Nathan Kendall's memory of Col. William F. Cloud

Quite a few of my relatives, including a set of great-great-grandparents, headed west into Kansas from Lucas County during the waning years of the 19th century, so Cloud County --- in the north central part of that state --- is not unfamiliar territory. But I'd never given a thought to how it came by its name, assuming I suppose that it had something to do with the fact Kansas is big sky country, too.

It was a Civil wartime memory published in The Russell Union-Tribune on Dec. 29, 1932, that informed me that the county was in fact named after Col. William F. Cloud (1825-1905), the dashing gentleman with the mighty moustache shown here. You just never know when you're going to learn something new.

Here's a paragraph from the website "Legends of Kansas" that goes some distance toward explaining why the Kansas Legislature named a county after him:

At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted in the Second Kansas Infantry and participated in the hardest engagements of the Southwest, especially distinguishing himself at Wilson's Creek, Missouri. At the expiration of his first enlistment, he assisted in organizing the Second Kansas Cavalry and was commissioned colonel of the regiment, which took part in the engagements of the Army of the Frontier in Missouri, Arkansas, and the Indian Territory (Oklahoma.) Later, he was transferred to the Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry and served in the campaigns against the Indians in western Kansas and Indian Territory. His most conspicuous act of bravery was in 1862 when with 500 men he attacked an enemy of 5,000 at Tallequah, Oklahoma, rescued the Indian Agent, and saved the money held for payment of the annuities of the Indian tribes.

Russell's Nathan W. Kendall (1842-1925) had a personal memory of Col. Cloud, in command of a coalition of Army of the Frontier units for a time when Nathan and his brother, Elijah, were serving in Company C, 18th Iowa Infantry.

Nathan wrote that memory down during December of 1920 and it was published in that newspaper's final edition of that year. Unfortunately, no copies of 1920 Russell newspapers survive.

Fortunately for us, 12 years later (on Dec. 29, 1932), the Union-Tribune republished the piece, and others, under the headline, "Peering into the Past." So here is Nathan's memory of Col. Cloud and one of the tragedies he witnessed while in the service:

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Russell, Ia., Dec. 28, 1920

Editor Russell Union:

Please allow me space in your paper to relate a Civil War story that came under my personal observation. N.W. Kendall

"In the summer of 1864 our regiment, the 18th Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieut. Colonel Campbell, lay at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Our regiment and the Second Kansas Cavalry commanded by Colonel Cloud, and one section of the Second Indiana Battery, better known as the Bobs Battery, were sent down the Kansas River about 60 miles to guard a water grist mill situated on a little stream called Spraddry about four miles north of the Arkansas River and near the little village of Clarksville, whcih at that time was about half as large as Russell  is now, and is situated in a beautiful place. On the west the hills shape down gradually and on the east there is a high rocky bluff and a beautiful white oak ridge. Our regiment was camped on this ridge, and the other troops near the village.

"One day some of the boys and I were down on Main street when a woman and some children came driving down the street with a yoke of oxen. We saw that she was in distress. She asked us who the commander was and we told her Colonel Cloud. She said she wanted to see him. We went to the wagon and there was sure a gruesome sight. There lay an old man with long white hair and beard, over 80 years old, just literally shot to pieces.

"By this time Colonel Cloud had come, and I want to say that he was one of the finest looking men that I ever saw; straight as a rush with long black hair which came down over his shoulders and a heavy black mustache. He was as tender-hearted as a woman but as brave as a lion, and his regiment fairly worshipped him.

"Here is the woman's story to him. She said her husband was in the Union Army and this man was her father, and had been making his home with her. They had a small piece of wheat which was ready to harvest and they thought they would try to save it that morning. They had been in the field but a short time when about 20 mounted bush-whackers tore down the rail fence and rode into the field. some of them got off their horses and two of them held her while the others shot the old  man to death. Then they got on their horses and told her that if her husband ever got back he would meet the same fate, and then galloped away.

"After she saw that her father was dead she went to the house and she and her little boy hitched a yoke of oxen to the wagon and drove out to get him. But he was so heavy they could not load him. She sent the little boy after a spade and they dug deep trenches close to him and backed the wagon until the bed almost came to the ground, then pulled him in.

"They then came to Clarksville to have the soldiers give her father a decent burial. I can never forget how Colonel Cloud looked while she was relating her story. His eyes fairly flashed fire. He told her that he would see that her father was given a decent and respectful burial, which he did, then the broken-hearted woman and children drove back to their lonely home."

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After the Civil War, Col. Cloud settled in Carthage, Missouri, where he had considerable success in the real estate business and as an author and orator. He was living in Kansas City had the time of his death, but his remains were returned to Carthage for burial on the family lot.