USA > Arkansas > A pictorial history of Arkansas, from earliest times to the year 1890. A full and complete account, embracing the Indian tribes occupying the country; the early French and Spanish explorers and governors; the colonial period; the Louisiana purchase; the periods of the territory, the state, the civil war, and the subsequent period. Also, an extended history of each county in the order of formation, and of the principal cities and towns; together with biographical notices of distinguished and prominent citizens > Part 22
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The prisoners were subjected to terrible hardships and in- dignities. They were tied in couples by the arms, and rapidly marched on foot, at the point of the lance, from Encarna- cion to the City of Mexico. The ropes with which they were bound were tied so tightly that many suffered excruciating pain, and several fell, fainting on the march. This was con- tinued for three days. Upon their being unbound, at the end of the third day Joseph Jester, a resident of Hot Springs, found his left arm entirely paralyzed from the tightness of the liga- ture ; and it remained useless to him for years. Being cav- alrymen, unaccustomed to walking, the march on foot was additionally trying; and it being made over a road covered with rocks and gravel, a distance of from twenty-five to thirty miles a day caused many of them extreme suffering from foot soreness and swollen limbs. At nights they were compelled to sleep in the pens of sheep and cattle on the bare
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FROM 1846 TO 1848.
ground, with but a single blanket to serve the double purpose of bed and covering, some not even that.
At the City of Mexico they were thrust into a wretched prison, called the prison of Santiago. They were kept in close confinement during the months of March, April and May, and up to June 5th. Crowded into the same cells with them, during this time, were as many as three hundred convicted Mexican felons of the lowest caste. They were rarely sup -- plied with a full meal, and more rarely still with one of pal- atable and wholesome food. The drinking water supplied them was most scanty in measure and revolting in kind. Their sleeping places were close and crowded cells, the brick floors of which, forming their only couch, resting on marshy soil, were saturated with water. Under these horrible sur- roundings many sickened and died.
On the 5th of June they were taken out of prison and were told that they were going to be sent home. Twenty of the entire number of prisoners were unable to walk. Those who could were marched on foot to the village of Zacualta- pan, ninety miles from the City of Mexico, in the direction of Tampico. Here they were halted by order of Santa Anna, and detained for several weeks farther. This march from Mexico to Zacualtapan and subsequently to Tampico, was more terrible even than the former. It was made under the burning rays of a tropical sun, with no protection. Though their sufferings before had been great, and almost unendur- able, they were now cruelly augmented. The men were re- duced almost to the verge of starvation. So dire were their exigencies that the Mexican Commander, having them in charge, General Garvy, sent an official despatch to his Gov- ernment, saying that he had no food for the American pris- oners, and had no means of getting any. Santa Anna sent back the cruel reply, "Keep them there, food or no food."
20
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Finally an order for their liberation came. They were once more led out of prison and marched to Tampico. But during their confinement at Zacualtapan, fourteen of their number had sunk under the terrible sufferings, and were un- able to move. Eleven of the fourteen died, the remaining three were abandoned by their Mexican guard, and when almost upon the point of dissolution, were discovered by some kind-hearted foreigners, who ministered to their wants and saved them from death by starvation.
At Tampico the survivors were delivered to the United . States authorities, and were conveyed to New Orleans, where they were mustered out of service by order of General Worth, and returned home.
When the reconnoitering party had been out for some time and had failed to return, Col. Marshall, becoming uneasy about them, sent a detachment from his regiment to look for them. This second detachment, when near the Hacienda, were like- wise made prisoners by General Minon's Cavalry, and were forwarded on to the City of Mexico, and incarcerated in the prison of Santiago with the others. One of this second de- tachment was Lieutenant Thomas J. Churchill, who was our Governor in 1880.
These horrible sufferings were what the privates were com- pelled to endure. The officers were subjected to the same for a time, but after April 18th were released on parole to re- main in the City of Mexico. When General Scott was ad- vancing upon the city, and an attack was being anticipated, the Mexican commandant, General Lombardini, summoned them before him on the Ist day of August, 1846, and ex- plained that they were to be removed to Toluca, about sixty miles distant, and required them to give their parole that they would proceed thither of their own accord. Major Borland, Major Gaines and Captain Danley refused to give the parole, for the reason that an agreement had been made between Generals Taylor and Santa Anna for their exchange five
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FROM 1846 TO 1848.
