Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-12-21
The Mount Vernon Silver.

Mr.. Henry G. Hallowel!, formerly of thi:
city, but now Of Sandy Spring, Nd, has
written the following letter:
In the momentous occurrences of wer
there are often striking events of q minor
nature that when discovered by the future
historian, serve to give Us personal inter.
est III tho times and ailord relief from the
description Of battles and tales of terror and
suffering. If not authenticated, however.
they become so dimmed by tradition as to
De valueless. Accurate versions are proper
tionately valuable. One has been given to
me by an actor, and as it relates to what
"ouIa DO OF almost universal interest,
SEND II TO your paper for preservation |
heard it from his lips on a beautiful sum.
mer afternoon on the spot where the events
occurred. The Blue Ridge" seemed SUM
berlng in the hazy distance, the peaceful
valley stretched in "pensive quietness be-
tween" as if hurting shell and screaming
bell had never disturbed their harmony
My hosts place was one Of the historic fin
II y homes CT Virginia, where ''peace and
plenty" and warm hearted hospitality had
relgned, soon to be replaced by the trnmp
Ing of horses and clanking of sabres the
lawn was to know darker hue than that oe
the grass charred timber gave evidence
that the "livid glare of war" had flashed on
tangled shrubbery and desolatel fields,
La the opening days Of the war (lS5D
John Augustine Washington was living in
Fauquier county. He was the former pro.
prietor of Mount Vernon and heir TO the
family plate. Having limited means and
oppressed by the care and expense entaile6
upon him as owner of Mount Vernon, with
the constant stream of visitors and the con.
stant claims upon his hospitality, he lispos
ed of the place to tho Ladies' Mt. Vernon
Association. which has since kept house
and grounds in repair and thrown them
open to the public. mir Washington enter
ed the service Of the confederacv and the
oVerseer in charge of bis affairs became ye1y
uneasy about the historic silver under his
care, as union troops were already ia the vi
clnlty. he wrote to my friend, who, he
knew. haa been appointed executor of his
MIR. Washingtons) will in case of death
that be could no longer have charge of #
he was told TO serd it to Kinloch
the residence of my friend. and in
a few days an OK cart arrived laden
with the precious articles packed in
large box. The anxious question that
then presented itself was what to do with it
La the middle of the night the host and his
son. unknown to any living being, arose and
removing the silver from the box, put il in
i've guano sacks. With considerable Difficult.
ty they then managed to get it I'D into q
pigeon loft over tool house Several feet
squarel in the large old fashioned garden.
some distance from the dwelling, embower.
ed IN oVerhanging trees. Next thew filed
the box again with corn cobs from the sta.
BILE, packing them in tightly and mailing the
ild on. Next morning they sent the bor
back to Waveland, from whence II came
with message that the silver would not he
safe at kinloch, AS soldiers were CANNED
near by. Father and son alone knew of the
deception and of the hiding place. The
servants were told that the pigeons from
that cote were to be kept for breeding mr.. !
poses and that those from another Mace
must be used when needed There. during
the tour long years of civil strife. did + !
quietly rest. Troops bivouaced around il !
soldiers and stragglers ransacked the bonse !
and premises the barn was burned skir.
mishes occurred almost to the yerv base Of
the building, yet was its slumber never dis |
turoed. 1t CHANGED that after leaving Ar !
llngton the wife and family of Gen. Robert
T. Lee resided for time with my host, who
was cousin, and it was conjectured that
papers might have been left behind thai
would be of value to the government. In