Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-08

of New York, is visited every year by
thousands of people who believe that in his
attempt to destroy slavery he did to the full
his duty as he saw it. No man does great
things without great sacrifices, and my
parent was no exception to the rule. His
family shared his ambitions and are proud
of his record. Despite the loss of noble
father, who impaired his spirit and his pur-
pose to all his children, we have lived to
see his idol completed by other hands.
The Recovery of watson's Body.
'eBrother Watson, who was killed with
him at Harper's Ferry, or rather morally
wounded, is, you know, buried by his side,
and there is touching story connected with
nv recovery of his remains. They we're
spirited away from the place where he died,
and were not discovered for some wears
afterward One day 1 received letter from
doctor in Martinsville, Ind, informing me
that they were in medical school at effer-
sonville in the Hoosier State. went down,
found the Identification complete, and the
officers of the school surrendered the BODY
to me without question. They were well
preserved, and were being used as an an
atomical specimen for the education of
young doctors. 1 brought them North and
buried them beside my father, because I
thought it fitting that the two men of our
family who fell at the inception of the war
which destroyed slavery should rest side by
side.
"It is good many years since these
events at Harper's Ferry, and have had
many queer experiences in relatio on to them,
Only few wears ago 1 received letter
from a Confederate soldier, who was in or
about the combat my father had in Vir-
ginia- His letter was very frank and gen.
erouA
Letter to a Confederate.
'I preserved it carefully among the many
missives which I have received since the
war. My reply to that letter will indicate
its spirit, for I have not the message at
hand this moment. Here it is:
PUT-IN-BAY, LAKE ERIE,
OTTAWA COUNTY. o.
JUNE Is, 1879.
DEAR S1R-"One touch of nature makes the
whole world kim" Those words expressed
my thoughts. as I read your letter of the
18th inst, giving some of YOUR own recollec-
tons Of my father and brother Watson at
You "aided my father to rise as he stumbled
forward out of the engine house." You
"improvised couch out of bench with
brother, and you gave him cup of water to
quench his thirst, which won YOU his
thanks" His tb INKS were, know sincere,
for his was soul of sincerity. viii you not
my own, but on benalf of all my fathers
family? Though yon are "South Carolinian
and took part on the side of the South in the
la war;" this is no barrier to our sympathy
and respect for you as a man who was
faithful to his convictions. My ather,
brothers and comrades who fell at Harper's
twas only toward her slavery that they
cherished a sacred animosity. 1t may seem
to Southern people paradoxical, and yet l
know that the South never had truer friends
floy, hos el, fhnn l1,
foes. When that day comes, as come it will.
in which the white people of the
late seeded States shall fully rec
without distinction Of color race or pre-
vious condition the rights they claim for
themselves, and which are inherent in hu-
manity, they will then appreciate the hearts
of the men at Hdrper's Ferry who would
have risked all for them, had the situation
been reversed.
Waiting with some interest the publica.
sometime to offer fraternal hand to YOU
who gave a cup of water to my dying
brother when you deemed him an enemy,
I remain,
Yours for the rights of all,
JOHN BRowN, JR
A Loss Not without Its Return.
Gas you may imagine it was touching
letter that brought out this reply from me,
for it was such an evidence of how the ami
mosities of the war have sottened with
years, that 1 felt that our losses were not
without return. I have manv more con-
tributions to the history of that time; but
this one that have given you is enough to
illustrate how our family appreciates the
changed conditions that have come upon
the country since 1859, and through them
gather fresh reverence every year for our
fathers memory. He gave noble life for
a mighty sentiment The cost to us was
heavy, but we are born of race who be-
Iieve in giving up the dearest things of life,
and even life itself for the right. As for
myself, do not mingIe much with the