The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-16
THE STORY OF NATHAN corr.
A War Romance In Which Member of Con-
gress Figured

SresS Ftgureu.
New York Letter in Philadelphia Times
The papers tell me that down in West Vir-
ginia an old man with a singular history bRa5
just died He was what may be called the - -
OF powerful family that dwells down in what
IS known as the Bluegrass region OF the
Mountain State" Uncle Nathan Golf was a
hero. and stood by the Union when it was
mighty hard work to hold on He was rich for
MS section, and ninetenths of the men in his
position were secessionists. Yet he remained
Steaofast, and his son went into the Union army.
saw the boy. now grown to mans estate
broadway only few days since. He is a mem
Der OF Congress, and was for short time Secre-
tary of the Navy with Mr. Hayes. But it is not
a ms poiielcai ga. career or his wealth that the
Or course this taking off adds
half million or more to his already
large fortune and makes him one of the wealth
lest men In West Virginia There is romance in
his life more Interesting than all this He went
into the army before he was twenty, and in a
fight in Hardy county, in his native State, was
captured and sent prisoner to Richmond Very
soon after his Imprisonment Major Armsby, who
was confederate and lived in the adjoining
county to that in which his parents dwet, was
arrested as spy. He was tried by court j.
martial and sentenced to be shot. The fact being
transmitted to the confederate government,
they threw young Nathan Golf into prison and
notified him that his life would be taken when
Major Armsby was executed. The same pleas
ing intelligence was sent to the government at
Washington and to his rich and powerful rela-
tives.
prison, in the shadow of death. Delay became
monotonous. His influential relatives in the
North sought to his life by saving that of
the confederate spy While they were moving
in his behalf the youthful federal soldier wrote
letter, which is now on file in the War Depart
ment. in which he demanded that the govern
ment should not hesitate in its duty to the spy
on account of any sympathy for him. "A gov
aV.fh oc ,,r~A& -
even to save the life of an innocent citizen, he
wrote 1t was manly letter, and no doubt in
duced the ion-hearted Stanton to agree to ex-
change young Golf for the confederate who had
been convicted and sentenced to death.
AT last the exchange made and they
turned to their commands year later the
confederate was recaptured and brought as a
prisoner OF war into the town where the federal
soldier lived who had been held hostage for
him. When this fact was discovered the people
were incensed, and a mob prepared to lynch the
captured soldier. Twenty-six miles away the
man who was linked to MIN by such peculiar cir
cumstances was commanding his regiment AS
they were dragging the prisoner through the
streets to convenient place of execution the
federal officer arrived on visit to his family.
He inquire the cause of the connection and it
was told him. He pushed his way through the
excited crowd, and laying his hand upon the
head of the confederate, said: "Let no friend of
mine lay violent hands upon this man. He did
soldiers duty, and is entitled to the protection
that soldier will give him."
Thus his life was saved by the very man who
had suffered so much that he might live The
war closed and both men went back to their
homes, and now reside in adjoining counties
The federal soldier grew into his State and the
national life, and now sits in Congress- while the
confederate plods along in the ordinary walks
of life. The episode made young Nathan Golf
brigadier-general before he was twenty-five
years of age, and paved the way for his higher
advancement. He was the youngest Cabinet
officer except Alexander Hamilton, in our his
tory. He looks almost like a boy yet. despite
the mighty events of which he has been part.