The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-08-25
The Tale OF Two Coins.

Gen. Nathan Church, the Michigan
representative of the quartette of old
staff officers who rose from captain to
colonel of the famous Twenty-sixth
Michigan, and then TO assistant adju-
tant general and chief of staff under
Gen. Miles, showed with much pride
while in Washington a IS gold piece
that has wonderful history, says the
regiment was to be mustered out in
1865, Gen. Miles requested the war de-
partment TO allow him to retain his
chief of staff in the service, which re-
quest was granted, and for six months
after his regiment had gone home, and
until he declined TO remain longer,
Gen. Church was with Gen. Miles at
Fort Monroe, their distinguished pris-
oner of war, Jefferson Davis.
When captured Mr.. Davis had in his
pocket the gold piece in question and
a Mexican silver dollar Gen. Church
procured other similar pieces and ei-
fected an exchange for the two found
in Mr.. Davis pocket He retained the
gold piece, and gave the dollar to Maj,
Black, who had been his terminate. A
few months thereafter Mai. Black was
showing his famous dollar at an even
ing gathering, passing it from one to
another, when it suddenly disappeared,
and he has ever since mourned for his
lost treasure.
General Church had better luck, how
ever, with his gold piece, and while he
occasionally exhibited it to his friends,
carried it as a much-prized pocket piece
for twenty-five years, when he suddenly
discovered that he had unintentionally
paid it out instead of another similar
piece of money he carried with it; but
10 whom he had not the slightest recol-
lection. He promptly directed the
cashier of his bank to lay aside any IS
gold pieces bearing the date Of 1857
that might pass through his hands in
the course Of business, thinking there
might be possibly one chance in mil
lion that the valuable keepsake would
some time make it's appearance. Six
weeks afterward an old farmer dropped
in and made small deposit, when the
cashier said to Mr.. Church: Here,
see if that's the gold piece you are
looking for" He took it, and was
overjoyed to find the distinguishing
marks he had placed upon the coin
when it first left Mr.. Davis pocket and
found it's way to his own. Since then
the precious piece has been kept care
fully wrapped and safely secured
against another disappearance.
While in Paris five or six years ago
Gen. Church was guest one evening
at the house Of wealthy family who
had formerly resided in New York. In
some way the hostess learned that he
had helped to guard Mr.. Davis while
he was prisoner of war, and she said,
with much apparent satisfaction: II
have Mexican dollar that was taken
from Mr.. Davis pocket at that time
which l value very highly" Without
betraying the anxiety he felt, Mr..
Church asked when and where she OBJ
tanned it, and was told that it had been
presented to the late President Andrew
johnson while he occupied the White
House, and that she, being his near
relative, it had fallen to her upon the
distribution of his valuables after Presi-
dent Johnson's death. Gen. Church
had no opportunity nor inclination
then to explain what he knew of the
old relic, but he has now had an oppor-
tunity to personally tell Major Black
where his long lost dollar is, and he,
too, may, like Gen. Church, come
in due time into possession of his own.