The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-23
STORY OF 4 MISSING SWORD.
To he Returned After Thirty Years by q Con.
federnte TO n Federal Onlcer In Massachusetts.

federnte TO q Federal Onicer In Massachusetts,.
From the Boston Advertiser.
In 1862 n company enlisted in Charlestown,
Mass, and went to tho front. The Lieutenant
was W. II. Hodgkins, who had been secretary
of the First Parish Sunday school. He was
popular and when he went away with his COM
pany the church gave him its blessing. A year
later he returned on furlough and was presented
with a sword by the teachers and scholars OF the
school. He went back to the field carrying his
sword, and when the war was over he returned
home n Major. but the sword was missing. Yes
terday Mayor Quincy received this letter:
"SPARTANsBURG. s. c., May 5.-I have n
sword that l would be glad to return to the
owner or any member OF his family II I can find
same. Some time ago the Mayor of Charles
town. W. Va. referred me to you for informa-
ton. IF you will hand this to any one who
could likely give me the address Of Lieut.. Hodg-
kins. ] will appreciate same. In our State, in
every county, a collection of war relics is be-
ing made. but l would prefer sending the sword
to the owner or his family. but I want to be sure
1t falls into the hands Of the right ones, and I
am not after selling the sword. and will promptly
ship 1t on proof of Lieut.. Hodgkins or his family.
Pardon my troubling you. Very respectfully,
Nv. B. TwIrTY."
Major Hodgkins is living in SomervilIe. and
the letter was sent there. And this is his story:
- enlisted at ChaTlestown in July, 1862. for
Regiment. and at the time OF my enlistment was
serving as secretary of the First Parish Sunday
sword to me by the Sunday school. was pro,
noted 70 a llentenanGy In October. 1869, and
home on a brief furlough. and 1t was while |
wns at home on that furlough that the presenta-
II carried the sword-it is a field officers reg,,-
lation sword-and 1t had a metal scabbard. to
which Is Undoubtedly due is preservation In such
and Mississippi campaigns under Gen. Grant.
Upon our return from the VicksburR cam
sixth Regiment, and upon coming away l left
my equipments at the headquarters of the regi-
to Lieut.. J. Il. Fairbank, who had been commits
stoned during the campaign Just closing. but had
been unable TO get a sword.
Lieut.. Fairbank,. who is now a resident OF
Leadville. Col. was badly wounded at the battle
Of Gampbsll's station, Tenn; sixteen miles south
being n part OF Burnside's defence OF Knoxville.
AT that time ! was at Cumberland Gap with
n train of supplies, forage, and convalescents.
on my way from Camp Nelson in Kentucky to
join Bnrnside's army. We had 225, miles of
Fairbauk was wounded he was taken from tho
field and the sword was left behind. much TO
the enemy were so pressing in their attentions
just then that 1t was impossible to go back and
recover II.
81 presume the man who now has it was in a
South Carolina regiment, in Longstreet's corps,
and that he found 1t on the field after the battle;
] did not know IL had been lost until I reached
the regiment after the siege of Knoxville had
been raised. Since the war; have made many
efforts to recover II, but all have been unsuc-
cessful. / have, however. had my eye and my
ear open all the time.
1.-THE battle OF Campbell's Station, by the way.
was fought on the site of Admiral Farragut's
birthplace. McLaw's division Of Longstreet.s
corps had us hotly engaged all day, Burnside's
army being represented by Ferrero's first divi-
T effort made to find, the owner of this
sword is not the only one that has been made.
There are many of them, both on the Southern
side and on the Northern side. ! look upon 1t as
merely the outcome Of a very general desire ON
the part of the men who once faced each other
behind double.shotted guns to come together in
the bonds OF peace, friendship. and fraternity.
r." am glad to see this spirit. because 1t shows
that men on both sides are getting over the
prejudices born OF tho war. and are coming to
look, upon their fellow-oountrymen as friends
and brothers.
What shall ! do with the swordi Well. I
shall open correspondence with the gentleman
who has IL, get II, and then 1t will become the
most treasured heirloom to be passed to my
children and then TO their children. That i
shall value II you will know when I tell you It
| years OF waiting 1t was coming back TO me."