Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-08-09
CHECKED BY a SIGN.
IS THIS A TRUE STORY OF FREE
MASONRY IN WAR TIMEss

81 saw regiment Of Sheridan's cav
airy halted once by an old Virginian,
who had no arms In his hands, and who
didn't speak q word" said Junlus A.
Cosby, the giant sergeant Of the I'd dis
trict police force. ut was during the
retreat from Petersburg, In April, 1865,
the day before Gen. Lee surrendered.
had been stationed hers a. q military
telegraph operator, but just before Rich
mond was evacuated was ordered to
skedaddle and join the army.
~ was supposed to be close to Gen.
Lees headquarters on the retreat, but
considered myself mighty lucky to get
any place where could keep whole
skin, and out Of reach of Sheridan's
cavalry, that didn't give US any peace
for an hour at time. Il seems to me |
was generally with the wagon train,
and there the trouble was the hottest,
for the bluecoats would dash In, destroy
portion Of our wagons, and then have
to get out to escape the fire our cavalry
and infantry would pour into them.
We were getting pretty well up the
country, marching and fighting all the
way, when one day about noon was
going 1t alone through piece OF wood.
land, and came on beautiful spring
just at the edge Of a field. had not
had q mouthful to eat, except corn,
sometimes parched aud sometimes raw,
for about four days, so l followed the
path out into the open, thinking II would
lead to u house. / wasn't mistaken, for
when got to the edge Of the woods
saw comfortable looking farm house
not far of. went up to the front gate
and into the yard. There was an cd
gentleman on the porch, but before
could speak his wife ran out crying tie
Yankees were coming.
III told them | wasn't q Yankee, but q
confederate soldier, without meal for
four days, and wanted something to eat
I was at once invited In, but before |
had q chance to sit down hardly, the cd
man came In off the porch, exclaiming
the Yankees were coming up TO the
house. saw through the front door
what looked like regiment OF Yankees
was coming along the road and up the
winding carriage road to the house.
"'You are my son. said the old man,
and caught on In minute. wasn't
anything more than boy, so | thought
could work something Of baby
racket. I ran out and hid under the wood
pile my telegraph instrument, which
carried slung over my shoulder, and
then came back and sat down near the
old man on the front porch. The old
man started to give me some directions
about how ! was TO conduct myself
when he saw the soldiers tearing down
the fence along the road, and turning
their horses into the wheat field. The
wheat was eight or ten inches high, and,
Of course, several hundred horses with
good appetites would ruin the whole
patch in mighty little while.
"'My God. can't stand that the
old fellow said, and he Jumped up and
started down the steps. lie troited
down to the gate and climbed up and
sat on top Of one OF the posts. lie
didn't speak word, but he did some
thing worth more to him then than all
the speeches ever made. He didn't have
ANYTHING to shoot with, but he had
something else that beat cannon all
hollow. ! didn't know then what he
did, but know now that he made the
distress signal OF a master Mason. You
could have knocked me down with a
feather when / saw those men begin
climbing into their saddles and saw
them ride out into the road and Tx up
the old mans fence.
"Then several officers came galloping
up the drive and stopped at the gate.
The old msn clambered down from his
perch on the post and then there was a
mos, fraternal hand-shske all around.
The old fellow invited all OF them
into the house, and can tell you felt
mighty squeamish when they came up
on 10 the porch where | was. One OF
them said something about my being
lucky enough not to have been born in
time to have share In all the trouble,
and then they all went into the house
and had drink OF old apple brandy.
When they came out the colonel told
his entertainer that guard would be
placed at the gate down at the road,
and that his property should not be dis
turbed. They galloped away and | went
In and packed away under my belt as
much cornbread and fat meat as could
hold. then struck out and caught up
with our army. The next day We sur
rendered at Appomattox.
The really remarkable fact about all
this, It seems 10 be me now, Is that when
took the masters degree in Masonry
and learned what IL was that the old
man did TO hold Sheridans troops In
check, he himself helped 10 confer the
degree. Richmond Dispatch.