Col. James Piper, 1856

        ©  Kathy Duncan, 2024

One newspaper clipping from the 1908 Mena Weekly of Mena, Arkansas, recounts the contents of a defunct newspaper from Bethesda Springs, Arkansas, in which James S. Piper is mentioned. The information that he served in the Mexican War, was married to a woman named Mary Ann, and lived near Mena, leaves no doubt that this is the same James S. Piper who I am researching. However, the notation that he was "formerly a governor of a Central American state" was a headscratcher. He was? Really? 

Then I began finding references to a James S. Piper serving in Nicaragua in the 1850s. Was that what I was looking for? I asked the AP US History teacher for clarification. My question: Why was the U.S. military in Nicaragua in the 1850s? He promptly answered: They weren't. That's the Walker Expedition. Filibusters. With that, I "hit the books" Google style. It turns out, that there is more than one definition for a filibuster, which in this case is an irregular military adventurer, specifically an American engaged in fomenting insurrections in Latin America in the 19th century. Basically, Walker raised a private army, which he marched into Mexico and Central America with the intention of taking them and creating territories that would ultimately be slaveholding areas. He seized control of Nicaragua in 1856 and set himself up as president. 

Enter Capt. James S. Piper.

James S. Piper's presence in Nicaragua spanned only a few months. In fact his time there was so brief, that the newspapers had trouble keeping their information current. Because this was not a U.S. military action, there are no service records to consult. At this point, I don't know when James S. Piper arrived in Nicaragua. He does not seem to have raised a volunteer unit to take with him. 

Notice the Capt. J.C. O'Neal mentioned above James S. Piper's promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel. O'Neal factors in later.

By late April Lt. Col Piper was the acting Governor of the city of Granada. This is, no doubt, what was referred to in the 1908 newspaper clipping. It is also worth noting that this paragraph mentions the ill-fated ship the Cortez which was expected in San Juan del Sur, but was to be rerouted to Panama because of the conflict happening at San Juan del Sur. The actions of Col. E. J. Sanders in that incident were called into question by a writer to a California newspaper. Eventually, the passengers of the Cortez were rerouted to Panama where they disembarked to board a different ship. The Cortez was loaded with volunteers, supplies, and money bound for Walker. While in Panama, the passengers were waiting on shore when a fracas occurred that resulted in them losing their valuables and luggage and the lives of thirty members of their party.  

By April 30, James S. Piper had been promoted to Colonel.

In June 1856, another U.S. paper also reported Lt. Col. Piper's promotion to Colonel. This announcement arrived in the States very late since Piper had probably resigned his commission a few weeks prior to this. Note that Lt. Col. E. J. Sanders was also promoted to Colonel at about the same time. He had been in Nicaragua since at least the beginning of 1856, so Piper may have risen the ranks faster. 

This dated letter from Virgin Bay, written on 30 April 1856, exactly pinpoints Col. James S. Piper's activities. Note that the first paragraph also places Col. E. J. Sanders at Virgin Bay at the same time.

What the newspaper clipping does not report is that something happened between Piper and Sanders that Piper found so egregious that he challenged Col. E. J. Sanders to a duel. Both men had large personalities and were unlikely to back down in a disagreement. Remember, just two years before, James S. Piper was willing to go a few rounds over house numbers.

This appears in Kurt A. Sanftleben's 2021 catalog:

"J. C. O’Neal was also involved in a duel while in Nicaragua. There is a letter in the archive in which he, while acting as a second for Col E. J. Sanders, his regimental commander, replied to the second for another colonel as follows: "Sir, On behalf of my friend Col E.J Sanders in answer to a note received by him from Col J.S. Piper.  I beg to have to state that Col Sanders is perfectly willing to, under any satisfaction necessary without further remarks.  I will name the time - ten o'clock tomorrow morning - distance - thirty paces - weapons - Mississippi Rifles - conditions of the fight - to be placed back to back - and fire at the word one, two, three - In expectation of an early answer - yours respectfully, J.C. O'Neal.".   

In his Reminiscences of an Officer of the American Phalanx, James Carson Jameson provided a little more information about the duel: “Colonel Piper and Colonel Sanders threw down the glove at La Virgen, Colonel Piper, I believe, sending the challenge, which permitted Sanders to name the distance and the weapons. He chose rifles, and fixed the distance at five paces [actually 30 paces per O’Neal’s letter], a grim and deadly ultimatum.  'When the proposal was laid before Colonel Piper he declined to accept it, and immediately resigned his commission in the army, and left on the first steamer for the United States.”  

Unfortunately, these accounts don't reveal why Piper was prompted to challenge. At some point, I may add research on Col. E.J. Sanders. I do know that he was a heavy drinker and card player. When he left to join the Confederate army his wife divorced him. He was about to lose his commission because of his drinking when he was captured. 

The New York Herald reported Col. Piper headed for the States on 3 June 1856.

His arrival was reported on 7 June 1856.

The one thing that Col. James S. Piper kept from his experience in Nicaragua was the title of Colonel. He would never be Capt. James S. Piper again.

The next post will cover 1858.