New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-05

the IaLC3r Gays Oh august ONG VI CnS
ssrangest reunions of war veterans
the world has ever known. It's MEM
hers were the survivors Of the IA
NOUS guerrilla band that once rode
under the black flag with William
Clarke Quantrill, whose exploits in
the border lands Of Missouri and
Kansas made the most lurid chap
tiers in the history Of the great con-
aict between the North and the
South.
Barely more than a dozen Of the
original members Of the band now
remain--feeble, gray, grim-featured
octogenarians the most Of them
but still in their ashes smolder the
fires of that far day, more than half
q century ago, when their deeds
made the name Of Quantrill more
widely known and more dreaded
than that Of any other chieftain as
ISOLATED with the Civil War.
Every year for many years past
they have met there among the war
time oaks that shade their favorite
grove, once rendezvous Of the
band, and sat in the peaceful shades
TO renew their grim memories. Each
year finds the muster roll depleted
by death, yet they vow that they will
continue to hold their yearly re-
unions while two veterans remain to
clasp hands.
Nearly all Of the old familiar
faces are gone-the Jameses, Cole
Younger, Fletcher Taylor, Dave H1-
ton, Captain Bill Gregg, John Roger,
Ben Morrow. Only one who was by
the side of the guerrilla chief at his
death in Kentucky remains, Allen
Palmer, now Texas ranchman, who
motored to the last reunion a year
ago from Texas, bringing with him
the rusty pair of "Colt navies" that
DO had worn throughout the border
days.
Amazingly strange and anachron-
/ istc seem the "reminiscences INDUCED
]. in by these grizzled old "bushwhack-
ers" Of a long gone time when over
heard by one Of the present genera
! sion, as they were by the writer, for
their familiar tales run to deeds and
names linked with a four years.
reign Of terror along the borders Of
Kansas and Missouri, whose bitter
& memories still survive through the
lapse of three generations.
And most of all they love to re-
call, in tones that are still vibrant
with awe and admiration and loyal
. ty, their personal memories Of that
ruthless, long necked, yellow haired,
Roman nosed, blood and iron captain
who ruled the destinies of the
guerrilla band from 1861 to 1864 and
I made for himself name that was
more dreaded and more talked of,
perhaps, than that of any general
] On either side Of the great conflict.
I And yet Quantrill was a man
about whose personality but little is
today generally known. Mystery
surrounded him when he rode the
border, and much of myth and mys-
terry still clouds the records of his
deeds and the always partisan esti-
mates of his character.
i Two historians, William e. Con-
: nelley and Major John N. Edwards,
among host. Of pamphleteers, have
essayed the task of painting pic
J fuse Of the man and produced each a
soiuminous tome ballasted with
aesiculous detail-one Of them hold
mg brief for the prosecution, the
ether for the defense Connelley,
writing for Kansas and Kansans,
INNS him in such lurid colors as
these:
AQuantrill, the Border Ruffian, the
sandit, the Guerilla, the Freebooter,
ne Degenerate, the Depraved, the
ourge and Terror Of the Border,
ne eruelest, cowardliest, bloodiest
man Of the Civil War"
Edwards, writing 3or Missouri
ssd Missourians Of the old days,
maaseR one Of the men who rode
msh 10 Shelby, the Confederate
ssadler-invests him with the
Rsaescent hues Of romance:
uantrill became guerrilla be-
saaae he had been most savagely
wat with"-thus he epitomizes, with
e'nsmatographic pen-"and he be-
ssss q chief because he had pru-
se' drmness, courage, audaeity
aaa common sense. BY precept and
snple he inculca&sd the devotion
3 soinradeship; fought desperately;
sfisd a black flag; killed every
1 ing; made the idea Of surrender
ssa!ous; snapped his finger at
~ was something Of O 4atalists
Is 8&R9AH 4nor,