Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-01-01
A NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WAR.
Trophies of American History aud
Relies Of Ancient VaIOr.
New York Tribune.

ly strikes the eye of the visitor as he
lands at Governors island is the
Clock Tower buildisg, IN which the
| Military Service institution has its
Museum. La this building are collect
ed 115 curiosities, all connected with
the history and art of war or some
great general who filled the world
with the splendid tumult OF his
deeds There are the swords OF
crusaders that have flashed back the
suns of Palestine and Scottish clay
mores; that were drawn IN the cause
Prince Charlie. Swords of Chinese
mandarins and japanese princes, old
pieces of ordnance that date back to
the infant days OF gunpowder, and
battle flags that have waved over sea
and land In hundred battles of the
republic, are arranged in the upper
and lower halls of the building. In
the center of the lower hall is Win
chester, Sherdan's OLD war horse,
dead aud gone through the hands OF a
taxidermist Ii was this horse, then
called Rienzi, that
brought Sheridan all the way
From Winchester down TO save the day.
AT one end of the upper hall is the
card table OF Washington, at which
the father of his country used to have
his quiet rubbers at Mount Vernon. II
is of carved mahogany, and on the
red baize covered top are square places
of polished mahogany on which to lay
the cards and oval ones to hold the
winnings In an alcove is the camp
bed OF the Mexican Gen. La Vega
This bed was captured along with the
general by the ID dragons. when
they swept across the plains of Resaca
de "a Palma, on May 6, 1919. Gen.
La Vega was not in the bed when he
and it was captured, but was fighting
gallantly at the head of his troops
The unfortunate generals spurs also
grace the museum.
Another relic OF the Mexican war is
an artillery battle flag Of scarlet on
which is inscribed, Bath. Aeto de
Lagos 1t was captured by a soldier
( of the 81 artillery at the storming of
Cherubusco.
There is a Corean flag of yellow
serge hanging on the walls IN one
place. On it a winged tiger is EN-
broidered in colors. 1t was captured
by Corporal Vopel of the marine
corps, ia 1871, when the marines and
blue jackets from the American feet
took by assault the Coreau fort which
had fired upon them. The flag be
longed to a picked body OF Coreans
from the interior called the Tiger
Hunters"
One interesting relic is a piece of
the flag that h0ated over Fort Sumter
when it was bombarded by the rebel
batteries in 1861. TWAS this flag that
Mai Anderson was finally obliged to
to haul down, and which he took with
him when he marched out of Sumter
with drums beating and colors flying.
| There are also some captured rebel
flags, tora with shot and shell, that
were carried ia the Mexican war and
the war for the preservation of the
union
In specimens Of cannon and small
arms the museum is particularly rich.
Some ancient and deliberately orna-
mented cannon aro relies of the war
with Mexico. in which they We're
| captured. There are some English
and French mortars and field guns of
! the eighteenth century, and American
guns of the same date. There is
| Spanish wall-piece, mounted on
| heavy musket stock. 1t weighs nine
! five pounds and was one Of the dogs
1 of war which Cortez let slip upon the
| terrified Aztecs when he overthrow
| the empire of the MoAtezumas
| Among the interesting swords is the
quarter deck sword of Commodore
| Decatur which that gallant officer
wore in all the engagements in the
Mediterranean ia which he tanned the
pride of the Barbary pirates The
other swords are an East Indian cut
lass which formerly belonged to Jung
Bahadur, prince of Nepaul, a crusa
der's sword on the blade of which is
Inscribed "-ior Adjvtorivm -Devs
Mevm," and a claymore of the clan
Stuart. There are also some beautiful
Albanian, Persian, and East Indian
swords with hits heavy with carved
ivory, and silver blades beautiful with
| Damascene work.
Among the recent additions to the
museum is the Greedy Arctic flag 1t
was for four years in the Arctic
| regions ana < 81 blte LdE W ulCu l1ltuL
Lockwood unfurled at the point near
est the pole reached by man. Among
the other relics Of the Greedy expedit
ion are pieces Of sealskin clothing
issued for food IN the last days of the
party's terrible suffering at Cape
1 Sabine.
Ia the museum is fine collection
of ancient military works published
ia different countries. One IS called
IAN Arrangement of English Mill
tary Discipline, printed in 1856 One
series of orders reads as follows
Dragons have care (at which
time they pull off their right-hand
gloves and place them under their
! girdles). Lay your right hand to
your musket-Poise your musket-
Rest your musBet-Cock and guard
-Present-Fir " Another interest
ing book is the Science of Artillery,
Concerning Cannon, Guns, Saltpetre,
Fireworks. How They Should be
| Maoooad. What II ie NeoAsxarv for a