Edward P. Doherty

[Rob Wick]

Omar Conger was first a representative from Michigan who then became senator. In 1881, Barton, who was visiting several on Capitol Hill, stopped by Omar's office. While polite, Omar was non-committal. Barton asked him, almost as an aside, if he was related to Colonel Conger. When he replied that he was his brother, Barton told Omar how she had been his nurse when Everton was wounded on the Wilson-Kautz Raid in 1864. From that point, Omar and his wife were strong supporters of the group, even holding meetings in their home to drum up support.

As for Conger on a horse, that was the only way he could get around. Walking for him was very difficult (which is part of the reason he was on horseback during the Wilson-Kautz Raid when everyone else was dismounted). He even had to sleep sitting up in a chair, because sleeping in a prone position was impossible. By the way, he lived for 53 years after 1865.

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Rob