The National tribune., 1889-02-07
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
Relics Of the Rebellion and other Wars.


into the Rclic-room. The light in both these
rooms is not as good as We wish, bnt u IS the
best that can be done and on dark, cloudy
days you have TO look pretty close at some
things.
Ia CHANGING around you can see that We are
not confined 10 war relics. Here on the right
as yOu enter the door is the desk used by the
first Governor Of the State Of Ohio, and as the
Visitors Register lies open before you on the
desk, We ask everybody 10 register. but you
can do as you wish about it,
We utilize the top OF the desk, and here we
have headboard that stood Tor p years At the
head of grave in a lonely spot called The
Burrows, In Burkley Co, 5. c. The board is
neatly carved. with pocket-knife and is of
cedar wood. Ii is curved, or round, at the top,
with the stars and Stripes encircied by scrolls,
and below reads as follows: " J w Johnston,
lst Sergeant, Co. c, 1st Q. V. c. Died July Z,
1850. Some kind friend wrote TIE NATIONAL
IRIBUSE about this lonely grave, and Maj.
chaplin, Isl Ohio Cav, seeing il, wrote TO the
authorities at Washington, asking if the re-
mains Of Comrade Johnston could be removed
70 one Of the National Cemeteries. No word
IN reply came for about month Then the
letter stated that Comrade Johnston's remains
bad been removed 10 the Cemetery at Florence,
;. c. and the headboard was subject 10 his
orders. lie wrote Tor it to be sent here. And
acre il ETil remain safe SIS long as we have
Relic-room.
The frame that stands by the headboard con-
tains letter written by Gen. John Il Morgan,
{. ;. A.. for John Null, private, Co II, 120th
Ohio who was one Of the guards over the Gen
eral before his escape. The letter is addressed
20 Any Confederate officer or soldier who
may at any time during thiS var capture
John Null, viii confer a favor z by
treating him in the kindest manner"
Ii is dateQ Columbus O.. Sept. p, 1868. We do
not know that Comrade Null had any use FOR
It. only at this late day as a relic. This piece
of wood pine was cut at the summit Of Look
out Mountain, a;id, as you see, has a large frag-
ment-oi shell imbedded in it. Which side il
was thrown from we do not know.
hanging above the desk, on the wall, is one
Of the Spencer repeating carbines, and above
that Ne old blanderbnss with its bell muz-
zle What did they sho3t out OF it? That 1
am unable 20 say, unless il was sugs, little
stones, or something of that kind. Such guns
as these were brought to this country by the
Pnritans and the first settlers. Ii las as you
see the old tiiut-lOck
Above this you see one Of the flags that were
taken od the courthouse at Jackson. Miss. We
have no history as to who captured it or at
what time i was taken. 1t has three stripes,
blue field aud y stars.
AOT We come 10 the long row Of upright
cases, y feet high. On this shelf, or bottom of
the case. we end all kind Of war relics in the
way Of helt-plates Of officers and privates.
cartridges, grspush0t cauistershot, gunners'
thumb-stalls, friction primers, primer-wires,
lany=ris. cannon sights, and mHsket-balls fat
tened aai by striking something hard: a small
copper shell rebel from Missionary Ridge; a
c. ;. A. belt-plate, cedar canteen, fragments of
shells, and large wooden pipe, made IN Libby
Prison.
Hanging on the wall above these are a pair
Of old horse-pistols ,I847), with holsters: a
knife carried during the Revolutionary war, a
cap-box and belt taken from a dead rebel at
the battle Of Kingston \ c.. and afterward
worn by ;. NJ. Langdon, 147th Ohio, his own
being about played out The belt was soaked
with blood when he got il, but you cannot see
any signs OF IL now. Here is q photo Sx10 of
Libby Prison, taken IN 1863 Yes the old
building looks familiar as we all saw it. A
PAIR Of spurs taken from one of Mosby's guer-
rilas at Hanover Courthouse, Va, BY J. II.
M0lu, 10Th y. y Cav; cavalry hOrse-bit, such
as was used during the war And here is a
bHcket-baIi that has quite a history. II was
made OF a ramrod used by Josiah Pool at the
battle Of Bunker Hill June Il. Tvs. After his
death ISIS his grandson converted It into the
bail, and SO used il until il was presented by
him, at the age Of 65, TO the State Feb. g. 1860.
This little Tag was made for g rebel flag. but
i has too many stripes. 1t was picked up or
captured by d. Flowers, 59th Ohio, on the
Chattanooga campaign.
The large flag above has the greatest history
Of any we have in the room, but space will not
permitme 70 give it in full at this time. Those
dark spots are blood stains. which gives If the
name Of the " Blood Stained Flag" Itbelouped
70 the 9Th Tex and was captured BY Orion B.
Gould 9th Ohio, atthe battle Of Corinth. The
printed history is from the letter sent TO Coy
Todd by the Colonel Of the regiment with the
flag. This is what was known as their battle
flag; it has red ground with blue cross-bars.
and u stars.
This flag to the left belonged to the 1st and
4th Fla. and was captured by the I74th Ohio
at MurfreesbOro, Tenn, Dec. Z, 1864 This one
has three stripes, light red field crossed with
blue bars the stars painted on the blue III Is
made Of bunting, and much faded and ragged
In conversation with an eX-Confederate SOL
der who visited the rooms, he stated that their
army had about one flag to each 10 regiments
When asked the reason, he said that they did
not have the material 70 make them and that
which they did have, they left for the women
TO make dresses" At times we thought there
were about 10 flags 70 each regiment, they were
displayed 50 coDspicuously.
The next section OF the case contains swords
knives, spear-heads, two canteens and a bugle.
One OF the canteens was taken off dead rebel
after the battle Of Shiloh, and the other was
made by the Confederate Government and ie
somewhat different from the ones We used. If
is q inches IN circumference, seven inches
IN diameter, and two inches deep at the edoe.
while ours We're two pieces of tin, pressed bowl
shape, with edges soldered together Nearly
all these swords were captured at Fort Donei
son Feb. l6, 1862. There are no two alike. and
some Of them are very fine, especially those
narrow blades. which we have no doubt ,Vere
st one time used as dress swords when II was
fashionable TO wear them with knee-breecbes
wig and queue. Some Of them are very finely
embclbshed, and were, perhaps, heirlooms bnt
were brought out IN the late war because no
Others were 10 be had. Here are two that were
made by their Government They are long.
straight blades. and very stiff, and have tie
appearance Of having been made in a black
smith shop. The scabbard is made of two
pieces OF pine wood; one side Of each niece is
made hollow and the two fastened with little
brass nails and two bands at top and center
with rings 70 fasten to the waist-beIt Rut
those swords would kill Just the same II
welded by a skilfal hand One az tbese
swords was captured at the battle Of Cbicla.
manga with an officer attached 10 it Here l. a
sword, and q very pretty one captnred af
Chickamauga by David kinseY g3d Ohio. Also
sword belt worn by Lieut.. II. H. Crook. 10Th
Ohio, killed at JOnesboro, Ga This one was
carried by Col. John NJ. Council 18th Ohio
aud has been placed here by his widow. ne She
knew il would be safe and well cared for.
On the bottom Of this case you will find sorne
small articles; such as this great Cumbersome
pistol, captured at Stone River. Ii Is bome-
made, rs no skilled workman could turn ont
such piece Of work. Ii is eleven inches in