NEWS OF 150 YEARS AGO
May 1861
From The Missouri Democrat, Tuesday, May 14, 1861.
THE CAMP JACKSON FATALITY.
Statement by an Eye-Witness.
The statement we have given of the fatal shooting at Lindell’s Grove, is that repeated daily by scores who were present and witnessed the scene. It stands a fact as clearly ascertained as any under heaven, that the troops were not only subjected to atrocious abuse and an accumulation of the most insulting personal indignities, and were fiercely assailed with rocks, but repeatedly fired into, wounded, and several of them shot down, before they fired upon their assailants. In further corroboration of this already thoroughly attested fact, we present the following account of the
CONFLICT OF FRIDAY.
I have read the articles in the Republican and State Journal, giving us an account of the conflict on the 10th inst., and as they are utterly at variance with the truth, I consider it my duty, as an eye witness of the sad occurrence, to make the following plain statement of facts:
1st. The troops from the Arsenal, especially the Germans, were, for at least an hour, subjected to the most violent and insulting vituperation. Besides this, they were spit upon and kicked by the excited crowd, and not a few of them were singled out and threatened with death the instant they should show their faces upon the street. Some of those threats have already been executed. I have seen many a riotous and bloody day, and have heard vulgar and abusive language, but never have I listened to such a variety and volubility of billings[g]ate as was poured upon the United States troops and the Union by the secessionist mob of Friday. During all this time the soldiers stood like statues, replying to no abuse and retaliating no violence. I looked on in astonishment at the self-control of the troops, and though I saw the brow flush, and the eye flash, and the lip grow pale, yet the low spoken command of the officers to “keep cool” was implicitly obeyed.
2nd. I saw showers of stones hurled and a pistol fired by the mob, now pressing upon the lines, into the ranks of the soldiers, after which several other pistol shots followed from near the same point, accompanied by terrible cursings of the “d—d Dutchmen,” and hoarse hurrahs for Jeff. Davis and Gov. Jackson. I saw two soldiers fall, shot down by the demons in the crowd. It was not until this occurrence, that a shot was fired from the ranks. This I know, and am ready if required to make affidavit of its truth. At this point I felt the blood tricking down my leg from a flesh wound by a bullet (not noticed in the excitement) and was compelled to return home.
In conclusion you will allow me to say, that I know personally most of the officers of the Arsenal troops, and I know them to be peace-loving citizens, and that nobody deplores more than they the death of the innocent persons who fell. Upon the mob and the mob alone rests the stain of their blood.
Respectfully, C. C. ZEUS.
St. Louis, May 12, 1861.
