Bridgeton pioneer., 1886-04-15
NO. 1886
AN INTERESTING LETTER.


Colonel Henry w. Sawyer, of Cape
May county, who was one of the soldiers
condemned to death in Libby Prison
by the rebel authorities, has recently
received a letter from the Confederate
General Robert HI. Tyler, who was one
of the hostages held by the L. s. Gov
ernmentin case Sawyer and Flynn were
executed. The letter is very interest
ing, and will pay perusal:-
HICKORY GROVE PosT OFFICE,
Prince William Co., Va, March %, 1886
My DEAR CAPTAIN;-To-day l re-
ceived letter from my friend, General
w. III. F. Lee, in which he mentioned
having met you, and of your kind at
tentions in making his time pleasant
while at Cape May / have been try
ing to get your address ever since the
war closed. Two years ago when Gen.
Rosecrans and some hundred veterans
were visiting the Bull Run battle fields
| made earnest inquiry about you, and
was told by an officer, that YOU had
died the year before. Judge of my
surprise and pleasure to learn that you
are still living. Our time for CONVEX
sation, after our introduction at City
Point, was SO limited that | could not
ask you several questions that greatly
desired 1st-one of your lieutenants.
who escaped from the Libby by tunnel
visited me at the ''OId Capitol, said he
was an intimate friend of yours, and
that l was held for you, that he wished
to manifest his love for you by any
kindness that he could possibly show
me, that if | needed anything, he
would gladly supply it. did not need
anything. God bless his noble. gener-
Gus soul my heart will ever treasure
his kindness though my treacherous
memory has lost his name. He is quite
Young man of German extraction.
Can you give HE his name? 2nd-Do
you remember showing me letter
written by General Robert E. Lee to
Confederate clergyman, in answer to-
one by said clergyman, written at the
request of Culpepper or Orange Co..
who were anxious to have you saved
from the threatened execution on ac-
count of your kindness to them, while
occupying that country? Could you
send me copy of it? If not, could you
give me your recollections of it? oh,
Captain. that was a dread ordeal
through which we passed. 1t is so
impressed upon me, that cold chills
creep over me- while recall it. | have
thought of YOU thousands of times. in
connection with it, AS soon as /
reached Richmond went to the Libby
and inquired for the cell, in which.
Flynn and yourself We're placed. ]
could enter fully into your mental suf-
ferings while there.
Your manly. soldierly letter that you
wrote your wife while expecting early
IL. Il
ington papers. Oh, how fully my heart
re-echoed every sentiment you eX-
pressed, for | too had young wife. to
whom Ihad been married a few months
When you read of the battle of Manas
sas, you see the Chinn house mentioned.
There is where l entered on the pleas
ures of Loves young dream" | mar
ried daughter of that gentleman, Mr..
Chinn. She can sympathize and enter
into the feelings of your wife on re-
ceiving that letter. Would you give
me copy of it? / would preserve it
among my family archives. have for
a long time been thinking of writing an
article on circumstances of the threat
ened retaliation. NY memory is so
dimmed by the lapse of years. that am
almost afraid to ''go it alone" Would
you join me in an article narrating the
affair? | think it would be interesting
to the soldiers of both sides. General
Lee mentioned in his letter "Elynn Is
dead" l suppose he got this informa-
ton from you. How long has he been
dead? | had some hard campaigning
and fighting after l was exchanged.
Followed Lee in his last retreat
Fought my last battle at Sailors
Creek in Nottaway county on April
9th, '65, where Picketts whole division
were surrounded and captured. My
regiment. Sth Va, Inf, numbered only
90in the ten companies. We had fought
the whole war through together, and l
tell you .'the iron entered my soul
when | had to surrender them. |
surrendered in good faith and | will
stand by the ''Old Flag, the red, white
and blue, as devotedly as we followed
that of 1.-The Lost Cause which will
never be unfurled. | am now an old
farmer with sons and daughters.
Do write to me soon.
Yours truly,
ROBERT H. TYLER.