Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-17
HISTORY OF A SWORD
Captured in Peculiar Way and Returned
Alter Many Years.

CaptuTe0 IN peculiar way ano Netufne0
Alter Many Years.
Major Burrage of Portland, received
| by express Tuesday, the sword which
was captured with him at Petersburg,
Va, November /, 1864. The circum.
stances OF the capture were as follows:
On that day Major Burrage had
charge Of the picket line Of the first
brigade, second division, Ninth Army
Corps, on the left of our line at Peters
burg, and in receiving his instruc-
| lions from Gen. Curtin in the morning
he was directed not to allow the men to
| exchange papers, but il an opportunity
oTered to do SO himself and to bring
the papers to the general. In visiting
the picket line with the division officer
of the day Major Burrage found Con-
federate Officer. as he supposed from
his dress,) on a road in front Of our
lines, in thick woods, waiting to ex-
change. He walked down the road to
meet him, and found that he had three
Richmond papers, while he had only
one Washington paper. The Confed-
crate offered to give him his three pa
pers II Major Burrage would give him
his Washington paper and in addition
would bring cut another paper in the
afternoon. This Major Burrage agreed
to do, and as he turned to go back to
his line, he asked the Confederate who
he was. He replied: Il am the major
of the Second Mississippi" Major
Burrage took the Richmond papers to
Gen. Curtin. and in the afternoon, on
revisiting his line. he brought with him
the added paper as he had agreed to do
in the morning. -
On reaching the place on the line
where the exchange in the morning had
| occurred. Major Burrage found that the
Confederate officer had not returned
He accordingly waited awhile for him,
but as he did not come he finally
thought that infthe fulfilment of his
agreement he would call out some one
from the opposite line and send the pa
per over. He accordingly walked down
the wood road holding the paper in his
hand. and when he came in sight of the
Confederate pickets. he halted and
waved the paper. He was now about
so or Is yards from the Confederate
line and not in sight of his own line on
account of a bend in the road. The
Confederates rose in their pits and an
officer called out, Come in or well
ire"
Major Burrage supposed that he
would only need to state the facts as
they were to secure his return to his
own line. but the officer whom he met
refused to allow him to return, and de-
manded his sword. In the belief that
IA, nf h ;ul
he would be released. Major Burrage
took the name of the officer who re-
ceived his sword in order that he might
secure the same on his return. He was
then sent to Col. Cowan. who at that
time was in command of Lanes brig
ade. Col Cowan said that the officer
on the line ought not to have made
the capture, but that Major Burrage
had seen so much of his line that he
was unwilling to send him back. and
that he would probably he kept until
any information he had secured would
not be of any use.
By Col. Cowan he was sent to Cen
Heth, and then to Gen A. p Hill. who
was in command Of the Confederate
forces at Petersburg. Gen. Hill said
that if Major Burrage's story was true
he would return him to his own lines
in few days. Meanwhile he gave him
his parole, and he. was assigned quar-
tiers with DR.. Hamilton of Gen. Hills
staff. Major Burrage was at Gen
Hills headquarters three days. and was
greatly enjoying his stay there when he
was sent to the Libby as a prisoner of
war. Not knowing on what ground he
was held as a prisoner. he wrote out 4
statement of the case and sent it to
Gen. Lee. The latter sent it to Gen.
A. P. Hill and asked for a statement
of the case by him. The reply came
back in about two weeks. Gen. Hill
said that the statement made by Major
Burrage was the same he made when
he was brought to his headquarters.
but on investigating the case he found
that the major of the Second Mssis-
sippi. with whom Major Burrage
claimed to have exchanged papers that
morning, had been absent. wounded
for months. Furthermore. he said, Gen.
Heth is of the opinion that Major Bur-
rage was out under the guise Of ex-
changing papers. looking over the
ground preparatory to an attack on
our line in retaliation for the capture
of the Second Corps night or two be- |
fore by Malone. Gen. Lee returned to
Major Burrage his statement with the
endorsement that from these facts as
set forth by Gen. Hill, he failed to see
why he should not be regarded as o |
prisoner of war fairly captured.
On the Union side meanwhile. the pick
cts were on the watch for an opportunity |
to retaliate. and when about three weeks |
later a rebel officer was seen to approach |
our lines near where Major Burrage was |
captured. Capt. H. o. Dudley of the nth |
New Hampshire Volunteers. went out to |
meet him. and drawing his revolver or
dered him into our lines. The prisoner |
was no other than Roger A. Pryor. a for |
mer Congressman and brigadier general |
who was now on duty at Gen. Lees head |
quarters.
This capture put q new face on mat |
tiers, and 1t was not long before Major |
Burrage received a letter from Governor |
Smith of Virginia, friend of Pryors |
saying that the COnfederates were willing |
to call Major Burrage's capture unfair |
and release him, provided the Federal au-
thOrities would release Pryor. This was
at length done. and Major Burrage had |
the pleasure of an interview with Pryor |
at his home in Petersburg when our
troops were on their return home from