Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-06-10
A SOUTHERN WAR RELIC.
A Commission for the Privatecr chesa-
pcnke by President Davis.

psilv Emporium, Trenton, MIL
r,,,r;no tbe civil war times. In 1868, man
Du' 20 the railroad hotel in the Fourth
1ard kant bv Dominique Caminade. and
VA h;rnaelf acouainted BY referring to
INV 81 - that ne knew some OF the relatives
Wy VI NJ Ceminade in Charleston, ;. G He
49, ,~os a very pleasant and intelligent gentle
man and remained at the hotel Tor week
or more. On going away ne gave
into the keeping OF 1ir. NaIhlnade
.horf and screw top, and asked
~, IN keen II secure for him until he came
Cor II or telegraphed where to BRING it 70
-, For some time Mr.. Caminade heard
nntbing from him. when one day he re-
Lived n telegram from Baltimore to bring
The flask to the Continental hotel. MIR;
Caminnde took it 10 the Continental Hotel
et Philadelphia, suppoans that 10 pe the
place. but not seeing the owner or the
aoek broucht it back with him Some
t;,on after he received letter notifying
IN, thar he had not kept the appoint
,nant 10 meet him at the hotel at Baltl-
more Int that II did not then matter
about il Some time after Dir. Camlnade's
Jootb his wife related TO those IN charge of
his affairs the history OF the TASK, when
her brother unscrewed the top and found
4hat il was filled with liquor. and that
thore was something INSIDE, covered with
leather. He threw the bottle against the
ice-house and broke it. when there fell out
n commanders commission 70 Thomas
smith for the privateer Chesapeake, partly
nrinted and partly written on parchment,
Jefferson Darts.
PresiIeat Of the CONFEDERATE States Of Ameotcd
To Al Who shall See These Presents. Greet
ing:
Know We that by virtue OF the power
vested in me by law. have commissioned.
md do hereby commission. have author
lied and do hereby authorize, the vessel
called the Chesapeake, more, particularly
described in the schedule herewith an
nexcd. whereof Thomas smith IS com,
mander. to ect as private and armed vessel
IN the service of the Confederate States on
tne HIGH seas against the United States OF
America. their ships. vessels, goods. and et-
fects. and those of their citizens during the
penlencv Of the war now existing between
the said Confederate States and the sald
United States. This commission IS to con-
tinue In force until revoked by the Presi-
dent of the Confederate States for the
time being.
Name, Chesapeake; tonnage, sixty tons;
armament, four guns; number OF crew.
fifty.
BY the President: JEFFERsoS DAVIS.
J. =. BENJAMIN, Secretary of State.
There were only three Of these issued
during the war. one 70 Raphael Sims for
the Alabama. one to Robert Beale for the
Shenandoah, and this one to Commander
Smit.. for the Chesapeake. II IL supposed
that the final lack of interest in the COM
mission by Smith was occasiOned by the
public execution about that time OF Beae
IN Ney York b1rhOr. Alr. Caminade
never knew what was in the flask, but had
such contraband Of war been found in
MS possession no explanation would have
kept him from Fort Lafayette II IS now
in the possession of his son. Mr. Samuel
Caminade. who has it framed for preserva-
ton. Many offers have be Il made 10 him
for it. and the Southern Historical Society
are very anxious 60 obtain It. but hr Caml-
made declines to part with it at any prce.