Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-29
AN APPOMATTOT RELIC.
4 Supposed Miniature Of Lady Washington
Found On the FielG.
philadelphia Press

4 Supposfd NiIiatur Of LADY Washington
Found ON the Fielc.
philadelphia Press
Marcus A. Root, Of los south Fiji
teenth street, recently returned home
from a visit 10 Upshur county, West
Virginia. lie brought with him the
miniature. on ivory. a cut Of which is
printed. lie believes it to be portrait
Of Mary, the mother Of George Wash
ugton. Whether il be hers or an
Others 5. the manner Of its coming TO
light before the readers Of the Press is
sufficiently remarkable. From the part
Of West Virginia in which Mr.. Root
made his stay was raised during
the war the Tenth regiment, West
Virginia volunteer infantry, for service
II the Union army. Many Of the sur
vivors OF the command now live ii the
same section from which they marched.
Among them is Writ Phillips, the
bugler Of the Third brigade, First indie
pendent division Of the Twenty-fOurth
amy corps. Of which the Tenth West
Virginia formed a part. 1t was the
story throughout the country side that
Bugler Phillips had been lucky enough
to pick up on the farm Of AppOmattox,
on the morning Of Lees surrender, a
portrait Of Mary Washington.
Mr.. Phillips investigated the case,
and brought TO Philadelphia with him
the original Of the cut and this state
meut. addressed 10 Mr.. Root, as TO the
manner in which it was found. The
letter is dated at French Greek. Upshur
county. ". Va. October 3, 1885:
On the morning Of April 9, 1865,
after q forced march Of six days, hay-
ing marched the day previous the sth)
IRON A. NJ. till II 2. NJ, the TweD-
ty-fourth army corps, to which ! be-
longed, was positioned II line Of battle
on al old road running north and south
through a steep OF woods lying west Of
Appomattox Courthouse and Lees
army. Our position was q very. re-
sponsible as well as critical one, being
right across Lees path Of retreat. In
the morning We commenced advancing
through the woods back In the dlrec-
ton Of Lees army. We soon met
the rebel advance, when q sharp
but short engagement took place.
The rebels broke, and retreated
back to the main army, near the Court
house. While passing through this lit
tie belt Of woods Just fought over ]
glanced upon the ground and saw some
thing red, partly covered with the brown
leaves. Picking il up ] saw 1t was
red morocco case, containing inside
q beautiful miniature painting set IN a
gold case. ] took It Immediately TO
our brigade commander, General I. NJ.
Harris, who pronounced It a painting
of Mary Washington. All artists that
have examined II have expressed the
same opinion. Up to this date it has
never been positively identified. never
having been opened. Refusing al offers
for its purchase, sent II home Imme-
diately.
During the two years that II has been
in nv possession II has been copied
frequently by artists aud others desir-
ing far-simile. prize II as a mt
mento of that ever memorable day on
which General Lee surrendered him
self and army to General Grant at APP
pomattox Courthouse. ! was musi-
can Of Company X, Tenth regiment,
West Virginia volunteer infantry.
AT the time found the painting was
brigade bugler for General I. NJ. Har-
ris, commanding Third brigade, First