The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-03
Relic From Fredericksburg
Battle Field.
If Sergeant Fish Lives He Can
Find a Personal Memento.
How the Letter Carrier Keeps Warm
Without an Overe0at.


interest historical and personal Some
times the personal element predominates
as in the case of a.prayer book picked up
on the field after the battle OF Fredericks-
burg, which is now in the possession OF
the Nantucket Historical Association.
About this souvenir of that savage fight
Miss Mary L. Starbuck, the recording
secretary Of the Historical Association.
writes to the Nantucket Inquirer and Mir
ror as follows:
"Among the war relics now on exhibi-
tion at the rooms of the Nantucket His
torical Association is one which seems
pathetically out of place in such collec-
tiop, since it's personal suRgestiveness so
far outweigns any mere historic signifi-
canoe; and moreover, save in the fact that
ii was brought home by one of them, IL
has no special interest for Nantucketers.
The article referred to is small copy OF
the prayer book and hymnal used by the
Anglic Communion, bound in one
volume in black morocco, with metal
clasp, and printed in 1853, In New York,
by Stanford & Swords. The little book
was found by Benjamin Whitford on the
field after the battle of fredericksburg.
On the first fly leaf, written in IL, is the
following: 'Serg't. $. +. Fish, X Co.,
9TH Regiment. X. l. Infantry.
''On the second blank leaf Is penciled the
name Sarah Ann Duncan; and on "A
fiy-leaf at the back OF the book, again in
ink: TO Serg't. $. +. Fish, X Co., 4th
Regiment, r. ]. v. Please accept from
S. A. d., Beaufort. NC, June 10, 1852:
in faint penciling at the foot OF this page
is Miss Sallie A. Ramsey. IL Is just
possible. but no more, remembering
Fredericksburg that the owner of tDis
carefully marked book is still living; it
Is, however, more nearly probable that
only those remain who knew him, but to
someone among them this momento, for
many reasons. might be thing of value.
Therefore, Mr. Editor, in spite of the fact
that in our exhibition the little prayer
book has a place of honor from which
we are not anxious TO remove ii, yet we
have decided TO speak of 1t thus publicly,
thinking that p rhaps your widely circu-
lating paper may be the means of placing
treasure where, perchance, 1t more
rightly belongs.
As Miss Sfarbuck suggests, Sergeant
Fish, to whom the prayer book belonged,
may still survive, and IL so, no douDt
would be happy to regain what, to him,
must be cherished mement1. The revis-
ed report OF the adjutant general shows
that he was enlisted at Bristol, Septem-
ber, 3, 1895, and mustered into service
Oct. so of the same year. lie was muster
cd out Dec. q, 1862, at Fredericksburg.
Among the things not seen by the peo-
pie OF Providence is letter carrier wear
Ing an overcoat Poss bly, you haven't
made the discovery that these servants of
Uncle Sam do not, like most other people
In the community, bundle themselves up
in heavy top coats when the mercury is
down below the zero mark, rut il IL n
von haIG un hoUn tah
pretty severe weather this winter. Nine
and ten degrees below zero has been re-
cordeu on at least two occasions, but the
postman, to outward appearances, at least,
took no extra precautions to protest him
self from the biting and bitter cold. He
certainly didn't cover himself with either
a top coat or cape as did the policeman,
but seemed 10 find warmth enough in t Q
reefer worn during much miIder weather.
The Gossiper asked a letter carrier this
morning II the members of the corps did
not fer severely during the prevalence
of extrelne cold weather, especially as
they wore no overcoats. "The cold don't
affect us any more than other people who
bundled up in heavy coats elln sweaters, -
he said. "lndeed, don't know that we
would have been any tetter of il we
wore bg coats or capes as the policemen
10 10 lur as Jnc cOiu Is concerned. You
see we have to keep moving pretty fast all
the time. That makes the blood circu-
late freely and doesn't give it chance to
chill. Then you must remember We are
used TO cold weather; we become acclimat-
ed as 1t were and what would make other
Iersons numb and stiff has no effect
On us at all. Take the letter carriers all
through they are healthy and hardy set.
AS to ovrrcoats or capes / can say for my
self want neither. | can dress warmly
enough without either for any weather
we are likely TO get hereabouts. An over
coat or cape would only be en encum-
brance and would interfere with us con-
siderably in getting about quickly. Can
we wear overcoats or capes IL we want to?
Well, i think there is something in the
regulations about that which permits the
carriers to use either garment, hut ma
jority of the force attached 10 any partic-
ular postoffice must signify their desire
for it. "
Last evening the Gossiper 70 on the
back platform Of pretty well-flled Gov
ernor street car. Down on South Main
street the car atonpad md a tun,,,a,, sto,,