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Story
March 16, 1881
The Kentucky Gazette
Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
What is this article about?
Deputy Marshal James Heflin and ten men raid moonshiners in Letcher County, Kentucky, capturing a still and prisoners before facing armed resistance with a cannon loaded with nails and metal, exchanging fire without injuries to raiders but likely wounding moonshiners.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Fierce Fight With Moonshiners.
A dispatch from Grayson Ky., March 12th says: Deputy Marshall James Heflin, with a squad of ten men, raided into Letcher, on the 5th inst., and after capturing a still house and five prisoners on Rockhouse Fork, made a dash into the Carr's Fork country. The moonshiners were prepared for him. When John Morgan raided into Kentucky in 1864 he passed through Letcher County, leading behind him several broken-down horses and a brass field piece of six pounds caliber. This cannon the moonshiners placed on the bluff, loaded to the muzzle with rusty nails and broken pot metal. As the Marshall's party came charging up the pass, they discharged the cannon, and the pot metal and nails went crashing through the leafless trees. Nobody was hurt, however, and the raiders returning a steady fire drove the moonshiners away. It is supposed that several of the moonshiners were wounded or killed, as blood-stains were found on the ground for some distance along the line of their retreat.
A dispatch from Grayson Ky., March 12th says: Deputy Marshall James Heflin, with a squad of ten men, raided into Letcher, on the 5th inst., and after capturing a still house and five prisoners on Rockhouse Fork, made a dash into the Carr's Fork country. The moonshiners were prepared for him. When John Morgan raided into Kentucky in 1864 he passed through Letcher County, leading behind him several broken-down horses and a brass field piece of six pounds caliber. This cannon the moonshiners placed on the bluff, loaded to the muzzle with rusty nails and broken pot metal. As the Marshall's party came charging up the pass, they discharged the cannon, and the pot metal and nails went crashing through the leafless trees. Nobody was hurt, however, and the raiders returning a steady fire drove the moonshiners away. It is supposed that several of the moonshiners were wounded or killed, as blood-stains were found on the ground for some distance along the line of their retreat.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
Military Action
Adventure
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Bravery Heroism
Justice
What keywords are associated?
Moonshiners
Raid
Cannon
Fight
Still House
Deputy Marshal
Kentucky
What entities or persons were involved?
James Heflin
John Morgan
Where did it happen?
Letcher County, Kentucky; Rockhouse Fork; Carr's Fork
Story Details
Key Persons
James Heflin
John Morgan
Location
Letcher County, Kentucky; Rockhouse Fork; Carr's Fork
Event Date
March 5th
Story Details
Deputy Marshal Heflin's squad captures a moonshiners' still and prisoners, then faces ambush with a historical cannon firing nails and metal; raiders return fire, drive off attackers, find blood indicating moonshiner casualties.