HE VOTED FOR LINCOLN - CIVIL WAR STORIES

Narrator: William Shephard, 87, of Hamilton, Missouri

Wm. Shepard was born 1847 in Williams County Ohio. His parents were Alfred Shepard and Jane Peddicord. They moved from Ohio to Iowa and from there to Grundy County, whence Wm. moved to Caldwell County where he has lived nearly fifty years.

He served three years in the Union Army and he cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln at the latters second term. He said he voted for him because his family already were Republicans. He told some Civil War stories of his own expense. He said the common soldiers carried a musket, two navy revolvers in his belt, a belt with shot and shell and a knap sack on his back. This contained emergency food and a canteen which held a gallon of water. The knap sack was on a strap around his neck and a soldier could easily move it and get a drink while on a march. It was his duty to fill the canteen when near water.

Among other Missouri engagements he was in the battle of Independence (Westport). After this battle the soldiers looted the town. He and his comrade went into a saloon and drove out the bartender. One of them had a dime. He stood outside the bar and the second went behind the bar and gave him a drink and took the pay. That gave him the dime and he now played the customer on the outside of the bar and paid the dime to his friend now behind the bar. This buying drinks with one dime went till both had all the whiskey they wanted, and every drop had been paid for somehow.

In his part of the country, bush whackers on both sides were common, boldly enloving homes to take food, taking farm supplies and even breaking up dances and parties. Women would hide their victuals and men would drive their horses and wagons into cornfields to hide them. Soldiers of both sides visited his wife's people in Saline and Cooper counties, one army after another took stuff away, giving orders for payment which often were worthless.