months before, and which the Mexicans had perfidiously failed to carry out, and demanded their exchange instead. Captain Clay, Lieutenants Churchill and Davidson agreed to go to Toluca, and gave the required parole. Lieutenant Churchill rode the distance on his own horse without a guard, and delivered himself up at that place, where they were subse- quently exchanged. The Mexican commandant then an- nounced that the parole of the others was at an end, and they should go back to prison. Before being returned to prison, seeing an opportunity, they made their escape. When they reached the American camp, they found that their regiment had been mustered out of service. Major Borland became an Aide to General Wool. Captain Danley became Aide to General Worth, and Major Gaines, who was the Father of Archibald K. Gaines, now at Little Rock, became Aide to General Scott. At the capture of the City of Mexico, Captain Danley received a gunshot wound in the leg, which disabled him for life.
About noon of the 21st, General Taylor, at Buena Vista, received, by flag of truce, this note from General Santa Anna :
"You are surrounded by twenty thousand men, and can- not, in any human probability, avoid suffering a rout, and being cut to pieces with your troops ; but as you deserve con- sideration and particular esteem, I wish to save you from a catastrophe, and for that purpose give you this notice, in or- der that you may surrender at discretion, under the assur- ance that you will be treated with the consideration belonging to the Mexican character, to which end you will be granted an hour's time to make up your mind, to commence from the moment when my flag of truce arrives in your camp. With this view, I assure you of my particular consideration."
General Taylor's answer was:
"In reply to your note of this date, summoning me to sur- render my forces at discretion, I beg leave to say that I de-
.
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cline acceding to your request. I am, sir, with high re- spect, your obedient servant."
On the 22d of February, about 9 o'clock, the pickets at Encantada, three and a half miles from Buena Vista, re- ported the Mexican Army in sight. Arrangements for an en- gagement were immediately made. Yell's regiment was placed on the left of the second line at the base of a moun- tain. In the afternoon the engagement began, the Mexican infantry moving to pass around the left of the American forces. A force, including Yell's regiment, was prepared to meet this party and check their movement. Skirmishing was carried on from that time until nightfall.
That night the regiment, together with the rest of the troops, remained under arms, in the positions they had occu- pied at nightfall, except that Captain Pike's company and Captain Wm. Preston's company were detached from the regiment and placed with Lieut. Col. May's cavalry com- mand, acting in conjunction with the Kentucky and Arkansas troops.
At about 2 o'clock on the morning of the 23d of February, the American pickets were driven in, and about daylight the action began. From that time on, for nine hours, was fought the chief battle of the war, lasting, with slight intermissions, until dark. The enemy attacked with a furious fire of artil- lery and infantry, and with desperate charges of lancers and cavalry.
The chief onset was made on the right and left flanks of the American Army, and so heavy was the assault, that for
- several hours the fate of the day was doubtful, and General Taylor was urged by some of his most experienced officers to fall back and take a new position. But he declined to do so, and stubbornly held on until the tide turned, and victory finally declared for him.
On the left, where the Arkansas troops were stationed, the enemy, in the forenoon, at first gained considerable advan-
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tage. By an immense superiority of numbers, and an over- whelming attack of his lancers, the left was driven back. Marshall's Kentucky regiment, which formed the first line, sustained a heavy charge, and was dispersed. The victorious lancers next bore down on Yell's regiment, which was the second line, and dispersed it.
At this attack Col. Yell, who was at the head of his com- mand, was killed by a lance wound received in a hand-to- hand conflict with the Mexicans. Captain Andrew Porter, of Company "D," Corporal Saunders, the Standard Bearer of the company, John Pelham, Albert Phipps, Painter and Higgins were killed at the same onset. Saunders received seventeen lance wounds in his body. Taylor was also wound- ed, and died from the wound. Thomas Roland, of Com- pany "B," Danley's Company, was killed, and Joshua F. Danley, L. A. Torosky, William Turner, Horatio Dodd and William Russell, of the same company, were wounded, all with lance wounds.
After the death of Col. Yell, the command devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Roane, who reformed the command, and in turn checked the advance of the lancers, who had been pressing them so heavily. At this juncture Col. May's squadron, with Captains Pike and William Preston's Com- panies, supported by two pieces of artillery from Sherman's Battery, under Lieutenant Reynolds, came to the relief of the exhausted Americans, and checked the advance of the lancers. They did not wait to receive Col. May's charge, but split up into two parties, under the rapid discharge of his artillery, one party passing to the right, making a circle back to where they came, and the other to the left around the mountain and out of sight. Col. May's timely support saved the day in that part of the field.
