Today in History:

521 Series I Volume VIII- Serial 8 - Pea Ridge

Page 521 Chapter XVIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

the party entered the house and others went to the barn for the horses. Fugitt got up and ran into another room and seized a double-barreled shot-gun and instantly fired at the crowd. Then, instead of firing the other barrel, he clubbed his gun and knocked down another. At this Price drew his revolver and fired four shots at Fugitt, all of which took effect, one in the neck, which is a serious but not dangerous wound. Fugitt is rapidly recovering. The party then left Fuggitt's and went to several other places in the Grove and took in all 11 horses. These Captain Price sent in charge of two men to Missouri, but the men lost their way and at daylight were in sight of Sidney. They at once retracted their steps and tried to reach Missouri via Hamburg.

In the mean time a party of some 40 men were in pursuit of the robbers, and when these tow men with 11 horses came to Hamburg they were hailed by C. McKinsock and Giles Corrlis. The men paid no attention to the hail, when McKinsock and Corrlis both fired their rifles. Corrlis killed his man dead man were at Fugitt's, and that they reside in Nebraska. The horses taken from the prisoner were left at Hamburg and proved up and taken away by avowed rebels. No Union man has been molested, as I could learn.

The news of course spread like wild-fire, and early the next morning the sheriff and county judge started with a poss of 100 men to arrest the horse thieves, and the sheriff said he would follow them to Arkansas if he did not get them. On their way an incident occurred worthy of note. These 100 men left Sidney in three parties, and it is asserted that when on the road persons in one party were heard to hurrah for Jeff Davis. The sheriff denies this, but I think it can be proven, although it was not in the party in which the sheriff was at the immediate head. Arriving at McKinsock's Grove this party stopped, and another one from the Grove, under the lead of H. English, went into Missouri and arrested 12 men and brought them to the Grove to lynch them, but as there was great doubt as to whether these were the men who were at Fugitt's, after keeping them at the Grove one day they were given over to the sheriff, who took them to Sidney, where they were guarded by an armed force for three days, when, upon a legal examination before the county judge, they were all discharged except one, who had waived examination and given bail before, and the wounded man from Hamburg, who is not in jail.

The Missourians complain bitterly of not only the arrest, but of the men under whom it was done and under whom they were placed as prisoners. They say that if they could have see the face of one single Union man, either among their captors or guards, they would have attributed it to a mistake and said nothing, but now it looks as if their rebel enemies had run away to Iowa and sent rebel sympathizers from Iowa and given them Union men's names, to be arrested, maltreated, and nearly lynched.

There are many men whom I have seen from Atchison County who say that there is a large number of Union men sworn to shoot Han. English at sight, as they think him to be the leader of their enemies in Iowa while these prisoners were in the hands of Fremont authorities. The military at Rockport, hearing of the manner of the arrest, started to rescue them. At the line they left all but 20 men, who went to Sidney and demanded the release of the prisoners, which was refused, and there was danger of violence, but upon the assurance of Union men that the prisoners should have a fair trial and would at once prove


Page 521 Chapter XVIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.