The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-21
A RELIC OF MALVERN HILL.
Miss Katherine stiles Gift TO the
Georgia Hussars.


Miss Katherine stiles Gift to the
GeOrgia Hussars.
The Georgia Hussars have received from
Miss Katherine Stiles a gift which will
be given place OF honor among the
troops relics OF the war.
II is the bugle of federal band picked
up by Capt. Benjamin +. stiles. Jr., when
lying wounded on the battlefield Of Nal
vern Hill. where it had been left by the
federals in their retreat, and which had
been preserved for thirty years in the
home. of Capt. Stiles relatives. Two years
ago it was given a place among the relics
at confederate bazaar in Richmond, Va.
and the long call was sounded upon it for
the GeOrgians who gave their lives to the
cOnfederacy, and later on taps" for all
the brave men who died for the lost cause.
Capt Stiles carried the bugle with him
when he was removed wounded. from the
battlefield to his home in Habersham
county. During his 'convalescence, while
he was yet confined to his couch, the bu-
gle was left by his side and he sounded il
10 call his sister and friends to him when
they were at a distance.
Miss Stiles brought the bugle with her
during recent visit to Savannah and pre-
scented it to Capt. Gordon with a letter.
requesting that he present the bugle to
the Hussars.
The bugle is battered and bent, but its
tones are as sweet as when ii was new
IL Is wound Win a neaNN cora 10 give the
hand nrm grasp upon Ii. In fact ii has
been kept just as it was when it was
picked up after the fateful fight.
Before returning to her home in Virginia
Miss Stiles visited the Hussars' armory
and the bugle was sounded for her by Blu
gler kayton. In turning over the relic to
Capt Gordon the donor spoke tenderly of
the affection she bore for the troop OF
which her brother was an honored men,
Der, and requested that the bugle should
only be used at the death of one of its
Miss Stiles letter to Capt. Gordon.
which was read at the last meeting of the
Capt. Beirne Gordon: Dear Sir-I do
not doubt that some of the veterans of
your troop will remember a comrade of
their youth IN the gala days of tourna-
ments, etc, when Benjamin Edward
Stiles, Jr., won his silver spurs, and Wed
with them in all that makes a good
He did not go into the confederate war
with them, because he accepted the in
vitation of the young farmers who lived
around his summer home, in Habersham
county, Georgia, to be their captain, and
in the Sixteenth Regiment of Georgia they
fought through the war At the battle
of Malvern HILL in 1862, while leading a
charge, Capt. Stiles fell, wounded in the
hip, and While lying upon the ground
awaiting an ambulance, he saw, nearby,
the Instruments of a federal band, where,
in their hasty retreat tie band had thrown
them all together. He sent his body SER
want to bring one of them to him, which
Six months interviewed before Capt.
Stiles could walk well enough to return
10 his command, and daily, as he lay
upon his couch on the piazza of his
country home, the bugle was placed be-
side him, and when left alone too long
its clear tones summoned home his sister
and guests from their rambles among the
hills
In August. 1864, on the bank of the Shen-
andoah; in the Valley of Virginia be fell
in skirmish, and now sleeps, at the
mead OF the Georgia column in the con-
federate cemetery at, Winchester, Va. A
brave soldier, fearless when duty called
a true patriot. and a Georgia Hussar.
For thirty years that bugle hung ST.
lently upon the wall-then, at a confed-
crate bazar, held in Richmond, Va, in
1894, it took its place among the "reHcs
them.
One night the band master was asked
to sound the "Iong call" upon it. Time
had not changed its sweetness, but as
soGiation added sadder tone.
The paper next morning told that taps
would be sounded that evening at the
bazaar for all the men who had died at
Malvern hill upon bugle picked up there
The second night, at the end of the even
ing, taps We're sounded for all the Geor-
gians who had given their lives for the
confederacy. The third night the crowd
was very great, but when the cheers for
the strains of Dixie had ceased, they lis
tened in silence to Aud Lang syne,"
CALI on this bugle, and taps three times
for all the men who had died for the
confederacy upon the land and upon the
sea.
That bugle have brought to the troop
my brother loved, and ask that they will
keep it as a memorial of him; and as
each honored member puts aside his ar
NOR, and lays down to take his rest that
for him this bugle's softest, sweetest
note may sound a last goodnight
Katherine c. Stiles.
Savannah, April S. 1896.
Inc bugle will be mounted under a glass
case, upon a stand, and will be given a
place in the company's headquarters.
Believing that Miss Stiles wishes would
be furthered Capt. Gordon rendered the
bugle to the Confederate Veterans last
night for the last call over the confederate
graves on Memorial day and 1t will prob
ably be blown by Bugier Nichols, at the
close. of the memorial observances next
Monday