The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-07-13

NSAS$fM Ee.&Sli lui,-HSQN Incnt. Tho pro-
~ : s.: :. Is: 4: ::; s; !: !;
'}fSNN brother replied
GENERAL n. NJ. CURTIS. that nc could do
almost anything about u mill, hut that his
special knack was In running u stationary
engine. That is lucky responded the
proprietor, because am in need of IN en-
ginccr. Suppose you 20 down and soc what
you con do with It,.
My brother took charge uf the engine
room, where nc found things in bad shape
Tho machinery had not been properly car
ed for and was in need OF thorough over
hauling. Being n good mechanic, my
brother went about his work in such ~
way that in II short timo he had brought
order out OF chaos, and the proprietor of
tho mill was highly delighted Moreover,
my brother was u remarkable man in that
no could make scores of friends wherever
ho went. He was big follow, like my
self, and az full of jokes and kindlincss ms
any man In tho world. The result of his
employment in tho mill was that he soon
became IL partner in tho business and pros
percd. he was also one of the most popu-
lar men In Vicksburg, notwithstanding
his northern origin and his views on the
slavery question, which I do not suppose
he ever tried very hard to conceal Along
in the nfties my brother took yellow fever.
and though he recovered from that he died
In New York u few years before tho war
broke out, and took hold to settle up his
estate. While doing this had correspond
enco with old friends of his in Vicksbur1.
and their names became familiar to me
AS you KNOW" continued General
Curtis, II was in tho Union army during
the war. Near tho close of tho rebellion I
was chief OF staff of tho Army of tho
James In tho department Of Virginia and
North Carolina and had command In south
west Virginia Ono of my duties was to
send Confederate soldiers to their homes
after surrender and also to arrange for
transportation for civilians In case of ne
ccssity, A few days after tho surrender 1
was in my Office when tall, grizzlcd Con
tolerate came In TO make arrangements for
sending TO their homes u number of Mis-.
siSsippi soldiers. 1 asked him if he was
from Mississippi, and he said he was.
asked him II no knew anybody in Vicks-
burg, and he said he had lived there and
knew pretty much everybody In town. The
only name of the former friends of NV
brother I could think of ut tho moment
was Major Partridge, editor of the Vicks-
burg Wing, and so said to my caller:
Thcn you must know Major Par
fridge of The Whgf
=" My God, should say didr respond
ed the Aississippan. I am Major Par
fridge himself
well was glad to SEQ him, and told
him If he knew of any Vicksburg or Mis-
sissippi Johnny Rebs In Richmond I
should like to go to see them. He took mo
TO hotol where quito number of Con
fedcratc veterans We're sitting about wait
ing for transportation to their homes. Just
before this number of Confederate sol
diers had been arrested on the charge of
having violated their parole, and when
entered the room where these Mississippi
ans were they naturally thought 1 had
come to place them under arrest and they
did not give me warm welcome. But
soon disabuscd their minds of this imprcs
sion, saying to them:
Men, you need havo no fear of me.
como to you as u friend. My brother, now
dead was for eight years a citizen OF
Nicksburg. AS soldiers far away from
your homes some of you may be in need
Your Confederate money is worthless and
you may not be fortunate enough to have
coin. III there is any man here who will
permit mo to help him as an individual
anu not as a staff officer of the Union army
my purse is at his disposal
This was replied to by a tall Mississippi
soldier, who wore the epaulets of briga-
der general. In little speech which
showed him to DO III man of learning and of
heart he thanked me in behalf of his com
radcs for my offer and said such a spirit on
the part OF the conquerors was something
they had never dreamed of. He added that
.f Union soldiers were to treat their de-
satcd foes in this manner the bitterness
cngcndcrcd by IA long struggle would tho
sooner be cffaccd. He spoke with deep feel.
Ing, and the scene with these dusty and
tattcrcd veterans gathered around me and
looking up into my face was one long to
be remembered. Accustomed as we all
We're to scenes of blood and suffering,
something abous the eloquent remarks of
tho Mississippi brigadicr touched our
hearts There were plenty of moist eyes
in the throng.'
Did You ever learn who this brigader
was, General Curtis:"
Yes; his name was Lamar, aftcrward
senator, cabinet officer and justice of the
supreme court. In later years often met
him in this city, and we had many "a din.
ner together, at which we talked over the
old days"
An Able Roasting.
II had strange and funny experience
with constituent short time ago" said