Death of Ed Purcell

PURCELL, JORDAN, SCOTT, WYATT, DYKES

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/28/2019 at 07:22:18

Death of Ed Purcell

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa

Death of “AUNT RACHEAL” Recalls her Life Tragedy
Caused by Civil War Incident.
(By Mrs. NELLIE JORDAN)

The death of “Aunt RACHEL” SCOTT 92 years of age, who passed away in the Decatur County Home Sunday, Sept. 29 closes the last chapter of a tragedy that occurred 73 years ago and brings back to the minds of the public the memories of the horrors of the Civil War.

At the time the Border States were scenes of many combats between the Northern and Southern sympathizers and resolved itself at times in raids upon each other.

The story of ED PURCELL’s death in the fall of 1862 has been handed down to my by some of my relatives who were living at that time. My uncle by marriage, JAMES WYATT, whose wife was my mother’s sister, was the man whose bullet was supposed to have been the one that killed ED PURCELL. The following is the story as related to me:

A company of Union cavalry under the leadership of Captain DYKES was passing through Pleasanton, Iowa, when they noticed the PURCELLS, then a young married couple and southern sympathizers, but strangers to these soldiers, on the street throwing slurs and making fun of these Federal soldiers. Captain DYKES called a halt when the couple came near them and demanded that PURCELL salute the flag. My uncle was color bearer. PURCELL replied to this demand, “G_ _ D _ _ the Stars and Stripes.” DYKES then ordered him to yell “Hurrah for ABE LINCOLN” to which he replied, “G_ _ D_ _ ABE LINCOLN.” DYKES then gave orders to his men to form and to shoot when he gave the order to fire if PURCELL still refused to comply with his demands. Mrs. PURCELL placed herself in between her husband and the soldiers defying them to shoot. DYKES ordered her to stand aside or both would be shot. She stepped a-side and the order to fire was given and several shots rang out and PURCELL died instantly.

My uncle was nearer in direct line with PURCELL as he was holding the flag and it was his bullet that was supposed to have been the one that killed him. As several shots were fired it is likely that one of them grazed Mrs. PURCELL’s fore-head.

The civil authorities demanded that WAYTT be tried in the civil court for the murder of PURCELL and Captain DYKES at once turned him over to them and he was taken to Leon by the Decatur County sheriff and lodged in jail. DYKES demanded an immediate trial of the case an assured them if WYATT was convicted and put back in jail that his men would liberate him if they had to tear the jail down to do it.

WAYTT was promptly tried and acquitted and rode back with his company to the Union army in Mo. When his time expired in the army he re-enlisted for some of the PURCELL relatives and southern sympathizers threatened his life if he came back home. Later he contracted smallpox while the army was encamp near St. Louis and died in the government hospital before the war ended, so never lived to come back to his home and family near Cainsville, Mo.

Such is war. It has always left tragedy and heart-arches in its path “Aunt RACHEL” as she was known for 56 years in the county home paid for this tragedy by a life-time of sorrow and suffering after seeing her young husband laid in a premature grave. My aunt, a frail heart broken little woman, the widow of JAMES WYAT, was left on a farm with a house-full of little children to provide and care for. Several of these grew to manhood and womanhood but all have passed to the Great beyond except one son who lives in Mercer County, Mo. near Cleopatra and a daughter in the State of Washington. My Aunt passed away a number of years ago at the age of 88 years.

Transcription by Sara Rose Joan LeFleur