Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-08-27
4 TALE OF TWO COINS.
They Wsro In Je6 Davis Possessioa whsO
He Was Captured. .'

ne WIZ Vopt0EO0s '.H
General Nathan Church, the Michigan
representative of the quartet Of old sta1
officers who rose from captain TO colonel
of the famous Twenty sixth Michigan and
then to assistant adjutant general and
chief Of staff under General Miles. showed
with much pride while In Washington q
IS gold piece that has wonderful history,
says the Washington Post. When General
Church's regiment was to be mustered out
In 1865, General Miles requested the war
department to allow him to retain his chief
of staff in tho service, which request was
granted, and for six months after his
regimen5 had gone home and until he do.
clined to remain longer, General Church
was with General Miles at Fort Monroe,
their principal duty being to guard their
distinguished prisoner Of war, Jefferson
Davis
When captured, Mr. Davis had in his
pocket the goldpiece In question and a
Mexican silver dollar. General Church
procured other similar pieces and effected
an exchange for the two found in Mr..
Davis pocket. He retained the gold piece
and gave the dollar to Major Black, who
had been his tent mate. A few months
thereafter Major Black was showing his
famous dollar at an evening gathering,
passing 1t from one to another, when 1t
suddenly disappeared, and he has ever
since mourned for his lost treasure.
General Church had better luck, how
ever, with bis gold piece, and while he o.
casionally exhibited 1t to his friends, car
ried 1t as a much priced pocket piece for
IS years, when he suddenly discovered
that he had unintentionally paid 1t out
instead of another similar piece Of money
he carried with 1t, but to whom he had
not the slightest recollection. He prompt
~ directed tho cashier Of his bank to lay
aside any IS gold pieces bearing the date
Of 1867 that might pass through his hands
in tho course Of business, thinking there
might be one chance In q million that the
valuable keepsake would some time make
its appearance. Six weeks afterward an
old farmer dropped in and made deposit,
when the cashier said to Mr.. Church,
Here, see II that's the gold piece you arc
looking for" He took It and was over
joyed to find the distinguishing marks he
had placed upon the coin when 1t first left
MIR. Davis pocket and found its way to his
own. Since then the precious piece has
been kept carefully wrapped and safely &C.
cured against another disappearance.
While in Paris five or six years ago Gen.
eral Church was a guest one evening at
the home Of q wealthy family who had
formerly resided In New York. In some
way the hostess learned that no had helped
to guard Mr.. Davis while he was a pris.
oner Of war, and she said. with much ap-
parent satisfaction, II have q Mexican
dollar that was taken from Mr.. Davis
pocket at that time which value very
highly" Without betraying tho anxiety
be felt, Mr.. Church asked when aDd where
she obtained it and was told that 1t had
been presented to the late President An
drew johnson while he occupied the White
House. and that she, being his near rela-
tive, it had fallen to her upon the distribu'
ton of his valuables after President john
sons death. General Church had no op.
portunity nor inclination then to explain
what he knew of the old relic, but no has
now had an opportunity to personally tell
Major Black where his long lost dollar Is.
and ho, too. may, like General Church,
come again In due time into possession Of
bis own.