Although the battle was fought February 23d, 1847, the news of it was not received in Little Rock until April 3d,
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thirty-nine days after it took place-so tardy was the course of mail in those days.
This was the only battle in which Yell's regiment was en- gaged. No other engagement took place in that portion of the country in which they operated, before their time of en- listment expired, in July, 1847, at which time they were mus- tered out of service and sent to New Orleans, from whence they were returned home.
As they were about being mustered out, General Wool, Brigade Commander, made a speech to them, telling them that by reason of the term of enlistment of many volun- teer regiments expiring just at that time, his cavalry force was so much reduced that he had scarcely enough men of that arm to do picket duty, and urging them to re-enlist for the term of the war.
Upon this, 84 men of the regiment re-enlisted, and with some from the First and Second Illinois Regiments, who had likewise been mustered out, formed a company of 102 men, of which Gaston Mears, the former Adjutant of the regi- ment, was made Captain, with Benjamin F. Ross, First Lieu- tenant, Allen L. McAffee and D. T. W. Morrison, Second Lieutenants. They were mustered in at once by General Wool, at Buena Vista. This company served till the end of the war, but were not in any farther battles. From the date of Buena Vista, the war was conducted mainly by General Scott, in his operations against Vera Cruz and the City of Mexico.
General Scott's campaign in Mexico was a succession of triumphs. The siege of Vera Cruz, begun on the 23d of March, 1847, was concluded on the 29th by the surrender of the city and castle. He encountered the enemy at Cerro Gordo, April 18th, and gained a brilliant victory, and on the 19th of August defeated them at Contreras, and again, on the next day, the 20th, at Cherubusco, after which an armis- tice was granted pending negotiations for peace.
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FROM 1846 TO 1848.
There were no Arkansas troops engaged in these battles, ex- cept in those of Contreras and Cherubusco, at which Captain Allen Wood, of Carroll county, commanded the 12th Regi- ment of Infantry, which contained parts of two companies recruited in Arkansas.
In these battles Col. Wood held an important post, and for his gallant and meritorious services received an honorable mention from the commanding General, and was brevetted a Major, by order of the President. As a farther manifestation of the esteem in which his services, and those of his com- pany were held, General Scott presented to the company a se- ries of maps of the battles in the Valley of Mexico. These maps, with the muster roll of the company, Col. Wood pre- sented to the Legislature, in January 1857, and they were laid up in the archives of the State, in the Secretary of State's office, for safe keeping. A vote of thanks was rendered to Col. Wood, and also to Captain Stephen Enyert, for meretori- ous services of himself and his company, and was spread at large on the journals.
When Yell's regiment was mustered out of service, the bodies of Col. Yell, Captain Porter and John Pelham, who fell with him at Buena Vista, were disinterred from the battle field, where they had been buried, and were brought home for burial. Col. Yell's remains were carried to his home, near Fayetteville, and were then buried in the cemetery at Fayetteville, August 3d, 1847. In the month of June, 1872, they were again disinterred, and were buried in the Masonic Cemetery at Fayetteville, where they now rest. They thus had three burials.
Captain Porter's remains were transported to Batesville, his home, where they were interred.
The body of John Pelham was buried in Mt. Holly Ceme- tery, Little Rock, and is marked by a plain stone. He was a son of William Pelham, who, at one time, was Surveyor-
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General of Arkansas, and was only 20 years old when he was killed.
The Legislature of 1851 passed an Act for the erection of a monument to the memory of Col. Yell and his comrades. It was to be erected upon the State-House square, and the funds for it were to be derived from general subscriptions, the sheriff of each county being directed to receive subscriptions.
Unfortunately, this system was constructed upon a plan which made it everybody's business, and the enterprise shared the fate which usually befalls such undertakings. In eight years the total sum subscribed amounted to only $45.00, and doubtless disgusted at the smallness of the contributions, the Legislature, February Ist, 1859, donated the amount to the common school fund of Jefferson county, by whose sheriff the amount had been paid in. Thus no monument exists to the memory of the brave men of Arkansas, who gave their lives for their country's cause in this war.
Nor were their comrades, who came home alive, much bet- ter treated by the general government. It was not until one year ago that, as an act of justice long delayed, the survivors were allowed pensions for their services, commencing from that date; to which an amendment is now pending, to grant it from the year 1874, the date at which they applied for it.
CHAPTER XIV.
