Biographical Sketch of Samuel Downing, Lafayette County, Missouri

>From "History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled
from the most authentic official and private sources" St. Louis, Mo.
Historical Company, 1881.
**********************************************************************

Samuel Downing, P. O. Page City, Mo.  One of the old battle scarred 
veterans of Shelby's famous command, was born in Lexington, Ky., August 
12, 1842.  Concerning his parents, Samuel and Amanda Downing, see biog-
raphy of his brother, Alfred Downing.  He also came with his father to
this state in 1857, and settled first in Boonville for one year, and 
then in this county in 1858, where he has since lived.  He was partly
raised and educated in Kentucky, and partly at Dover, this county.  He
was raised on a farm and has never followed any other calling.  In 1861
he volunteered in Company A, 3rd Missouri Cavalry, the first company of
Shelby's old brigade, which was organized by Shelby himself.  The regi-
ment was commanded by Col. Frank Gordon.  About twelve months after he
enlisted, the regiment was put into Shelby's brigade, mostly recruited
from this county.  His company being the oldest and best drilled in the
brigade, they generally had the brunt to bear in battle, and when picked
men were chosen for special and daring service, they were generally 
taken from Company A of Gordon's regiment.  Mr. Downing served the 
entire four years under Shelby, being in nearly all the battles west of
the river, Pea Ridge, Oak Hill, Little Rock, Prairie Grove, Hartsville,
Springfield, Marshall, Lexington, the Big and Little Blue, Westport,
etc.  He was altogether in about two hundred fights.  He was never 
seriously wounded, and had his horse shot under him.  He was twice
captured, once in 1861 in Bates county, Mo., by Jim Lane, was paroled,
and returned to this county on foot.  He was then dragged, with his
father, to Lexington and imprisoned in a dungeon by Capt. Clayton, of
the Kansas troops, who refused to recognized Lane's parole.  He was
again captured, in 1865, at Duval's Bluff, Ark., taken to Little Rock,
where he was at the surrender.  He was released in April, 1865 and 
reached home in May, since which time he has lived on his farm, but a
short distance from the home and farm of his old leader, Gen. Shelby.
Mr. Downing has never been married.  As he was a good soldier, so he
has proved a good citizen, and stands high among his neighbors, who are,
many of them, his old comrades.

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