NEWS OF 150 YEARS AGO
September 1862
From The Missouri Democrat, Friday, September 5, 1862.
THE KNAPP APPOINTMENT.
Our militarily disposed friend, Colonel John Knapp, seems likely to find the war path something like Jordan—a hard road to travel. Having first enlisted under the banners of King Claib., he marched at the head of his warriors to the classic grounds of Camp Jackson. The altered circumstances of the march out and the march back, are yet fresh in the recollection of many of our citizens. Having proudly aired his blushing honors for a few days beneath the spreading branches of Lindell Grove, his felicity was brought to a sudden and irreparable conclusion. His hope of martial glory, just in the bud, was incontinently nipped. A great multitude of “Hessians,” and others of “Lincoln’s minions,” with a Lyon at their head, and armed with certain very persuasive arguments in the shape of cannon, swords and blunderbusses, having one day surrounded the aforesaid camp of warriors, made the “very ungenerous and unchivalrous” demand upon them for immediate surrender, threatening, in case of non-compliance, like Gen. Grant, “to move immediately upon their works.” They surrendered. The doughty Colonel, however, apparently much dissatisfied with this inglorious termination of his first campaign, charged with great audacity upon a neighboring fence. In the conflict which ensued, we never understood what were the casualties to the fence, but the sword of the Knight was broken. After this exploit he subsided.
The Colonel seems, like the sable hero, to have concluded “’twould never do to give it up so;” so, like another illustrious personage, “he turned about, and wheeled about, and did just so,” to the end that he came up completely on the Union side of the fence. He has now received the appointment of Colonel of the Enrolled Militia of the Fifth Ward from Governor Gamble. At this many good Union men are inclined to demur. We have heard appeals to the Governor, protests, &c., talked about. How it will result we do not know.
Personally we presume there is no objection to the Colonel, except on the score of his antecedents. If a good Union man, it cannot be denied that it has been his misfortune, like “poor dog Tray,” to be found in “bad company.” The Republican odor there is about him certainly does not help the case in public estimation, so far as his loyalty is concerned, as it cannot be questioned that it is slightly fishy. We don’t know, however, but that his connection with the Republican concern furnishes the best evidence of his change of heart. How quickly that paper can change its position is well understood in this community. What it has been is no positive evidence of what it is. What it is, is no positive evidence of what it will be.
On the whole we have concluded that we have nothing to say in the controversy. The contest being among fighting men, we will let them fight their own battles. As for the Colonel himself, having undertaken to gather roses from the thorny tree of military life, he cannot complain if he receives an occasional scratch as he ascends among its branches. “Sich is glory.”