Monroe County Article written by Thomas V. Bodine, Paris

stockade, paying it for liberty and demonstrating at the same time that thrift was not a “Yankee” possession altogether. General Prentiss himself stood at the gate and called off the names. “Samuel Thomp­son,” he called, and one of the older men ambled up—the possessor of a wit and eccentricity still noted in the county. ‘‘Mr. Thompson. asked General Prentiss, “how do you stand, North or South ?” “Well, General, to tell the truth,” replied Thompson, “I lean just a leedle South.’’

John Cheny, another citizen, asked to borrow his ransom from the General and Prentiss was not without humor enough to get enjoyment out of the occasion, along with the money. lie left Paris with his coffers bursting and in 1901, when he refused to ask for a pension. pre­ferring to die in poverty, it was difficult to convince Monroe county citizens that he was in earnest. However, there was naught set down in malice. It was whispered that the old hero’s pet vice was gambling, faro being his hobby, and that when at Paris his funds to gratify the passion were low.

Monroe county sent one bersiker to the war. He was Robert Swinney of Middle Grove, son of Preston Swinney, ex-sheriff, and had lost a hand with Walker in Nicaragua. He carried no carbine, fought with a revolver alone, and was assigned to no command or company in Price ‘s army, fighting alone and if necessary attacking an entire company. Legend avers that he loved bloodshed and frothed at the mouth when in battle. Swinney rode with Shelby across the border into Mexico and John N. Edwards tells of his death in storming a hacienda where an American woman had been imprisoned and whom Shelby ‘s men, like knights of old, had gone to aid.

The Civil war history of the county might he written into thousands of words without loss of interest, hut enough of the really important happenings have been given to give an idea of what Monroe county suffered and endured during that period and the heroism and sacrifice of which its people were capable. Its young men fought on nearly every southern battle field of note and those that were not killed returned home to make useful citizens, some of them to become state and national characters. The record would not he complete without mentioning that a large number of returning Confederates from Monroe county were on the ill-fated transport Tennessee which sank in Red river after the surrender at Shreveport and that some lost their lives, most of them, however, escaping. Wm. Farrell of Pindel’s command, now cashier of the Paris Savings Bank, was one of the guard of honor that accompanied General Price down the river to surrender. It might he well to mention also that X. 0. Pindel, acting governor of Arkansas in 1908 was the son of Col. Lebius Pindel of sharp-shooter fame in Price ‘s army and that L. K. Wilfley, judge of the first extra territorial court in China, of which Arthur Bassett, another Monroe county boy. was government’s attorney, was a nephew of the same man, showing that blood lines sometimes do persist.