Morning journal and courier., 1890-04-15
a WAR RKmIN1sCENOB.

1
New Havener,s Adventure In Rich
mona Just After Lees SURRENDERED
Fortunate Meeting - Pleasant
Reminder from she Clay Clerk of
Richmond.
It was the day after the evacuation of
Richmond by the rebel troops, on which the |
following incident took place. The rations |
of the Union soldiers were consumed and had
been since the morning Of the day before.
All active engagements were over, but the
"boys In blue'' were hungry. The night of
evacuation day, one of the youngest members
of the Union army, completely exhausted by
the many weary hours of marching and by
the lack of anything to eat, climbed into .
wagon for needed nights rest. Hardly had
he laid his weary head on the rough boards
when his eyelids shut firmly together in
deep sleep, and 10 soundly did he slumber
that he was entirely unconscious of any
change Of resting place until the next morn
ing when he found himself ON the ground
under the wagon and his place in'the wagon
closely packed by half dozen human forms
fast asleep.
This Union boy had often heard his moth
er tell about grandmother who was living
in Richmond, and he had many times re-
solved to hunt her up IL ever he should find
himself in that city. Hunger made him all
the more DESTROYS of finding her, for it had
now been thirty-six hours since he had had
a morssl of food. So he soon found himself
house, and began to inquire where Mrs. s.
lived. 1t was double house, and on the
steps of the other pert of the building were
some southern soldiers who were inclined to
dispute his entrance to the gate. Presently
he introduced himself to his relative, but was
coldly met, for she would have nothing to do
with any relation of hers who was interested
grandson, slowly left the House and saun-
tered along down Broad street, till he met q
young man of about his own age, who was
clad in the confederate gray. He went up
to him and said he wanted to get acquainted;
he told him how his own grandmother would
not receive him; whereupon the lad asked
who his grandmother was and upon being
and Mrs. s. were cousins. This confed-
crate lad, whose name was Ben A., had
too big heart to allow his aunt to thrust
aside boy Of his own age, even though he
wore the northern uniform. After day
and night spent with Ben A, the "boy
in blue" reported at headquarters and was
detailed to further service, so he did not see
his young friend again: After time he
wrote to his southern friend, but the letter
was returned from the dead letter Office.
A year ago this present spring Mr.. Charles
T. Ward of this city, who was the boy in
blue of the above incident, had occasion to
visit Richmond, where he consulted the di-
rectory for this Ben AS name. He found no
name such as he understood as that of his
rebel friend in war times, but on inquiry
and comparison of facts he judged he must
/ L. nao kho ytp
clerk of Richmond, whom he was seeking,
and sure enough such was the case-he had
remembered the name az Ben Augur. Mr..
Ward was the recipient of many attentions
at the hands of Riohmond's city clerk, and
since then the acquaintance begun on the
day after the evacuation of Richmond has
ripened into warm friendship. All this has
a cane which Mr.. Ward has just received
from Mr.. August. The historic value of the
cane will be seen from the letter which &C.
companied the present:
RICHMOND, Va March 81, 1890.
Mr.. Charles T. Ward.
burying ground, within the limits Of this city is
situated St. Johns church. and in this sacred build
..Give me Liberty or Give me Death" Some time
ago the committee Of the city council in charge OF
hanging the roof Of the church to be cut down; the
order was obeyed. When the tree was removed
| Deu6atn us rOOCS tno ek0leCOu OF an luQlan was
found, it was known to be that of an Indian by un
mistakable marks, The superstition is that the
tree grew from branch planted to mark the grave
after the interment. After the tree was cut
down it was examined by an expert in
such matters who pronounced 1t to bs
one hundred and seventy years cid obtained
from the chairman of the committee part Of the
tree and have had it shaped into q cane and for
ward it to you by the Southern Express company
to-day as q token of my sincere friendship and re
gard. The work Of ebonizing and finishing wa.
done for me as Q special favor by friend who is
member of our board of aldermen. The ferrule Ii
made from material that was taken from the con
| federate gunboat Merrimac that was sunk in james
river-the gunboat that played such havoc with tn,
| Union navy for a short while during the late war
A great deal Of the old iron and steel on her wa
purchased by the Old Dominion Iron and Mai
works and taken to their works OF
Belle Isle James river, a place uset
during the war for the confinement OF Uniol
prisoners. The material from which the ferrule i
, | made therefore has double value viewed from
relic standpoint, as 1t was gotten for me by ex
president Of our common council who was former
iy employed at Belle Isle and can vouch for 1t
genuinenegs.
| After getting this stick back (from Philadelphia
| where silver handle had been put on), took it 4
one of our jewellers and got him to insert In the
| OF the head o bullet which came from the battle
field Of Seven Pines, or Fair Oaks, 1t Is some
| times called; the bullet was procured for me by
| friend who owns lot of the land on which some o
the lighting was done, and 1t was dug up by one o
sincerely, BEN T. AUGUST,