Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-05
THE H1sron1oA1 socIrrY.
An Interesting Relic of the War Com
mitted to the SOcIety's Keeping.

An Interesting Relic of the War Com
mitted to the SOciety's Keeping.
The regular monthly meeting Of the
Georgia Historical Society was held last
night at Hodgson Hall, with Vice PresI-
dent r. j. Larcombe, Esq, presiding.
NJ, NJ. Hopkins was elected a resident
member OF the society.
Mr.. j. Fletcher Williams, the cores
ponding secretary of the Minnesota His
torical Society at St. Paul, and Hon.
Amos Perry, corresponding secretary and
librarian of the Rhode Island Historical
Society, were elected corresponding menu
bers.
The library committee submitted its re-
port recommending the purchase OF the
following books tor May:
Dictionary Of English History, by j. Low
and +. =. Pulling.
Sketches in Holland and Scandinavia, by
A j. C. Hare.
Beers Life Of n p. Willis. american
Men Of Letters" series.
HOsmer's Life of Samuel Adams. "Ameri-
can Statesmen" series.
Across the Chasm; q novel.
Stories by American Authors, vols. and 10.
Lady irker's Letters to Guy descriptive
OF Life in Western Australia).
Rosyn's Fortune. by Christian Reid.
Marjorie DaW and Other People, by I. 3.
AldrIch.
The Secretary read a letter from Mr..
John B. Fernandez, rendering the society
neatly framed letter written by Gen.
Lee April 30, 1870, in which he acknOwl-
edged the receipt of certificate of his
election as an honorary member of the
Metropolitan Steam Fire Engine company
of Savannah. The gift was accepted
with the thanks of the society.
A. G. Guerard, President Of the Savan-
nah Gas Light company, presented the
society with bound volumes of three news
papers, consisting of the Geordi0p for the
year 1851, the Savannah ReDubticaB for
the year 1851, and the Savannah MORN
ING NEWS for the years 1851 and 1852.
The gift was accepted with the thanks of
the society.
The Librarian reported that Mr.. A.
Nee. Duncan had presented the society
with twenty volumes of miscellaneous
works. The Secretary of the society was
instructed to acknowledge the receipt of
the gift and to return the thanks of the
society to the donor. The Librarian also
stated that the portrait of Gen. Ogle-
thorpe, which had been presented to the
society at former meeting, had arrived
and had been hung in the library. The
picture is life size oil painting, inclOsed
by ma ssive gilt frame.
A communication was received from
Capt. NJ. p. Usina, presenting a letter
found by him floating in bottle off the
Battery at Charleston, in November, 1868
he floating missive was evidently writ
ten by spy, with the intention of con-
Veying information to the Federal troops
on Morris island, but was drifted back by
the tide towards Charleston. The fugi-
tive epistle reads as follows:
CHARLESTON. Vow .. 1862.
My DEAR's FRIENDS ON MORRIS ISLAND
wish TO let you know that YOU have nothing
to fear from the submarine battery that
was to blow up the IrOnsides. is nearly two
weeks at the bottom. with eight souls in her,
never more to rise. You have nothing to fear
Ter now, as every one thought they were
going to do the work allotted 10 them. There
is at present in Fart Sumter 500 troops with
200 negroes for working parties IN the fort at
present. The keOkuk gun that "a on Fort
Sumter, you broke off one Of her trunnions.
She has been fixed at Eason's foundry.
and put on the water battery with two 10
inch COlumbiads. The big gun is going to be
mounted on Fraizer's wharf. if they get time
to make 1t lthe battery. | think she is quite
as harmless as COW without horns. She can
not throw ball two miles. What is on the
rest of the battery is al l0-inCh. There is
most powerful bomb proof n sumter covered
with railroad iron. There is 1O-inchPs
mounted on Sullivan's Island side OF the fort.
However, the railroad iron did not save them
in the fort You buried il in one vile on
Saturday, 3lst of last month. The killed and
wounded average from 10 to 10 per diem.
You must strive very hard to keep off
Charleston have small boats going there every
night Old JET is in town, Can't you throw
few shells in to greet him on his visit The
last shells you threw IN the city tell in the
Union bank of Char eston. S. c.. on Broad
street. If yOu be right smart you can have
Fort sumter in less than 30 days. The night
work is the whole matter. They are going TO
renew the fort with fresh troops if possible
very soon; so keep sharp lookout and bag
them. There is a planter here that will give
5000 to anyone that will tai of his negroes
out Of the fort. No more at present. I'm.
yours truly, U. S.
The letter was accepted and the thanks
of the society voted to Capt. UsIna.
Mr.. Harden also stated that Capt. L. J.
Dawson had presented the society a steel
engraving representing "His Excellency
Gen. James Jackson" The picture was
found in some Rubbish at Mr.. FINDERS
place on Wilmington island. Gen. jack
son WAS one of the earlier Governors of
Georgia. and the likeness is apparently a
good one, the picture being we'll pre-
served. The present was accepted with
thanks. after which the meeting adj
iOurnQd-