The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-01
BRIDGING TIE CHASM.
An 1mtcrestin. History Of Trunk Lost In
Battle Thirty Years Ago.

0Attle Thirty Years. Ago.
And the bridging of the bloody chasm
still goes on.
Thirty years ago on the 9th of last May
the federal gunboat Cincinnati wrs
sunk in the Mississippi river above Vicks-
burg. A series of Cannon balls from the
confederate guns settled her fate aud her
machinery is now rusting in the bottom OF
the father Of waters" while her timbers
have long since washed ashore rotten and
decayed. They doubtless have warmed
the hearthstone of many Il cabin along the
levee while some aged colored sire told his
offspriugs the story OF the lost "Cincin-
natl" The surgeon on board the fated
vessel was DR.. Hall of 1l42 North Waco
avenue, this city, and he WAS on board the
boat attending to the wounded on that
eveutful day. When the poor old boat
heaved on its side aud it became
apparent that she would soon
sink beneath the muddy and bloody
water, DR.. Hall, who was good swimmer,
took up his trunk which contained his
surgical instruments, his clothing, his
commission and what was more. dear let
tiers and tokens from loved ones at home,
attempted TO swim to shore with it. While
battling with the unfriendly waters
with the dead bodies of his late conrad es
floating all around him. he heard near by
weak voice calling for help. The voice
seemed familiar to him, and as it evi-
denced great distress he turned around
and saw one of the captains o. his reg!-
ment who was worn oat and on the very
point CT going under TO find rest in the
sands of the Mississippi. He called for
the captain and waited for him saying
that he could catch hold of tine trunk and
perhaps keep above water till the shore
was reached. Nerved by this encourage
ment the captain male a desperate
ing man could do and soon reached DR..
Hall. Instead of catching hold of a strap
of the trunk the captains desire to save
himself was so great that he climbed on
top of the trunk and, of course. sunk it.
DR.. Hall at once saw that be must do
something to save either the trunk or the
life Of his comrade and of course there
was only one thing left for a brave man to
do aud that was to sacrifice the trunk in
order TO save the life of friend. Drop
ping the trunk he took hold of the captain
and safely conveyed him to shore. The
water entered the trunk and it went to
the bottom, but to typy Immortality, as it
were. it rose again and in a few days after
it was washed ashore at Vicksburg.
w. f. Munford. at present manager
of the Battle hotel of Mobile, Ala
bama, was at that time lieutenant
of the first regiment of Louisiana
artillery. Higglngs' artillery brigade
of VIcksburg, Miss, and probably played
a part in the sinking of the Cincinnati.
At any rate when the trunk was washed
ashore it Came into his possession. After
a reasonable time it was opened and its
owners identity was ascertalned by the
papers it contained. Probably some time
elapsed, during which sectional feeling be-
came softned. before Lieutenant Mumford,
who was it is Unnecessary to say IL Confed-
crate soldier, thought Of finding the
owner, but it Is very sure that many years
ago he decided to find DR.. Hall and restore
him his trunk. He tried in many ways to
find DR.. Hall but without success and at
last sought the assistance OF the war de-
partment. Unable to find any trace of
him there he appealed to the navy depart
ment and after IA long wait for reply the
present secretary. Mr.. Herbert, of Mr.
Mumfords O1n state. informed him by
personal letter that the last tidings
of DR.. Hall were that he lived in Wichita,
Kan. Mr.. MunfOrd then wrote to Mayor
Cox of this city, giving him brief his
tory of the trunk aud asking him to aid
him in finding DR.. Hall. He said in his
letter to Mr.. Cox that there were some
papers in the DOCTORS trunk that would
doubtless be great aid to him in secur-
ing pension perhaps, and that if he was
dead they might aid his family in getting
a pension. just think of this for mo.
ment: A Confederate working for years
to restore Federal soldier papers that
may enable him to get pension. 1t is
singing rebuke to the smart aleck little
ludes of copperhead ancestry who effect
20 believe that the gallant boys VINO wear
the blue should not be rewarded for the
blood they shed and the privations they
endured to protect. defend and perpetuate
,he Union Of states, aud in the cause of
human freedom.
Mayor Cox turned Lieutenant Nun.
'ord's letter over to Clarence Smith, city
clerk, who found DR.. Hail sick at his
nome. Mr.. Smith has since written to
Lieutenant Munford, and the long-lost
,runk will probably be here in Il sew days.