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THE WARFARE OF THE BORDER 109,
There is not much to say about the fight in the way of de-
scription. The Federals were in Lone Jack; the Confederates
had to get them out. House fighting and street fighting are
always desperate. Cool men allied to walls defy everything
except fire. The bullet rain that in an open field would scarcely
penetrate, in the angles and protuberances of a street is a tem-
pest. Where once were curtains, white or damask-trans-
figured faces, powder-scorched; where once were latch-strings-
gaping muzzles; among the roses-dead men; where lovers lin-
gered late and trystings were sweet or stolen-pitiful pale faces,
wan in the light that never was on sea or shore. Smoke came
from chimneys-marksmen were there; at the garden gates
skirmishers crouched; upon the street corners companies con-
centrated; the hotel was a hospital, later a holocaust; the can-
noniers stood by their guns and died there; and over all rose
and shone a blessed summer sun, while the airy fingers of the
breeze ruffled the oak leaves and tuned the swaying branches
to the sound of a psalm.
The gray coats crept nearer. On the east, west, north or
south Hays, Cockrell, Tracy, Jackman, Rathburn, or Hunter
gained ground. Farmer lads in their first battle began gawky and
ended grenadiers. Old plug hats rose and fell as the red fight
ebbed and flowed; the shotgun's heavy boom made clearer still
the rifle's sharper crack; under the powder-pall boyish faces
shone in the glare with the bearded ones. An hour passed; the
struggle had lasted since daylight.
Foster fought his men splendidly. Wounded once, he did
not make complaint; wounded again, he kept his place;
wounded the third time, he stood with his men until courage
and endurance only prolonged a sacrifice. Once Haller, com-
manding thirty of Quantrell's old men, swept up to the guns and
over them, the play of their revolvers being as the play of the
lightning in a summer cloud. He could not hold them, brave
as he was. Then Jackman rushed at them again and bore them
backward twenty paces or more. Counter-charged, they ham-
mered his grip loose and drove him down the hill. Then Hays
and Hunter-with the old plug hats and the wheezy old rifles-
finished the throttling; the lions were done roaring.
Tracy had been wounded, Hunter wounded, Hays wounded,
Captains Bryant and Bradley killed, among the Confederates,
Object Description
| Title | Noted guerrillas, or the warfare of the border |
| Author | Edwards, John N. (John Newman), 1839-1889 |
| Description | A history of the lives and adventures of Quantrell, Bill Aderson, George Todd, Dave Poole, Fletcher Taylor, Peyton Long, Oll Shepherd, Arch Clements, John Maupin, Tuch and Woot Hill, Wm. Gregg, Thomas Maupin, the James Brothers, the Younger Brothers, Arthur McCoy and numerous other well known guerrillas of the West |
| Subject.LCSH |
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Underground movements Missouri -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 Southwest, Old -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 Quantrill, William Clarke, 1837-1865 Kansas -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 Guerrillas |
| Subject.Local | Quantrell, William Clarke, 1837-1865; Quantrell, Charles William, 1837-1865; Quantrill, W. C. (William Clarke), 1837-1865; Hart, Charley, 1837-1865 Anderson, William T. |
| Coverage | United State -- Missouri |
| Source | St. Louis, Mo. : Bryan, Brand & Company, 1877. |
| Language | English |
| Date.Original | 1877 |
| Date.Digital | 2004 |
| Type |
Books and pamphlets |
| Format | JPEG |
| Collection Name | Civil War in Missouri - Monographs |
| Editorial Note | All blank pages have been eliminated |
| Publisher.Digital | University of Missouri Digital Library Production Services |
| Rights | These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Please contact contributing institution for information. |
| Contributing Institution |
University of Missouri--Columbia. Libraries |
| Copy Request | Contact Ellis Library Special Collection, University of Missouri - Columbia at (573) 882-0076 or email: SpecialCollections@missouri.edu |
Description
| Title | civm000003p0109 |
| Description | THE WARFARE OF THE BORDER 109, There is not much to say about the fight in the way of de- scription. The Federals were in Lone Jack; the Confederates had to get them out. House fighting and street fighting are always desperate. Cool men allied to walls defy everything except fire. The bullet rain that in an open field would scarcely penetrate, in the angles and protuberances of a street is a tem- pest. Where once were curtains, white or damask-trans- figured faces, powder-scorched; where once were latch-strings- gaping muzzles; among the roses-dead men; where lovers lin- gered late and trystings were sweet or stolen-pitiful pale faces, wan in the light that never was on sea or shore. Smoke came from chimneys-marksmen were there; at the garden gates skirmishers crouched; upon the street corners companies con- centrated; the hotel was a hospital, later a holocaust; the can- noniers stood by their guns and died there; and over all rose and shone a blessed summer sun, while the airy fingers of the breeze ruffled the oak leaves and tuned the swaying branches to the sound of a psalm. The gray coats crept nearer. On the east, west, north or south Hays, Cockrell, Tracy, Jackman, Rathburn, or Hunter gained ground. Farmer lads in their first battle began gawky and ended grenadiers. Old plug hats rose and fell as the red fight ebbed and flowed; the shotgun's heavy boom made clearer still the rifle's sharper crack; under the powder-pall boyish faces shone in the glare with the bearded ones. An hour passed; the struggle had lasted since daylight. Foster fought his men splendidly. Wounded once, he did not make complaint; wounded again, he kept his place; wounded the third time, he stood with his men until courage and endurance only prolonged a sacrifice. Once Haller, com- manding thirty of Quantrell's old men, swept up to the guns and over them, the play of their revolvers being as the play of the lightning in a summer cloud. He could not hold them, brave as he was. Then Jackman rushed at them again and bore them backward twenty paces or more. Counter-charged, they ham- mered his grip loose and drove him down the hill. Then Hays and Hunter-with the old plug hats and the wheezy old rifles- finished the throttling; the lions were done roaring. Tracy had been wounded, Hunter wounded, Hays wounded, Captains Bryant and Bradley killed, among the Confederates, |
| Source | Noted Guerrillas, or the Warfare on the Border |
| Type | Books and monographs |
| Format | JPEG |
| Identifier | civm000003p0109.jpg |
| Collection Name | Civil War in Missouri - Monographs |
| Editorial Note | All blank pages have been eliminated |
| Publisher.Digital | University of Missouri Digital Library Production Services |
| Rights | These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Please contact koppk@umsystem.edu for more information. |
| Copy Request | Contact Ellis Library special collection at: SpecialCollections@missouri.edu |
