DR

SAMUEL H. BUNDY, M.D.

R. SAMUEL H. BUNDY was born near the Cumberland River, in Smith County, Tennessee, on the 8th of April, 1822. His father was a respectable farmer, of French de scent, who emigrated from North Carolina to that State at an early period of its settlement. He labored on the farm with his father until about his sixteenth year, when he was sent to Wirt College, then a flourishing school near Castalian Springs, in his native State, where he received a substantial education. After leaving college, he entered upon the study of the law, and was admitted to the bar in 1846; but having a dislike for that profession, he soon abandoned it, and studied medicine, which, being more congenial to his tastes and sympathies, he has closely followed to the present time.

In 1852, he removed with his family to Williamson County, Illinois, where he has since resided, and held a prominent place in the political and educational affairs of his adopted State. Having been reared near the residence of the immortal Jackson, and his father having served under him through the War of 1812, he early became a warm admirer of the policy of that eminent statesman, and, of course, identified with the Democratic party; and being a speaker of considerable fluency and power, he has frequently taken the stump in defence of its principles.

In the canvass of 1860, he took a deep interest, and warned the people, wherever he addressed them, with almost prophetic accuracy, of the terrible calamity that would result from the elevation of a sectional candidate to the Presidency. During the campaign, he dealt many heavy blows against the party represented by Mr. Lincoln; but being decidedly conservative in feeling, he neither held extreme views, nor

gave utterance to the violent language indulged in by suca mer as Logan, Kuykendall, Palmer, and others. And in 1861, when the country was wild with excitement, while these men were stirring up the people of Central and Southern Illinois by inflammatory harangues, denunciatory of the Abolition party and the coercive policy of Mr. Lincoln, Dr. Bundy was pleading for moderation and the adoption of the compromise measures proposed by Crittenden, Douglas, and others, as the best means of quieting the popular mind, until "sober, second thought" should bring about reconciliation, without the effusion of blood. When a large concourse of citizens assembled at Carbondale, for the purpose of driving away the troops stationed at Big Muddy Bridge, on the Illinois Central Railroad, (having been excited almost to frenzy by the reports spread through the country that they had been sent there by Abolitionists, without authority,) Dr. Bundy hastened to the place, and spent the day in disabusing their minds, and urging them to refrain from violence, and quietly disperse to their homes; which they finally did For doing this, he was cursed for "a white-livered coward,” by some who were urging on the strife, who have since be come ranting "Union men," and cursed him soundly as a "Copperhead."

Soon after the disastrous battle of Bull Run, General Logan, who had, in his speeches during the summer of 1861, "wished that his hand might wither if he ever took up arms against his Southern brethren," returned from Congress and commenced raising a regiment; alleging, in his addresses to his old constituents, that "it was necessary for Democrats to get hold of the muskets, and save the Government from the invasion of the Southerners on the one hand, and the corrupt and illegal policy of the Abolitionists on the other; that Mr. Lincoln and his party had neither the military skill and bravery necessary to conduct the war successfully, nor the statesmanship and honesty to administer the Government legally; and between them and the Rebels, our form of government was in great danger of being subverted." And he

exhorted his friends to "join him in forcing the Rebels into obedience, when they would all turn around and whip out "change of front" proFrom this time forward,

the Abolitionists." This sudden duced the most intense excitement. men, who had been life-long friends, began to distrust and suspect each other; and the people were distracted by divisions and suspicions. Troops were quartered at Cairo and various points along the borders of the State, and detachments scoured the country in all directions, foraging upon and insulting the citizens. The country swarmed with detectives, spies, and secret reporters. With many honorable exceptions, the Republicans became informers; and every political or even religious difference, or personal spite, was made the occasion of a secret mission to the Provost Marshal at some military station, with a report of disloyalty against the offender. Citizens of all classes and professions were arrested, searched, and cast into the various guard-houses; generally, without. knowing whom, when, or in what they had offended, or who were their accusers. Men, who would not have been believed on oath in any court where they were known, and could not have obtained credit for fifty cents at any country store, were made swift witnesses and instruments in inflicting untold miscries upon the most inoffensive and valuabie citizens.

