Mexico weekly ledger., 1921-08-04

rendered under promise Of being
teated as a prisoner Of war.
In the minds of the people of Aud
rain and Monroe counties, there has
always been a romance connected
with the release of Major. He had a
sweetheart living at Paris, Missouri,
the daughter of a Union man. Lieu
tenant Cravin Hartman of the Third
Iowa Cavalry, located at Mexico and
part of the time at Paris, was at
tempting to pay his addresses to the
sister of Majors sweetheart. Hart
was a fine loking young fellow
but considerable of a swash-buckler
and in order to ingratiate himself
into the good graces of this young
lady, pretended at least to be inter-
ested in the release of Major. Pohn
W. Beatty now living in Mexico ac-
companied Hartman to Monroe county
to secure he influence of Union men
there to petition General Merrill to
prevent the execution. just how far
Hartman's influence went is not
known, or if it be real or pretended,
may never be known. Hartman
turned out to be a man of neither
veracity nor integrity. He commit
ted many depredations in this section
of the state, under the guise of wan
fare.
1t is more probable that the kind
'heartedness and soldiery conduct of
Major Caldwell had more to do with
the saving of Majors life, as well as
the others from Monroe county, who
were ordered shot, than that of any
other person. In a letter Of Septem-
Der 6, 1912, to the author of this
sketch, Judge Caldwell says: The
day after / received this order, the
mothers, sisters and friends of these
men, appeared at my headquarters in
Mexico to entreat for~their ~lives---the
day fixed by orders for their execu-
ton was only four days off. The dele
cation was headed by Mr.. Marion
Biggs, of Monroe county, n of the
kindest and most tender hearted men
| ever knew. He was SO highly es-
teemed by both sides in the war, that
neither side molested him; and he de-
voted himself to the task of interced-
ing for the relief of his neighbors
whether rebeds or Federals, he made
no distinction) who were so unfor-
tunate as to fal Into the hands of the
enemy and likely TO become victims to
the rigors and passions of a civil
war.
GAS soon as the delegation entered
my headquarters and before Mr.
Biggs or any other member Of it had
spoken a word, l said. Mr.. Biggs, YOU
don't have to tell me what you OF
your friends have come here for. YOU
want to save the lives of these meJ
who are under sentence of death
which / am ordered by my superior tx
carry into effect. j have not the
power TO cancel General Merril's
orders however much 5might desirt
to do SO, but I can tell you who car
cancel these orders and how you car
save teh lives 6fthese men, At thaf
remark a female voice in the GROVE
cried out in great anguish, Oh, fol
Gods sake, tell, tell, tell us quick.
And l replied, Hasten to the railroad
station and catch the morning train Z
list. Louis and as SOON as you &c
there, go 10 the headquarters OF Cen
eral Curtis and tell him WANT you hay'
some here TO tell me. He is one O
the most humane and tender-heartet
men Won ever Jaw and when you hay'
told your story, he viii at once revok.
General MerTill's orders, and send ny
an order TO that effect. Have hin
send his order TO me by Telegraph am
give you d duplicate TO fetch to me
50 that Il the wires are cut and tn.
order by telegraph does not reach me
YOU will be sgre to get here with thy
one intrusted to you. Now go quickly
and catch your train Major Cald
well Is right said Biggs, I'VE mus
act on his advice, come let's 60, Ant
they FASTENED to The station, canghI
the train, got 10 st. Louis and 81
eleven o'clock the next day, ! had re
ceived an order from General Curtis
revoking the orders 10 shoot the men
and directing me to send them to st
Louis"
Major was sent to prison at Alton
where he remained for some time and
was regularly exchanged, reentered
the Confederate army, and after fhe
close III the wan removed to California