The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12
CHECKED By a SION.
Is This n True story Of Freemasonry In War
TImesI
From the Richmond Dispatch.

From the Richmond Dispatch.
II saw n regimen of Sheridan's cavalry halt
ed once by an old Virgirian, who had no arms in
his hands, and who didn't speak n word said
Junius A.. Cosby, the giant Sergeant Of the
Second district police force. 1T was during
the retreat from Peter sburg, in April. 1865, the
day before Gen. Lee surrendered. l had been
stationed here as a military telegraph opera
tor, but just before Richmond was evacuated
/ was ordered to skcdaddle and join the army.
l was supposed to be close to Gen. Lees head
self mighty lucky to get any place where l
could keep a whole skin and out of reach Of
peace for an hour at "a time. 1t seems to me I
was generally with the wagon train. and there
the trouble was the hottest, for the bluecoats
would dash in, destroy a portion of our wagons,
and then have to get out to escape the fire our
cavalry and infantry would pour into them:
marching and fighting all the way, when ono
day about noon | was going it alone through a
piece OF woodland; and came on a beautiful
spring Just at the edge of II leld. had not had
a mouthfui to eat, except corn-sometimes
days. SO ! followed the path out into the open,
thinking it would lead TO q house. | wasn't
Miss9kop' sa for \ w santo j SS So to ioo 1hG edge isTm Of tGs
not far Off. went up to the front gate and into
the yard. There was an old gentleman on the
out crying the Yankees were coming.
Il told them l wasn't a Yankee. but n Con-
| lbtltTilt hOlulGT, NlllOuI II Iltul u lDuT uhyS,
and wanted something to eat. | was at once
invited in. but before | bad a chance to sit down
ntai1nyiny tn tho org yR m%n came msr In c on inc p pn To- t tx,
house. | saw through the front door that what
looked like a regiment of Sankecs was coming
along the rond and up the winding carriage
You are my SON, said the old man. and I
caught on In a minute. l wasn't anything
more than a hoy. SO | thought l could work
something of n baby racket; l ran out and hid
under the wOodp pile my telegraph instrument,
| which | IN Frtp1 alnnR over NV shoulder md
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 10
conduct myself, when he saw the soldiers tear
ing down the fence along the road and turning
was eight or ten inches high. and, of course.
several hundred horses with good a%ppetites
would ruin the whole patch In "A mighty little
My, God! l can't stand that the old fel-
low said. and he jumped up and started down
He didn't speak a word. but he did something
ever made. lie didn't have anything TO shoot
with, but ne had something else that beat a
did, but know now that he made tho distress
signal Of a Master Mason. Nou could have
knocked lbS.a %oh me seS 92W cIim Tbfh : in feS theIr W sa4dIe ! s nnS
saw them ride out into the road and fix up the
old mans fence.
drive and stopped at the, gate. The old man
clamhered. down from his perch on the post
and then there was a most traternal handshaks
all around.
Tho old fellow invited all OF them into the
house, and ] toll you | telt mighty squeamish
when they came up on TO the porch whore
was. One OF them said something about my
being lucky enough not to have been born In
time to have a share in all the trouble, and thor
they all went into the house and had a drink OF
old apple brandy. When they came out tht
be placed at the gate down at the road and thRI
his property should not be disturbed. They
galloped away and l went In and packed away
under my belt as much cornbread and fat meal
as | could hold. l then struck out and caugh
up with our army. The next day we surren
dered at AppomRttoY.
The really remarkable fact about all this, Il
seems 10 me now, Ia that when ! took the Mas
ters degree in Masonry and learned what Il
was that the old man did to hold Sheridan
troops in check, he himself helped to confer thu
degree"