The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-09-27

The Military Institution OF Tic,
|Uni.vd States, which was organized
lin 1878, has established at its head
quarters, on Governors Island, a
Inuseun, of objects not wholly but
chiefly military, which is unique in
Its way. General Hancock is Presi-
{dent of the institution, and Captain
J. M. SanlIo, Of the Seventh Infan-
&try, is cur TOR OF the museum. Cap
stain Sanno related to a Sun reporter
recently tie history Of some of the
curiosities.
"We arrange them in five distinct
GLASSES" said Captain Sanno "arms
and armor, the various articles tax
len from our American Indians, bat
tie flags, pictures--including por-
traits Of many distinguished Gener-
als-and trophies and relics. The
most unique thing among the arms
lis No. 223, pair of muzzle-loading
hint-lock pistols, with spring bay
met attachment. They were made
lin London about one hundred years
ago. If you failed to kill your man
with the bullet you touched this
spring, and the bayonet, which lies
Ialong the top of the barrel, flew up
and extended itself rigedly six
Iinches in front of the muzzle. Then
you finished your man with cold
steel"
A life like stuffed horse is one OF
the curiosities in the museum.
k'That's Winchester" said Captain
33Sanno, ''the charger made immortal
Sbv Thomas Buchanan Reads poem
SGeneral Phil. Sheridan, under whom
sthe horse was twice wounded, sent il
there. Talking of horses, here is a
photograph of the only living Great
: ure found by our men on Little Big
zHorn, Clusters last battlefield. 1t
His the horse Comache, which was
Hound wounded by seven bullets and
Ewing by the side of his dead master,
aColonel Keogh. Comanche has re-
covered, has been adopted by the
Seventh Cavalry as regimental charg-
Ter, and by special orders is forever
Sexempted from labor"
Those chessmen and that chess
5board yonder were made by the
daughter of General Worth from
5part of the flagstaff which stood in
= the CITY of Mexico when General
kScott took the city in 1S47. Miss
Worth has lent US also these Wash
|ington vignettes.
The vignettes are letters four inch
. les high, forming the name of Wash
(ington, each letter displaying pictor-
ially some notable incident in Wash
ington's life. The vignettes lie on
Ian extremely ancient looking carved
card table, with hollows for the "fish
y gor counters" which was frequently
used by General Washington, and
His one of a pair presented by him
lin 1882 to Judge Berrien, of Rocky
SHill, n. J. Nothing in the muse
um," said Captain Sanro, rs more
fully authenticated than this table.
sWashington's Farewell Address, by
sthe way, was written at Rocky
HILL"
"This faded tassel," Captain San
kno went on. WAS taken from the
canopy over the Speakers chair of
the Confederate Congress on the day
of the evacuation of Richmond. Here
are the lock and key from the old
0Sugar-house Prison where the Brit
ish confined their prisoners of war
in 17SO. These two old-fashioned
horse-pistols: with flint locks, peo-
pie generally take to be relics of the
War of the Revolution. As a mat
ter of fact they were found in the
possession of an officer of the Con-
iederate army, who was taken prison
er in the late war. 1t is a fact, sir,
that the man had come into battle
with these primitive pistols. sup
pose they served his great-grand-
father, and he thought they would
suffice for him."
what are those old papers?" ask
ed the reporter, pointing to some
yellow-looking printed sheets lying
in a glass case.
"They are copies of Bushes Phil
adelphia aurora, published Septem-
Der 4, 1899, and the Genius of Liberty,
published July II, 1909. In the
same case are two old legal docu-
ments. One, signed by Santa Anr.a.
was captured in the war with Mexi-
co in lS47 the other is an old con-
veyance bearing date 1887, and sign
ed by Patrick Henry. What do
you think of that for caligraphy ~
Patrick Henry had signed the
conveyance in copper-plate hand
resembling the book-keepers hand
of the present day.
Among the portraits which adorn
the walls are those of Washington,
Napoleon, Generals Scott, Sherman,
Sheridan, Hancock, Worth, Gibson
Brown and Atkinson. Visitors are
always made welcome to. the muse
n