In 1859 two Philadelphia friends of mine were going to make a trip
South, and offered me big inducements to join them, which I accepted.
We started from Philadelphia, making our way slowly through the
different States, with the usual routine of wagon-show life. No event
of importance occurred until we reached Missouri. It was a most foolish
trip to undertake, for the people were then so embittered by the John
Brown raid that we were in constant danger. First came a tirade of the
fiercest abuse and this soon led into a regular knock-down fight, which
speedily developed into a shooting-scrape lasting several hours. We
were compelled to defend ourselves by every method at our command. Our
men were marshalled inside the tent and armed with long, heavy stakes
which looked like guns and were really formidable weapons. The wagons
and other available goods were grouped in a circle, and behind this
pioneer fortification the men paced with their long stakes at their
shoulders like the guns of sentries. In the dim light thrown by the
torches they certainly looked like armed men. So formidable was our
appearance the enemy thought us armed with Winchesters. By putting on
this bold front the canvasmen were able to get all the loose stuff into
the wagons, leaving the tents standing until the last. Finally these
also were taken down and loaded. Then came the most perilous
undertaking of all. To get our horses from the stables seemed at first
an absolute impossibility. It was the custom, at that time, to stable
our horses wherever space could be found for them, and as Granby was
only a small village, nearly every stable contained one or more of our
horses. We divided the men into two gangs, one of which was left to
guard the property on the grounds.
Our show was situated in the public square and was thus surrounded by
houses and stores, all of which were filled with armed men. By the dim
light we could see our enemies running from house to house with guns in
their hands. The second detachment of our men was sent to gather in the
scattered horses. And a lively time they had accomplishing that
business! Shot after shot was fired at them while the horses were being
driven into the corral. Fortunately, however, neither man nor horse was
hit.