Such was the state of affairs when the August term of the Circuit Court commenced at Marion, in 1862, Hon. Andrew D. Duff presiding. Dr. Bundy was appointed foreman of the grand jury, but, after serving two days, was excused, in consequence of the illness of his family, three children being dangerously sick with whooping cough and diphtheria. Soon after he left, two men, alleging they were Government Detectives, reached town, and, under orders from one Major Merrill, Provost Marshal at Cairo, arrested the Judge on the bench, and several members of the bar; and inquired for the foreman of the grand jury. On being informed that he was at home, they made some further arrests, and determined to call for him as they returned to Cairo.

When they reached his house, August 14, he nad gone to a neighbor's, to visit a sick child. On account of the illness in his family, they yielded to the entreaties of Mrs. Bundy, and the assurances of Judges Duff, Allen, and Mulkey, that the Doctor would attend at Cairo or elsewhere as soon as the condition of his family would permit, and concluded to go on with the gentlemen already in charge, and leave him at home for the time being. As soon as the Doc tor returned to his house, he addressed a note to the Provost Marshal, stating the condition of his family, his fears that his children could not live, the absolute necessity of his prosence as a father and physician to care for them; and from the depths of his affliction, appealing to his better nature, and his own tender family ties, he assured him that, as he was un conscious of having violated any law, or done any man wrong, he would not hesitate to report at any point to which he might be ordered by competent authority, as soon as the condition of his family would permit. But neither this note nor the statement of his officers as to the affliction of the Doctor's family, nor the assurances of the gentlemen they had in charge that he would attend as soon as he could leave his sick children, seemed to have any effect on Merrill, who sharply reprimanded his subordinates, and ordered one of them (one Scott) to return and bring the Doctor to Cairo.

On the 17th, death entered the family circle, and took for his victim a bright little boy, between six and seven years of age, whose remains the sorrowing parents followed to their resting-place at a church one and a half miles from their residence. As they were returning from the grave, they were met by Merrill's officer, who ordered the Doctor out of the carriage, containing his afflicted wife and other members of the family, into his own buggy, and hurried him off to Cairo. Mrs. B. had, for many years, been in very feeble health, and was quite overcome with grief. The Doctor begged permission to accompany her home, and comfort her as far as possible; to provide as best he could for the other children, who were in a most critical condition, and supply

himself with clothing and funds for his contemplated absence. But the officer was deaf to all entreaty; alleging that his former lenity had been reproved, and he must reach Cairo that night. On arriving at Carbondale, where they were to take the cars for Cairo, his haste seemed to have ended; and, leaving the Doctor in the sitting-room of the Union House, with orders to remain until called for, he strolled off into the town, and was absent until after midnight.

The Doctor soon perceived that something of interest was going on in an adjoining room, as he could hear many voices, and persons were continually passing in and out at the door, which was kept closed, and seemed to be guarded on the inside. So, when night came on, as it was dark and misting rain, he stepped out on the pavement, and went to an open window, which permitted a full view of the persons and proceedings within. A number of persons, with most of whom he was well acquainted, were engaged in preparing evidence against himself and the other gentlemen who had been arrested about the same time. Several men seemed to be present as witnesses, some of whom were total strangers to him; others he knew to be of the lowest character, and all whom he recognized were political enemies. Dr. George L. Owen, originally from Ohio, an avowed Abolitionist, was acting as attorney, and drew out the testimony to his own liking; while one Dick Dudding, an unscrupulous pettifog. ger, wrote down the statements in language suited to the purpose. The witnesses were all in the room together; were all the political friends and allies of Owen and Dudding, who prompted such statements as they wished; and when any testimony appeared favorable to the accused, it was rejected. When through the examination, they were sworn to what Dud ding had written, without having it read over. Only one man was observed to require his statement to be read before he would sign his name and be qualified to it, and then demanded several changes to be made.

In the mean time, Dr. Bundy had gone to the door, and asked permission to go in, as he perceived that they were