The Portland daily press., 1889-02-07
STRANGE STORY OF a sIsLE.
Lost on the Battlefield and Found
Pinned to a Tree In Nevada.
ATaIe Of Interest to Maine Veterans.

Captain Thomas Clark of the Adjutant
Generals Office at Augusta, is veteran Of
the old Eleventh Maine regiment, and with
his regiment participated in the battle Of
Fair Oaks in Virginia. That day the Union
forces of Negley's brigade of Casey's divis-
ion, to which the Eleventh Maine belonged
were driven back by overwhelming numbers,
and their knapsacks and camp equipage fell
into the hands of the Rebels. The Sixth
New Hampshire was also brigaded with the
Eleventh Maine. There was in that baggage
one particular Bible, the fortunes of which
are told in the following story from the San
Francisco Chronicle, which has been sent to
Captain Clark:
On the morning Of Sunday, April 3, 1887. a
number of boys belonging TO the most pros
| porous town of Nevada county wandered off
on Purchasing trip, and walked down
| the line of the narrow-gauge road, which
| runs by the town. In their play they ran
into a. clump of bushes, in the centre of
which stood pine tree, and there twas that
they saw the two objects, the finding of which
has ever since set Grass Valley wondering.
Fastened to the trunk of the tree by a
large and heavy b0wie-knife, which ran
through Its back at the middle, was a small
and well-preserved Bible, bound in leather
outward, the holy text being forced by the
knife against the bark of the lofty pine, was
small piece of yellow paper, on which some
writing could be seen. The lads stared for a
few minutes at the book and dagger, so sim
gularly placed, before they mustered sufficient
courage to approach the pine, so strangely
marked, and then it was several more mo-
ments before the largest of them, urged on
by his companions, placed his hand upon the
hilt Of the heavy bowie and pulled il from
the tree.
The knife is heavy. old fashioned weapon
with broad blade about six inches long
which Is heavily backed and terminates in a
demonstrating point. The hilt is of bone, and
the guard and top piece are heavily mount.
ed In silver On the mountings of the guard
are yet to be seen remnants of an inscrip-
ton which evidently had read Liberty and
Union" The guard is broken, and the knife
shows signs OF having had very hard usage.
mat the knife was one intended for use and
not for show, is shown by the small, strong
guard, which ends the blade The old-timers
always had small guards on their weapons,
that style of blade being more easily hand
led than one with broad quad.
Inc Bible, which, though old, is well pre-
served, isa small pocket edition of the King
James version, printed in pearl type. 1t was
published at London in 1871. 1t is bound in
morocco, the cover having tapping edges,
and the words Holy Bible" in golden letters
are stamped upon its face. The rusty blade
.ou POhc.i aeCu ~ Iuot UpposlJt Tue Title OF
the ninetieth psalm. At the top of the page
Is the line announcing the subject treated of
in the column below which is: The frailty
of human life" Just above the cut made in
the binding by the bowie are the following
verses OF the eighty-ninth psalm:
AZ. Thou hast set up the right hand of His ad-
versaries; thou hast made all His enemies to re.
joice
43. Thou hast also turned the edge of His
sword and hast not made Him to stand in the bat
tie.
Al, Thouh hast made His glory to cease and
cast His throne upon the ground.
49, The days OF His youth thou hast shortened:
thou hast covered Him with shame. Selah
On the fiy-leaf of the Bible is written in
lady's hand: