Almon McKee

MCKEE

Posted By: Rebecca Foster (email)
Date: 9/18/2014 at 09:57:28

DEATH OF A CITIZEN OF LECLAIRE--It is reported that Mr. McKee of LeClaire was killed by the rebels on the 18th inst., on the steamboat Gladiator, while she lay at Connell Bend, twenty-five miles below Memphis, loading cotton. Mr. McKee had resided at LeClaire several years where his family still live. He was long known to our river men, having long been engaged as an engineer on the upper Mississippi. We have received the following account of the manner of his death:

“It appears that several of them came on board the boat, the boat on which McKee was engineer, under presence of being passengers and before the boat left the landing they stabbed McKee and the fireman, and were about taking possession of the boat when a gentleman passenger in reply to the Captain to know if there was any one on board who could engineer, said, “I will if it costs me my life,” and slid down the chain and commenced moving away from the landing, when the wretches got away, except two, who had to take to the water and swim ashore.”

Source: Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Ia., 25 Oct 1862, p.1.