The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1893-03-10
Star
A SOUVENIR OF SHILOH.
Return Of n Lost sword after More Than
Thirty Years.

The Dallas Ners correspondent
AT Brenham, Texa., WRITES under
date of Feb. 18th DR.. +. Q.
Hynes This morning received an
express package from 5. +. BIylhr,
Of Hood river, Oregon. The pack.
age contained a swrrd upon The
blade of which was Inscribed,
Thomas o. Hynes, Co. X. 17lh
Reg. La. Vols.n and On The brass
mounting of The leather scabbard
was scratched the name Hynes.
The sword was lost by Dr.HyneS
al the battle of Shiloh on April 6,
1862. The doctor was captain Of
the Catalonia Guards, which was
Company X, Seventh Regiment,
louisiana Volunteers, and in the
battle he had one arm shot to
pieces. Alter he was wounded he
was carried TO tent, aud The sur.
geon (Dr. j. G. NotI) unbuckled
the word and laid it to one side
while he amputated The arm. Be
fore the operation was fairly com
pleled the Tide of battle swept so
close that the tent, which, as well
as the old Shiloh church, was do
ing duty as temporary hospital.
had 10 be abandoned, and CAPTAIN
Haynes was hastily placed in an
ambulance and carried 10 Cor:nth.
1t was some time after he let the
lent before he mi sed his sword.
Meanwhile The sword lay in, The
tent till the next day when 1t was
picked up by Private +. s Blythe,
of The Twenty second Ohio lnfan
try Volunteers. Mr.. Blythe carried
the sword back to his Ohio home,
and since then he has moved TO
Oregon, and from that Stale he
wrote a letter to the Atlanta Con.
%stitution describing The sword, and
Offering to return it 10 It's owner,
if he were still living. A copy Of
The paper fell into The hands of a
gentleman who showed the item to
DR.. Hynes. A letter was written
by the eX confederate TO The en-
federal, and to-day, more than
thirty years after It left his side
that bloody April day, the sword
returned to its riahtlul owner, and
no child was ever prouder of a new
toy than the decor is of this rusty
relic of the late unpIeasanlness.
The correspondence in reference
TO the recovery Of The sword was
as follows:
Brenham, Tex, Jan. 2S.-S. f.
Blythe, Hood River, Ore: Dear
Sir ard Friend-I { Ike the liberty
to call you friend, now that the
war is oyer. | was much surpris.
ed when | read your communlca.
ton in the Atlanta Constitution in.
forming me that YOU had my
sword, the same that was lost on
the 9Th day of April, 1862, on the
field Ut battle a, or near the old
Shiloh church, in Harden county,
Tenn the particulars of which are
set forth in clipping send you
from the BRENNAN Banner here
with inclosed. Though | was a
physician at the time, | was never
,heless in the line trying to make
more wounds. instead of healing
them. But since that time | have
been as diligent trying TO heal The
animositles between the two sec.
items as | was valiant as a soldier,
and ere long | hope they will all
be obliterated.
Between you and me they are
so now. Allow me 10 stretch my
one arm over into Oregon and
shake hands with You across the
bloody chasm.
Please send my sword by ex
press and | will pay all charges
here, and much obliged. Your
humble servant,
T.. O. HYNES, NJ. d.
The reply to tins letter came to-
day and was as follows:
Hood River, Oregon, Feb. 1898.
DR.. 7. o. Hynes, Brennan, Tex,
Dear Sir--I was much pleased to
get your letter of the 2Sth ult, Ev-
identity you are The original owner
OF the sword | have had in my
possession nearly lhiriy-one years.
! got The sword about 4 O'Clock on
April Z, 1862. Next day | had a
chance to send 1t home by Ser,
geant Toby Adams who was
wounded in the first days fight
and was taken on board a hOsl tia
boat, which went to Cincinnall,anl
those Of The wounded VIII, were
able 10 travel were allowed 10 @
TO Their homes. AT Cincinnati Ser
geant Adams was offered $50 iol
the sword, but it reached my moth
er's house, where j, remained unit
1n76, when my mother sent me {
box of goods aud traps belonging
10 me 10 Portland, Oregon; am
among them came the sword.
thought then | that | would re
turn The sword ii | could find the
owner, and always intended to
hunt yon up, but kept neglectin.
to do so until recently | had occa
sion to write to the Atlanta Con-
stitution, when it occurred to me Il
mention The fact that | had in IN,
possession the sword with YOU.
name on the blade.
When | picked up your sword
was a boy; now l am 50 and an oil,
man. Thlrty.one years have role,
along since We faced each other OF
thn hlnnAu G.1I - ytl 49,.