The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-26
LEES SPURS OF GOLD
Were Presented to Him by Loyal Marylan-
derS.
derS.


late commander-in-chief Of the Con-
fe1erate Army, came into possession
Of his handsome gold spurs, which are
now. held as among the most interest
ing and valued relics Of the Confed-
eracy, has always been a matter OF
more or less conjecture. More or less
mystery has always surrounded the
matter, and an interesting bit of his
tory concerning them has just come
to light. Heretofore, lest the loyalty
Of some might have been questioned,
the secret has been guarded. but the
lapse Of third Of century has so
healed all differences that the story is
now correctly told, it is said, for the
first time, by one who is in better
position to know the truth Of the mat
ter than anyone else, for the reason
that, though but a lad Of IA then, he
was a party to the transaction with
his father, who conceived the idea OF
presenting to General Lee these now
much-prized relics, says writer IN
the Washington Post.
tits q well-known fact that South
ern Maryland, especially those coun-
ties bordering Upon the Lower Poto-
mac, sympathized warmly with the
Southern cause and remained, so far as
the people were able, loyal to the
Confederacy, although the State re-
fused to withdraw from the Union.
These Southern Maryland counties
contributed many young men to the
Confederate army, and their friends
and relatives who remained at home
rarely lost the opportunity to render
them material aid, and gave support
to the cause which lay nearest TO their
hearts. Not only did they harbor and
protect Southern soldiers and agents,
but furnished information Of the
movements Of the Northern troops.
It was w. a. Jarb eof Upper Marl-
boro, who, in the summer Of 1862, first
conceived the idea Of making suita-
bic present to General Lee, and after
discussing the matter with limited
number Of his friends, whose sympa-
thies were the same as his own, it was
decided to send General Lee pair Of
gold spurs as token of the love and
esteem in which he was held by the
people of Prince Georges County,
Maryland. It was necessary, how
ever, to conduct the affair with the
utmost secrecy, for the old Capitol
prison al Washington held many
Maryland suspects. Only a small
number Of those who could be abso-
lutely trusted were permitted to sub
scribe to afund for the purchase Of
the gold spurs. George NJ. Graham,
then s prosperous farmer in the coun-
ty, and secretly an ardent Secession
list, gave $40 toward the project, but
the greater portion tof the purchase
price was betrayed sby Mr.. Jarboe,
who was then'Regiater of Wills Of the
Xcounty.
A firm Of manufacturing jewellers IN
Baltimore Was intrusted with the work
Of making the spurs, into which there
was placed $3.50 worth Of gold, and
nothing was charged by the firm for
doing the work. The spurs were Of
pure gold, with only enough alloy to
make them hard enough to be durable.
They we're made by-skillful workmen
and engraved with an inscription in
Latin. The manufacturers then sent
them by a trusted agent to Jarboe, IN
Upper Marlboro. Jarboe was then liy-
ing in what was known as the Surratt
district, bordering on the Birch
Swamp, and every morning rode from
his home in Marlboro, returning at
night. The whole country was alive
with Federal soldiers, chiefly cavalry,
but he was never suspected Of being
in sympathy with the Confederate
cause. His home had never been
searched, although he anticipated such
action at any time. IF the spurs were
hidden in the house, he knew that
upon search they would be discovered;
and for this reason he gave them to
his wife, admonishing her to carry
them about her clothing until an op-
rortunity offered to forward them to
the COMMANDMENTS Chief Of the Con
federate Army. Jarboe knew in just
what n,nner such an opportunity
would present itself.
Prior to the outbreak Of the war one
of the noted characters on the Poto-
mac was Captain Charles Cayvood Of
Charles County, Maryland. He had
early Joined the Confederate Army,