The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-09-10
CAPT. WATTS SWORD.
Interesting and Beautiful Exercis-
eS Attending It's Return by Its
CaptOr of Twenty-Five
Years Ago.
Meridian News.

Capt. S. B. Watts WAS taken
prisoner AT the battle of Franklin,
November 80, 1864, and surrender
ed his sword to Capt. j. NJ. Knapp,
of the 10th Ohio Infantry, who
promised to return it il he should
survive at the close of che war. 4
combination OF circumstances kept
the whereabouts OF the sword an
known until September last. MIR.
Jesse Kemper, of New Gordon,
Ohio, remembering the incident of
the capture of the young "rebel
officer addressed a letter of inQni-
ry 10 the postmaster at NatChpz.
The letter was referred to Mr.. Pax
ton, OF Vickshurg, who turned it
over to Capt. w. &. Paxton, who il
seems knew Capt. Watts, and he
forwarded it to Meridian.
Capt. Watts then opened cores
pOndence with Mr.. Kemper, who in
formed him that Captain Knapp
was a resident OF MasSiilon, Ohio,
who would take great pleasure in
returning the sword. A few weeks
ago he received Il letter from Capt.
Knapp, giving him cordial invita-
ton to attend the reunion OF the
104th OHIO at Myers Lake, near
Canton, Ohio, and expressed a spe.
cial desire to return the sword in
person. Capt. Watts, at the earn
est solicitation of his many friends
accepted this generous aud polite
and comes back with his
heart overfOwing with gratitude,
and says language is lnadeq TO
do Justice TO the hospitality, courte-
Sy aud exhibition OF frateinal feel
ings manifested towards him dur
lug bis visit. AS we said in the
outset we regret we camot give a
full description of the greetings
given Capt. Watts by the beautiful
'daughters Of veteranS,' who met
him on the streets eR miiitdue aud |
so overpOweled him by their jaunty
caps, aud beautiful aud graceful !
personnel, that he ut once "surren-
dered at their discretion" Neither
have We space to describe the camp
scene-the warm greetings of the
soldiers and citIZenS-and withal |
the eloquent aud patriotic address I
Of Captain A. j. Kicks, whirh fol-
lowed the graceful presentation of
he sword by Miss Hattie Knapp,
who said 10 Captain Watts:
'Captain Watts: On November
30, 1886, will be the twenty second
anniversary of the battle of Frank
in, the battlein which you surrender
ID your sword TO Capt. Knapp. You
the works had been taken
marched bravely to the forts; but
Iping mistake you were compelled
o surrender. No bad feeling exist
ng, the favor was asked if at the
lose of the war your sword be
eturned, providing both OF your
ives were saved. l now have the
pleasure of returning to you your
word promised to you nearly twen
y-two years ago."
We cannot forbear, however, Civ
ng the closing remarks OF Captain
Kicks which will meet with respon-
i've thrill in the hearts of every
Southern and American, whether {
hat heart beats in the ice-bound
egiOns of the remOtest north or
nder the sunny skies beside the 1
Iexican Gulf. He said, referring J
D Captain Knapp:
ale has asked me in his behalf ]
D return this swOrd-so worthlly {
Orne by gallant foe, and so hon s
rably lost in what was, literally, |
lmOst the last ditch of the war in s
be west. YOu won the right to I
sclaim it because ofyour gallantry s
q the field when it was fairly lost y
nd won.
Take it as a gift of brave Union I
1ldier aud keep it as a new evi- '
ence of the tact that forever here :
tier, as always heretofore, the {
rave soldiers Ofthe North will bear, '
5 they have borne, respect aud a
o0d will for those of the brave I
)ldierS Of the South wlo have [