Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-12-29
After Long Years.
AN OLD SOLDIER HEARS FROM A FORME
COMRADE IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

1LuWlA CdLuCS Wdn q LClIioCI VI wv VI
Seventh Louisiana regiment, Hays brigade,
that did good service in Virginia during the
late unpleasantness. he was captured or
the memorable 18th of May, 1864, and TAX.
en- to Point Lookout. When that institu-
ton became crowded he was sent with 9TH
ers to Elmira prison, New York, where he
remained but few weeks, when he made
his escape by scaling the high fence of the
prison enclosure. As soon as he gained the
outside of the prison an alarm was given
by one of the sentinels firing in the direc.
ton in which he was. A large ditch OF
canal surrounding the prison on the out
side had to be crossed; but before he reached
it the alarm became general, and he was
forced to remain in the water with his
mouth barely above the surface for nearly
two hours, while the guards were passing
up and down, back and forth with lanterns
and torches, AS soon as quiet was restored
he started, he knew not whittier; but after
hiding mostly by day and travelling by
night, he reached Sunbury, Pa, aud being
skilled machinist, he soon found employ
ment in one Of the machine shops of the
place, where he remained for over two
months. During all this time he had the
flag of his regiment in his possession, hav.
ing taken it off the flagstaff the morning he
was captured. He concealed it around his
body until he reached SUnbury where be
md il in the mattress On which he siSpt. il!
starting iol Dixie, be again eoncea ed it en-
has person as before, ana aftsr some weeks
of toilsome wandering through the noun
5sr. as ~ I ennsylyania, Maryland and est
reached The camp Of the regi-
!. nf ~ ,shers Hill, nsar 5tras5nrg,
a4ra he pl es i.s Tag 70 cor cry,
then 10 command OF the brigade iie was
granted afdrlough of sixty days anu during
this tirGe the brigade went 60 Petersburg,
while James joined McNeilrs company cf
partisan rangers, then operating west of
the North Mountain in Hardy and other
counties. He was one of the party of this
command that made the raid into Cumber-
land, Md, capturing Generals Kelly and
Crook, bringing them through the lines of
the Federal army and taking them ''on to
Richmond" by different route from the
one taken by Gen. Mcdowell in '61.
The writer of this saw him for the last
time as he passed Waynesboro' On his re-
turn to the Valley after esoorting the two
generals to Libby Prison.
During a recent visit to New Orleans
accidently heard of his whereabouts from
Capt. Sam Flowers, the captain Of his COM
pany. On my return I wrote him postal
card, and in answer to it he writes from
Sanaja, Alta Vera Paz, Guatemala, Cen
tral America, as follows:
MY DEAR SIR: Yesterday I received your
postal card, and can assure you | was
agreeably surprised. remember you very
well, and am most happy to hear from any
of my old comrades and feel deeply inter
ested in their welfare. | remained at Win
chester three months after the surrender,
being unable to travel on account of my
wounds l arrived in New Orleans in Au-
gust and found the city full of strangers
every ybody ruined-no business, and found
myself stranger in my native place. AT
ter remaining year I turned my face
South and rendezvOued in Mexico for two
years, and then came to this country, where
/ have been about fifteen years, working
hard to retrieve my fortune. l have been
fairly successful. was U. s. Consul fol
five years, and since then have been Chief
Engineer of Public Works. Imade money
and invested it in the coffee plantation
business. Am still working hard and now
export about two thousand sacks of coffee
per year, valued at about forty Thousand
dollars, but my expenses are heavy, as
keep about one hundred men (Indians) en-
ployed the whole year. This is delight
| full climate, and I prefer to live here in the
mountains of Central America than to live
in New Orleans as it was when left it.
| Well. my dear Dick, how are you? Ano
how die you happen to remain in Virginia.
Poor old Virginia! How she suffered! love
Virginia as dearly as do any of her sons
| have fought and shed my blood on hel
soil, and do not regret It. When I was {
poor, wounded, homeless, and ragged Rebe
l was kindly cared for by her good people
and am anxious TO revisit the scenes of ou1
struggle for independence, and am just th'
same as when you and I were marching
with Jackson up and down the valley from
Staunton to Winchester. Oh, would lil
to ride down the Valley once more, ant
may do so yet. I would like very much t.
hear from the people who were kind to m
in Virginia, particularly the family of MI
Merritt Maupin, of White Hall, and tn
Wood family, of Mechum's River. l thin
they have some relatives in your town.
have lingering affection for these peopl
that prompts me to inquire for then
Well, the boys are fast passing away.
little while there will be none of us lef
Il presume one of the fair daughters {
) Virginia induced you to remain. Perhar
it is as we'll; it is delightful to live anon
such good people and in such a nice pac'
If ! live till 1888, will revisit the old ba
tlefields and nay kind friends that may
spared till then. Please remember me
I2y friends. l would be happy to he;
from any of them.
: ! must that you may be happy and pro
) porous, and believe me your friend al
conIaoe, EDWIN JAMES.
*x*