he conservative Unionists, and so
dragging with them hosts of the wavering. He longed to strike a quick,
sharp blow to teach the enemies of the Government that they could no
longer proceed with impunity, but must expect a return blow for every
one they gave, and probably more.

72

On Wednesday evening, May 8, Capt. Lyon requested Mr. J. J. Witzig, one
of the Committee of Safety, to meet him at 2 o'clock the next day with
a horse and buggy. At the appointed hour Witzig went to Lyon's quarters
and inquired for the "General," by which title Lyon was known after his
election as Brigadier-General of the Missouri Militia. As he entered
Lyon's room, Witzig saw a lady seated near the door, vailed and
evidently waiting for some one. He inquired if she was waiting for the
General to come in, and seating himself near the window awaited the
coming of Lyon. A few minutes later the lady arose, lifted her vail, and
astonished Mr. Witzig with the very unfeminine features of Lyon himself.
Mrs. Alexander had loaned him the clothes, and succeeded in attiring him
so that the deception was complete. Taking a couple of heavy revolvers,
Gen. Lyon entered a barouche belonging to the loyal Franklin Dick, and
was driven by Mr. Dick's servant leisurely out to Camp Jackson, followed
by Mr. Witzig in a buggy. Lyon saw everything in the camp that he wished
to see; noticed that the streets were named Davis Avenue, Beauregard
Avenue, and the like; took in the lay of the ground, and returning
toward the Arsenal, stopped and directed Witzig to summon the other
members of the Committee of Safety to immediately meet him at the
Arsenal.

He stated to them, when they gathered, the necessity of at once
capturing the camp, and his determination to do so and hold all in it
as prisoners of war. Blair and Witzig warmly approved this; Filley and
Broadhead finally acquiesced, while How and Glover were opposed to both
the manner and time and wanted a writ of replevin served by the United
States Marshal. If Gen. Frost refused to respect this, Lyon could then
go to his assistance.

73

Lyon yielded so far as to allow Glover to get out the writ of replevin,
but he was not disposed to dally long with that subterfuge, and his line
of battle would not be far behind the Marshal. Even before he went out
to the camp he had sent an Aid to procure 36 horses for his batteries
from the leading livery stables in the city, because he feared that
Maj. McKinstry, the Ch