Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-01-28
A Masonic Rinp


4 prisoner named Davenport. who be-
ionged to a Maryland regiment and
whose home was in Baltimore, had a
hut near that Of Richardson and Bell
lie had been sick for some time He
failed rapidly and seemed to realize
that he would live but a few days.
Richardson was by his side good deal
of the time.
L want you to do something for me,
Charley said Davenport.
Name it, and if possible it shall be
done'
Then Davenport slipped from bony
finger a ring upon which there were
emblems which his friend did not I'M
derstand.
Il want you to get permission to go
outside and find Sergeant Hail. the
Confederate who helped Wirz the day
we came to the prison, hand him this
ring and tell him am very sick"
Il went down to the gate" said Rich
ardson, "and waited for chance to
speak to the officer in charge While
standing there [ examined the ring
The Confederate guard noticed it, and
asked me to let him see it. l held it so
he could see the ring, not daring to let
1t get out of my possession. You need
not be afraid to let me take that ring,
young fellow; l have one like it, you
see. But what are you doing with such
a ring? You are not old enough to be
q Mason"
Il then told him about poor Daven-
port and what he had asked me to do.
Corporal Of the guard No. L. cried
the guard, without saying a word in an
sWer to me. In moment corporal
appeared and the guard asked him to
have Sergeant Hall sent TO the gate, eX-
planning that a prisoner had message
from man who had right to call up
on him.
Sergeant Hall soon came to the gate.
The guard pointed at me and said: He
wants to speak to you l held up the
ring as he approached and began to tell
him why | had come after him, but
hadn't gotten half through when he
said: Take me to Mr.. Davenport; 1
can guess the rest
''Ten minutes later tie soldier in gray
was lovingly bending over the soldier
in faded blue. Hall did everything in
his power for Davenport, but help had
come too late. Three days afterward
Davenport died. Hall took charge Of
the body, and word came to us that
Davenport had been buried with Ma
sonic honors.''
1T was about the middle of Deem
Der, 1864, when word came to the pris-
Oners at Florence, S. c., that batch of
the sickest and weakest men would be
exchanged. Now, Bell, we will try
again. and we did.
"a few days before 1 had found
new friend, a brother printer, the first
before-the-war acquaintance had met
since becoming a prisoner. He was NJ.
p Walsh, also of a New York regiment,
but, like myself, resident of Milwau-
kee Walsh, Bell and myself fell in for
examinat ton. All three were badly
wrecked. My weight had gotten down
to 70 pounds. Walsh and Bell were no
better off.
"'You can go, and SO can YOU said
the surgeon, when he came to Walsh
and Bell.
81 guess you can hold out until the
next batch is called for, young fellow
is what he said to me.
81 staggered and would have fallen
if one of the boys hadn't caught me.
Can't l go, doctor? l have been a
prisoner over a year. / am sick and
too weak to live here any longer But
my appeal did not avail.
walsh told me to cheer up, and said
that it wouldn't be long before would
get out. l asked him to call on my
mother when he got home and tell her
where l was. / ran away to go to the
war. and had never written her while in
the regiment for fear that she would
get me out because l was under age.
For two or three minutes before saying
good-by Bell and 1 stood with arms
around each others necks crying, not
softly. but heart-brokenly loudly. l
can never forget that parting"
Richardson's brothers and sisters had
long since given up their brother as
dead. but his mother was sure that he
was alive and would return home.
The night before Christmas, 1864,
Mrs. Richardson startled the family by
SAYING that one of their Christmas gifts
would consist of information from
Charlie She could give no reason, but
stoutly declared that She knew the glad
tidings were coming.
Sergeant Walsh, since a member of
the assembly and Sheriff of Milwaukee
County. arrived home the night before
Christmas.
While the Richardson's were at break
fast the mother talked about her son
most of the time, closing with 'And this
is the day we are to hear from him.
She took a seat near window and
watched for the messenger who was to
tell her something about the boy she
had not seen nor heard j word from for
more than three years.
The hours dragged slowly along. Two
o'clock came and the watcher had
watched In vain. The family had gath
cred about the table to enjoy the Christ
mas dinner There was rap at the