The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-05
THE CENTRALIA FIGHT.
Was n a Massacre and werc Union
SOLDIER Scalped?

To THE EDITOR or THE SuN-Str. |
would not feel called upon to answer
to the defence Of the Missouri guerrillas
Of the late war BY Mr.. Henry VI. Tod
were Il not that he questions some OF
my statements which the honor of my
unfortunate comrades who were 80 in
hufnanly slaughtered at Centralia and
respect fpr the tsdtn " history compel
nv to verify.
He denies my stat, ment regarding the
scalping of the slain officers and cites
20 the contrary the testimony of two
men who were not there. but only
operating about Centralia At the time
or the hpht" ! submit that all they
could testify to was that they had not
seen n scalplng. whlch should have
little weight beside the official reports
Of the officers who buried the victims.
However, ! have not to go back to Off
"ial documents for confirmation OF the
fact. Ny letter has called forth a let
ter 10 me from a business man Of New
York whose nam | do not feel at In
orty to give without his permission. He
was q member Of the command OF Colo
nj Cox of a county. Missouri.
which had the good fortune 10 rid the
world OF Bill Anderson n few weeks
after Centralia. Anderson was shot
within the Union lines. His body was
taken to Richmond. RAY county. photo
graphed and buried. My correspondent
writes that ian ornament TO the bridl
OF his horse was a human scalp
Mr.. Tod says that the fight was not
In n sense a massacre" ! have been
taught that prom scuou slaughter. to
Kill promiscuously with cruelty was
massacre. Every man who fell Into
their hands. whether by surrender or
wounded. was ruthlessly slaughtered
but two wounded men escaped John
Cummings and Frank Barnes. both Of
my company. escaped after being
wounded. by concelling themselves.
It - hardly worth while to quibble
about the number on cach side. but
Major Johnson had only a battalion Of
'he Thirty-ninth at Paris. and OF these
ne took with him only those who had
been able to secure horses from the
farmers in the shor, time they had been
at Paris. As he left Captain Thesis
company at Centralia. ! am well within
the number lie took 10 he attack when
| place II at less than two hundred.
Nj. Tod rasnly presumes 20 c~riticlse the
gallant Custer for d~'smouuting his men
At the Little BiC liora, not knowing
that such acton Is always reccsS7ry
when cavalry fight beh!nd defences. Nei-
Their could johnson attack In any other
way with his men mounted on green
nor~es ana armed only with long mus
kets. Johnson's grievous error was In
max ne TIE attack az all against what
he knew were greatly superior odds.
In one respect | am willing TO stand
Corrected by Mr. Tod. although it is
with reluctance. | have always given
Colonel Tod" who was ~ command
OF the forces attacked by Major john
son. credit for holding h!Wse; and his
command aloof from Anderson and leav-
ing me uhuman massacre OF wounded
and prisoners to him. But y seems that
Tod also took part in II. which accounts
perhaps for the yea Of his uanesake
IN attempting 20 eXcus" and p~dll!ate its
horrors FRANH T.. RAy.
late Lieutenant. Thlrty-uinth Infantry.
Missouri! Volunteers
WEST ORANGE. y j. Ma-rh 4