Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-06
GEN. COLsTON's LAST LETTER.
Presented to the Museum With Ills
Uniaue CuH-ButtOns.

Among the latest and most interestin
documents bearing on the late war INA
have been added TO the collection IN IN
Virginia Room at the Confederate MI
scum IS the last letter written by Gene
raj Raleigh Colston. who died recehuN
at the Soldiers Home. The letter was
addressed to DR.. Hunter Mcclure, and
accompanied some unique cuft-outtohs
that were offered as a gift In recognition
of services that had been rendered py
the physician to General Colstoh
grandson.
The cuff-buttons are made OF Egypt
ian guineas. which General Colston
had mounted while in Egypt. These
have also been donated by DR.. McGuire
to the Museum. The trinkets are rare
and as time goes on will become more
and more valuable.
The letter. which contains some very
interesting information concerning the
gift, Is as follows:
Soldiers Home, March 30, 1857.
NY Dear Doctor Mcclure: / nave pcen
wanting TO write TO you for several days
But IL you knew my miserable cohdiliVh;
you would not only be astonlshed thdt L
can't do as | wish. All day / am sunelII
ing with violent pains in my leet, anu
at night, TO get some rellei, nave ~. 10
take morphine, which Is destroying me
RAPIDLY, but the sooner the better. =
| have wished for years past that
could die, for L did not see why my ms
should be prolonged only TO suffer. i cor,
fess now that / was wrong, Tor II nau
died some months ago that dear Doy'
whose life you saved, would nave uleu
too. IL was my urging that he be brought
TO YOU without delay, and your skill anu
generosity in taking the case LOT my
10, him M words can
express the blessings we owe 10 you. lie
wanted to see you in person 10 express
his thanks, but could not get carriage
at the time expected. As 10 MS mother.
she was suddenly called TO petersburg Dy
n telegram from her sister, Mrs RaSland,
saving that her little daughter was WoISel
and she must come at once. AS the child
had been attacked ten days pefore Wy
what her doctor pronounced a BAD caSe
of pneumonia we were all dreadfuiiy
alarmed. and made sure the child would
die. and for ten days / suffered terrlpie
anxiety. However, she Is nearly wen now
once more. Mrs. Lippett and her son
are on their way home, and VIII write 10
you from there. a..
there are services which nothing can re-
pay and OF such Is the one you nave
rendered NE and my children. L can ohiy
return my thanks. my blessings, my pest
wishes for all who are dear 10 you. Yet
l would beg Of you 10 accept, simply as a
remembrance OF me. the little Jewel 1
send YOU i am soon going 10 ahother
world, and when l so l would rather
know that this tritle is In your hands
than I'm those OF anybody else.
IL Is only a couple of Egyptian guineas,
which. before leaving Egypt, had mount
ed as sleeve-buttons, but l soon found
that they were too heavy ana inconve-
nient for usual wear Apart from the
personal association, as being a. token
OF the friendship, regard, gratitude. and
affection which feel for you, they have
no value. except as curiosity: which
Sultans OF Turkey would never allow the
Khedives of Egypt the privilege OF coming
money with their own monographs, but
though coined In Egypt. the money must
bear the monogram or the reigning SUI
tan. one OF the gulneas OF this pair
shows the monogram OF Sultan Abdul
Ais. and the other shows the date. 12SS,
OF the Hegira. The Mohammedan objec-
zion TO pictured or sculptured human be-
ings forbids the putting Of effigies OF the
rulers on coins. The Egyptian pound, or
guinea, Is worth A943. The Turkish
pound Is worth 40. 1t Is not probable
that the coinage OF Egyptian money will
continue. and the coins formerly issued
II Is as such that l wish you to accept
and preserve this as a souvenir OF me.
and hereafter. when your eye happens
to glance upon this tribe. may 1t remind
YOU OF one whose last days you saved
from crushing sorrow. and who Will.
to his dying day, invoke every blessing
upon you and yours.
Your grateful friend and comrade.
~ IA <hAxafcoA