Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-05-12
CONFEDERATE CURRENCY.
An Interesting Story Told Of an Old Nash
william.

= Ahoy were talking az Chamberlain
about rare specimens Of ancient col
and currency, when Col. s. W. Fordyce
the popular President of the st. Louis
Arkansas q Texas Railway, remarke,
that he owned 5pound note issued b,
the Colonial Bank of Virginia, at Rich
mond, in 1853. 1t has long been th,
genial Colonel's fad to gather curl
oslties in this way, and he has one o.
the best collections In the country
But the mention Of the subject started
a discussion on kindred lines. and tht
talk drifted to the money of the Can
federacy, about which most of the
company had story to tell, says the
Washington Post.
Down in Nashville" said Col.
Fordyce, there was living OF the
breaking out of the war an old bachelor
named John Armstrong, When sc.
cession talk filled the air and the hot
headed young men of the city were
ranging themselves on the side of the
South John Armstrong made speech
to group OF his intimate friends.
Boys said he, itgrieyes my heart
to part with you, but vou know where
stand am for this great and grand
Union, and tell you now that some
day you'll be mighty sorry for the
course you are now takisg. The South
can't win in this fight. You will be
licked of the face Of the sarth, and the
Yankees will contiscate your property.
But you won't heed what cay, so
goodby. lam going to stay here, II
no one else does, and I'll be the first
to welcome the Union troops when
they arrive on the banks Of the Cum
berland. ~
John 8 eloquence did not influenc
his cronies a little bit, and of thew
started to join the rebel army. He
stayed and when Buell. got to Nash.
vile John Armstrong was exuberantin
bis welcome and fervid in his protesta.
tlons of loyalty. In the course of a
few days notices were sent around to
the citizens requesting everyone to call
on the Provost Marshal and take the
oath OF allegiance. Armstrong got one.
Dut he treated it as furmality and
tore it up. Shortly after he got a
second notice, a duplicate of the first,
but this, too, failed to impress him
and he tossed 1t aside. The next day.
70 his utter amazement, he was arrest.
ed and taken before the Provost Mar.
shal. Before that official his pent up
feelings found vens ae considered
that To make bir1 tass= "a s.sth an out.
rage. Didn't everybody in the country
know ne was loyal to the core for the
Union5 What was the sense of requir-
Ing him to perform such an act of
supererogation2 He kept up this kind
OF rant for a long time, the officer
being patient man, but likewise in
flexible, and the upshot of 1t was that
armstrong had to sign or get out of |
the lines. His stubbornness was reused
and he wouldn t take the oath.
within twenty four hours John
Armstrong had shaken the dust of |
Nashville from his feet and was headed |
Tor the South. Hs knew where his |
friends were, and lost no time in ioin-
ing them, A howl of delight went up |
when they saw him approaching.
Hello, old man, we knew you were |
with US at heart all the time. We
knew you'd never stand these blamed
Yanks.'
These and such like greetings and |
warm handshakes put John In high
good humor and he invited the crowd,
at least dozen, to come and drink at
his expense. He had converted nearly
all his property before leaving home
into cash, aud left with 81 900 of money
that had behind II the credit of the
State of Tennessee, money that, at the
time, was as good as any. and which
everybody valued at 100 cents on the
dollar. The gang told him where the
drinks could be bought, and they pro-
ceeded to quench their thirst. When
Armstrong asked the sutler, who sold
the refreshments, what the bill was,
the man answered, $25 drink-$8e5
for all.
John Armstrong gasped for breath.
"'What did you sayp Twenty five
dollars drinkt Why, man, this is
Tennessee money I'm paying you, and
it's good as gold.
my friend said the sutler, az ad-
wise you to be careful. II you don't
mind, you'll be uttering treason against
the Southern Confederacy. 1 charge
ss5 drink for that whisky, and one
sort OF money is as good as the rest
The crowd sided with the sutler.
and poor John had to shell out the
sS2t-but 1t was not done graciously.
"Three days later detected ana
crest fallen looking man walked into
The Office Of the Provost Marshal at
Nashville, and in sad sort of tone
'sked to be allowed to sign the oath of
The paper was handed
'ut to him, and be scratched down his
name.
So you thought better Of 1t, ehp'
'aid the officer. I thought you were
zone off with the Johnnies.'
~ did, quoth John, but I'll stay