FROM 1848 TO 1852.
THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF GOVERNORS THOMAS S. DREW, RICHARD C. BYRD AND JOHN SELDEN ROANE.
IN the month of July, 1846, considerable trouble was ex- perienced in Benton county from incursions and depredations by the Cherokee Indians. Armed parties of these Indians daily crossed the line, with acts of lawlessness. Under the order of Gov. Drew, Col. Ogden ordered out a company of militia, under Capt. Washington A. Alexander, to repair to the border and arrest parties so offending, and turn them over to the proper tribunals for trial, and to compel others to leave upon notice. The company was composed of Washington A. Alexander, captain; J. W. Robeson, First Lieutenant ; James Carr and J. J. Ward, Second Lieutenants ; John Gra- ham, J. W. Phagan, Thomas Ruds and M. G. Ralston, Ser- geants ; Albert Davis, Sandy Ingram, A. M. Walker and A. Cairl, Corporals, and twenty-three privates. They entered service as mounted cavalry, and remained on duty for thirty days. Quiet, having been restored, and farther commission of the offenses seeming not likely to occur, the company was discharged from active duty.
On the 5th of August, 1846, the Arkansas State Peniten- tiary, which had been constructed at an expense of $70,000.00, was destroyed by fire, by convicts therein, during an at- tempt to escape. One desperate character among them in- stigated a revolt, which was put into effect on that day, dur-
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ing the temporary absence of the agent in charge. On a sudden two guards on the inside of the building were over- powered and disarmed, and one of them was pitched down from the second floor to the ground. Some of the better dis- posed prisoners volunteered their aid to resist the rioters, who now had full control of the building. The rioters made a rush for the outside door, but before they could reach it the under-keep- er had it closed, and placed some of the volunteer prisoners to guard it. Foiled in their attempt to break out through this means, the mutineers set fire to the building in one of the up- per cells and also in the workshop below. All who were in- side the building were nearly suffocated with smoke, before a sufficient number of citizens arrived from town to render it safe to open the door. When this was done, the rioters rushed out, headed by one Morgan, a ring-leader, armed with a pistol and knife, who cut at every one in the way of his es- cape. While doing so, he was shot dead by one of the vol- unteer prisoners, who had been armed to defend the door. Every person in the building got safely out, but the fire had too far progressed to save any property in it, and all the tools, bedding, clothing of the prisoners, and everything pertaining to the Institution, was consumed. The prisoners were re- moved to the county jail, where they were kept until the re- building of the prison. One of the prisoners who conducted himself well on this occasion, was Trowbridge, who was serving a sentence of five years' imprisonment for counterfeit- ing, while he was mayor of Little Rock. On account of his good behavior in this instance, he was pardoned by Gov. Drew.
The principal matters of public concern enacted by the sixth Legislature was to change the mode of voting at elec- tions, from a voting viva voce to voting by ballot; establish- ing the counties of Prairie and Drew; to provide for the revis- ing and digesting of the laws of the State, the third compila- tion of laws since the creation of the Territory; providing
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FROM 1848 TO 1852.
for the rebuilding of the penitentiary, and proposing amend- ments to the Constitution for the election by the people of their own Circuit Judges and Prosecuting Attorneys. The voting by ballot, however, did not continue long. The act was repealed November 29th, 1850, and a return was made to the ancient viva voce system.
In pursuance of a request from the Legislature, Governor Drew issued his proclamation for such an election, to be held. in January, 1847. At this election Thomas W. Newton, of Pulaski county, was elected over Albert Rust, of Union county, to serve for the unexpired term of General Yell.
On the 9th of November, Col. Chester Ashley was re- elected Senator for the term of six years, from March 4th, 1847. After just one year's service, he died in Washington City, greatly lamented by the people whom he so nobly repre- sented.
On the 30th of November, 1846, Judge William Conway, B., was elected Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Thomas J. Lacy.
On the 9th of December, Elias N. Conway was elected Auditor without opposition, and at the same date ex-Governor Samuel Adams, of Johnson county, was elected Treasurer, and Lambert J. Reardon, Land Agent.
In the matter of the Digest of the Laws, provided for by this Legislature, Elbert H. English was elected Digester, and Samuel H. Hempstead was appointed by the Governor, Ex- aminer for the preparation of the volume.
