.y-six great grandchildren.
One Of my great grandchildren is
is married, too, and two more Of them
are wanting to marry.
l came TO Tsney County about forty
years ago and have lived here most OF
the time since. / served two years
in the Civil war in the 10th No.
infantry under Colonel Boomer. Our
Captain was L. D. Maynard. l was in
the battles Of Island No. 10, Corinth,
Iuka and Corinth, Jackson, Champion
Hill and Vicksburg.
In 1902, May 2O-22, l attended a
reunion Of Mexican war veterans al
Fort Worth, Texas. There were about
seventy in attendance. was the
youngest one there.