New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-24
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
THE SWORD OF DRURY,s BLUFF.
ROMANTIC AND TOUCHING SEQUEL, TO An IL.
uDENT OF THE WAR.


TO the Editor of The rrtb,a
Sir: The Veteran Association ~ warren County,
" y, held Its annual threedavs, carnp reunion at
Lake George on August Is, 10 and 90 There was a
large ATTENDANCE much enjoyment and the occasion
mas Oeen great success. Colonel Cunningham. Of
'iens Falls addressed his old comrades. mann of them
veterans Of his own rgiment-the old Adirondack
ll7th NeV-Yorh-on Tuesday, and ex-Congressman
F. ~ Johnson addressed them on Wednesday There
was large attendance Of citizens Of the county and OF
LaFe George visitors. County Clerk Van Colt IS the
president Of the association and he has proved untlr
ing in carrying out a considerable programme. Mr..
Johnson in his address referred to beautiful incident
Of tho war which tesir, briefly 70 mention not only
because OF its own merits, but because Of the sequ.
which this encanpment gave 10 IT,
At the baltic OF Drury's Bluff, which General Hum
phpys. In hts "Campaigns Of Is64'6s,- declares 70
have been one Of the ercest battles Of the war; Lieu
tenant Wing OF tho 11sth New-York Volunteer WIS
left on the field and in the enemys hands MORALLY
wounded lie was found by Confederate officer Cap
tain Hendricks, Of Charleston, who Kindly incurred con-
corning his wound. with offers Of such help as he could
give him. Finding that his wound WIS lhely 10 prove
fatal no assured Lieutenant Wing that h would faith
fully try TO carry out any rcquest he might make rho
lieutenant then communicated to the klndly captain
that he was the Of Judge Halscy T. Wing Of Glens
Falls. Y. " and TINT the sword he wore the gift
of his father who desired him to use it bravely and
honorlbly and preserve Ii family treasure. Lieu
tenant Wing then requested that the captain should
foI-e the sword and do his best to return It 70 his
fqmlly. TIE promise given, and the sword, IN
scrbed with the dying lleutenants name and Teg
mont passed IN the captains custody. In time the
sword reached the captain. family In Charleston, with
It's story and the promise When sherman captured
savannah and began his northwar march, Charleston
Col; that the cradle Of secession would next claim
,bo conoueror's attention and there was an exodus
NJ rs citizens. The captains family became refugees
in Columbia, bearing WITH them. among other treas
rres this sword But sherman left Charleston cut
off &C II wero and va soon at Columbia and the
prccl9us things Of the captains family were hastily
hurled that they might escape the sight and scent OF
sb.rm,n,s raiders. \ little daughter OF Captain Hen
s1c,s took charge Of this Federal sword and crawling
rrAo- tho ve-apda OF the house where this refugee
family wa. stopping dug a hole In the soft earth and
hn-ed IT, II became her charge afterrar and she
AZ other times sccrced II against the peril OF capture
eor II ould have been prize 10 the soldiers OF either
side,
Tho war ended Tho captains family was sraF
+or-, n indeed he had not himself nlen u t4'c ,oi
A.. A,vbovc tl-re was a separation for l0ls
period between the family pos es''Ons ~
.clvc- After many years the sword ana inc eal
da,,~,tor nor grown % young womsnhoOd met aDo
an nd tory Of Drugs Bluff was revived IheA SID
a.. o,out the work Of -decminG her fathcFs pronHc'
She found the rcrim In which the lloth Ne"-i
Volunteers wcrv recruited, and after tine lcI7l VIZ
residence Of the Wing family, when had Dee" ~,
- corrspcrdcnc- ensucd between the captain
daughter and the leutenants Wldo"eu .no'''', -.
tho rroi-, made In the solemn after 5ilncss Of thaI
It, ,r,. redeemed After nineteen years this sworn
- r-,,r- plrT became a precious relic In the WING
mansion al Glens Falls.
Now for tho sequel. The Warren County veteran
camped IN Feuwocd Grove Just aoroes HuI, 'l-
Ferrlwooi Cottage Lake Georre. While Mt 'ohuSOii
WIS speaking On August 10, and relating thls ihcNe''
a lady guest Of Fernwood Cottage sa' at an upl0'
window listening 10 the speech. Sic was Mrs Bin
clair ~ Charleston the daughter Of Captain Hendricks
and +ho pre-crver and rcstorcr df this sword. Inc
faot became known to the camp and created intense
Interest and feeling. The touching incident ana tie
rare chance coincidence OF the herOnes he'rhc's' d
80 many years to the assembled survivors oil the ueau
ltaltenant's comrades had most tender ana meiuhg
effect upon the camp.
A campfire council was held that night and It was
enthusiastically decided to show in some way inc
veterans, approciatfcn Of this beautiful fidelity to
promise made to a Dying solder by ono who wore the
enemys uniform and followed the enemy5 nag, me
next morning the veterans q the ev, 1to'G r. Of
ellen. Falls named for the dead leutenanp followed by
all the veterans OF the camp, citizens and Lake oeYas
Fails marched 10 the grounds Of tetnwO0d CoaEe he
veterans forming In front Of the piazza. COonel ~
nlnEh1m.
nia5zn with Mrs sinclair and her felow-gle'S oil the
cottn.e when the Colonel 0uchllrly relearsed an a
dweit upon It's sweetness and peaceful significance
Ike the finding OF nestfm OF young pIIus
to ushtnns scared oak7~lts present eject on tn'sc
old soldier hearts and their desire not 70 Dcah Ihs
until they hal paid their homage and grateful respect
10 this f,r daughter Of her manly father. The address
was tender impressive and dHhc1te ana duilht ~
dsyeE G S Sn bTon G many coat sleeve ass
the eyes Of the old veterans. \ bFlcf bt APT response
W, made by ono OF the I iay Sen agd SH
bowed her aclLnoVedgments Of yocieI2.S rI Ial-
times three aah tfcr me vc f5o l AVN by me
hand while many broken = God bless YOU AID other
tender and respectful saltailol ndcaI Ins I'D" ~
feeling With which these I'D hearts were sragEle, ~
was such an impressive scene nat u was Amos
solemn in tie intense silenco Of the QnoodaF crowd
It is Impossible for me % convex the impressed u
socned pcaceh!lness ard tranquility which prevailed
as these Old heroes surrendered a. the con1erhg pow
willing homage their f1iT, white r?bed conqgeror;
Mrs sncar wa aftewarI HanionsY ele aoS p an
senti with the badges u tho association and u me
115th New-Yorh Volunteers. and later photograph o.
and ber special friends in their midst taken and
christencd The Angel Of Peace ,-.,,.-.-o.
tho war that has come b ny knowledge As Wa said
BY somewhat Distinguished entlenan visitor present
swords Of the late var Win f97crso, B.
Lake George, y. y, Aug. 20, 1901
JUDGE PLAT POTTER AND TIE ASSEMBLY
TO the Editor Of 7 he TIL n c.
str. In the column headed Bench and Bar OF
vn,r last Sundays issue IS paragraph concerning
the death n cxIudrc Tlatt Potter Of schenectady and
therein think, great Injustice + done The nemory OF
this able and fearless lust IN attempting 70 describe
his dispute with the mcmbcrs Of the Legislature In
1870 over the arrest OF Assemhlyman Henry Ray OF
Ontario TIC writer Of this paragraph could not
have been familiar with the facts concerning that
rOr