At the election for Congressman, held in the fall of 1847, Robert W. Johnson was elected for a term of two years, to succeed Thomas W. Newton. Col. Johnson entered upon the discharge of his duties, and was subsequently twice re- elected, holding the office, which he filled with ability, for three terms, or until the year 1853.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
Governor Thomas S. Drew having served his first term, came again to the chief magistracy in October, 1848, without opposition.
In the Legislature of 1848, Richard C. Byrd was chosen President of the Senate, and John M. Ross, Secretary. In the House, E. A. Warren was chosen Speaker, and J. M. Tibbetts, Clerk.
This Legislature was called on to elect three Senators, one to fill out the unexpired term of Senator A. H. Sevier ; one to serve for the term of 6 years from the 4th of March, 1849; and one to serve the unexpired term of Senator Chester Ash- ley, deceased.
To the first vacancy, Major Borland was elected. Judge W. K. Sebastian was elected to fill the vacancy caused by Sen- ator Ashley. On the 28th of November, Maj. Solon Bor- land was also elected for the term of six years. The electoral vote of Arkansas in this year was for Cass and Butler.
On the last day of the year of 1848, the death of Col. Am- brose H. Sevier filled the State with mourning. He had served many years as Representative and as Senator in Con- gress, and later as Minister to Mexico. The esteem in which he was held may be gathered from a resolution introduced into the House, January 6th, 1849, by Frederick W. Trap- nall, of Pulaski, and adopted there and in the Senate :
"Resolved, That this General Assembly received with the deepest and most profound regret the sad information of the sudden and unexpected death of Hon. Ambrose H. Sevier, and unite in the universal mourning produced by the loss of the oldest and most honored public servant of the Territory and State of Arkansas. The name of Ambrose H. Sevier is intimately identified with the history of Arkansas, and is a part of the public treasure of the State; and that as his generous, liberal and noble nature endeared him to each one, and causes all to lament his death, so his eminent talents and dis-
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FROM 1848 TO 1852.
tinguished public services will make his character a splendid mark for imitation to future generations."
The two Houses of the General Assembly, with the Gov- ernor and the public officers, attended the funeral in a body, with an immense attendance of citizens, showing the utmost respect and regard for the distinguished dead.
He was buried in Mount Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, on January 7th, 1849, and in recognition of his eminent services in her behalf, the State caused a handsome monument to be erected to his memory, inscribed : "Erected by the State of Arkansas, as a memorial of her grateful sense of his public services. Recordatione civitatis esse ornatus suavissima re- muneratio amanti patria." (To be remembered in the rec- ords of the State is the sweetest reward for services to one's country.)
A matter occurring at the session of the Legislature of this year, creating much surprise, was the resignation of Governor Drew. On the 10th of November he announced it in a letter to the Legislature, to take effect on the last day of the ses- sion. Accordingly, on that day, January Ioth, 1849, he ap- peared within the Senate Chamber, and read the following letter, addressed to the President of the Senate :
"In accordance with a communication previously made, I hereby tender to you, before the adjournment of the two Houses of the General Assembly, my resignation of the office of Chief Magistrate of the State of Arkansas, which I desire shall be placed on the Journals of the Senate before its final adjournment, with the reasons which may seem to be re- quired by a confiding constituency, who so recently, by an overwhelming-and in some counties, unanimous vote-had re-elected me to that office, after serving them (unsolicited on my part) for the constitutional term of four years, ending on the 15th of November. Before the term for which I was first elected had expired, and when several gentlemen were spoken of as probable aspirants for a nomination by the Democratic
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1
party as candidates to succeed me, a warfare had sprung up and been waged by Democrats and Democratic papers in the State, more against me individually, perhaps, than against the cause of my administration ; yet it, too, was arraigned and frequently denounced. Still, I was willing to leave my acts to the good sense of the community, which I believed would explain themselves in due season, rather than waste my limited fortune, and deprive me of the ability to support and educate a large, young family. The overweening desire of friends, however, who believed that they could do much, and who, no doubt, then intended to move in the matter, pledged me that every exertion should be made to raise my salary be- fore the second term commenced, to a point sufficient at least to pay my expenses with my family at the seat of Gov- ernment, where the Constitution of the State makes it impera- tive that the Executive shall reside. The failure to do this, or any attempt by those who had previously manifested so much interest in regard to this subject, placed me at once where I found the time had elapsed in which it was possible to effect anything of the kind for my relief, under the prohibitions of the State Constitution. The ceremonies of the inauguration were but just over, when the determination was taken to re- sign, which I now do, from the office of Governor of the State of Arkansas."
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