Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-23
Bows Who Guarded Treasure.

Youths of the present day and the old
BOYS" Of 1S6l-'65 as well must have read
with pleasure the article we published last
Sunday describing the adventures of the
CORDS of Confederate midshipmen who
lef; Richmond a short time before the
evacuation of the city as guard over
$500. 600 of gold aud silver coin belonging
to the Confederate States. The writer OF
it is Captain W. II. PARKER. who was the
officer in charge Of the Confederate school
ship Patrick Henry.
All the navy that the Confederacy had
in Virginia waters in 1884 and 1865
WAS in James river near Richmond.
A navy-yard was established here lat
Rocketts) after the evacuation of Nor
folk. Here, with tho aid of the Trede-
oar Works. several iron-clads were built.
Either to furnish armor for one OF them.
or for 1.-The iron battery" at Drewry's
Bluff. the track of the Richmond Street
Railway Company Whose line ran on
Main street from Ninth to Twenty-eighth)
was taken up and handed over TO the
military authorities. If recollection serves
us Alright the Fredericksburg, Texas, and
new Virginia were among the vessels
built here.
These iron-clads and our torpedo-beds
for year before the close OF the war
blocked the advance of the Federal fleet
beyond Dutch Gap. while at Drewry's
Bluff lay at anchor several Of our wooden
ships. The largest of these was the Patrick
Henry, which had belonged to line OF
vessels plying ,between Richmond and
New York, and at the outbreak OF hostili-
ties was seized by our authorities for pur-
poses of public defence.
On the Patrick Henry was the Confederate
Naval School. There in the midst OF war the
Confederate middies were instructed by
Captain PARKHR and other officers. Many
of the middies were mere lads. but they
were oil trained under fire. They were
nearly always in sight of the enemy and
had thus become veterans at an early age.
When General LEE could no longer
maintain the railroad connections in his
rear and the evacuation of Petersburg and
Richmond was resolved upon. these Con-
federate middies were chosen to guard the
treasure Of the Confederacy from Rich
uOuQ W u ptaOo Va chiulJ Aui'hOi pOutLs
1t was this journey Captain PARKKR gave
an account of. The middies were under
his command throughout aud guarded the
treasure to Abbeville. s. O.. aud there sur
rendered it to General BASIL DUKE. and
without the loss of dollar. though its
safety was often ,mperilled by Federal
raiders and Confederate marsuders. Part
of the middies' journey was by rail and
part on foot. They marched across the
State of South Carolina and went into
Georgia. but turned back into South Caro-
ina.
Ofthe subsequent history of this treasure
Captain PARKKs speaks but briefly. Some
of it was paid out to the Confederate
troops; some Of II fell into tho hands OF
men who never accounted for 1t, aad some
of II was captured by the enemy. Among
this treasure Yves . bog Of iewsiry which
the women of the Confederacy. in our
young country's extremity. had sent 10
Richmond 10 be melted down to aid cur
government to prosecute the war.
IL was readable chapter. showing IN
parallel fidelity 10 trust In the midst OF
great temptations, and when the whole
edifce of the Cerfedsraey was crumbiing
into dust sndruin.