Uncle Harry's Little War - Conclusion

.    The prisoners and their guards returned, but that court never did reconvene, and stands adjourned to this good day.

      The word got around that Sheriff Dodson was headed for the rail head, to go to Little Rock to ask the governor to declare martial law. He was shot from ambush as he stepped from the ticket office. The only remaining official who took part in the Shiloh ambush was dead, except for the school Superintendent, who fled to Iowa.
      With the change to a democratic governor, this period was over, and these men were allowed to again run their town. They became prominent men of the community. Reece B. Hodgins became The Arkansas Superintendent of Prisons. Uncle Harry became an alderman, raised seven children in Dover, founded the Bank of Dover, became well off. However, as I looked through hundreds of issues of  thePope County Historical Society publications, I found that if I looked under shootouts, or the like, Uncle Harry was sometimes there.

From the Courier Democrat, Russellville, Ar. April 16, 1931.

{4} "The death of “Uncle Harry” Poynter, at Dover, April 14, removed from the walks of life the last confederate veteran of this county who took an active part in the Pope County Militia War that raged with fury around Dover in 1872 and 73. His funeral was one of the most largely attended events ever held in Pope County.

Dover was ravaged by the carpet bagger forces, suffered the loss of the county seat, and was twice reduced to ruins by fire, but the passing of W. H. “Uncle Harry” Poynter was one of the town's darkest and saddest hours.

      At the funeral an orchestra was present, in keeping with a request made by Poynter. The band played sacred hymns at the church, then retired to the site of his home recently destroyed by fire and there played “Home Sweet Home”. And as a fitting tribute to this fallen Chieftain and at his request, played his favorite tune of Dixie as the last rite of the funeral."

      Now lets get back to grandma's milk cow problem. Uncle Harry came over and set out to find the thief. Family Members were able to give him a pretty good idea about where to start, I would imagine.After a time, he came back with the milk cows. No questions asked, no answers given.
      I am told that the Yell County Sheriff wished to question Grandma about this matter but was afraid to, Possibly because she was very close to a very dangerous man. It seems a man was missing.

     The story of this war was never told on our front porch on hot summer nights. The name Harry Poynter was often spoken  by adults in our family when I was a child. Always with great respect. My oldest brother Harry was named after him, at Grandma's insistence. I knew nothing of him, until I read papers found in Aunt Lula's chest after her death, then I began searching through publications from the Pope County Historical Society.

     The Reconstruction was a horrible time in the South, with thousands of battle hardened men returning home, with hatred and murder in their hearts, often focused toward their neighbors. I pray our country never has to experience such a time again. But those who forget our past are doomed to repeat it.