Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-02-05
Secretary Golf.

MADE TO an eminent west Nlrglhiah
yesterday. 81 think there is no doubt
of it." was the reply. General Golf is
the idol of the Republican party of our
State. No man in it SO fully represents
its fighting force as be does, besides, he
is the brainiest man of his years in the
country. If the South is to have any
representation i'll the next Administra-
ton he is pre- eminently the proper man
for the place. He was born, reared
and educated in Virginia, his family is
one of the oldest in the State, is as
largely identified with its material in
terests as any in it, yet they were the
staunchest OF Union people, and Golf
himself went into the Federal army
when only Is years of age. lie and bis
connections have been thorough and
loyal Republicans, and there could
be no objection on the score or devo-
ton or service to the Republican party.
General Golf" continued my intor-
mant, ''has had an eventful life; he be-
came a soldier while still schoolboy,
and was Major Of the 4th West Virgin
ia Cavalry. On the 20th day of Janu-
airy, 1864, he was captured in an en-
gagement near Moorefeld, West Vir-
ginia, by body of Confederate cavalry.
He was taken to Libby, where he suf-
fered all the horrors of prison confine-
ment for four months One morning
he was notified by the prison authorities
that from that day the degree Of his
torture was 10 be increased, and from
the ordinary quarters of a prisoner-of
war he was to be transferred TO dun
geon, and held as a hostage for one
Major Thomas d. Armsey of the Con
federate Army, who lived in an adjoin-
ing county to where General Golf then,
as now, resided, and who had been
caught within our lines as spy and
sentence to be shot lie was notified
that upon Major Armsey's execution
by the Federal Government his own
would Immediately follow, and the pris-
on Officials advised him TO communi-
cate this intelligence 10 his friends.
The terrible sufferings that followed his
change from prisoner-ot-war to hos
tage for Armsey can never be described.
When he was captured he was robbed
of everything, even his hat, coat and
shoes, and there was no chance OF OBJ
tanning the necessary clothing to pre-
vent suffering"
A picture of the condition of General
Golf and his fellow prisoners is thus
given by Colonel Mark brett, brother-in-
law of Hon. Fred Haussereck of the
Cincinnati Voiksblaat, who was con-
fined with him, also as q hostage.
He says:
"Our situation was at times pitilul.
We had nothing to eat but half loaf
Of corn bread and few black beans.
We used to catch rats, have them skin
ned and cooked by the negroes and
Struggled into us. This We used to re-
gard as treat. During our contine-
ment Golf was patient and gentlemanly
and bore his sutferings with heroic for.
titude. never witnessed such nerve
and courage. While some of the men
quarreled and complained, / never
heard Golf say cross word to any one.
lie always bore himself as gentleman
OF rare culture and impressed everyone
with bis great ability"
This terrible condition continued for
seventy-seven days, Golf and the six
other officers who were smilarly con-
fined expecting every hour to receive
notice that the executioner was waiting
for them. Golf, learning that intluen-
tial friends had nterposed to save his
life by securing the Communication of
sentence of death against Armsey,
wrote letter which is now Oh file in
the War Department, in which he took
tie ground firmly and unequivocally
that his life ought not to be considered
in determining Armsey's fate; that if
Armsey were guilty he should be exc
cuted without regard to him. One pas,
sage of his letter, which was a private
one 10 his father, saws: "The lie of a
single soldier ought not TO stand in
the way OF adherence to great princi-
pie
1t must be borne 10 mind that Golf,
when he wrote these words, was a mere
boy, with the brightest prospects before
him, and TO thus insist upon an action
which might cost him his life shows the
patriotism as well as the indomitabe
courage which have characterized him
from that day TO this.
On the 10Th of July, 1864, Golf and
his tellow.prsoners were transferred to
the State Penitentiary at Salisbury, n.
c., where they were confined among
the worse class of criminals in the
South. Indeed, it seemed as though all
the thieves and murderers in that sec
tion had been congrcgated in this Peni-
Tertiary.
Upon General COTS return within
the Federal lines he was Immediately
sent for by Secretary Stanton, who
took him at once TO President Lincoln
and both these eminent men requested
q detailed statement of his suferings
and The actual condition of our prison
ers-of-war. 1t will be remembered that
during this time there haG been a sus.
pension of the exchange of prisoners
and the sufferirgs of all our captured
soldiers were extreme. General COTS
statement to Mr.. Lincoln and Secretary
Stanton made such marked impression
upon their minds that soon thereafter
an extensive exchange of prisoners was
announced. Goff-s first duty after arri-
val within the Federal lines was TO
make an eorneet appeal for the safety
and immediate release of the six other
brother officers who had with himself