The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-03-15
apt. warmers Leather Purae and a
Massachusetts SOLDIER una GeRtIe-
man.

THURSDAY ..... mAltIt 10; 1871
ant. warmers Leather Purse and a
massachusetts Soldier md GeRtIe-
man.
It was at the battle Of Balls Bluff,
in 1861, that Col. E. Raymond Lee, Of
Boston, was captured. He Is West
Pointer, and was a classmate OF Gen.
John ii. WInder, who had charge of
the prisons at Richmond, and his chief
subordinate officer being Capt. War
ner, OF this city, whose face and form
are familiar about the Capitol grounds.
It was in the winter of '6l and
1872 that Capt. Warner, seeing how the
prisoners from Massachusetts, were
meanly clad and suffering from cold,
went to Gen. Winder, at the re-
quest OF Col. Lee, and effected an
arrangement, never doubling the assent
of Benjamin, then Secretary of War,
by which Col. Lee might be sent to
Boston, and, appealing to the exhaust
less generosity of New England, secure
for the prisoners the much needed
clothing and blankets. Gen. Winder,
Col. Lee and Capt. Warner never
doubted the success Of the scheme, and
Lee and his subordinates were well
pleased and rejoicing because of the
surely coming change in their condi-
ton. Benjamin would give his APP
proval Sunday. and Lee was TO leave
Monday for Massachusetts. Monday
came and Gen. Winder and Capt.
Warner entered the prison with
heavy hearts. Lee came hurried
ly to meet them. Winder said to
Lee, Everything is changed; came to
tell you that | am ordered to place you
and thirteen other officers of the high
est rank in the prison in close confne-
ment in the county jail as hostages for
an equal number of so-called pirates,
captured on the high seas with letters
OF marque and reprisal from the Con-
federate government. / ana sorry to
say, Colonel, that if these pirates
hang even 80 must YOU" Capt. War
ner says they were much excited, and
deeply deplored the necessity imposed
OF making this terrible announcement.
But Lee never hesitated. He bore the
disappointment bravely; and not only
this, but he stood apart from the men
now thronging anxiously about him
and said in low, solemn, measured &C
cents: ''My men, you have heard
what the good General is forced to say.
need not tell you that am ready to
obey his orders-even to die,
il die l must. 1 left home and
came here to fight because our flag
was fired on. left home thinking
it possible that l might die in battle
but II / must die and my country
thinks I can serve her best by dying
at the hangman's hands, l can NEE
death even then without u shudder.
Gen. Lees hearers made no demon
strations Of applause, but they wep
ike children, and whether their tear
were provoked by admiration for tn,
heroism of the man or because of anxi
ETY. for his fate, Capt. Warner neve
knew.
Capt. Warner marched beside lie
and Major Revere, another gallan
Massachusetts, soldier, followed b.
the other Federal officers, to tn
prison. Warner had no guard TO
them. They were unwilling to attrac
the attention Of the mob, and Warne
never questioned their honor. Flv
weeks elapsed, when the Confederat
seamen were released, and Gen. Lee
and his fellow-prisoners were returned
to the rebel prison. A few weeks late
all these prisoners were sent through
the ines, having been exchanged.
When Lee was leaving Warner CAV,
him $7S in gold and four silver half
dollars to be transmitted to Warner
wife at Central City, Illinois. lie
told Revere to make q memorandum
and the three gentlemen parted
Months afterwards Warner was al
ranging to make another remittanc
through the lines to his family wheI
he remarked to Mr.. Jefferson Davi
that the money he had forwarded t
his family by Gen. Lee and Revere ha
never reached its destination. ''Res
assured" said Mr.. Davis, ''that LIE
will not steal. l know him well, an,
once dined with him at Roxbury."
When the war was ended Warne
was imprisoned for time at Rich
mond, but was soon released by Gen
Ord. Thence Warner went to Wash
ington to secure his pardon. There h
met George c. Gibbs, of Florida
who commanded tho guards at tn
prison in Richmond. Gibbes suggest
ed the propriety of writing to Gen
Lee, and Gibbs wrote the letter sta
ting the necessities Of Warner. b
return mail came Lees answer assert
ing Warmers generosity and kindnes
to Federal soldiers, in the stronges
terms, with directions to Warner to ca
On Adit. Gen. Townshend who woul
approve his statements and assert hi
tIuthfulness. Gen. Towpshend wrot
the strongest possible declaration c
Lees virtues and worth on the bacl
OF the letter, and Warner was soon o
his way to Boston. He met Lee, an
was never more warmly greeted an
generously feted. He was presente
to the mayor of Boston and to Governo
Andrews, and everywhere welcome
by the generous Bostonians. And the
il was that Gen. Lee took Warner to
Boston bank and drew forth leather
pouch. 1t contained $7S In gold an
four silver half dollars. This is yours,
said Lee. 1T was returned to me by til
express company from Central City
Ohio" There was no Mrs. Warner there
Revere, it seems, had made an incol
rect memorandum, and substitute
SOHO" for "Illinols," and Warner
money had never reached its destins
ton. Capt. Warmers old leather
purse, in which this gold was sen
through the lines, is still preserved,
memento of hard times, and as well G
the honesty and virtues of brav
1t may be proper to state that Capt
Warner, now growing old, is the Gus
tedian OF the gold and silver an,
greenbacks of Texas, guarding tn
vaults in which the States wealth /
deposited, by day and night.
The cattle disease shows signs of be
coming settled trouble in Europe
Though suppressed from time to tim
in different localities, it rarely falls I