William Elsey Connelley

“ On his return from the war, the young soldier resumed his trade, but the hardships of army life had so undermined his health and strength that he was compelled to seek a vocation in which he could again build up. ”

“ Heil took part in an engagement with a large force of the enemy at Dry Wood, near Fort Scott. In 1861 and 1862 the Fifth Kansas wintered near Barnesville, and in the spring of the latter year went to Springfield with the intention of joining General Curtis. The command was delayed by an engagement at Carthage, and did not reach Curtis' command until after the battle of Pea Ridge had been fought. At Springfield the Fifth Kansas was engaged in guarding supply trains coming to General Curtis' army, and while thus engaged was intercepted by a detachment of Texas cavalry while crossing Black River. ”

“ He finally secured a position driving cattle out to the Delaware Indian Reservation, near Lecompton, and there he was engaged in herding until the holidays of 1861. Early in that year he returned to Topeka, where he started to learn the brick and stone mason's trade under the tutorship of John Elliott, but the Civil war came on at that time to interrupt his activities in that direction. On July 16, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company A, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, a command which fought its first engagement without uniforms, at Morristown, Missouri. ”