Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-10
THE STORY OF A SWORD.
A Long Lost Blade Restored to Its
Gallant Owners Widow.

A Long Lost Blade RestOred to Its
Gallant Owners Widow.
Mr.. Frank A Butts of this city has just
succeeded in restoring to the heirs of it's
owner a sword that has undoubtedly had
one of the most remarkable journeys that
ever an inanimate piece of material could
take. Some time ago he received a letter
from dealer in wartime relics of Rich
mond. Va. telling him that he had In his
collection a handsome sword that he
thought could be restored to the owner or
the owners family. 1t bore on the blade
the inscription, '.E. Bradford. U. s. A."
rs Mr.. Butts had previously aided the
proprietor of this old curiosity shop in
restoring a sword lost during the civil
var to its owner, the latter thought that
perhaps the Washngtonian, who has a..
extensive acquaintance with the veterans
of the late war, could succeed in taking the
weapon from its hiding place and ending
it's long wanderings Mr. Butts found
reference to directory of officers of the
army that a certain Edmund Bradford
vas appointed cadet in the United
States Military Academy in 1888. and on
graduation four years later was appointed
q lieutenant of artillery and was promoted
in 1Si1. He resigned in 1919 and so ended
his connection with the United States serv
| ice. He joined the confederate army in
war surrendered at Appomattox. He died
at Norfolk six years ago.
This being the only Bradford in the list
| Mr. Butts assumed that the sword must
| have belonged to him. The period during
| which he was in active service in the army
| covered the time of the Mexican war. He
| learned investigation that the sword
| was bought by the curfo dealer from
| nan who said that he had in turn bought
| it during the late war from boy in the
| streets of Alexandria, Va. As the sword
| was owned by Lieut.. Bradford during his
| Union service bearing as it did the Spring
| field, ILL., armory mark, there was evident
| ly hiatus of some years to be filled.
In this emergency Mr.. Butts bethought
| him of Mr.. VIM. Lamb of Norfolk. Va,
! formerly mayor of that city, as one who
| might possibly tell him of Lieut.. Bradford 5
| family. and he accordingly wrote to him
| and soon afterward received the desired
| information. Mr.. Lamb said that Lieut..
| Bradfords widow. now an invalid. was
resident of that city, and that he had COM
| mun:cated with her about the sword. 1t
| seems that she had preserved all her hus-
bands swords except one which had been
| missing for many years and which was
| highly priced by its owner. He had lost
| it in the City of Mexico during his service
| in that war and had often spoken of it and
| desired its recovery, but had given 1t up
as wholly lost. Mrs. Bradford was ex-
| tremely anxious that she should recover
| the sword, and the restoration of the
/ weapon has now been made. Mr.. Lamb,
| in writing to Mr.. Butts. said: How time
| has set things right! Here you and I, who
| tried to kill each other thirty years ago,
are now friends under the old flag, united
| in bringing a pleasant sunshine into the
sick chamber of the widow of a gallant
soldier. in restoring to her relic Of the
| Mexican war"
| 1t is a curious coincidence that Mr..
Butts and Mr.. Lamb were the oppos-
| ing sides of the great battle of Fort Fisher.
| which was the last great engagement in
| which each participated. The real history
| of the sword itself will probably never be
| tracing its travels from the City of Mexico
| to Alexandria, but 1t is probable that the
! sword was found in the former city by
| as part of the plumbers Of war. and passed
| from hand to hand in a way not now to be
| ascertained to the old city down the Po-
tomac.