Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-06-20
INTERESTING AND CURIOUS
WAR RELICS.

Probably many people in town are not
aware that member of Post Sedgwick
has fine collection of war curiosities.
They are very valuable from the cir.
cumstances connected with them, which
are quite peculiar. While in the last war
he was confined in Libby, Tuscaloosa and
Salisbury prisons, for ten months and four
teen days altogether. During that time
he occupied himself in carving various lit
tie knick- knacks, such as rings, baskets
and books. out Of bone. The only tools
with which he worked were knife Of the
best of steel, and brick. The knife,
which he still possesses, has two blades,
and when opened measures eight inches
from end to end. The rougher work,
such as cutting the bone into shape, he
performed with the larger blade, while
the finer work, such as ornamenting and
filligreeing, was done with the smaller
blade, which is worn down from three in.
ohes in length and quarter of an inch in
breadth, to one and one-half inches in
length and one-eight of an inch in width.
When the knife became pull he sharp
ened it on the brick. He also used the
brick in polishing the articles, which shine
as if polished by jeweller. These curl
osities consist of ten rings, one made cut
Of peachstone, one out of piece OF the
leg bone Of q rebel, and the remaining
eight out of pieces of beef bone. These
are made to represent seal rings, one hav-
ing shield with raised eagle for the
seal, the eagle being copied from TWEEN
ty dollar gold piece. The seals of the 9TH
er two are engraved, one engraving rep
resentins rose, the other boat and man.
The cuttings Of the engraviugs are fill
ed in with red, black and green sealing
wax, according as the case might require.
the wax having been obtained from the
rebel officers Of the prison in exchange
for other articles which were made The
remaining ring, have fancy work on them,
on one the name Abby. another Frank
and another Albert, all raised.
There are also three large studs made
in the shape of shields, with the stars and
stripes raised on the outer surfaces, and
three little books, two of bone and one of
piece of wood from the tree under which
Lee surrendered. The most difficult of
all are three delicate baskets, with fill
gree and raised work, such as wreathes
of flowers and vines, also, similar designs
cut in and filed in with sealing wax.
The handles of the baskets are fastened
on with bent pins, and the bottoms are
fastened to the sides by means of grooves.
The gentleman says that il took near
ly two months to make one Of the bask-
cts alone, as the handles, which contain
much work, would snap in pieces before
completed. We have seen many curios-
tiles made by the Chinese and Siamese,
and these certainly are equal to them.
1t should be remembered that they
were made by prisoner weakened by
starvation and mal-treatment. The work
also had often to be concealed, as the
guards took all instruments away from
prisoners whenever they could find them.
Considering all these facts, the interest
for these articles increases. He has had
many solicitations to lend this collection
to other Ct. A. r. Posts for exhibition at
their fairs. They are now placed in a
neat frame or case with glass cover.
The wooden book was not made by
the gentleman in question, but obtained
from another prisoner by exchange, at or
after the close of the war