THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 32, 1 August 1911, Page 8

THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

SOME INCIDENTS RECALLED. ' An interesting episode in connection with the American Civil war is recalled with the death of Mr. W. Dean Lysnar father of Gisborne's Mayor (Mr.. W. Douglas Lysnar) . In 1855 the late Mr. Lysnar, then a man of 33 years of age, was conducting an educational institution of his own in Kansas City, where he still was when shortly afterwards civil war was declared between the North and over the emancipation of the slaves. Being a British subject and entirely opposed to the war, Mr. Lysnar refused to participate in the fighting, but attended to the wounded, and on several occasions narrowly missed being shot. In view of his being prominently known for his strict neutrality to the opposing armies, Mr, Lysnar was subsequently chosen by the citizens to convey & flag of truce to the leader of the besieging army that has surrounded the city, to enquire on wlmt terms surrender would be accepted. In doing so Mr. Lysnar had to ascend a hill to the commanding position occupied by the leader of the forces. Fighting in those days was not conducted on strict rules of war regarding neutrality, and the bearer of the white flag 'had a narrow eseape from a relentless member of the besiegers, who was taking aim and was about to fire at him, when Mr. Lysnar's identity was recognised by another soldier near by, who threatened to shoot his comrade if the latter fired, dire«ting him at the same time to wait and see what was wanted. The leader of the besieging army was no less a person that John Brown, whose name has been immortalised in the wellJcnown refrain, "We'll hang John Brown I on a sour apple tree," by the jingoistic section of Americans. When asked by My Lysnar the terms of surrender, John Brown replied, "No terms at all; complete surrender." The fighting was resumed, and subsequently John Brown was captured, and met 'his fate in the manner indicated. This exciting episode (the Poverty Bay Herald uniterstands) is graphically narrated in an account of his life and his association with the war, which the late Mr. Lysnar reduced to manuscript foriii for the benefit of his family during the close of his lengthy and interesting career.